Commuting - Bike rack and Pannier problem

I bought this rear bike rack for my bike quite a bit ago. I've never had any problems with it. I've just been using it to attach books on the top of it, or boxes and what not. I've recently bought a pannier, and i noticed my rack doesnt have any hooks at the bottom where you hook the pannier to..

My rack looks like this http://img396.imageshack.us/img396/2796/11802707cb.jpg except it doesnt have those little hooks at the bottom that flare out at the end. How do i go about attacking my pannier to it? I cant put any bunge cords or anything to tie it down, so it kind of just flaps around and what not. is that what its supposed to do or what?

I have an older rack similar to yours, I just stick the hooks under the little legs at the bottom.(Might have to bend the hooks out a bit. I suppose you could buy some type of hook or loop at the hardware store and mount it under the mounting screws.

Aaron:)

Depends on the pannier. On my old bike I had holes that accepted the bottom pannier forks. On my new bike (hooray!), my LBS put on a Trek interchange rack that has a bottom similar to yours. I just hook the bottom of the pannier fork benneath the bottom of the rack that flares out. What type of panniers do you have?

I would probably be using hose clamps to solve this problem.

K I just found my digital camera and took a picture of the bottom of it. It doesnt flare out

http://img456.imageshack.us/img456/1668/img11836tg.jpg

It looks like that, the bungee cords wont stay on to it..
As for what kind of panniers i have.. well.. its not a real pannier :P
I just got one of those backpacks with wheels on the bottom, attached some hooks on the top and hooked it on there. it works well but it keeps sliding around and what not. I might just get a "real" pannier if i cant figure out how to fix it.

I would probably be using hose clamps to solve this problem.


+1 for the hose clamp. It might look a bit "ghetto" but it will give you something to hook your pannier to. Just slip the hose clamp around the bottom and tighten it up enough to keep it snug allowing enough room to use the hooks on your pannier.

perhaps a panniers hook will fit inside the tube at the bottom. Otherwise use a hose clamp with a small metal tube inside it. Then hook the pannier's hook into the tube you just attached to the rack. *shrug* hope that helps.

Hook and elastic systems are not the best mounting system, they can bounce off with a bump. Modern panniers use a quick-release locking hook at the top and an anti-sway hook that fits inside the vertical rack stays.
Many pannier companies make their own systems but a german company Rixen and Kaul make pannier mounting systems (http://www.klickfix.com/gepaeck3e.htm) for bag makers to use.
It is pretty simple to rivet one of these mounts to your bag. Use some correx (For Sale sign) material to reinforce the inside of the bag and take the rivet.

why not just buy a new carrier rather than design something that may not be that secure?...they're not expensive, and will give you the option of easily taking the panniers off when you park your bike

I was lucky enough to find a Voyageur Pannier Bag and a Rack in the garbage. Tis good to be a Garbageman! I use Zip Ties to secure my bag to the rack at the top and have not had any problems not securing the bottom. Also is very handy to be able to just flip the bag if necessary. More of a permanent attachment since the only way to get the bag off is to cut the ties. I used the smallest ties availaible and the bag dosen't move at all.

Lenny

Looks like a Topeak MTX rack. They make many trunks and panniers that attach to the rack via the channel that runs down the middle.

Hook and elastic systems are not the best mounting system, they can bounce off with a bump. Modern panniers use a quick-release locking hook at the top and an anti-sway hook that fits inside the vertical rack stays.

Arkel makes "modern" panniers that utilize a hook-elastic system that are tried and true. They have a locking mechanism that prevents them from bouncing off. That said, I do prefer the quick-release aspect of mounting systems such as Ortlieb's. But many hook-elastic systems work just fine.

As for the original question: My rack is like yours in that it lacks the "hooked" stay ends. I have found though that my Arkel hooks still hold on to the stay ends, no problem. Have you tried it yet? If your pannier allows, adjust the elastic cords so that, when hooked, the tension is drawn more diagonally (vs. vertically) to keep the hook more secure. That is, if you attach the hook to the rear rack stay, adjust the elastics so it pulls toward the front (hard to explain - let me know if you need clafication). Not all hook-elastic panniers have this adjustability, but Arkel does.

I've been commuting about 38 mi round trip for 6 months and the pannier has yet to come loose. In fact, sometimes I forget to "lock" it and it never bounces off (of course, this is all on-road).