NewsRear Door Bike Rack

Bigger Gear Isn’t Always Better For years, outdoor and vanlife products followed the same formula: add more features add more metal add more moving parts make everything larger But in 2026, many travelers are starting to move in the opposite direction. Instead of oversized systems and complicated setups, vanlifers are increasingly looking for: smaller, lighter, and simpler gear.

Why Bike Storage Is Different on Small Campervans Large RVs can hide bulky bike racks without much consequence. Small campervans can’t. Oversized storage systems quickly become problems: blocked rear doors poor parking access difficult loading added vehicle length lost interior living space

Keeping Bike Storage Simple Modern bike racks have become larger, heavier, and more complicated than ever. Swing-away systems.Massive tray racks.Oversized hitch assemblies. For many van owners, especially campervan travelers, these systems solve one problem while creating several new ones:

Bigger Isn’t Always Better Somewhere along the way, bike racks started turning into industrial equipment. Massive swing arms.Heavy steel trays.Complex hinge systems.Oversized platforms built like bridge sections. And now that eBikes are becoming more common, many bike rack systems are pushing well past 80–100 lbs before the bikes are even loaded.