We often say that our Ford Transit DIY camper van conversion is built around the mountain bikes, so a proper bike rack storage is expected! Since the very beginning, we had a few requirements: the mountain bikes must be stored inside the van (for theft and climate protection); the bike rack must be quick and easy to load/unload (for sanity); the storage solution must leave enough space for the bed above (for comfort); and as a bonus catch dirt/dust/crap and easy to clean… Can we achieve all of that?
We looked around and found that Traipsing About’s slide-out bike rack design was exactly what we were looking for! Here is our adaptation of this mountain bike storage to our own Ford Transit adventure mobile.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click a product link and buy anything from the merchant (Amazon, eBay, etc.) we will receive a commission fee. The price you pay remains the same, affiliate link or not.
Time Spent
Total Cost
Material
| Item | Description | Quantity | Link |
| Fork Mount | RockyMounts (Fits 12x100mm, 15x100mm, Boost 15x110mm, and 20x110mm thru-axles). | 2 | Amazon |
| Drawer Slides | 48″ full extension, locks when fully in/out. | 1 | Amazon | Vevor |
| Plywood Sheet | Baltic Birch (5’x5′), 15mm (~5/8″) thick. | 1 | Info |
| Corner Braces | 2″ x 2″ (50mm x 50mm). (10 pack). | 1 | Amazon |
| Corner Braces | (20mm x 20mm). | 1 | Amazon |
| Wood Screws | #4 x 1in (100 pack). | 1 | Amazon |
| Wood Screws | #8 x 1¼in (100 pack). | 1 | Amazon |
| Wood Glue | Titebond III Waterproof. | 1 | Amazon |
| Watco Danish Oil | 1 pint. | 1 | Amazon |
| Polyurethane Coating | Minwax. Clear Finish, quart, Satin | 1 | Amazon |
(then click "continue" to add all items to your Amazon cart)
Tools
| Item | Description | Quantity | Link |
| Circular Saw | DEWALT Cordless Lithium-ion 20V, 7¼ with brake. | 1 | Amazon |
| Circular Saw Blade | DEWALT Precision Finish Blade 60 tooth. | 1 | Amazon |
| Drill Driver | DEWALT Cordless Lithium-ion 20V. | 1 | Amazon |
| Screwdriver Bit Set | DEWALT, 45-piece. | 1 | Amazon |
| Drill Bit Set | DEWALT, 14-piece. | 1 | Amazon |
| Orbital Sander | DEWALT, Cordless Lithium-ion 20V, 5″. | 1 | Amazon |
| Sandpaper (Orbit) | DEWALT, 220 grit, 5-pack. | 1 | Amazon |
| Sandpaper (Sheet) | 220 grit, 25-pack. | 1 | Amazon |
(then click "continue" to add all items to your Amazon cart)
Dimensions
The drawer inner dimensions are 19" x 60":
60" is pretty much the minimum length for two bikes, but it's probably possible to reduce the width depending on how you plan on fitting your wheels...
Van Interior Height Dimensions:
You can adjust the height to your own bikes (measure them!). Maybe just keep a few inches buffer in case you change bike(s) or if you invite a tall friend to join you in your adventures... Note that we have 40" clearance under the bed, but if we had to start over we'd go for around 36" instead.
Good To Know
Make sure to get extension slides that lock when fully retracted / extended!
So the drawer stays in place when driving or when parked on incline.
The RockyMounts allows loadING/unloadING the bikes without having to slide the axle from the side, and they have a key lock.
RockyMounts updated their product so it looks a bit different than what you’ll see on this page. But the function remains the same:
Go Pro (An alternative to DIY)
Flatline Van Co Pull Out Tray
In the market for a premium, pro-looking pull out tray? Or maybe you prefer to invest your time assembling rather than building? Then you might want to consider Flatline Van Co’s pull out bike tray: it ships fully assembled, it is rated for 500 pounds, it locks in stowed or fully extended position. They even thought of adding a circular cutout to clean the dirt (trust us that’s a feature you’ll use a lot), neat! The dimensions are as follows:
- Inner tray: 59 7/8″ long, 17 3/4″ wide.
- Outer tray: 61″ long, 19 3/4″ wide, 3″ deep.
For more info (features, specifications, photos, installation, shipping, etc.) click the button below:
Let's Build The Slide-Out Bike Rack!
The slide-out bike rack was one of our first projects, and we didn't think of taking photos of the whole build process. That's why most photos below show the finished product.
