For the truck guys out there, do you use a tailgate pad or hitch rack to transport your bikes? OR, do you have other ways you transport your bike?
I have a Tacoma short bed, so the bed is pretty small.
For the truck guys out there, do you use a tailgate pad or hitch rack to transport your bikes? OR, do you have other ways you transport your bike?
I have a Tacoma short bed, so the bed is pretty small.
Pads also keep your bikes out of the road spray so they'll stay cleaner if you encounter any wet roads.
Cleaner? Is this r/roadbikes?
Try driving I70 from Denver to Moab and see how well your bike works when it is coated with mag chloride and sand.
Well that might could suck
Like this?
Yes. My condolences on your loss.
First off : LOL!!! Because the response is pretty frickin funny!
But like other redditors have mentioned, thete can be a lot of grime on the roads that will absolutely mess up your ride. Two winters ago, I hitched my fat bike to my hitch rack and by the time i got to the trails, my fat bike was so full of calcium and salt that it was unrideable.
Fun times.
Calcium give bike strong bones tho
I recently did a ride about an hours drive from home.
On the way there was a rainstorm. But it wasn’t raining at the trails.
Everyone who used a rack - had to ride with a soaked seat.
Interesting, I've never had a seat that retained water, not even my leather Selle, they just wipe right off
Dude rides on a sponge
Cleans the poop from near misses too
Keep your fetish to yourself
I dunno man. I've only rode for most of life, including packing in the rain. Not been much of a problem for me
I’ve owned many saddles and all except the tioga spyder would retain some water. Saddles usually have some padding and water gets into it.
But There’s a difference between a little splash of water when you’re sitting on a bike and getting your bike soaked in a rainstorm. Go outside and spray your bike with a hose for an hour - and then sit on it.
I don’t use a rack BTW - it was all the others riding who had wet saddles
Yeah. I get it. I also upholster for a living. Unless made to do so, vinyl should let very little water through. Or, every boat we have done couldn't piloted in wet weather.
I recovered my own seat on my last bike with vinyl and it was fine. The same soft touch material I put on boat seats and similar to the many MC seats I've covered, and rode on. Sure there's surface water but I've never had a saturated saddle 🤷♂️ YMMV.
Ride safe.
Soaked seat isn't a problem, that wipes off.
Road grime on the driveline and rotors - that's a different problem. Especially fat bikes during winter but during the summer all the oils and gunk on the road suck as well.
This is especially important during the winter months if it snows where you are. A couple times I've driven through snow storms with my bike on my hitch rack, only to find my bike encrusted with solid blocks of ice and road grit/salt when I arrived. Can't be good in terms of corrosion.
You bought a $60,000 truck to 'haul stuff' and still use the same rack as the Prius guy who parks next to me at the local trail. Nice.
Why you gotta be like that?
99% of Americans don't need these giant trucks. It's ridiculous. So I make fun. Because people think they may need to move a couch at any time. Look at this dude. He has a Tundra so crams his five person family into a sedan space interior rather than getting a three-row SUV to gain some dedicated cargo space that is likely underused. But America. Trucks. Guns. Freedom. Move my couch bro. Pay hundreds of extra dollars a month just in case we need to avoid a small delivery fee! Happy independence Day!!!11
To each their own. They aren’t taking anything away from you and your daily life. Not sure where you’re from but I’m sure people do some shit others might deem ridiculous.
Cellar dwellers gotta cellar, hmm…
Well... Let's be a little nuanced here. This guy's going off in a bit wild of a way, probably they're not in the best mood while posting these messages and most of them are a little off the chain. There is a small nugget of truth in there though.
They aren’t taking anything away from you and your daily life.
You aren't wrong. One truck does nothing, and this guy's a bit silly for going after one guy. My only concern is a systemic one.
Trucks are allowed to be much more inefficient, in every manner, than any other (consumer) category of vehicle on the road. The same vehicle can be less clean, just because it's got a truck bed. America's fetish for gigantic trucks that the majority of those driving it don't need is a pretty ridiculous waste. Not only are the engines less efficient, their terrible form factor is bad for aerodynamics (and "big flat square" is bro's favorite shape, so of course all trucks are specifically styled to be bad).
