Hauling bicycles in an enclosed trailer

I have to do a run from the Great Lakes to the east coast to get a small bike collection that was willed to me. About 9-10 bikes, but a bit higher end- Merlin, Litespeed, DeRosa, Colnago, etc. I will be using my 7 x 12 enclosed trailer.

I am getting fork mounts quick releases that will be attached to a long board that will run along one side of the trailer that I will use to angle the handlebars to get them all in nicely with some foam and packing blankets around them to protect during the trip. I am trying to figure out how to keep the back tires from moving around too much other than running another board along the other side with rear wheel straps. I do have E track along both walls half way up. Just thinking of something quick and easy that when removed, won't have too many holes in the floor or wall that I need to fill. I am also trying to figure out what to do with the front tires, again, without getting the fork-style front wheel mounts, but I may need to do that.

Any ideas, sketches, photos on the best way to temporarily kit out the trailer for this task are appreciated.

 

Could you use something like a 1x1 wood pole, slide it through all the wheels at once, and use velcro straps around the tires/wood?

Then secure the wood to the etrack with more velrcro straps.

 

Do you know the front hub spacing of all of them? Sounds like primarily 9x100 QR? The Kuat Dirtbags fork mounts are great. https://kuat.com/products/dirtbag?variant=47431274496298

Screw them down to your board, staggered, at an angle and drop your forks in place. Simple to install and you could do it as you're loading them so you know they're placed just right. Then some short lengths of 1xs screwed on either side of the rear tire and run a bungee through to hold them down snug to the trailer floor.

The Dirtbags could also be fastened to the wall and the bikes vertically mounted if that works better for your space.

 

This is pretty fancy but depending upon the value of the bikes may be worth it. You could defenitely engineer something similar for 1/10 of the cost.

https://up.bike/team-bicycle-traile...rdWe52EeoRP4mT_CGvDu1gnpVColxmXGEymqqFUd9m3pe

 

Mounting the forks up high and resting on the back wheel was an idea I had, I just wasn't sure if the bikes would pogo a lot with that kind of set up. I mean, the trailer will move as one with the bumps on the trailer suspension, I just wasn't sure how much energy would transfer through the bike if they were vertical. But it would be the best space saver.

 

Get a bunch of 1up trays and do it right.

 

Maybe its just me but this sounds like a one-time thing... I wouldn't be too inclined to spend $5000 on the setup.... half a OneUp tray assebly is $98 + shipping.

 

Money is no object!

 

Since this is a one-time trip, I'd go with something like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B5N4VNB3?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_12

They are $17 each. I have two on my work bench currently and they are more than adequate.

To secure the rear wheels, why not just use some plastic pipe strapping at $6 for a 25' roll: https://www.amazon.com/Oatey-33925-...=pipe+strapping+plastic&qid=1744139107&sr=8-4

You could affix the fork mounts to a 2x6 and then mount the 2x6 to the trailer floor, and then use the strapping to keep the rear wheels from bouncing by securing to another 2x6. If you're still concerned, you could cover each bike with a moving blanket in case they moved around. May also consider borrowing a battery powered baby monitor to see what's going on in the trailer while going down the road.

For the front wheels, I would get moving blankets or beach towels and put them on the back seat with a blanket between each wheel.

 

Ptth. Throw em in the back of a pickup like a real man.

I'd use pool noodles as spacers.

 

Willed bikes? Are they modern? I guess even 10 bikes at $500 each is still a good chunk.

I wouldn't do fork mounts as a one-time deal. I'd build the cheapest possible bike stand out of 2x4s and velcro or vol strap them to it. I'm thinking outdoor bike rack style and you strap the rear wheels to it. Or an A-frame where you hang the saddle and strap that. Then strap the other wheels to a single board evenly spaced.

 

If it's an old Colnago with the clover-shaped tubes and c-record with delta brakes, I'll take it off your hands.

 

Fork mounts up front and Walmart’s cheapest pillows for rear wheel spacers. Leave the bags on them, so you’ll have extra kid/guest pillows. Harbor Freight moving blankets folded up with the front wheels in the folds.

 

I've hauled my rentals in the back of my van & in my open bed trailer . None have gotten scratched .
You just have to load them properly . You can also use cardboard between them .

 

I hauled 14 bikes a few year ago in an enclosed trailer. I used the same style fork mount your talking about for the front. I then took a 2x4 and screwed it in to the floor. I used old tire tubes over the rear wheels and screwed them into the 2x4 holding the rear wheels down. Bikes didn't move over a 10 hr drive.

 

this. I was going to say buy cheap fork mounts of Amazon and screw some webbing or strapping you cut over the rear wheels to keep the rears from moving. one and done. Buying one up trays is nuts

 

For the rear, I would put some eye screws in the floor and zip tie the rear wheel down with a small piece if innertube between the zip tie and the rim. Cheap, easy, and it will do what you are looking for.

 

Ugh, I was going to ask about the Colnago.

@DrA5 I'm second on the Colnago I guess.

Regarding the rear, just run tie downs through each rear wheel and secure it.

 

Yeah post up the bikes, you may have some buyers here on the east coast that can reduce your haul home

 

You'll always be one step behind me.