Many nomads include bikes as an important item to include on or in their vans. They offer recreation and transportation without needing to drive the larger vehicle. This can be especially helpful when breaking camp is a hassle.
Storage options for bicycles
Most commonly, bicycles are mounted on a rack on the back of the vehicle. These racks are typically attached to the door or to the hitch. A significant downside of rear-mounted bike racks is that they may impede the use of the rear doors. Care must be taken to get mounting solution that won't get in your way unnecessarily.
Sometimes, especially with bikes that are designed to fold, nomads will opt to store their bikes inside. Most often, this is done in vans that have a "garage" area inside the rear doors. Some nomads have built sliding trays in the garage so their bikes can be easily pulled out of the van.
On cars and minivans, bicycles are sometimes kept on a purpose-built roof rack. This usually means removing the bike's front tire and attaching the bike to the rack so that it rides upright during travel. This solution doesn't work as well for larger vehicles since it's a challenge to get things on and off the roof.
