So you just got your hands on a WheelWally. Nice. You’re about to have one of the easiest, most secure ways to haul your bike in your truck bed. No front wheel removal. No sketchy bungee cord setups. No crossing your fingers on the highway.
But before you hit the trail, you’ve got to get it mounted up. The good news is that it’s a straightforward process, and most people knock it out in under an hour.
Let’s cover what you need to know.
How the WheelWally Works
The WheelWally mounts to the front rail of your truck bed and sits as far forward as possible. Once it’s mounted, you roll your bike in and strap it to the WheelWally using the included straps. The straps secure the bike by the tires and rims, holding everything upright and steady.
That’s the basic idea. The WheelWally is anchored to the truck. The bike is strapped to the WheelWally. Simple, solid, and secure.
The rack fits wheel sizes 26″, 27.5″, 29″, and 700c, so whether you’re riding a mountain bike, a road bike, a fat bike, or something with a Cannondale Lefty fork, the WheelWally handles it.
Two Installation Options
There are two ways to mount a WheelWally in your truck bed, and the right one depends on your truck.
Standard installation works on pretty much any truck. It involves drilling a few small quarter-inch holes to anchor the hardware. It’s simple and permanent.
Track installation is for trucks with factory rail systems like the Toyota Deck Rail or the Nissan Utili-Track. With these systems, the WheelWally hardware slides right into the existing channels, and in many cases you can skip drilling on the rails entirely.
Both methods result in the same rock-solid mount. The track option just gives you the flexibility of a no-drill setup if your truck supports it.
For the full step-by-step process with detailed instructions and diagrams, head over to our Installation page. That’s the definitive guide for getting your WheelWally set up correctly.
What’s Included: The Rear Wheel Tie Down Kit
Every WheelWally ships with a Rear Wheel Tie Down Kit (R.W.T.D.K.) included. This keeps the rear wheel planted during transport, so the back end of the bike doesn’t bounce around on the road.
For most riders on smooth highways and paved roads, the R.W.T.D.K. does the job well. But if you’re driving on rough roads, gravel, or fire roads to get to your ride, we strongly recommend upgrading to the Off-Road Kit (O.R.K.) for about $95. The O.R.K. adds full lateral stability so your bike stays fixed in every direction. It’s one of those upgrades where once you have it, you’ll wonder why you didn’t get it from the start.
We’ve got a full breakdown of both options in our O.R.K. vs. R.W.T.D.K. comparison post if you want the details.
Quick-Release Setup: For the “Take It On, Take It Off” Crowd
Maybe you don’t want a permanent installation. Maybe you use your truck bed for hauling lumber one weekend and bikes the next. That’s fair.
The WheelWally hardware can be configured for quick, tool-free removal. Once your mounting points are set, you can pop the WheelWally in and out without tools. When you need the bed clear, pull it out. When it’s bike day, drop it back in. Takes about two minutes.
This is one of those features that people don’t realize exists until they’ve had the product for a while. Then they wonder how they ever dealt with a rack that was either permanently bolted in or a total pain to remove.
Why the WheelWally Approach Works
There are a lot of ways to haul a bike in a truck. Straps, bungee cords, tailgate pads, hitch racks, fork mounts, DIY rigs. They all work to varying degrees.
The WheelWally stands out because of how it holds the bike. The straps secure the tires and rims without making contact with the frame. That means no scratched paint, no stressed frame tubes, and no risk to carbon fiber frames or forks. Both wheels stay on the bike, so there’s no disassembly and no loose wheels rolling around in the bed.
And because the WheelWally mounts to the front rail and sits at bed-floor level, you still have usable bed space behind and around the bike for other gear.
A Few Tips Before You Get Started
Measure your bike and your truck bed. Before anything else, measure the length of your bike and the length of your truck bed. If one number is bigger than the other, you’re good. If your bike is longer than your bed, a bed extender will make it work.
Always use your rear tie-down. Whether it’s the included R.W.T.D.K. or the upgraded O.R.K., don’t skip the rear security. The WheelWally holds the front end solid, but the rear needs to be secured too.
Use a cable lock. The WheelWally doesn’t come with a lock, but it’s easy to run a cable through the frame and rack to keep everything secure when you’re parked at the trailhead. A basic cable lock from any hardware store does the job.
Don’t overthink it. If you’ve ever assembled a piece of furniture, you can set up a WheelWally. Head to the Installation page for the full walkthrough, and you’ll be hauling your bike by the end of the afternoon.
Ready to Get Set Up?
If you’ve been hauling your bike loose in the bed, strapping it to the tailgate with bungee cords, or just cramming it in there and hoping for the best, it’s time for something better. The WheelWally gives you a clean, secure, no-nonsense setup that takes the stress out of getting your bike to the ride.
Head over to our Store to grab your WheelWally, and visit the Installation page for the complete setup guide with diagrams and videos.
Your bike deserves better than a bungee cord. Let’s get it set up right.