Touring - Touring with a Race Bike?

Is it possible to put panniers on a race bike without the braze-ons?

If you dont plan on putting alot of weight on the bike, yes. I have a rack that connects to seat post only, the rack can hold 20 lbs. Just enough for a self-supported week long tour, or much longer if your doing hotel touring.

There are a number of issues:

1) Seatpost racks are limited in the weight they can handle. They definitely can't handle full-size panniers fully loaded.

2) Racing bikes have very short chainstays. It may be very difficult to arrange panniers so you don't hit them with your heels as you pedal.

3) Touring on racing tires and lightweight aero wheels can be a challenge. Racing bikes often can't take larger tires because of tight clearances behind the seat tube, between the seat stays, and between the brake arms.

4) Even if you can manage to get the load attached to the bike, racing bikes rarely have low enough gearing to facilitate loaded climbing.

So you need to look at the individual bike. Some "racing" bikes are really more like sport/touring bikes (in terms of geometry) and can be adapted. But generally speaking, the closer the bike is to being truly designed for racing, the less suitable it will be for much else.

RichC

Compare the load/weight ratio of different luggage systems, and you will find that seatpost mounted racks with small panniers are fairly inefficient. They work OK for small loads, but a Carradice saddlebag is far more effective. A buddy of mine rode his racebike halfway across France with a 20l saddlebag and a barbag.
I did meet a guy in Ireland touring on a Bianchi Pista track bike, so anything is possible.

Seatpost racks may be OK for ATB's with heavy gauge seatposts, but on a true racing bike, I'd be worried that the post will get bent.
Now, if you are considering touring in Europe, many hotels offer baggage forwarding services. People have been doing walking pilgramages in places like France for many, many years, and many good hotels will send your bags to the next hotel on your itinerary, and they will be waiting in your room when you arrive. All you need to carry, then, is repair stuff.

Originally posted by D*Alex
Seatpost racks may be OK for ATB's with heavy gauge seatposts, but on a true racing bike, I'd be worried that the post will get bent.
Oh,applesauce!

If you are after a road bike that can carry panniers and a proper rack, then you want to get what in Europe and elsewhare is known as an 'Audax' bike.

Look up the word on the internet and you'll get loads of hits.

A number of companies produce Audax bikes, to read up a good spec have a look at the SJSC site

http://www.sjscycles.com

My last tour was sag supported. They picked up your excess at each water stop.. Race bike would have worked fine.. Still, I took my touring bike. Do the same tour next year, I probably will take my road bike.. Would be a little easier going up the hills...
My purest Touring friends belittle me, you must carry at least 40 pounds. Going lite is ok with me, however..

Oh,applesauce!

Oh, bite me!

Originally posted by D*Alex
Oh, bite me! well actualy,I have mtb posts that are thinner than some race bike posts.Does thicker or thinner in itsself even define strength? What does 'race bike' define any way?? Many are ok for 200+ pounders, so is 20 pounds on a post rack really going to matter. Think about it MR. engineer.

I put a rack on my racer. I load it up with about 25lbs max.
http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment.php?s=&postid=163651

My LBS had a little retrofit kit to get it to work without the attachment points. Have been loving the rack for my commute.

I don't think I would put a huge amout of weight on it though. I also don't have the gearset to have tons of weight and expect to climb any hills.

I suppose I should post the pic ;)

Sailguy. That bike looks awesome. What is up with the spokes? What are they? This bike must carry some great weight.. Or is it just the photogaph.? Care to fill us in about your touring bike. A Lorelli?What do you think of it.?

Those Torelli bikes are very conservative for modern race bikes, and better suited to long stages than many of the tight clearance "crit" bikes. They are not always made of the lightest steel, but they do have an awesome reputation as fine riding bikes. Its not a real touring bike, the rack is clamped onto the stays, not bolted. For loads like this, a 3 point fixing like on a Tubus Fly rack is more than adaquate.

I did a long tour on a racer. I drilled holes into the bottom triangle to accomodate the rack-this probably was not a great idea. I had a slight problem with heel clearance on the panniers. My derailleur
could only accomodate a 24 tooth cog max. For full loaded touring I would not recommend it; light credit-card motel touring would be no problem. If you want to carry weight and do camping, I would suggest a light rack and pannier system on the back, and get a BOB trailer for the majority of the load.

Some ultra-light backpackers have sub 20 lbs packs including water for 3 or 4 day trips! I would think you could do this with a seatpost rack. I ride everyday to work with an Old race bike (le mans centurian) using a seat post rack and one pannier. because of the angle of the seat post tube this rack holds the pannier up and away from my heels so that is not a problem as I see it (a more traditional rack would creat problems because of the short chain stays). Using a handle bar bag, or strapping a sleeping bag/ or tent to the handlebars would make it possible I think. My main concern would be that race bikes seem to be designed to not handle excessive weight and so the total added weight would be my primary concern. I think if the seatpost rack is mounted right at the top of the seatpost tube, you wouldn't have problems, even if you did you could just get a bit beefier seatpost I would think. This idea has piqued my curiosity. One of these friday nights I am going to have to try this I think.

btw for ideas on going light checkout www.backpacking.net, there are some good ideas for homemade gear as well.

I drilled holes into the bottom triangle to accomodate the rack-this probably was not a great idea.

I'll say!!!

Captain Crunch-You may want panniers to commute to work with, or to carry groceries home with, or to do a two-day weekend tour, or to do saag-wagon assited touring, or to do fully-loaded camping style touring. I should have been more specific in my previous post in that my experience was in the area of converting a racer into a loaded tourer for long distances. If that is what you are contemplating-don't do it! You get none of the benefits of the racer when it is weighted down, you forsake the advantages of longer wheelbase etc. of the tourer. It is a Cinderella-in-revese story. You would be better off with a $50 yard sale/ garage bike for that type of usage.Comments above by Rich are right on.

www.oldmanmountain.com will have every thing you need.