Rivian R1T tailgate pad installed review: it's a winner (with a caveat)

[not_a_car_guy]

I have the same issue with my road bike. Our three other bikes work fine. For those bike the space between the top tube and down tube is small enough that the straps can extend around the top tube. For my road bike the distance is too great and I have to wrap around the down tube. My straps don’t seem to hold tight when close to the pad. My work around is to fold up a hand towel a few times and put it on top of the down tube. It is still a little wobbly, but good enough for smooth drives. I bought the pad from the first batch sold, so I’m not sure if they have improved the design. If anyone has any advice to improve it, I would love to hear.

How were the buckles oriented before after you added the extra spacer (assuming they were dead center on top initially for your road bike)? Earlier, @uthatch said: "If the buckle is oriented to on side or the other of the downtube, and not dead center on top, it will stay tight."

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[Schaef]

I always try to have them oriented to the left like 10 o’clock or so on a clock. It’s been a while since I have tried without the towels, but I think lack of vertical distance from the pad to the tube makes the angle a little to severe and/or decreases the amount of surface area that the buckle pad is covering.

 

[jemkewl]

This question isn't directly related to the OP, but it is directly related to the fact that everyone responding here transports bikes.

I don't have a T yet, but I am seriously considering the Tri-Max T. I would like to put a bike under inside the bed with the tonneau cover closed. Is that possible? I think I have seen posts that the bed is too short to fit a bike inside and closed up. Is that true?

For sure I will want the tailgate pad for short trips to the trails...

There's about 18 inches between the tonneau and the bed. The bed is 4.5 feet long. I can fit my kid's 20" bmx racing bike under with a balance bike. No average adult size bike is fitting.

 

[PunkRockDoc]

Love the look of the Rivian tailgate pad and considering getting one. Are people still having the same issues?

 

[kmusk01]

I just purchased the Rivian Bike Pad and was able to get my Aventon E-bike to fit and hold pretty well. VERY heavy though to get into the bed of the truck over the tailgate alone If I have someone help it would be easier for sure.

I then tried my Giant MTB and the strap will not stay tight. I am going to try with a towel to give it more height and see what that does based on the suggestion above. Will also try to move the buckle to more of the side to see if that stays tight.

I doubt I will ever use the Rivian Bike Pad with my MTB as I have a 1UP for that. This Pad was just for the e-bikes as they do not fit on the 1UP unless I remove the fenders

I really like the look of the Pad, but scared to transport the e-bike because it is pretty heavy and might still tip over in the bed. Going to try and do some test drives around the block a few times to see how well it holds up.

Thanks,

Ken~

 

[strykerwsu]

I just purchased the Rivian Bike Pad and was able to get my Aventon E-bike to fit and hold pretty well. VERY heavy though to get into the bed of the truck over the tailgate alone If I have someone help it would be easier for sure.

I then tried my Giant MTB and the strap will not stay tight. I am going to try with a towel to give it more height and see what that does based on the suggestion above. Will also try to move the buckle to more of the side to see if that stays tight.

I doubt I will ever use the Rivian Bike Pad with my MTB as I have a 1UP for that. This Pad was just for the e-bikes as they do not fit on the 1UP unless I remove the fenders

I really like the look of the Pad, but scared to transport the e-bike because it is pretty heavy and might still tip over in the bed. Going to try and do some test drives around the block a few times to see how well it holds up.

Thanks,

Ken~

Did you follow the instructions posted earlier? Once you velcro the flap section over my bikes have never moved and have about 2k miles of having bikes in the back, either singular or multiple.

 

[kmusk01]

I was able to get it to hold by using the top tube on my bikes and not the bottom tube. I guess just having more height solves all the issues, at least for me.

Overall its a nice bike pad and held up during my test drive.

Ken~

 

[Noplacelikeloam]

So many of these reviews are misleading. So here are some observations for the target consumer which im guessing is;

MTB rider on a mid level carbon trail or MTB ebike. Assume a 4K+ bike (think Santa Cruz Bronson, Yeti, Trek Slash, Specialized Stumpjumper etc).

This product was clearly designed with carbon MTB's in mind. They have larger downtube dimensions. The straps work just fine with my Specialized Enduro, Levo and Stumpjumper Evo.

