A truck is a versatile vehicle, not only cannot get you from point A to B, it can do so while hauling large amounts of weight. The open bed is good enough for most things, however, it is not for bikes. As the truck moves, the bikes move around, potentially getting damaged or damaging the truck.
There are store-bought solutions to this problem. However, this can be expensive and might not meet your specific needs. To meet your specific needs, you would have to build one yourself. This article will be going through 19 DIY truck bed bike rack solutions to help you build your own.
Table of Contents
1. PVC Bike Racks
With some pipes, you can make a bike rack that will fit the back of your truck. PVC pipes are cheap and easily available which makes this option attractive.
The design is a rectangle with slits in the middle of it where the bike wheels would stand. You should cut up the pipes into the pieces you need. Join the pipes using some glue to create the rack.
2. Bike rack on retractable roofing
Some truck owners would prefer to have a cover on their bed, this could be for security or to avoid wear and tear. You can install bike racks on this bed as well.
You need steel tubing that you will have to mount on the top of the cover on the front and back. You will then mount some cheap roof rack to the steel tubing. You can then use them on your bike for functionality even 65 miles per hour.
3. L shaped wood alternative
With some lumber, you can make L-shaped brackets that can safely hold your bike. The materials needed are easy to find and the instructions to build one easy to follow.
Build L-shaped brackets to where a bike wheel can fit. Build as many as you have bicycles to fit the truck. Attach them to a wooden plank that will act as support. Finally, make sure that the whole stricture is well attached to the truck.
4. PVC bike rack for a short bed truck
This rack is made from PVC pipes, glue, T joints, and elbows. This easy to make and is retractable as it is held up to the truck with a strap.
You will cut the PVC pipes to the pieces you will use. With the T's. elbows and glue, put the pipes together to make the bike rack. Go ahead and attach the bike rack to the truck using a strap attached to the truck itself.
5. Recovered pallet solution
Pallets are a staple for DIY projects. With reclaimed palettes, you can fashion a good-looking and equally functional bike rack.
Split the pallet apart into its constituent parts. With the parts, you will make a square with thin gaps for the bike wheels. With a little re-nailing, you will be able to create your bike rack. The result will be inclined on the truck when in use.
6. Bike rack for fat tires
Most of the available bike racks in the market are built for typical bikes with regular tires. When you have a bike with wider tires, the only solution for you might be to make your own bike rack for the truck.
You will need a steel beam that you will mount on the front. On the steel beams on the front have some plugs to mount as many as you have bikes you need to be hauled. You will mount the bike on the front wheel and have them standing on the back wheel.
7. Side-mounted bike rack
This bike rack looks like a bench and is mounted to the side of the truck bed as opposed to the front. This means that when not in use, the owner has the benefit of a lot more space.
With some wood, make what looks like a bench. The height should be about the same as the sides of the bed. The bikes can then be placed on the on it but the front wheel would have to be removed to be attached to the rack.
8. Bike racks for mid-sized pickup trucks
This build is simple enough for most people with low to moderate skills to do competently. People with mid sizes trucks, have to work with smaller beds, this build helps with that.
With some lumber, fashion a bike rack that fits. You need to have a plank of wood that will fit at the front. Using your bike wheels, measure the space needed for a snug fit and proceed to add planks to either side of the wheel. Attach them to the plank on the front.
9. Store-bought augmentations
There are standard, cheap bike racks that you can buy online. With these bike racks, you can make modifications that would allow them to fit in the back of your truck.
With the bike racks you bought and a few PVC pipes, you can make a bike rack for your truck. Attach the bike racks with the PVC pipes. Proceed to bolt the entire bike rack to the back of the truck. Make sure you use the proper bolts and screws for the job.
10. Homemade truck bed bike hauler
With a few 2*4, you can make enough bike racks to house up to their different bikes. You can have the racks configured for all types of bikes be they wide or narrow tire bikes.
Clamp the wood to the front of the truck. On the bottom, you will have the gaps to which you will have your wheels. Use the bike tires to make sure you have the most accurate measurements you can get.
11. Bike Rack System
A lot of you might not be comfortable drilling holes in your expensive trucks, which is completely understandable. Luckily, there is a solution, that allows you to install a bike rack while leaving the bicycle as mint new as it always was.
All you need a heavy-duty steel bar and a bike fork mount, both of which are easily found in most stores. Install the steel bar across the storage bed of the truck at the back. On the steel bar, you can install as many as six mounts. You can fit individual bikes to the steel bar as a bike rack.
12. Strap based bike rack
This is the easiest, fastest, and most accessible bike rack solution. All it requires are straps and very little skill. The idea is to tie the bike to the back of the truck with the straps.
You have to remove the seat from the bike and place them upside down. This way they will be as close to the ground as possible thereby preventing them from hitting the back window. Tie them as sturdily as you can to make sure they do not fly off during transit.
13. Tailgate rack
This solution has the bike hang out of the back as opposed to being stuck to the front like most racks. It also a cheap solution, and easy to work out.
All you need is some scrap wood, an old yoga mat, and some hot glue. Have the plank of wood stuck to the back of the truck. Fit the yoga mat foam, and have it fit as snugly as possible to be able to hold the bicycles.
14. The store-bought garage solution
There are very cheap bike racks meant for your garage. They find very little use in the back of the truck because they will not stay still when in movement.
You can use it though when you attach it to the floor of the bed for your truck. You can use a steel bar, and attach it to the floor of the truck. Weld the store-bought rack to the steel bar. In the end, you will have a sturdy bike rack for your truck.
15. Frugal Bike Rack
This design is meant to be a very affordable solution. It is also very simple which makes it easy to work on.
Use salvage lumber to bring the cost down. You can also use electrical conduits as braces to have the wood upright. You will have the wood attached to two vertical slits, enough to fit a bike. The whole structure can be bolted to the floor of the bed.
16. Dread mill carpet solution
This solution involves having the bike halfway over the tailgate of the truck. It a simple solution that does not involve drilling holes in your truck.
With a treadmill carpet, you can fold it into itself to added thickness. Through the carpet on the tailgate and hold it in place with bungee cords. You can now just lift the bikes over the tailgate and they will hold in place without damaging your bikes.
17. Fence post bike rack
This bike rack is a solution for hauling all your family’s bikes without having to fork out large amounts of money. The requirements can be found in any of the big stores.
You will need a fence post, plumbing fittings, and threaded wire. You will have a front and upper beam that will serve to stabilize the front tire. The back tires will be rear beam will have hoop straps that are meant to stabilize the back tire.
18. Simple bike rack
This is built requires very little in resources. The design is also very simple, making it accommodating to all who are interested in DIY projects.
All you need is some lumber, bolts and nuts, and some brackets. Bolt the wood to the back of the truck. Stick the brackets to the plank of wood. Attach the bike to the brackets to get use out of your new bike rack.
19. Upright PVC Truck Bed Rack
This build uses simple PVC pipes to make a bike rack that is not only sturdy but can accommodate multiple bicycles. Since you will be using PVC piping the project will be quite inexpensive.
You need, PVC pipes, elbows, T's, and glue. The design would hold the bikes using the back tires. Cut up the pipes into smaller pieces, and attach them per your design with the glue and elbows. The result can be bolted you your truck.
Conclusion
A truck is a very useful friend when traveling. Most truck owners use the storage space on their trucks to haul things from one point to the other. Hauling bikes can be a problem and the market has made attempts to solve it.
However, the market cannot always cater to the specific needs of every truck and its driver. As such, the solution is to build your designs for bike racks.
This resource should help you solve most specific truck bed bike rack needs you might have, all at an affordable price.
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