Step 1: Build the Drawer
Cut 4 pieces out of the 5'x5' baltic birch plywood sheet and assemble together:
-1-
- Dimensions: 19" x 60"
- Thickness: 15mm (5/8")
-2 & 3-
- Dimensions: 3" x 60"
- Thickness: 15mm (5/8")
-4-
- Dimensions: 3" x 20"
- Thickness: 15mm (5/8")
Why Straight Cuts Are Essential
- SOLIDITY: Glue / adhesive won't work if there are small gaps here and there (that might translate to squeaks in the long run).
- SQUARE EDGE: The stuff you build can't be more square than your cuts!
- LOOK: Wavy cuts are an eye catcher.
- BUILD REGRETS: It's possible to build without fancy tools, we did it with our van, but honestly it was a mistake. There's MUCH more work than we expected; there are literally hundreds and hundreds of cuts to make... using the right tools would have saved us time and frustration (a LOT). If we had to start over, we would get second hand tools and re-sell them afterward:
KREG Circular Saw Track Guide
It allows for precise long straight cuts (50", or 100" with the expansion pack) in plywood, quickly and easily. It's portable and can be used with most circular saws. And it's not expensive, so we wish we knew that when we built our van!
Miter Saw
It allows for accurate crosscuts (square or angled), quickly and easily. There are HUNDREDS of cuts to make when building a van, so we wish we would have invested in one during our build...
Why Good Wood Joints Are Essential:
- SOLIDITY: Think EXTREME VIBRATION. You van is like an earthquake simulator. It feels good to assemble parts together, it feels even better when parts stays together years later...
- SQUEAKS: Wood rubbing against wood produces squeaks (e.g. in joints), and it gets worse with time. Pro tip: turn up the radio volume, or build strong joints to prevent it...
There are dozens of wood joint types; some are stronger, some look better. But we’re no woodworkers so we want joints that are easy to make (without specialized tools) that are also solid and look good. For the Slide-Out Bike Rack project, we used Titebond III waterproof wood glue and small #4 screws (every 6in of so). The screws provide some strength to the joint, but, more importantly, they apply a uniform pressure along the joint for the glue to cure properly (if done properly, glue is VERY strong and will prevent squeaks).
Measure twice, cut once...
Measure and measure and measure...
We added corner braces as well for more strength...
Step 2: Build the Structure
Cut 2 pieces out of the 5'x5' baltic birch plywood sheet (or what's left of it...).
Don't assemble anything just yet.
-5 & 6-
- Dimensions: 4" x 48"
- Thickness: 15mm (5/8")
Step 3: Prepare the wood for finish and protective coating
Sand the drawer and the structure using 220 grit sandpaper. Take this opportunity to smooth out the sharp edges!
Oil (finish coating) highlights scratches, so sanding enhanced the appearance of the wood. Smoothing out the sharp edges will prevent cuts when operating the slide-out bike rack...
Step 4: Apply Finish and Protective Coating To The Wood
We applied 2 layers of Watco Danish Oil:
Bare wood deteriorates with time (dries, swells, gets dirty). The finish enhances the appearance of the wood (color), prevents drying, swelling, and protects against stains.
We also applied 2 layers of Polyurethane coating.
This is an extra precaution because the tray will sometimes be exposed to water, mud, and dirt. As opposed to Danish Oil, Polyurethane does not penetrate wood. It dries on top of the surface and becomes a clear, hard finish that provides an abrasion-resistant seal for the wood.
Step 5: Install the extension slides to the drawer
Step 6: Install the extension slides to the structure
6.1- Put the drawer on the van's floor. To create clearance (gap shown in the photo below) between the drawer and the floor, insert a shim (we used a 3/8" plywood piece) between the van floor and the drawer.
The gap is to ensure a smooth operation of the drawer without rubbing against the van's floor.
6.2- Put the structure on the van's floor.
Mate it with the drawer, where it belongs.
6.3- With a pen, mark the location of the extension slides onto the structure.
6.4- Using the marks from the previous step, screw the extension slides into the structure.
You can do this outside the van as it will be much easier to work that way (that's why we marked the location of the slides in the previous step).
6.5- Here, we are making a small cutout to the structure so it clears the nose stair:
Step 7: Install the slide-out bike rack to the van's floor
7.1- Along the exterior of the structure, we used 2" x 2" corner braces every ~12" or so:
Like it or not, the slide-out bike rack looks like the perfect seat when it's fully extended... You won't do it, but a friend surely will at some point! So don't cheap out on the corner braces; it has to be able to withstand the weight of a person on it (the bikes are not the worst case)!
