Solution for Securing 4 Bikes on Roof of Viking Pop Up Camper  

Question:

Expert Reply:

The SportRack Pop-Up Camper Roof Rack # SR1020 referenced in your question is designed specifically for pop-up campers like what you have and features 4 roof-rack feet that will bolt to the camper's roof. Just note that the roof rack will not work with roofs that have rounded or curved edges.

This will provide you with a roof rack that can be used to attach roof mounted accessories like bike racks. Your bikes would not be able to secure to the crossbars themselves. In order to secure your bikes to the roof rack, you will need to add a bike rack like the Thule ProRide XT # TH598004. 4 racks will be needed for all of your bikes and the crossbars for the above-mentioned system should offer plenty of space for them as they can telescope out to up to 86 inches in length. When mounting the bikes you will want to alternate the bikes forward and backward to help prevent bike to bike contact.

You will also want to keep your total weight load in mind. The SportRack Roof Rack has a weight capacity of 200 pounds, but you will also want to verify the capacity of the camper's roof. This information should be in the camper's manual or you can simply contact the manufacturer with your VIN and they should be able to provide you with this. You will need to follow the lowest of the two limits (the roof rack or the roof).

Also note that the roof rack and bike racks themselves will need to be factored into the total weight when making sure you stay below the roof's capacity. The SportRack roof rack weighs about 29 pounds and the carriers weigh 10 pounds each (40 pounds total for 4).

I have attached a short video demonstration on the Swagman bike rack that you can also check out.

expert reply by: Chris R

0