Moreover, it's a safety issue. Trucks mulch pedestrians in the most ridiculous manner. The hood also obstructs visibility, making it easy to not see especially short people (children) in front of you. Too easy to mow people over in parking lots. Visibility for others is another concern, in two different ways: One, those headlights that are so high up (and half the time even higher, thanks to aftermarket lift kits) blind other drivers to a ridiculous degree. Especially anyone who's not in their own lifted monstrosity. Visibility is also a concern in that I can't see around a truck. This one's a bit easy to counter - 'just have a safe following distance!' and you wouldn't be wrong saying that, but you're still worse off than you would be with a car in front of you. The last, and one of the worst, is weight. Those trucks are much heavier than a car needs to be, so if you're in a collision with one while you're in a smaller/lighter car, you're going to get smushed. The heavier vehicle wins, and it's safer for the person in the truck, but makes the crash far worse for the other vehicle.
Again, this dude is a clown for going after a truck driver in a mountain bike subreddit. But it's a gigantic shame that we've got this unnecessary fetishization of large trucks in our culture. It does nothing for us, and effects the whole world negatively.
Who hurt you? Some of us truly use our trucks. My truck is a single cab 4x4 and was bought out of necessity. It takes me off road, deep into areas a sedan could never take me and hauls all my stuff. As far as hauling a couch, I've moved more than just myself many times. If my friends need something moved or picked up, they all know I'll gladly do it or let them use it. Trucks are far more useful than a large SUV if you don't have an army of children you need to haul around! I don't understand how my truck is more expensive to drive each month than a large SUV. My truck gets better gas mileage than most trucks and definitely more than most large SUVs.
Tundras are awesome because of huge interiors. and thus as a guy you get to have a bed. So it’s a good vehicle. I to own tundra with bike rack. But if I can I put my bikes in the bed with aluminum roll up cover
It's two rows of seats like a Camry. But you sound like you got yourself convinced you need it huge... As a guy. Help me move in two weeks and validate your position.
I do need it huge. I my self am I big person. I own a home, a truck is very useful. I have a double axle trailer it’s useful! I can load up and have full cab COMFORTABLE 😎
Sure if you actually need it you need it. My dad has a big truck that he hauls with and a regular car. But most of these giant trucks are not necessary.
That’s right LGBT!!! Liberty, Guns, Beer, Trucks!!!
Yes I did because my cabin is on a steep dirt road and I have 3 kids…
I'm busting yer balls... But yeh after you throw the kids in the back to get some peace and quiet of course you have to have the rack to carry the bike. Smart.
Imagine crying about what other guys are driving. Lmfao
On a subreddit where most of us would be fine on $250 bikes and instead we buy $5000 bikes...
Have your bars ever punched out that window? I always have to turn my bars through 90 so they don’t punch out the window
They have never made contact as far as I know. With this rack you have some adjustment as to far how into the hitch you push the tach because it doesn’t use the pin/hole feature to lock it in.
In the UK racks go on the tow ball because we’ve got a different standard so racks can move a fair bit, especially with the shockingly poor roads in the UK
Cheaper yes, but no way a pad is easier than my Thule XTR Pro.
Fair. I was thinking more about the racks where the bikes hang, like the VelociRax.
Any pics?
How many bikes? I use a $4 harbor freight padded moving blanket and it works great for 2 bikes folded in half.
Why do u need a pad for folding bikes? Don't they just fit in the truck?
Blanket folded in half….wise guy
Do you at least tuck them in and give them a kiss?
I’m not a monster
Always😉
It's called a misplaced modifier and I was confused by it too.
I use a sawzall to fold my bices
Here's one, can confirm the pad is way easier to load up: https://i.imgur.com/5k3imcL.jpeg
Haha, that one drop bar bike trying to hide.
Yeah that one is a pain to stack in every time. Bars don't fit with anything else, and hta so steep that it doesn't fit very well over the tailgate either. This trip was an all-hands-on-deck empty-the-garage-of-bikes brewery tour I ran.
Ridgeline short bed. Tailgate pad. SO fast to take on and off with the dual action tailgate.
The Ridgeline is a fucking incredible vehicle for MTB. Literally takes 20 seconds to take the tailgate pad on and off, and the bed-trunk is a perfect spot for wet/muddy gear you don't want to carry in the cab (or leave flopping around in the bed).