7.2- Along the interior of the structure, we used 20mm x 20mm corner braces.
The 2" x 2" corner braces wouldn't fit here because it would interfere with the extension slides.
Step 8: Install the fork mounts
We used #12 x 1" round-head screws (with lock washers):
Step 9: Load Your Bikes
Don't forget to smile, you built that by yourself. Adventures await. Life's good!
The wheels are attached using a Velcro strap. Make sure to protect your frame with foam (or clothes, whatever works) as required.
Step 10: Go ride your &/?*"$ bike!!
On Second Thought...
- We should have applied a protective coating as soon as the tray was built. We procrastinated, and now the tray is stained with chain oil and stuff; it's only aesthetic though, no big deal…
- We initially installed the bikes in opposite directions, but it turned out the handlebars where taking closet space (faroutride.com/garage). We relocated the bikes so that they're both facing the rear; it doesn't really take more room this way...
- We initially had fork mounts that required sliding the axle to secure the bike; we just upgraded for the RockyMounts, and we wish we found those from the start!
- After two years on the road (faroutride.com/two-years-vanlife), we're SO GLAD we went for the slide-out system! It makes loading and unloading the bikes so easy 🙂
Hey Guys!
Loving all your stuff. Basically building my entire van off your design.
The issue I’m running into is I’m in a 148” long, not the extended. To make up for lost space, my bed is east west with flarespace flares. Because of this I don’t want to mount my bed high so
I don’t lose the functionality of my flares.
I saw you think you could get away with mounting your bed 36” above the floor (so your bikes can still slide in).
My question is, what’s the absolute lowest I can mount my bed to clear my bikes. Assuming I have a drop post on the seat and the front wheel removed. Can I get away with a 30” clearance?
Hi,
I doubt 30″ will work. Best way to find out is to make measurements with your own bike. But then, what if you want to take your friend’s bike?
Good luck 🙂
This might be a dumb question, but are you permanently installing the 3/8″ plywood under the slide out tray? or is that just for marking and installation? I don’t see it on the material list, so assuming it gets removed after marking the structure & tray, but let me know if that is incorrect.
The 3/8 plywood is just to create a gap, so it’s not permanently installed 🙂
Hi and merry Christmas to you both! I have a question regarding your dropper seats. Did you have any issue with premature wear since your saddles seems to always be in the lower position (which is ABSOLUTELY NOT recommended by any manufacturer). It is obviously a mean to get more clearance for the bedroom but does it come at the price of earlier malfunction?
I plan to get around 35 inches under platform and 35 over.
Regards.
Dropper posts are quite finicky (can’t believe it’s almost 2021 and it’s still the case!) and my experience with them is that they require maintenance almost each year (or two). So I don’t really know if more maintenance is required because it’s stored in lower position… hard to tell exactly. But what I do know is that I don’t want my bed higher just to be able to store my bike with the dropper post extended! Space above the bed is more important in my opinion.
I guess I am a little clueless about the new (to me) thru axles for mt bikes. You haf to take the whole skewer out to get the front wheel off? Is that correct? (What a pain.)
So to mount the bike on a front fork mount, you need to insert the axel thru the mount (and the front fork) after the bike is on the mount.
Okay, so the the RockyMounts advantage is that you can put the axels back in and then put the bike on the mounts.
Do I have it right?
Sounds about right: Remove the axle, remove the wheel, put the axle back, install the bike on the mount.
Hey, built mine today – thanks so much for sharing this, just waiting for my rockymounts and I’ll be sorted!!
Thanks for this tutorial. I’m going to use your concept to make a pull out platform as a place to sit or cook. The *goal* is to build the entire flooring a few inches taller to accommodate the platform and use the space to make a couple extra drawers coming out of the side door.
Your build and your website are fantastic!
The pockets on the doors: What is that product? I’ve been searching for a solution and I’d love your insight.
Thank You.
Thanks!
It’s this thing: https://amzn.to/2AEkKKe
The driver side is simply screwed (3/8″ long screw) to the plastic panel. We had to make the passenger side removable (it’s where we shower), so we attached it using hooks and hook-and-loop.
Hi, love your site and your idea on storing the bikes. We will be following your design , but with a few modifications, as our van is a Mercedes Sprinter MWB, low roof. Instead of placing both bikes side by side on the same slider, each bike will have its own slider. We have 2 x medium frame bikes with 29″ wheels, and 150cm is the maximum length of the slider!
