Is this the Ultimate RV Storage Box/Bike Carrier?
For many RVers – especially those in Class B motorhomes – there just never seems to be enough storage. So when I heard from friends about what many called “the ULTIMATE RV Cargo box,” I had to have a look. It’s from a small company called Nicova in suburban Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
I arranged to borrow one from a friend in Canada (the Nicova company doesn’t ship to the U.S.) and I installed it it on the rear bumper hitch of my 2017 Roadtrek CS Adventurous XL 4X4.
One of the things that makes this cargo box so attractive is that it comes with carriers to mount two full sized bicycles on the top of the box.
That means besides extra gear stored inside the box, there’s room for two bikes up top.
So is it really the ultimate cargo box? I’ll admit, it has a lot of things going for it that makes it very attractive. But there are also some issues, and one BIG one in particular.
Take a look at my review and let me know what you think.
It's closest competitor if the Stowaway 2 box. I used that box for a while a couple of years ago on a previous RV but ended up selling it because when the box was mounted to the RV, I had no way to carry our bicycles.
As you'll see in the video, there's a lot to like about the Nixova. It looks nice, comes in black or white and has carriers for two bicycles mounted up top. It swings away very easily from the locked position at the back of the bumper hitch. There's a trolley contraption on wheels that fits to the back of it so, when removing the 100 pound box, it can easily be moved.
But.. I just can't recommend the Nicova for one basic reason. The cost. The company sells it for $2,800 Canadian. That works out to about $2,265 US. The company doesn't ship to the U.S. So you either half to go to the factory near Montreal or have it shipped to a Canadian address (at a $350-$400 cost, according to the company representative I spoke to on the phone.)
If price wasn't a factor, I'd love this box. But it's just way too expensive. There's no getting past that, in my view.
By comparison, the Stowaway 2 costs $795 US and has free shipping. Granted, the Stowaway doesn't have a bike mount. You could, I suppose, pay a hundred bucks or so and buy one to mount on the front of the RV. But that's something Jennifer wouldn't even let me consider because it would make out Class B campervan look like something out of the old Beverly Hillbillies show.
You can all the specs on the Nicova website at http://nicova.ca/en/product/
Looks good to me,see if you can try it on a trial basis Mike,perhaps company can say it’s a loaner,certainly works for us if products is good quality.
After watching the video, I am not convinced that the hinge required for the swing-out functionality will still be working in five years.
There are some excellent folding mountain bikes that very well could fit in the stowaway. We have 2 folding Swissbike mountain bikes that we used to put IN a “Let’s Go Aero” Remora cargo box. Both bikes and a bunch more gear fit in that thing. It swung out of the way to allow access to the rear doors of the Roadtrek. Also the bikes were converted to electric assist which is very very nice. An electric assist bike is an absolute joy and it gets you out and about much more in some of the most beautiful environments. When your e-bike is a mountain bike, it opens up even more opportunities.
I was thinking of a sturdy plastic case with front doors. Then mount a sheet of heavy duty aluminum on top. Mount the bike carries to that.
It is true that it is very expensive, but the same can be said about buying a Roadtrek over another builder. You choose an item because it fills your needs. At $2300, is 1.6% of the base price of a CS adventurous. There are options in the Roadtrek catalogue that are way more expensive!
Well, until Jennifer’s Rocking Chair is strapped to the top, you all are definitely NOT looking like the Clamppets!
If someone wanted a carrier along those lines, they could find an independent welder and hire the job out. My husband and I designed a hitch carrier to fit our specific needs. The raw materials were probably in the range of $100 to $200. Then of course there was the labor, but we have our own Miller welder and it was a labor of love, so we had no cost there. But if someone were to locate a hobbyist / garage / weekend welder who was wanting to make a little cash on the side, the job certainly would not total to a figure north of two thousand bucks!! I think it would be more along the lines of what a Stowaway would cost, except the end result would be vastly superior in terms of quality and design.