My best time is 10 seconds for install! Lol I love the vehicle. Crazy good in the winter too. All around awesome.
I have a santa cruz and big agree that the under bed storage is great - that dual function tailgate I'm a bit jealous of though, looks like a super cool feature
Yeah, I use it constantly – tbh I probably open the bed more often that way than the usual way. I had a truck with a "regular" tailgate before and it was fine, but it'd be hard to go back now.
I have a ridgeline I bought a year ago. I ceramic coated it since I plan on keeping it for a very long time. I’m concerned dirt under the pad will affect the paint. Is this a valid concern or ridiculous. For now I remove the front wheel and put the bike in the bed. Curious to know what you think.
Put ppf film anywhere the pad contacts paint (just do the whole tailgate).
Dirt under the pad will definitely abrade the paint over time.
Valid. Tailgate pad seriously damaged my Ridgeline paint. I don't really care. But if you do care, you'll want to do something to protect it
I’ll protect it by not ever using a pad.
SO fast to take on and off with the dual action tailgate
Oh dang, yeah I bet it is! Luckily mine is short enough to reach around, but just swinging it open would be awesome.
I had a pad for my Tacoma until I got a camper topper and had to switch to a hitch rack.
Pad was easier but the rack is more secure to protect the bikes from theft.
How so regarding theft?
A lot of rack have built in locks
Ahhh I see. I just run a mega cable and 2 big locks either side of my bed that I run through the frames of the bikes on my pad.
Pretty damn secure.
Yea I wouldn't trust a rack lock anyways
I only trust any kind of rack lock for quick trips to grab food etc. They keep away the opportunistic thieves, anyone who really wants a bike will get it
Cable lock + stake pockets. If trucks even have them anymore, or if anyone here knows what they are.
Pad was easier but the rack is more secure to protect the bikes from theft.
This is exactly why I'm looking for a rack and leave the pad behind on my Tundra. I don't feel comfortable bringing my bike anywhere if I can't see it. I can run a lock but nothing secure in the bed to run through.
I've locked 4 bikes with the pad. 12ft cable and a lock does the trick for me.
What Tundra do you have? Mine has bed rings, I run a Kryptonite New York Fahgettaboudit Chain Lock for either the dirt bike or the MTB.
It's a 15' platinum. There are tie down anchors but too small to get anything through except a padlock, which I could do with a cable. I've only tried to get my coil bike lock to work so far.
It's a 15' platinum. There are tie down anchors but too small to get anything through except a padlock, which I could do with a cable. I've only tried to get my coil bike lock to work so far.
Tbh when it's just me, I throw the bike in the bed lmao, but multiple bikes yeah I use the pad.
Same. 29er tires and a 5.5ft bed, it fits nice and snug just laying down.
Pad on my Ridgeline. Cheap, easy, 5 seatbelts, 5 bikes, what’s not to love.
Yeah, don’t spend a bunch of money on a pad. They keep adding “features” and charging $250+. Keep it simple.
I have a short bed ‘23 Tacoma. I use a hitch rack. Leaves the bed for a cooler, maybe a grill, air pump , tools etc. four guys in the cab. Four bikes on the hitch rack. 🤘 ride on
I have a Tacoma short bed with a roll up tonneau cover that eats into it, I use the tailgate pad unless I'm carrying other things in the bed and haven't found a bike that doesn't fit yet. I do like the one up rack for when the bed's full, though.
My buddy has a short bed Tacoma and you literally can’t put anything else in the back with the bikes back there. If you don’t ever plan on going camping or anything else with your bike then you can get away with a pad.
How many bikes we talking. I can get quite a lot of stuff beside 2-3 bikes with a tailgate pad, takes up half the bed across the way.
I can fit 5 bikes on my tailgate pad for my Tacoma. I have fit 6 bikes and it took all the boys puzzling it together and putting one bike behind all the other bikes horizontally but we’re not usually that desperate
I drive a short bed Colorado and have the same complaint. By the time bikes and camping gear are loaded you’re really tight on space.
I still use the pad, but will likely be getting a hitch rack in the near-ish future.