Actually, i don’t understand how the bike with the forks on the shortest mount fits in with your slider being 60″ (153cm)?? What size wheels do you have?
And lastly, your fork mounts are way too high for us. You have the luxury of having a high roof van! So we need to find some lower mounts, as with the dropper seat pushed down we only have 90cm clearance to fit the bikes in.
But again, love your design and you have given us plenty of ideas 🙂
Hey Mick Bradford,
I am also converting a MWB low roof sprinter 4wd. How have you gone so far with your build?
I used different locking rocky mounts. The kind for a pick up truck and flat mounted them saving imche!
Great writeup – thank you!
I want to build the same slide out system. However, I need to make it wider to accommodate 4 bikes. Seeing as the drawer slide rails can support up to 500lbs, I don’t imagine there would be a problem just making the platform wider. I was wondering if you could share your thoughts? Thanks
I’ve seen many build with one larger drawer, so it should work. However, if you read the description of the product (on the Amazon’s product page): “Load ratings based on an 18″ slide in an 18″ wide drawer”. So the actual weight rating for the 48″ drawers is lower than 500 pound (not sure how much exactly, but I’d say you’re fine)…
Nice experience
Hey,
Thanks for sharing this build! Would 30″ drawer slides that are 60″ fully-extended work for the drawers? Just curious if you need slides that are close to the length of the drawer. Thanks
Generally speaking, 60″ fully-extended slides are 60″ long, so it wouldn’t fit on a 30″ drawer. But take a look at the slides specifications to find out.
Cheers!
antoine
CAUTION: It looks like there may be an error in the instructions when using the slides provided in the Amazon link. The instructions imply that the slides should be attached to the tray first and then attached to the “structure” second. If done in this order, the back 12″ of the tray prevents access to the front 3 screw holes on the outer slide which means that only the back half of the slide can be attached to the outer structure. And the slides components do not detach from each other so that is not an option.
You can still access all the holes on the inner slide after attaching the outer slide to the the structure so that is probably the best order. Attaching first to the tray, like I did, requires a fix. I haven’t fixed mine yet but I see 2 options:
1. Remove the slide from the tray, attach the slide to the structure, then re-attach to the tray. Or…
2. Drill a hole in the side walls of the tray just beyond the back of the slide and access the 3 front screw holes of the outer slide through that hole.
P.S.- I am using flat-head sheet metal screws for mount attachments: inner slide – #10, outer slide – #14
What extension slides where used? Any links?
They are listed under “MATERIAL” section (near top of the page). cheers
I live this site and hopefully my purchases through your links are contributing. I have a question about step 6.4- USING THE MARKS FROM THE PREVIOUS STEP, SCREW THE EXTENSIONS SLIDES INTO THE STRUCTURE: The inner slide attaches to the tray and the outer slide attaches to the structure… how do you get at the screw holes in the outer slide with the inner slide already attached to the tray?
Did you order and receive the slides already? It’s hard to explain exactly, but I think that when you have the actual slides with you, it should make more sense!
do the Rocky Mounts clamp down onto the spindle holding it tight? doesnt seem much point in having it locked if you can just slide the spindle out.
The mount does clamp the spindle!
Thanks for the write up! I’m am considering adding this to my van. One question I have is how do you like only having 31″ from the top of the bed to the ceiling? Do you ever feel cramped or wish you had more headroom to lounge on the bed sitting up, etc.? Thanks again!
We don’t hang out in the bed really, so we don’t mind having only 31″. HOWEVER, if we had to start over we might go with something like 35″ clearance in the garage (instead of 40″). Just double check with your own bike to find the correct clearance that you need 🙂
Did you have to bolt your floor down to the metal floor around the bike slide? I’d be worried about the weight of the bikes on the extended drawer slides creates quite the lever to lift your glued down floor.
We didn’t and it’s fine (the weight of the neighboring water tank and cabinets probably helps!)
Hi,
This is the solution I have been looking for for some time. Excellent Idea.
Just to clarify, is the 48″ the closed length of the slides or the length fully extended?
Cheers
Paul
Both! 48″ length and they extend 48″ too 🙂
après avoir tout lu je ne comprends pas le 48 et le 60 pouces. Peut être qu’une photo éliminerait tout le texte
Hi- I am starting a slide-out-bike-rack for tow mountain bikes. Why did you change the orientation of the mountain bikes? One forward-one backward to both forwards?
The reason we changed it to make more room for our closet; the handlebar facing the front of the van was taking too much space so we couldn’t fit as much clothes. Both orientation seems to work well from our experience!
Good luck!