Can I fit the tire standing up to one side and would that fit the gear better?
Yes and yes. My 33 fits with a few inches of space with the ‘fastback’ trektop and the driver seat slid all the way back.
How can I do this storage system while also making the mounting as simple as possible so swapping to a back seat to drive kids around town wouldn’t be so time consuming?
One good strap over the tire will suffice. You just need a good anchor point front and rear.