FWIW: I also ride road and gravel and loading those into the truck bed are a pain in the ass since they don’t usually fit over the tailgate pad
yeah I've got a santa cruz (even smaller than taco short bed) and there's a lot of free space next to my bikes if I only load one or two. 4 or 5 would definitely take the whole bed but with 2 I could definitely get a few 27 gallon totes and various odds and ends in there. If I need the whole bed I have a hitch rack but like 90-95% of the time (day rides) the pad wins hands down for ease
Keeps the bike out of the bed, looks rad.
That does not look rad.
Then you’ll really hate the Subaru
1up bike rack and a 15mm hardened steel motorcycle chain.
Do you use the chain for an extra layer of theft security? I just had my 1UP stolen and am brainstorming ways to make its replacement more secure.
I use a U Lock to secure my 1Up rack to the hitch receiver.
Good idea. Thanks!
yup exactly. the 15mm chain would take about half an hour to cut through with an angle grinder. No thief is spending that much time.
Nice. Thanks for the tip!
Carpet over the bed, remove front tire and stow the whole thing under my tonneau. Water proof and theft proof.
But then you can look cool like this
That’s too much stanchion rubbing for my comfort.
I’d do a hitch rack unless you need to transport a bunch of bikes at once. I had a RaceFace T2 on my old truck. Got a bunch of scratches on my bikes and my truck from it, and there are a decent number of horror stories of people denting or cracking frames on tailgate pads.
The hitch rack is also easier to load/unload the bikes.
Plenty of upright racks that carries 6 bikes these days if you are the designated shuttle driver.
That’s true but the upright racks are more difficult to live with day-to-day imo and are more difficult to store when not in use.
I use a boost mount on my tonneau cover. Honda Ridgeline 5.5 ft bed
Taking a wheel off every single time is a bummer.
When I see this kind of setup I think back to my road biking days and am reminded of how far I've come. Removing the front wheel sucks.
Eh.. takes two seconds.. I don’t mind it myself because I like the stability it provides. But I get not wanting to do it every time.. I also have a Kuat Sherpa for when I ride with groups or feeling lazy..
Reser water bottles? A fellow Cincy/Nky biker??
Yes indeed! I’m just across the river over in Indiana!
Both. I have a canopy, so it depends if I need the bed or don't want to get my gear covered in dust on a gravel road. For short trips to the trailhead, I just use a tailgate pad and leave the lift gate open.
Tailgate pad for rides near home. When we go camping and riding or on road trips I like a rack like Velocirax, because it frees up my bed for all the other gear.
Keep the contact surfaces between the pad and bike clean and you should be ok. Also make sure the bike doesn’t move around when you’re driving. I’ve seen the paint on frames and forks completely rubbed off on the contact point areas.
Tailgate should also be clean.
I have seen some pretty bad stanchion scratches from folks not properly setting up the tailgate setups.
It’s like sandpaper if the bike isn’t properly secured and it’s moving around on the pad.
Ever since I heard a guy watched his e-bike get crushed by a semi I think I’m gonna stick with the pad lol. Edit: for clarity he had his on a rack improperly mounted and it fell off getting run over by a semi
I've got a shell on my truck so I use a hitch rack. Super secure going down the road frame isn't touching anything. And got plenty of room in the bed for an ice chest etc.
I have a hitch rack on my ridgeline because I like to put stuff in the bed and trunk.
Tailgate pad. Looks cool too.
Both, just depends on the situation, I do like the tailgate pad most but I have tools in my bed a lot of the time.
Pad is the shit. So easy and no need o even strap it. Racks are a pita
Hitch for sure, especially if you have carbon frames. There’s lots of wearing on the frame where it rides on the pad from dirt and dust rubbing.
Any tailgate scratches?
If it's just me the bike gets laid in the bed. If it's multiple bike I have a race face pad that I would highly recommend.
Pad - but buy yourself a GOOD one that protects the downtube well, like the Yakima. Fast, easy, and cheaper than a rack. Also, you can always chain your bike to the D rings in the bed.
I also strongly recommend the Tacoma bed divider. I put it about a foot from the cab side of the bed. It’s perfect for a couple reasons - I can stash helmets, packs etc in there and they won’t move around the bed, and I can use a rubberized tie down thing and strap the rear wheels of the bikes to it so they won’t move around. A tie like this - the longer versions:
I use a couple of Thule Inta Gators in the bed of my truck. Super easy to put in / take out, holds the bike steady and nothing behind the truck. All you have to do is lock the tailgate and they’re secure.
