Mountain Bikes and Overlanding Rigs
- Thread starter Mules
- Start date
montechie
Active member
Our setup is primarily a comfy basecamp for biking/skiing.
Mainly have just used a Hollywood Rack over multiple trucks which was one of the earliest with decent offroad cred/features, and could fit both fatbikes and MTBs 10+ years ago. Can just barely open the camper barn doors with the rack tilted down (bikes on). Now we're on the hunt for a swingout combo that doesn't stick out too far and is rigid enough for off/rough roads. (Bottom picture) For others I included a picture of a Kuat swingout + 1UP combo I tried which is the current lead contender, super solid when I went though whoops and articulated sections, doesn't stick out too bad.
If it's not cold and early, is it really an adventure?
Near our home, have to get out on these roads before they thaw, it's not a happy time when they thaw.
Homestake Pass/Pipestone area near Butte, MT. CDT allows bikes in that section with lots of cross-trails and moto trails too in the area.
Copper City outside of Three Forks, MT, one of our favorite spots to ride in the winter, or shoulder seasons.
1up+Kuat swingout:
Mainly have just used a Hollywood Rack over multiple trucks which was one of the earliest with decent offroad cred/features, and could fit both fatbikes and MTBs 10+ years ago. Can just barely open the camper barn doors with the rack tilted down (bikes on). Now we're on the hunt for a swingout combo that doesn't stick out too far and is rigid enough for off/rough roads. (Bottom picture) For others I included a picture of a Kuat swingout + 1UP combo I tried which is the current lead contender, super solid when I went though whoops and articulated sections, doesn't stick out too bad.
If it's not cold and early, is it really an adventure?
Near our home, have to get out on these roads before they thaw, it's not a happy time when they thaw.
Homestake Pass/Pipestone area near Butte, MT. CDT allows bikes in that section with lots of cross-trails and moto trails too in the area.
Copper City outside of Three Forks, MT, one of our favorite spots to ride in the winter, or shoulder seasons.
1up+Kuat swingout:
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4runnerteq
Explorer
White letters out baby. 3rd Gen 4runner. Specialized Stumpjumper
rcintx
Adventurer
My son and I both run Giants. The little one runs a Cannondale.
We’ve used several setups. Currently running a Kuat rack that I got for dirt cheap because it had been wrecked. $40 in parts from Kuat and it’s back to 100%. 🤞🏻. This works great on the Subaru Outback.
Other methods have been a tailgate pad (really nice if you have a truck. Also built a bed rack for when we pulled the camper. Functional but not the greatest.
We’ve used several setups. Currently running a Kuat rack that I got for dirt cheap because it had been wrecked. $40 in parts from Kuat and it’s back to 100%. 🤞🏻. This works great on the Subaru Outback.
Other methods have been a tailgate pad (really nice if you have a truck. Also built a bed rack for when we pulled the camper. Functional but not the greatest.
We use a 1Up rack on a Wilco Off Road Hitch swing. We both ride Trek E-bikes. Mine is a full suspension carbon Trek Rail 9.7 and my wife rides a street Trek Alant 8s. I also have a Trek Alant 8s that stays at home. The nice thing is that the batteries are all interchangeable.
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Mules
Well-known member
Love the fat tires and snow. Keep the pictures coming.
Trail Talk
Well-known member
That sends a shiver down my spine, and memories of many cold, dark mornings! Flurries were flying yesterday up here.
montechie
Active member
I haven't made the leap yet to an e-bike, the US states I tend to ride in most (Montana, Oregon) restrict their trail usage to moto trails only. Our main fatbike usage is bikepacking and all-day winter riding, neither which an e-bike is great for. At least for longer rides. Really wish a shop in my area would rent or lease them so we can test in our terrain/temps. I ride down to about -20F and am figuring out how to ride colder (my feet are my weakness).
It's a toss up whether my Jeeps or my bikes are the more expensive hobby. My current bikes:
Anyone have a great method for dust management when overlanding with your bikes outside? Do covers work? Do vertical racks help vs tray style? I've just been using my air compressor to mitigate the dust when we get to camp.
It's a toss up whether my Jeeps or my bikes are the more expensive hobby. My current bikes:
- 2013 Specialized Enduro EVO/Carbon/Frankenstein, still own, setup as a 26/27.5 mullet now, 170mm/180mm F/R travel. Someone custom built it and I bought used. Love this bike, did enduro races with it. Blows through rock gardens like a flying couch, even after 10 years.
- 2014 Specialized Fatboy SL, I race and bikepack it still. 26lbs with 4.8" tubeless tires, hard to find a lighter bike. Came with ridiculously light carbon fiber rims that are still holding up after 10 years.
- 2021 Pivot Trail 429 Pro, feel a little dumb paying for a new bike, I've always bought lightly used for myself locally or off of Ebay, but I sold a Stumpjumper and Yeti SB6 at pandemic used prices. Set this up with 29/2.6" tires, it's a pretty ultimate backcountry bike and have bikepacked it a bit with a Rockgeist framebag. DW-link is an awesome suspension design, never bottoms out despite being super short (120mm). Would say it's better than the Yeti Switch Infinity and easier to maintain. The front 130mm fork is the weak point for what I like to ride, feel beat-up after long rocky rides. Hence the next acquisition:
- 2023/24 Pivot Switchblade "GX base". Just got this on a good sale, to replace the Trail 429, very similar frame, just more travel (142mm/160mm). There's really no replacement for travel. Except maybe 5" fatbike tires. I'm going to swap the components with my higher end Trail and sell the Trail 429 with the new components this spring. The Switchblade has GX AXS wireless, which shift super smooth, but I'm not going to have batteries on my backcountry bike.
- I've also owned a 2017 Yeti SB6 (great), 2016 Specialized Stumpjumper (meh), 2003 Spec. BigHit (raced DH, miss it), 1999 Schwinn Moab (donated after 20 years of riding), 2007 Azonic Eliminator (funky dual-slalom bike).
Anyone have a great method for dust management when overlanding with your bikes outside? Do covers work? Do vertical racks help vs tray style? I've just been using my air compressor to mitigate the dust when we get to camp.
Mules
Well-known member
Looks like we've got the opposite problem in Missouri than you do in Oregon and Montana. We have lots of public single track trails that allow Mountain Bikes and now E-bikes but not motorcycles. We have also converted our old train tracks to bike trails that you can ride all the way from St. Louis to Kansas City.
I haven't pulled the trigger on an E-bike yet, but it sounds like a nice compromise between a Mountain Bike and Motorcycle for the back of my Jeep.
Trail Talk
Well-known member
I had good results travelling with a scooter cover over my bike while it was on a horizontal hitch-mounted rack (Saris Superclamp). Just needed a bungie around the outside above the tires to keep it from billowing. An elastic hem is absolutely necessary and it was on a station wagon so rear turbulence was minimal, YMMV. I also hoped it added security while parked overnight in hotel lots.
I use one of the Lets Go Aero clam shells for road bikes, but they also make a box that will hold mountain bikes. They aren't cheap, but neither are my bikes and the old saying "out sight, out of mind" provides a little security. Most people think I have lawn chairs, etc. in the boxes.
www.letsgoaero.com
Cargo Carriers for Hitch Receivers
Heavy-duty hitch racks and enclosed cargo boxes to carry luggage, equipment, bikes, mobility gear and more.
www.letsgoaero.com