The whole point of buying a not-too-inexpensive, Canadian-made, folding bike was so that I’d be able to park in a Walmart or Loblaws parking lot easily in the outskirts of a town, then cycle in to do my sightseeing, shopping, etc. Then, I’d get back to the RV, fold the bike up, and pop it into the storage compartment in the back of the rig. It had simply never occurred to me that a bike with 18” wheels, might not easily slide into a 19” outer compartment.
Well, Jim spent a good thirty minutes in my driveway last week folding & unfolding, wriggling & jiggling, and jockeying my bike into the storage space. I have no idea how I’m going to get it out by myself. And now, it is taking up the room that other items could be using, dammit.
Barb suggested a bike-rack attached to the rear hitch. Excellent idea. Off I toddled to the Canadian Tire in Morrisburg and lo and behold, they had exactly one rack for under $200 in stock. Great – just one problem – I can’t lift said rack due to my torn rotator cuff (not sure how much longer I’m going to be able to play this woe-is-me card, but it worked in Cdn Tire!).
So I asked if a mechanic could assemble and install it for me then and there. The clerk looked a little perplexed, but I assured him I’d pay for the time worked. They had an opening later that afternoon, so for the first time in their Cdn Tire location’s memory, one of their mechanics stood with the instruction manual and assembled and attached a bike rack to the back of a motorhome.
It pays to ask.