I did this with my short bed Colorado https://www.reddit.com/r/chevycolorado/s/xsfKjXCdFm
I ditched the 4x4 a while back
You can fit more bikes with the vertical hang hitch racks. But if you’re just moving a couple a pad is way easier.
ive gotten 8 bikes and riders in/on my ‘19 ranger with a 5’ bed. 8 bike vert rack alone is over $1000.
it wasn’t comfortable for anyone in the back seat and the bed bros had to hold some bikes but we got back to the top of the fire road with zero issues.
So the bed of your truck that’s intended for hauling light loads is actually a great place to put a bicycle. What you do is open the tailgate, lift the bike, push it forward into the bed, set, toss or lay it down, close the tailgate and go.
Pad.
Easy. More affordable. If you get rear ended your bikes will probably survive it.
I know this because it happened to me. I learned a Fox 36 is much stronger than a tacoma tailgate.
Insurance covered my bike when it was damaged in an accident.
Mine too. I had an LBS inspect them and they totalled my bike because the "impact potentially exceeded the frame's limitations"
Got a new bike.
The insurance company basically treated my bike like a car. They charged me a $40 "salvage fee" to keep my damaged bike (lol?)
I have a Tacoma and a Fusion. I much prefer putting the seats down in the Fusion and throwing the bike inside the car vs in the Tacoma's bed. Obviously this doesn't work for two bikes, but for one its ideal imo.
Way better gas mileage and no stressing about someone stealing the bike if I want to run into the grocery store or a restaurant.
My bikes can lock to the hitch rack. I still wouldn't want to leave it out of sight. I just take the front wheel off and throw it in the bed, under the tonneau cover when I'll be gone a while.
I have both and also a short bed Tacoma with a topper as well. Pad is more convenient easier to put on and take off, and easier to throw your bike on. Also much cheaper.
The rack only comes in handy when I need all the bed space, like for camping and taking multiple bikes.
I used to use a pad with my Snugtop topper. But I found leaving the topper door wasn’t good. Especially on rougher roads. The pistons wore out quickly. And I was terrified that the door would slam down and break on my bike.
I have a soft topper but yeah If I had a hard shell I can see that being an issue.
I use a gate pad on my ute. I can fit 5 bikes on it, and even when tranporting only one bike I dont need to tie it down. The bike just sits in place without moving. When I put my carbon fibre bike on there I put a cut pool noodle on the bottom of the down tube to protect it.
Demon tailgate pad on my gen 1 Ridgeline. Got it cheap. The camera hatch works with the backup camera, and can transfer my family's 4 bikes without struggle. Only thing is I have a cheap tonneau cover that's trifold - it gets in the way if doing 4 bikes, so I have to remove it then but otherwise it's so much easier. Otherwise if I'm taking the crew I use a vertical hitch rack that can hold 6 bikes, but it's a hassle to setup.
Pad on my tacoma. Hitch rack on the wife’s suv.
I use the Thule T2 Pro X 99% of the time. If I'm towing a trailer then I'll use my fox tailgate pad. You have to keep your tailgate clean since dirt will get trapped in-between and scratch your paint. I find the rack to be more convenient since I wouldn't have to open my tonneau cover and block the rear window. My bed is only 5' 2" on my Colorado ZR2. The tailgate pad will keep your bike cleaner since it's not behind your rear tires.
100% tailgate pad
Pad with a tie down strap and a good bike lock.
I've got a 6ft bed so one bike just goes in the bed. Two or more, tailgate pad but I put a microfiber towel under the frame/fork to avoid scratches. Also have a 2 bike hitch rack that I use for camping trips etc where the bed is full of gear.
I have a hatchback. My bike just goes inside the car.
I have a tailgate pad and also ran a chain from side to side that I can run a bike lock through just in case. I may be a bit paranoid but the world has gotten weird in the last couple years and I don't want to be sitting at a light when someone decides to unload my bike for me.
Pad on my Ram 1500 unless we’re camping. Then we have the full camp set up in the back with a top so i also have a Thule hitch rack. Then the truck is long.