The pad has a very good cushion of the downtube, MUCH better than typical raceface etc. Again, for carbon frames this is amazing.

Spacing is good. You can fully load this pad with bikes without shuttle rash.

Its a tailgate pad, so recognize that if you have an ebike, you will need to comfortably lift your bike to shoulder height for a few seconds.

It does not work as well with steel frames, road bikes, tri bikes, kids bikes.

Unlike raceface pad and others, putting the straps around the tailgate is easy, takes half teh time to add on.

Hope this helps someone.

 

[agame32]

I was able to get it to hold by using the top tube on my bikes and not the bottom tube. I guess just having more height solves all the issues, at least for me.
…

…
It does not work as well with steel frames, road bikes, tri bikes, kids bikes.

Im mostly trying to secure a beach cruiser and two kid bikes for local 1-5mi hauls to the beach or local parks. I’ve read the manual and this thread multiple times. Also watched a YouTube clip and took my pad with me on my latest service visit to see if anyone there could show me how to keep the straps tight. No luck.

Perhaps I have legitimately defective straps, or as these comments suggest, maybe some incompatibility with my bikes. I should perhaps try strapping top tubes or give it one last go. Either way seems like a bad design, or defect with my pad (I had a Day-1 order).

I have a return authorization and ups shipping label from Rivian, but would rather figure this out than hassle shipping this large item back.

 

[Riviot]

I don't see fading mentioned anywhere for the bike pad, so figured I'll drop it here. I saw this while back home in Florida at a MTB festival, couldn't tell you the age but the Florida sun has definitely done some work to it. It felt pretty dry, so maybe the owner washed it excessively and the protective layer is gone?

 

[MountainBikeDude]

I don't see fading mentioned anywhere for the bike pad, so figured I'll drop it here. I saw this while back home in Florida at a MTB festival, couldn't tell you the age but the Florida sun has definitely done some work to it. It felt pretty dry, so maybe the owner washed it excessively and the protective layer is gone?

I passed an older GMC? with a used to be black RaceFace tailgate pad. The thing looked like someone poured a can of beige paint across the top of the pad. It was beige from the top of the pad to about 3/4 down where it started to fade back to black.

UV has amazing bleaching powers. You see it in action on all those "overland" rigs with their fading MaxTrax on display

 

[ATL_Canes]

I don't see fading mentioned anywhere for the bike pad, so figured I'll drop it here. I saw this while back home in Florida at a MTB festival, couldn't tell you the age but the Florida sun has definitely done some work to it. It felt pretty dry, so maybe the owner washed it excessively and the protective layer is gone?

Perfect for any El Cap drivers out there! Another few years, and it will work on my Limestone!

 

[dngo]

Just used mine for the first time today and was very happy with it. My son’s bike is definitely not carbon, lol, but the strap stayed tight. I can see how bikes with smaller tubes might have issues. I’m not sure if all 4 of our bikes will fit easily - I’m a little height challenged and getting the outside two bikes in the bed might be a bit tough.

 

[Ralph]

I don't see fading mentioned anywhere for the bike pad, so figured I'll drop it here. I saw this while back home in Florida at a MTB festival, couldn't tell you the age but the Florida sun has definitely done some work to it. It felt pretty dry, so maybe the owner washed it excessively and the protective layer is gone?

I can confirm fading is an issue. I used my pad for the last year with a Turbo Levo in Northwest Arkansas only. I mention the location because having lived in FL I know that the sun is much harsher for a longer period of time and really does a "number" on everything there.

Although my pad does not look as "uneven" or "worn" as the above, it is quite blue now. I've never washed mine with soap, etc. so chemicals are not at issue.

Aside from the color it looks fine and everything else has held up very well with no stitching issues, tears, etc. It has done it's job well and kind of compliments my limestone. I'll try to take a photo in the daylight tomorrow and post.

So I really can't complain; actually one of the best values in the Rivian store. I ordered another for one I get tired of the fade.

 

[Effopec]

Just got my pad last week and will use it next weekend. The tag with the QR code for instructions disappeared (my wife claimed she didn’t throw it away but…). It seems important to follow the instructions, so does anyone have a link for the instructions?

TIA…

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