Ensign

Member
Oct 13, 1999
114
0
Hey,

I've been trying to figure a more secure way to carry my bike in my pickup. I was wondering what others have done. I don't want to mount anything permanently to my bed, so I was thinking of mounting some chocks to a piece of 3/4" plywood cut to fit my bed in front of the wheel wells. How do you think this would work? I figured the bike would have enough weight to hold the plywood down and that it really couldn't pivot if I cut it to fit exactly in the bed. I just don't like cranking down on tiedowns to keep the wheel from turning. Plus, I could just remove the plywood with the wheel chocks when I wasn't carrying a bike.

Let me know what you think. Thanks.
 

bushpilot

Member
Dec 29, 1999
52
0
Hauling in a pickup

I have seen several ATK Bikeshoes mounted to a sheet of plywood in both pickups and vans. In a pickup that can't close the tailgate with the bike in the bed you would be taking a chance on the whole thing sliding out.

It is a pretty expensive solution. Plywood costs a bundle. The Bikeshoe is around $80 delivered. Then you probably would still have to use tiedowns to keep the bike from flopping back and forth.

A piece of 2x4 to keep the forks from bottoming and a couple of tiedowns are good enough.

Wayne Hinman
 

Ensign

Member
Oct 13, 1999
114
0
My plan would be to cut the plywood to fit exactly in the area of the bed in front of the wheel wells. This would keep it from sliding out. I would still use tie downs to hold the bike, but the chock ($12 units from Bob's Cycle) would keep the front wheel from turning. I should be able to get a piece of 3/4" plywood for less than $30, I think. I haven't checked lumber prices lately.

I might use a 2x4 for the forks though.
 

Papakeith

COTT Champ Emeritus
Damn Yankees
Aug 31, 2000
6,695
50
RI
I used a piece of 3/4 plywood in front of the wheel well like you said. But instead of wheel chocks, I just have two sections of 2x4's screwed into the plywood on either side of the front wheel. Add some tie-down straps, and you are done! Did mine with scraps from around the house.
 

LoriKTM

Super Power AssClown
Oct 4, 1999
2,220
6
New Mexico
We have done what you are planning. 3/4" plywood, fits in front of wheel wells on the bed of the truck. Two cheapo wheel chocks bolted down at the front of the plywood. We use this for quick trips, and when we don't want to drag the trailer around. Plus, as you mentioned, it pulls out easily when not needed.
For longer hauls, our trailer is more permanently set up with the ATK bike shoes.
 

Ensign

Member
Oct 13, 1999
114
0
LoriKTM:

What did you use to mount the chocks to the plywood? I have a bedliner, but I don't want it to get chewed up by having bolts sticking out of the plywood rubbing up against it.
 

cyclers10

Member
Oct 19, 2000
32
0
bolts through chocks

use carrige bolts to mount the chocks to the cdx, they have a somewhat round head as will not mar the bedliner, my 2 cents anyway, later c10;)
 

Ensign

Member
Oct 13, 1999
114
0
Yeah, carriage bolts probably would work. I was afraid they might pull through the 3/4" plywood, but I guess I don't have to torque them down very tight to hold the chocks in place.

Thanks.
 

J.B.426

~SPONSOR~
Mar 20, 2000
235
0
You can cut a 6x6 to fit the width of your truck. Then cut notches in it just big enough to fit your front tire. Put the 6x6 in the front of the bed of your truck. Your front tire will go into the notch and tighten down. The benefit of this is that your tire won't twist and you're tightening the bike down against the bottom of the bed and not the top front rail. Works excellent, costs very little, and takes little time.
 

IBWFO

Member
Aug 5, 2001
367
0
We took 3/4 " plywood and mounted bike shoes to it. Then cut it to fit perfectly in front of the wheel wells. Then I got some recessed mounts that had fold up rings in them, cut slits in the plywood and then pull the rings up into the slits and put a couple of clips through the rings to hold the plywood down,.......done deal.
Regards
 

HiG4s

~SPONSOR~
Mar 7, 2001
1,311
0
I bought a rubber bed mat for my truck. with this my front tire stickes and just stays put. I then use two tie down the handle bars, nothing else.

I put the bike in a little to one side and swing the back tire to the other add one tie down from the frame to the back of the pickup bed so it can't swing back and close the tail gate. I've been carrying bikes this way for years in several trucks and never had a problem.
 

smb_racing

Master of None
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Jul 31, 2000
2,085
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why not just put the bike in?
the ridges in the bed floor are good enough to line up my bike then just throw on the tie downs and swing the rear tire around. This way you can close the gate and there's no chance of it going anywhere :)
 

yz250-effer

Member
Nov 4, 2000
305
0
Here's yet another idea:

I put another eyebolt halfway down the left side of the bed. Then I put the front wheel in the front left corner of the bed. The wheel can't go anywhere since it is in the corner. Then I use the right top corner eyebolt, and the left "mid-bed" eyebolt for the tie downs. As long the the rear wheel is up against the right side of the bed, the bike won't go anywhere. It does not take alot of tie down pressure either.:)
 

LoriKTM

Super Power AssClown
Oct 4, 1999
2,220
6
New Mexico
Originally posted by Ensign
LoriKTM:

What did you use to mount the chocks to the plywood? I have a bedliner, but I don't want it to get chewed up by having bolts sticking out of the plywood rubbing up against it.

Well, we're not real worried about the truck bed, and actually it doesn't scratch it up too bad. :eek:
Carriage bolts and a couple of big fender washers will keep the bolts from pulling through.
 
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