Both work. Most of the time i run just the pad and put the rack on my girlfriends car. That way we can take either vehicle/shuttle lap.
Sometimes it’s a pain with the pad and top though. But i can either fold the top, make do, or use the hitch.
That all said, if you have the room in the bed, just use the pad. It’s cheaper which is pretty much the main reasoning
I have a Ridgeline and use a hitch pad for quick trips around town with my hard tail or full suspension. The low depth of the Ridgeline bed makes my gravel and fat bike tip on corners with the pad so I built a fork mount at the front of the bed
($30 of unistrut and hardware, got used Rocky Mounts on marketpkace for $16). Secondary benefit is that it keeps the fat bike out of winter road spray
Shoulder replacement in feb. and got a hitch rack. Best idea ever. Lifting anything over my shoulders is a struggle. A cheep tailgate pad will scratch up your downtube. Especially when the bike is dirty!
Both. Tailgate pad for local rides, rack for when the bed is full, going camping I slap the bikes on the back of the camper trailer hitch.
Tundra with cap, nothing compares to a 1UP rack. Takes 5 seconds to load and unload the bike. Doesn’t touch frame.
I have a Silverado and just throw it in the back.
I’ve got a kuat nv 2.0 base for get-puts with the wife or a buddy and a velocirax 5 for the whole family with my r1s, would love the tailgate option but the hitch is handy if you’re packing a lot.
Rack. Pads will wear the paint of both your tailgate and bike.
I use a tailgate pad. I can easily transport 6 large/ XL bikes. I usually only have one or two bikes on the pad, and the rest of my stuff secured in the bed. A lot of my friends have had their bikes hit on hitch racks, and a few have had their bike come off the hitch rack and get destroyed in the interstate.
Guys do u have recommendation for sport cars while they do not have hitch?
I've seen the suction cup roof rack mounts on porsches etc when I go to bike parks so they must work well.
Yeah think so only have concerns about mud fallout after ride, while my bike parks does not have showers.
For occasional use, pad. Lots use, hitch rack. Long term complaint with several ride buddies after using tailgate pads is frame rub becomes a challenge on rough roads and or long drives to point where have ended up switching to a hitch rack Every. Single. Time. Really.
Stopped using the tailgate pad when I noticed I was rubbing a hole in my downtube.
I have a canopy. So if my truck is empty I just put it in the back. Otherwise I use a trailer hitch
Pad takes away space in the bed, rack leaves the bike exposed to damage.
Ride to the trail
Tacoma short bed?!
I have Yakima Highroad racks mounted over my 5.5 bed. I pull a camper so the hitch mount doesn't work for me. Also mounting above the bed keeps the bed available for camping supplies.
I have the same short bed. I usually use a hitch rach(1up). I also have a cap. When I am feeling lazy(rack gets removed every time) I take off my front wheel and the bike fits in the bed, upright.
Tailgate pad for nearby trails, hitch rack for overnight road trips as I need the truck bed for family luggage.
1Up rack on my SB Hardshell Taco. The tailgate folds down completely when the rack is folded down with 1” clearance so makes it a lot more usable than other racks I’ve used.
A buddy uses an old heavy duty yoga mat. Seems to work great.
I have both for my taco. Hitch for camping and longer travel where I need the bed. Pad around town.
I have a Tacoma short bed and I have both. You likely don't need both but I'll tell you my use cases.
Typical days I use a 2 bike hitch rack and have the toyota hard tonneau cover on. I like this setup because I keep my smelly, dirty gear in the way back; I can bring tools and other gear and keep it secured in the bed with the tailgate locked and cover down.
On occasion I do go places where friends and I will camp near a trail system for multiple days of riding. I'll take my tonneau off and put the pad on instead to use my truck to shuttle the group. You can tech fit 5 bikes with the pad.
So I would prioritize a hitch rack over the pad; especially if you have multiple vehicles. We also have a crosstrek that we put the rack on.
Lay it down in the bed of my F350.
Both have pros and cons. If your bike is carbon, get a carbon friendly rack. The pad can scratch the shit out of the frame.
