Bicycle carrier and ball hitch, real or imagined?

[Denise K]

I can't find one, so why isn't it possible (God knows I never think of anything new!) to have a (single) bicycle carrier post, like the kind that most people use stuck into the hitch receiver, that would also have the ball hitch at the end to hook up your trailer?
I have a ball hitch that extends out about 2.5" from the end of the receiver, and it seems to me that if someone invented a bicycle carrier post with a 'sleeve' fitting to slide over the hitch and sit within this 2.5" space it would be possible to hitch my trailer and still have plenty of room for manuvering after loading up my bike.
Or even an all-in-one thing. Problem is I can't find anything like this and I've been looking on-line for a couple of months. I know I've burned up a few brain cells in my younger years, but what (else) am I missing here? No such thing? No can do? How come?
Oh, and I can't install a hitch to the end of the MKP, and I hope not to have to modify something to hook up a bike carrier to the front of the truck (Mitsubishi '01 Montero Sport).

[Mike Watters]

JC Whitney has 'em...

Just pair this:
bike carrier

with this:

mount

and you're there...

Mike

[Denise K]

Well, for Heaven sakes!!!
I've seen the bike carrier of course, but never the mount. Absolutely excactly what I need!
Thank you so much, Mike Watters!

...and, in case I haven't mentioned it a few hundred times before, this site rocks!

[Brian B-P]

For a recent and similar discussion, see
Looking for a bike carrier, for a 2" hitch receiver w/ a 2" hitch attachment

In that one Candi is looking for four-bike rack of the same configuration, but the same suppliers have four-bike and two-bike versions.

[Mike Watters]

Well, for Heaven sakes!!!
I've seen the bike carrier of course, but never the mount. Absolutely excactly what I need!
Thank you so much, [b]Mike Watters!

...and, in case I haven't mentioned it a few hundred times before, this site rocks!

Happy to be of service.

[Tirah]

Camping World has some, too. The one I was eyeing holds four bikes and has the ball hitch connected. I got their magazine in the mail the other day.

[David & Terry]

I can't find one, so why isn't it possible (God knows I never think of anything new!) to have a (single) bicycle carrier post, like the kind that most people use stuck into the hitch receiver, that would also have the ball hitch at the end to hook up your trailer?
I have a ball hitch that extends out about 2.5" from the end of the receiver, and it seems to me that if someone invented a bicycle carrier post with a 'sleeve' fitting to slide over the hitch and sit within this 2.5" space it would be possible to hitch my trailer and still have plenty of room for manuvering after loading up my bike.
Or even an all-in-one thing. Problem is I can't find anything like this and I've been looking on-line for a couple of months. I know I've burned up a few brain cells in my younger years, but what (else) am I missing here? No such thing? No can do? How come?
Oh, and I can't install a hitch to the end of the MKP, and I hope not to have to modify something to hook up a bike carrier to the front of the truck (Mitsubishi '01 Montero Sport).

Denise,
We had an '87 Montero. Now, Nissan SUV.
I made a single bicyclle carrier from two angle irons and some bolts and spacers. Will post photos soon.
Instead of adding onto the receiver, I U-bolted my contraption ON TOP of the receiver- avoiding that extra length and the extra slack that that causes. I have to remove one pedal which is easy with a simple wrench. The handle bar almost touches the rear window so I followed my Good Wife's suggestion and added a braced small sink plugger to the cross bar and the plunger end touches the rear door!!! Oh, well. It's just 'til we get somewhere. The whole thing cost about $45.00 and I used (2) 1 1/4" x 6' angle iron. One could easily use 3/4" or even 1/2" for a lot less $. What I have is very strong and immovable. I trapped the tires between the two angle irons and clevis pinned the wheels. The photos will show it much better!

[Denise K]

Terry, this sounds intriguing!! I'd love to see some photos. Thanks!!

[Candi Woods]

For a recent and similar discussion, see
[b]Looking for a bike carrier, for a 2" hitch receiver w/ a 2" hitch attachment

In that one Candi is looking for four-bike rack of the same configuration, but the same suppliers have four-bike and two-bike versions.

Thanks for referring to my previous post, Brian! By the way, hubby finally agreed to car top carrier. Good Luck Denise.

Candi

[David & Terry]

Terry, this sounds intriguing!! I'd love to see some photos. Thanks!!

I've got the photos but I have them in Windows "My Pictures" and only Yahoo! photos seemed to work last time. Now I can't upload them here today! Still working on it.

[David & Terry]

Terry, this sounds intriguing!! I'd love to see some photos. Thanks!!

[David & Terry]

O.K. I got the pics in!
The metal at lower right of bike frame is an add-on to deflect the exhaust from melting the front bike tire. (That was pointed out by my barber when he stepped outside with me: "What about the exhaust?" ). The apparent unevenness across the length of the bumber and the rack (not parallel) is due to a smashed Nissan bumper when I got the car.

I cut out enough metal to bend the iron up about 25 deg. at the ends to capture a little more or the bike's tires and took it to a welder. He welded all four cut slits for $5.00!
U-bolts are not necessary. The U-bolts were made by bending 5/16" rod and threading the ends because they are not standard width or length. Four straight bolts would do it with support metal underneath. Smaller angle iron can be used because the wide U-bolt support at the rear helps more than I had thought. Also, the rack is displaced a little to the right of center because that's where the frame & bike's center of gravity is. This wasn't critical because the contraption is fairly ridgid.

[Denise K]

Cool idea. Luv the plunger BTW

Thank you all for the suggestions and comments. I don't know what was wrong with me that I didn't find these before! Now I got choices!!!