Touring - Rack question...

Hi...i posted this in the commuting forum as well, but i don't suppose anyone knows of a rear rack that would fit bikes without rack mounts? I've seen old racks that clamp to the seatstays and attach to the axles, but nothing recent that isn't made of pig iron and doesn't weigh as much as my bike.

Any help would be much appreciated

J

Old Man Mountain make a rack that comes with a skewer that replaces the original quick release skewer and the rack mounts to the new skewer through the axle. I think the racks are made of Aluminium so they are light.

excellent, thanks for that...

i'll see if i can post some pics later, but i recently mounted a new rack on my 34 year old bike by using a piece of stainless steel about an inch wide by maybe about a foot long. i've got centerpull brakes, so i drilled a hole in one end and a couple of holes in the other end of the steel. i bent it into a shape like the nike(?) swoosh mark, bolted the one end onto my brake mount and the other end to the rack. it sounds more difficult than it was. it's not too funky looking, and quite secure & stable.

another option is to run a couple of pieces of steel from the rack to your seat post quick release.

and yet another option is to find a couple steel clamps that you might find for mounting a mirror on your forks. use one for each seat stay (using a thin piece of rubber so you don't mar your paint) and attach to them.

Old Man Mountain make a rack that comes with a skewer that replaces the original quick release skewer and the rack mounts to the new skewer through the axle. I think the racks are made of Aluminium so they are light.

Delta also make a far cheaper one called the Disc Rack (http://www.deltacycle.com/product.php?g=23) if you bike has discs or the Mega Rack Sport (http://www.deltacycle.com/product.php?g=25) that could be mounted the same way as the Disc Rack with p-clamps on the seatstays. I have the Disc Rack on a bike and it works well but rattles a bit. It's supposed to be rated for 40 lbs but I haven't put that to the test.

There are also adapters (http://www.thetouringstore.com/TUBUS/Fit%20Solutions/FIT%20SOLUTIONS%20PAGE.htm) for Tubus racks. They are similar to the Old Main Mountain but a little slimmer style. The Old Man Mountain is really wide. Also, since you are in the UK, it might be easier to find the Tubus parts than to order the Old Man Mountain from the states.

The local bike shop has a lot of the post racks, however the regular racks are stronger.

If you were to search for rack threads here you would find plenty of people who have asked the same question over the years, and some good solutions have been posted. In the good old days, even the rear deraileur had a hook and hung on the axle. Braze-ons for everything used to be the province of only the best bikes. Everyone else had to attach pumps, bottle, rack with some kludge hardware. Be assured it's all doable.

Ask your LBS if they can get you a bike rack made by Inline. That's what I use on my road bike.

Be aware that the Old Man Mountain racks require that you replace the wheel skewer with one that no longer is quick release. The skewer goes through holes in a metal attachment that doesn't allow you to separate the skewer from the rack. Instead, you have to pull it out!

This means that if you have to change a flat, you have to remove the skewer completely before you can remove the wheel.

I have an Old Man Mountain front rack and it is a drag to have to change the front wheel. Luckily, I don't have to change a front wheel very often. However, having such a rack on the back would be a major drag.

Ray

Be aware that the Old Man Mountain racks require that you replace the wheel skewer with one that no longer is quick release. The skewer goes through holes in a metal attachment that doesn't allow you to separate the skewer from the rack. Instead, you have to pull it out!

This means that if you have to change a flat, you have to remove the skewer completely before you can remove the wheel.

I have an Old Man Mountain front rack and it is a drag to have to change the front wheel. Luckily, I don't have to change a front wheel very often. However, having such a rack on the back would be a major drag.

Ray

I found that the rear one, in addition to being inconvenient, bends. I had one on my mountain bike and the bike always felt squirrelly. When I removed the skewer, I found a definite bend in it. The Old Man Mountains are well made but they do have a few problems.

I'd stick with Tubus racks. Get one at a bike shop and get any extra hardware you need with it. I'm not 100% sure what your problem is, but it sounds like you need to talk to a good professional bike wrench and get the right stuff.

The downside is that this isn't the cheap way to go. Tubus racks and hardware cost $$$.

I also need to make sure I get a rack that fits a MTN bike. I'm not going to use panniers and I want a MTB bike rack instead of a taller road rack. I just don't want a road rack because then the rack, and the weight it is going to carry, is going to be sitting way high up instead of down low close to the rear wheel. What to do?

I'm also looking for a similar rack.
The screws in my current LBS rack stripped out the seat stay holes.

So far, I like either the Cold Springs or the Red Rock racks offered by Arkel.

They have racks that work on a rear suspension mountain bike, too.

I'm also looking for a similar rack.
The screws in my current LBS rack stripped out the seat stay holes.

So far, I like either the Cold Springs or the Red Rock racks offered by Arkel.

They have racks that work on a rear suspension mountain bike, too.

You can rethread the holes for a 5mm bolt or use a nut on the back of a longer bolt. If you rethread, the shop that ruined the stays should pay for it.

Can you use "P clamps"? Here's a link to the Jandd version: http://www.jandd.com/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=FCLAMP Delta has something similar. And there's always the local hw store.

Can you use "P clamps"? Here's a link to the Jandd version: http://www.jandd.com/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=FCLAMP Delta has something similar. And there's always the local hw store.

just like the ad says - lowes hardware sellls these exact clamps for a buck or two

I have a hole near the dropout. Can I use a rear rack and install the bolt through that hole? Or does the hole have to be threaded?

I have a hole near the dropout. Can I use a rear rack and install the bolt through that hole? Or does the hole have to be threaded?

If you use a nut on the bolt, and have room so that the nut doesn't interfere with the high gear, you should be able bolt it.

A few words of advice about "P" clamps. I believe that they are stronger than the bolt holes drilled in the drop outs or seatstays in most bikes used to mount the rear rack, so using them isn't really cheating.

I like to use super high quality stainless ones becuase they take weather better. They do cost a whole lot more than the hardware store kind however. Ether way, line the inside with a strip of old tube, and use Loctite on the bolt. This will protect your frame and keep your rack from falling off at the worst possible time.

I have the same issue with my OMM front rack on my MTB. I have a Bomber Z2 fork on my commuter/touring bike so I've used the OMM with the axle adaptor on it for touring. Fortunately, I don't have too many front tire flats commuting or touring. My MTB fortunately does have rear eyelets so I don't have that issue with the rear where I do get more flats though still not much considering the miles. I don't have disc brakes on my bike but I have talked to Channing@OMM and he says they can work with me on bikes that have disc brakes and eyelets...

Jay

If I get a rear rack and put it on a mountain bike, isn't it going to look extremely weird? Because most racks are made to fit every bike, even larger road bike wheels. So, a rear rack on a mtn bike is going to be sitting waaaaay up high over the rear wheel. Strange look, no?

If I get a rear rack and put it on a mountain bike, isn't it going to look extremely weird? Because most racks are made to fit every bike, even larger road bike wheels. So, a rear rack on a mtn bike is going to be sitting waaaaay up high over the rear wheel. Strange look, no?

You should buy a rack for a 26" wheel. There is a difference. You could also use the Delta Mega Universal (http://www.deltacycle.com/product.php?g=24) which has adjustable legs to fit the bike to the frame. I have several of these and, while they aren't up to the quality of a Tubus, I've been very impressed with them. They are a good cheap rack.

I got my rack from
http://www.thetouringstore.com/
call them, they know their stuff.