Touring - I wanna install Tubus rack for my MTB. How to?

http://thetouringstore.com/TUBUS/Cargo/Tubus%20Cargo%20Rear%20Bicycle%20Rack%201.jpg

http://thetouringstore.com/TUBUS/Tara/Tubus%20Tara%20Front%20Bicycle%20Rack%202.jpg


My bike is MTB.

As you can see the photos.. my frame is wider than touring frame.

Tubus sells the extra equipment to install for MTB.

What kind, size of the extra equipment should I use? I really want to use Tubus..(because of my 1 year trip next month.)

If I can install the Tubus rack Carge and Tara.. I'll have intention to change my brake to rim brake.

My brake is just mechanical brake.

Please see below photos and extra equipment.. What is correct for my frame and fork?

1. Front wheel and Rigid fork (for trial)

width 30mm?
http://byoungmo.com/bbs/data/photo/front.jpg

http://byoungmo.com/bbs/data/photo/20061205203931_2_4.jpg

http://byoungmo.com/bbs/data/photo/20061205203931_2_4.jpg

2. Rear ( I am using Topeak rack now.. but it's untrustable than Tubus)

http://byoungmo.com/bbs/data/photo/rear.jpg
http://byoungmo.com/bbs/data/photo/rear_whole.jpg

http://byoungmo.com/bbs/data/photo/20061205203931_0_2.jpg
http://byoungmo.com/bbs/data/photo/1165318771/1.jpg
http://byoungmo.com/bbs/data/photo/20061205205651_0_5.jpg

Month to go and you bike isn't together?? it should be done by now and you should be test riding it fully loaded to sort out any problems in advance of your departure

Your first hassle is this isn't a touring bike. it actually is a bit unusual for a MTB. Instead of Tubus you should be looking at Old Man Mountain racks which are designed for MTB's and he will likely have the correct hardware for your bike. (888) 439-6445. or http://www.oldmanmountain.com/products.htm

If you want to use Tubus The front rack is pretty straight forward, For the front you will need the 71500 skewer mount and the 72200 upper mount set. ( take extra hose clamps on your trip)

The rear is more complicated, you can still use the lower mount holes but you need to thread a grade 5 or stronger bolt threaded through from the inside and
through the leg of the rack and then secure the rack with a lock nut. The reason is the threads through the aluminum dropout will strip out during your trip and you won't be able to keep the rack fastened to the dropout. The bolt solves this.
On the seat stays your biggest problem will be if the arms from the rack will even reach the stays . On the seat stays you need to cut a narrow strip of paper 72mm long and wrap it around the seat stay . It the ends touch or overlap you can use Kit number 71614-24 seat stay mounting adapter for 24mm stays. If not you will have to fabricate a similar mount from aluminum stock.

OK. thank you very much.. Such a Angel~!

I am in final now.. I couln't training T.T

Anyway..

I'll buy front rack made by OMM.

And Rear rack Tubus with 71614-24 seat stay mounting adapter for 24mm .

I cut my paper and striped over seat stay.. 2 mm had been remained. Thank you so much..

Your first hassle is this isn't a touring bike. it actually is a bit unusual for a MTB. Instead of Tubus you should be looking at Old Man Mountain racks which are designed for MTB's and he will likely have the correct hardware for your bike. (888) 439-6445. or http://www.oldmanmountain.com/products.htm

I've use the Old Man Mountain rack and I was less than impressed. I never used mine for touring (just commuting) and even with a very light load, comparably, the rear wheel never felt right. It felt very flexy. I eventually found that the skewer was bent. You are asking a lot of a very thin piece of metal that is very long. It just doesn't clamp the wheel in place as securely as I'd like. Also, if you have to change a flat, it's a major operation. With a load, it would require a whole lot more work than a normal wheel.

One of the advantages that I see in the Tubus system is the skewer is narrower and thus better able to clamp the wheel in place like it should be. It'd still be a nightmare to change a flat but at least the wheel would be more secure.


If you want to use Tubus The front rack is pretty straight forward, For the front you will need the 71500 skewer mount and the 72200 upper mount set. ( take extra hose clamps on your trip)

I agree. But you might need something for a stand-off at the dropout. You won't need the skewer mount for the front since you have a braze-on for the rack right there on the fork blade.


The rear is more complicated, you can still use the lower mount holes but you need to thread a grade 5 or stronger bolt threaded through from the inside and
through the leg of the rack and then secure the rack with a lock nut. The reason is the threads through the aluminum dropout will strip out during your trip and you won't be able to keep the rack fastened to the dropout. The bolt solves this.

