Commuting - Pannier racks and carbon stays

Hello all. So many bikes seem to have carbon stays nowadays. Does anyone know any way that rear racks can be safely attached to these bikes? Or if there are good pannier alternatives? I only need it for lightish loads e.g. 5kg (10lb) per pannier.

(Sorry if you also get this post in the touring forum)

Thanks Zie

Make longer front metal strips for the rack and attach them to your seat post bolt, or get those vinyl coated clamps that go around the stays and put them way up on the aluminumb section of the stay, or get a bigger vinyl coated clamp to go around the seat tube and run the two metal strips for the front of the rack in between the stays(just above the brake)..

Thanks your advice Dchiefransom

I guess my main issue is even given that there are ways to fit racks to bikes with carbon stays are there any problems with the carbon fracturing?

Doesn't seem a bit counter intuitive to put heavy stuff on a bike that was designed to be light by the use of CF?

Depends, maybe he only has one bike and decided to commute with it. Maybe he got a killer deal on a frame with carbon stays.

I'd suggest using a seat bag, the carbon stays on a road bike really are not designed to hold the additional load and torsion that panniers produce. Carradice makes some larger ones that may be able to haul your stuff:

http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/carradice.asp

Hey guys. I'm actually a "she" not a "he" *grin*. I don't want to put really heavy stuff in the panniers - maybe up to 10 kg. I'm not talking about a whole carbpn frame (not really within my budget or really suitable for my bike uses) just bikes wich have aluminum frames and carbon forks/stays. It seems like most new, decent quality road bikes now have carbon stays and I have been told it is not so much to lighten the bike but rather to make the ride smoother - I have also been told that while carbon forks do this quite well, carbon stays are a bit of a gimmick - but nevertheless lots of bikes seem to have them.

dbuzi123 - I like the idea of the seat bag. Do you get issues with having a higher centre of gravity compared to panniers?

With a saddlebag, the weight of the luggage is closer to the COG than with panniers. It may be a little higher but it is much further forward. There is no balance problem and people tour on race bikes with substantial loads in saddlebags. In addition you dont need the weight of a luggage rack and the system is much more aerodynamic.
Having said that, if you are getting a road bike for non-racing use you should seriously think about having threaded rack and fender eyelets. You can get road bikes that are better suited to light-touring and winter training.

Hey guys. I'm actually a "she" not a "he" *grin*. I don't want to put really heavy stuff in the panniers - maybe up to 10 kg. I'm not talking about a whole carbpn frame (not really within my budget or really suitable for my bike uses) just bikes wich have aluminum frames and carbon forks/stays. It seems like most new, decent quality road bikes now have carbon stays and I have been told it is not so much to lighten the bike but rather to make the ride smoother - I have also been told that while carbon forks do this quite well, carbon stays are a bit of a gimmick - but nevertheless lots of bikes seem to have them.

dbuzi123 - I like the idea of the seat bag. Do you get issues with having a higher centre of gravity compared to panniers?

I've never used one myself, but people I know do and they seem to work quiet well. As someone stated above, even though its higher up, it is close to the center of the bike. You can think about where people are the heaviest, the butt and the thighs, surprisingly close to where the seat bag is......

I'd suggest using a seat bag, the carbon stays on a road bike really are not designed to hold the additional load and torsion that panniers produce.

You can buy racks that just mount to the seatpost. Some of them have a decent weight capacity, but I wouldn't want to do that with a CF seatpost.

People seem to be missing something loaded tourists have known for years. You can carry loads on the front forks. Ten kilograms would be no problem. Some front racks just attach at the drop-outs and the top of the forks. Is there a word for the little hole used to mount fenders? My touring bikes have "brazeons" specifically for mounting front racks. If you have carbon fiber forks also then consider a budget steel frame bike selected for commuting use with the right attachment points. I have not used seat bags for decades as they interfere with how I "mount" the bike.

you could always try this on the front

Super C Limpet Front Pannier System
Made from heavy duty cotton duck
3M Reflectors fitted front and rear for maximum night visibility
Strongly made with Carradice's long experience of making quality products to withstand expedition use
Centralized carry handle with connector - only one item to carry when off the bike
Will fit the front forks of almost any bike with or without suspension forks.
Very quick removal and fitting without tools
Has removable waterproof liner
Capacity of 26 litres a pair

http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/images/products/Packs/limpet-superc.jpeg

Super C Limpet System $ 142.00 In stock

Two aluminum bars attach to the fork dropouts, held in place by the QR skewer. The bars slide through loops on the back side of the panniers. Then a "U" shaped tube fits over the two attached tubes, making a tall, upside-down U shape. You can see the top of it on the left side.

http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/images/products/Packs/limpet2.jpg
http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/images/products/Packs/limpet3.jpg

The panniers have velcro loops that wrap around the fork. The system is very simple and secure on the fork. The panniers ride low for stability.



http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/carradice.asp