Front Runner’s new Side Mount Bike Carrier lets you secure a bicycle to the side of your Front Runner roof rack, freeing the hitch and truck bed while leaving the main rack available for other gear such as rooftop tents, storage boxes, and recovery equipment.
Adventure travelers often want to bring toys—bikes, surfboards, kayaks—but once your roof rack is loaded with essential gear there’s rarely space left for recreational items. Front Runner’s side mount bike carrier addresses that problem by moving a bike off the rack surface without sacrificing a mounting location on the Slimline II roof rack.
The carrier builds on the same concept used in Front Runner’s vertical surfboard bracket: a secure, out-of-the-way mounting solution that keeps valuable rack space free. By holding the bike alongside the rack instead of on top of it, you retain room for storage boxes, recovery tools, and overlanding essentials.
Traditional swing-out hitch racks, while convenient, pose trade-offs for overlanders: they add length and can limit departure angles when towing or traversing rough terrain, and bikes on those racks tend to swing. For many trips you can’t afford to lose ground clearance or give up towing options just to carry a bike. The side mount avoids those compromises and makes it easier to bring both essential supplies and a full-size mountain bike on the same trip.
Because the carrier attaches to either the driver or passenger side of the Slimline II rack, it offers flexible placement to suit loading preferences and vehicle layout. When the rack is mounted over a truck bed, the side-mounted bike is far more reachable than a roof-mounted bike, simplifying loading and unloading.
Overall, the Front Runner Side Mount Bike Carrier is a practical solution for overlanders and outdoor enthusiasts who need to maximize rack space and preserve vehicle capability. It offers improved accessibility, protects departure angle compared with hitch-mounted systems, and keeps the top of the rack available for mission-critical gear—making it easier to carry both essentials and recreation on the same trip.