I’ve tried both for a few years and found myself more often than not using the tailgate pad but I have a 6ft bed half ton so space isn’t a problem. Most of my buddies who own Tacomas use a bike rack for exactly your reason.
I've never had a bike not fit in my 5 foot bed. My buddies XL fits with feet to spare.
I have the same truck and use the pad. It's just so easy and convenient, and can get 4 bikes in my bed.
The only issue is i have to remove my tonneau cover in the summer because the bikes won't fit with it folded back. But I just have the cover to keep my bed from filling with snow.
I love love love my tailgate pad for how easily it is to use, and how little it impacts my use of the tailgate and bed. Only complaint with my Fox pad is that it obscure my backup camera a little. I ended up stitching in a thick metal wire so that I could keep the pad up against the tailgate and put off they camera FOV.
One thing to keep in mind is how thick your truck's tailgate is. I have used a pad on a newer Ford Super duty and the fit just wasn't very good because the top of the tailgate is so thick.
Pad -- I also have a Tacoma short bed and it's fine for fitting any bike
Pad. What's the point of the truck if you're not using the bed?
I’ve had both and each have their merits. At the end of the day, I would personally recommend the hitch rack. Pads are certainly easier but come with a whole host of secondary issues— stanchion rubbing, security concerns, lack of additional bed storage, etc. People have mentioned these and other throughout the thread.
Hitch racks, good ones at least like 1UP, are bomb proof. Give you excellent security and stability, leave your bed fully open, and have little down sides.
When I had my Tacoma, definitely went with the pad. Easier, cheaper, holds more bikes. No brainer!
I love my One Up rack. One of the best investments I’ve made.
I use a moving blanket for a tailgate pad.
I use both. I like the simplicity of the tailgate pad but I prefer to use the hitch rack for the heavier e-bikes.
Regarding frame rub, I put a sock between the tailgate pad and the downtube.
I've never tried a pad, but I mostly use a hitch rack. I've also got a couple of 2x4s with QR mounts screwed to them so I can carry 4 bikes in the bed and 2 on the rack, if need be.
Depends on if I am camping out of the bed.
Pad unless its for an ebike.
i really hate tossing my decoy back in my ranger post ride. feels like it gained weight during the ride.
Rack is way easier, I have one mounted on my Chevy pickup, I have a tailgate pad as well and on muddy days I’ll throw it in there, but the rack is nice for my shoulders and keeps me from throwing high over the bed compared to the rack. I’m 5”4 as well so the rack suits me better than throwing it over everytime. It’s also aesthetically pleasing but I’m sure most mountain bikers will never admit it
I’ve had a Ride88 rack for about 5 years now. It’s been solid and don’t have many complaints. Keeps my bikes completely in the bed and don’t have to worry about my tailgate or my bike from a tailgate pad. I mostly got it for fatbiking though to keep salt etc off my bikes. Definitely cheaper to do some sort of DYI rack but this seems way more secure than any DYI I’ve seen. Ran it for 2 years with the tailgate down and no bed extender before getting a longer bed truck.
If you are going to be riding with more than one buddy, and shuttling offroad, get a rack. The pad is very easy and simple, but the bikes will all end up bouncing into eachother and getting frame and pedal rub if you’re shuttling forest roads and things like that. If you’re just going to use it to bring your bike to the parking lot, then the pad is the way to go.
I would never own a truck if I’m not going to use the bed. Unless there is something stopping me from it, I’m never attaching a bike rack to a truck when I can just put bikes in the bed.
If you can’t put your bikes in the back of it, why have a truck? Go with the pad.
3rd gen Tacoma short bed guy here. Tailgate pad all the way. When i got a shell for the Taco i went to a Yakima hitch rack and while its fine, its nowhere near as efficient as a tailgate pad. also if i get rear-ended by some skank livestreaming a makeup tutorial at 80 MPH on the freeway, my carbon bike is trashed.
Edit to say the rear cam becomes worthless too, i had to add an aftermarket camera to my Taco.
I have a hitch rack for local transport but when I'm traveling with my camper I have a roof rack mounted to a bed rack I made with 80/20. It's mounted to a Bak Revolver tonneau cover with built in T track. Yakima Frontloader shown, but now have a 1up. Keeps the covered bed open for hauling camp gear.
Pad. Easier and cheaper than a rack.