Exterior Fiamma bike rack x 4 bikes - my first test.

Gilmorehappy

Well-Known Member
Jul 7, 2015
188
378
63
Newcastle
Couldn't wait to fit some bikes in the rack. The racks appear well made, and here are my little discoveries...
  • The last bike hangs out by about 1 metre, handy for touch parking unless your bike is the most rearward.
  • On an out back model with level ground you would need to be about 6'4" to reach and mount and unmount the bikes
  • The load limit for the rack is 60 kg, which is three poor quality bikes, or four very dear light ones.
  • Dirty Mountain bikes look better on an outback model......
  • The constraint of fitting four bikes is axle width. This is a neat fit and achievable but they touch at this point.
  • Loosen handlebar nuts and turn 90 degrees to alleviate other clashes between seat poles and brake levers etc
  • Allow about 10 minutes for whole process.
  • Considering adding a strut from bumper to rack to take some of the force of the back wall of caravan; just looks like a lot of weight hanging off it!
 

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Crusty181

Well-Known Member
Feb 7, 2010
6,854
13,971
113
Mentone, VIC
Considering adding a strut from bumper to rack to take some of the force of the back wall of caravan; just looks like a lot of weight hanging off it!
I was a little concerned about all that weight hanging from Jaycos rear 'highly engineered structural foam' wall. I asked for my bike rack to be installed at a height so when it folded down, it sat on the top of the spare tyre which is mounted on the rear bumper. Taking some of the weight off the wall, genius I thought.

I was chatting with my eldest boy about some of the things Jayco didn't do. He's a boiler maker and said I was lucky they ignored me on that one, because theirs no vertical give in the wall, but plenty of flex, bounce and vibration through the rear bumper ..... I might as well had a jackhammer permanently thumping away on the bike rack. If was I was concerned about it falling off, worry no more, because supported from the rear bumper it would fall off for sure.

Im the caravanner, and manufacturer, and the dad ... the font of all knowledge. I can't pin point when all this knowledge power base flipped around. Its a bitter sweet moment in your life to be corrected by your kids. The sweet, when I recall doing the same thing to my dad, the bitter remembering walking off thinking silly old clueless galoot.
 

Gilmorehappy

Well-Known Member
Jul 7, 2015
188
378
63
Newcastle
Back the van up a bit and you could put them on from off the roof;).
Yeah - it's a bit unfortunate the van sits so high off the ground at the back
I was a little concerned about all that weight hanging from Jaycos rear 'highly engineered structural foam' wall. I asked for my bike rack to be installed at a height so when it folded down, it sat on the top of the spare tyre which is mounted on the rear bumper. Taking some of the weight off the wall, genius I thought.

I was chatting with my eldest boy about some of the things Jayco didn't do. He's a boiler maker and said I was lucky they ignored me on that one, because theirs no vertical give in the wall, but plenty of flex, bounce and vibration through the rear bumper ..... I might as well had a jackhammer permanently thumping away on the bike rack. If was I was concerned about it falling off, worry no more, because supported from the rear bumper it would fall off for sure.

Im the caravanner, and manufacturer, and the dad ... the font of all knowledge. I can't pin point when all this knowledge power base flipped around. Its a bitter sweet moment in your life to be corrected by your kids. The sweet, when I recall doing the same thing to my dad, the bitter remembering walking off thinking silly old clueless galoot.
Priceless; I might have had a few of those situations (about 25 years ago) myself where my Dad was the builder and I was an apprentice..... I think the whipper snappers may get the upper hand occasionally and win a point, but the 'wise old guys' can generally 'win the match' :hat:. Well we like to think so...... We includes me if grey hair qualifies.

But it can be used to advantage, for example I might say, 'boys, I know nothing whatsoever about bluetoothing my phone to this stereo system, can you please sort it? And in some sort of expression of pity for my ineptitude and 'lost cause plight of hoplessness', they will sort that out form me. But secretly, yes I can Bluetooth and I'm proud of it. And dare I say it, I am not allowed to fold clothes or iron either because I'm no good at that.

Good tip on the bumper not being a good idea, thanks @Crusty181 (and son)!
 

14" of Joy

New Member
Sep 28, 2017
12
5
3
49
Melbourne
Couldn't wait to fit some bikes in the rack. The racks appear well made, and here are my little discoveries...
  • The last bike hangs out by about 1 metre, handy for touch parking unless your bike is the most rearward.
  • On an out back model with level ground you would need to be about 6'4" to reach and mount and unmount the bikes
  • The load limit for the rack is 60 kg, which is three poor quality bikes, or four very dear light ones.
  • Dirty Mountain bikes look better on an outback model......
  • The constraint of fitting four bikes is axle width. This is a neat fit and achievable but they touch at this point.
  • Loosen handlebar nuts and turn 90 degrees to alleviate other clashes between seat poles and brake levers etc
  • Allow about 10 minutes for whole process.
  • Considering adding a strut from bumper to rack to take some of the force of the back wall of caravan; just looks like a lot of weight hanging off it!
Hey Mr Gilmore

We were advised to load smallest bikes first(closest to van) and larger bikes last. Seems arse about as I would’ve thought you would have the heavier bike closest to the van.
Can you or anyone shed any light on this?

Cheers 14fter
 

Macropod

Member
Sep 5, 2013
76
89
18
56
Cordeaux Heights, NSW
We have the same rack on the back of our Expanda. always load the heavier bike closest to the van. Its a bit of a tetris situation trying to get all the pedals and handle bars and seats lined up right but it can be done. Been over some bumpy roads with 4 bikes and no problems.
 
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