Installing a RV bike rack over your propane tanks is a great way to keep your bikes out of the way and tap into some unused space while still accessing them easily when needed.
This can be a little tricky depending on your setup: you may get lucky and will be able to use an existing RV bike rack, or you may need to do a little customization to get it to work.
Let’s cover some of the most popular off-the-shelf and custom options we’ve seen RV owners use to mount their bikes above their propane tanks.
RV Bike Rack Over Propane Tanks: The 6 Best Options
Stromberg Carlson CC-275 Over Propane Bike Bunk
A-frame tongue mounts (also known as trailer-tongue mounts) like the Stromberg Carlson CC-275 are either bolted or welded to your trailer’s tongue frame, and fits frame widths from 12” to 52” – this one bolts on.
The A-Frame shape allows it to get some extra height so you can get your bikes high enough over your propane tanks, and they typically carry 2 bikes and up to 100 pounds.
This “bike bunk” is essentially an extender that raises your bike frame over your RV’s propane tanks and has a 2” receiver so that you can mount any bike rack to it, giving it extra versatility.
The really cool thing about this option is that you can use the 2” receiver for a cargo basket or tray that’s hitch-compatible so you can store stuff besides bikes above your tanks, like a barbecue grill or cooler as well.
Jack-It 2 Bike Rack For A-Frame Trailers
The Jack-It 2 Bike Rack installs on your A-frame trailer and lets you carry two bikes of almost any size and style by the wheels – no adapter bar necessary.
The 22.5” tall base accommodates most electric tongue jacks and it comes with a 1-year limited warranty for extra peace of mind and is an excellent choice for a bike rack above propane tanks on your RV.
Modify The Stromberg-Carlson CC-255 Trailer Tray And Add A Bike Rack
Some RVers have had success with taking the Stromberg-Carlson CC-255 trailer tray and attaching a bike rack directly to it, which is a great solution to get your bike rack above the propane tanks.
You may need to permanently attach the bike rack to it, but either way the trailer tray is extremely useful, as it allows you a convenient way to store other things above your RV propane tanks like a generator, cooler, or barbecue pit.
Camco RV Ladder Mount Bike Rack
Depending on the location of your RV ladder, you can use the Camco RV ladder mount bike rack to mount your bikes high enough to get clearance over your propane tanks.
The form fit cradles securely to hold your bikes and there’s bonus straps to provide extra security.
This RV ladder bike rack holds 2 bikes with a max of up to 60 pounds.
Stromberg Carlson LA-102 1” Universal RV Ladder Bike Rack
The Stromberg Carlson LA-102 ladder bike rack allows you to get your bikes up over RV’s propane tanks and installs extremely easily to any ladder.
The max distance between bike cradles is 9”, so plenty of room here, and it holds up to 50 pounds.
It’s made of no-rust aluminum and will easily match the finish of your existing RV ladder.
Arvika 7000 Series 2-Bike Attachment
The Arvika 2-bike attachment is a 2-part system that attaches to a separately sold bracket that allows you to mount your bikes above the propane tanks on your RV.
It’s a tray-style rack, meaning that your bikes will sit in a tray and an arm secures down on the crossbar portion of your bike frames, with wheel straps also used for each bike for extra security.
Benefits Of An RV Over Propane Bike Rack
Utilize Extra Space
The front of your trailer is often underused because it’s tough to find solutions to store things there, so putting an RV bike rack over your propane tanks simply makes sense.
Because you’re not hauling your bikes on the roof or in the back of your truck, you’ve got even more space to put gear now as well – win-win!
Easier To Maneuver
By mounting your bikes on the front of your trailer above your propane tanks rather than on the back or top of your rig, you no longer have to worry about extra clearance from the back or top.
This makes height clearances and backing up a simpler process overall.
You Can See Your Bikes
This might be an obvious benefit, but if you have these bikes mounted above the propane tanks on the front of your RV, you can easily see them out of your back windshield while you drive.
This allows you to keep an eye on everything to make sure nothing is loose.
Installing An RV Bike Rack Over Propane Tanks: Conclusion
We hope this guide helped you to narrow down some options for bike racks above your propane tanks.
What model did you choose, and how did it perform? Let us know in the comments below.
While you’re here and if you’re the DIY type, check out our helpful guides on preparing for an RV one night freeze, how to fix a sagging RV slide out, RV diesel water heaters, how to fix an RV air conditioner freeze up, and our best ideas on RV outdoor kitchen mods.