I'll have to disagree here. I've been running racks on aluminum bikes for years and never had a problem with the dropout stripping out. You need to make sure the bolt is secure (locktite works wonders:) ) but you shouldn't have a problem. Since you are going to rim brakes, your installation is much easier and you should be able to bolt the rack straight to the frame. Keep Velonomad's fix in mind if something goes wrong but I don't think you need to worry about it.



On the seat stays your biggest problem will be if the arms from the rack will even reach the stays . On the seat stays you need to cut a narrow strip of paper 72mm long and wrap it around the seat stay . It the ends touch or overlap you can use Kit number 71614-24 seat stay mounting adapter for 24mm stays. If not you will have to fabricate a similar mount from aluminum stock.

Tubus makes very long arms for it's racks. I have a T800 that has 18" chainstays and I was able to get the rack on to that bike, you shouldn't have any problems whatsoever. In fact, the Tubus mounting system is one of the most adjustable systems around. Your biggest problem is going to be getting a clamp to conform to the square stays on your bike frame. That's not going to be trivial. You can use the Tubus mounts but you are going to have to do a lot of surgery to get them to fit. They are tough to get around a round chainstay (they are a little beefy). I can see lots of cussin' in your future when you try to fit them on those square stays:eek: Make sure there aren't any younguns around:D

Thank you for your advice.. I should.. consider about front rack between Old man and Tubus..

I've use the Old Man Mountain rack and I was less than impressed. I never used mine for touring (just commuting) and even with a very light load, comparably, the rear wheel never felt right. It felt very flexy. I eventually found that the skewer was bent. You are asking a lot of a very thin piece of metal that is very long. It just doesn't clamp the wheel in place as securely as I'd like. Also, if you have to change a flat, it's a major operation. With a load, it would require a whole lot more work than a normal wheel.

One of the advantages that I see in the Tubus system is the skewer is narrower and thus better able to clamp the wheel in place like it should be. It'd still be a nightmare to change a flat but at least the wheel would be more secure.

Thanks for commenting Stuart I haven't used the OMM skewer on a rear wheel just a front and it seemed ok. but it wasn't my bike and I haven't heard any complaints.




I agree. But you might need something for a stand-off at the dropout. You won't need the skewer mount for the front since you have a braze-on for the rack right there on the fork blade.
I think he might be ok. The offset in the bracket might get him around the bottom of the fork leg without a spacer. BTW were you looking to the right of the skewer? I was looking at the fork and couldn't determine if that is a mount..


Tubus makes very long arms for it's racks. I have a T800 that has 18" chainstays and I was able to get the rack on to that bike, you shouldn't have any problems whatsoever. In fact, the Tubus mounting system is one of the most adjustable systems around. Your biggest problem is going to be getting a clamp to conform to the square stays on your bike frame. That's not going to be trivial. You can use the Tubus mounts but you are going to have to do a lot of surgery to get them to fit. They are tough to get around a round chainstay (they are a little beefy). I can see lots of cussin' in your future when you try to fit them on those square stays:eek: Make sure there aren't any younguns around:D

The clamps sound pretty thick. He would need a hammer and a bench vise to set corners in the clamps. What do you think about using the upper fork mount set with the hose clamps? It will still be a ***** to get them tight around that square tubing but the hose clamps will form easier than the tubus clamp.

Otherwise the only other possibility I see right now is to make a U shaped bracket and bolt it down to the brake bridge through the fender hole and then drill a hole in each upright to accept the seat stay rods.

So..can I buy front tubus rack? ^^?;

Thanks for commenting Stuart I haven't used the OMM skewer on a rear wheel just a front and it seemed ok. but it wasn't my bike and I haven't heard any complaints.

The rack is well made but I just didn't like the ride quality. Like I said it "felt" loose on my hardtail and the skewer was bent when I finally abandoned it. Maybe others just don't have the same issues.



I think he might be ok. The offset in the bracket might get him around the bottom of the fork leg without a spacer. BTW were you looking to the right of the skewer? I was looking at the fork and couldn't determine if that is a mount..

Look at the first photo again, there's a rack/fender mount right behind the skewer.

With the Tubus Tara, there's a bit of an offset already. I had to use spacers (provided, I think) to stand the rack off of the fork in the first place. It's not a huge deal. Lowe's (and my local really good hardware store) sell aluminum spacers of various lengths.




The clamps sound pretty thick. He would need a hammer and a bench vise to set corners in the clamps. What do you think about using the upper fork mount set with the hose clamps? It will still be a ***** to get them tight around that square tubing but the hose clamps will form easier than the tubus clamp.

Otherwise the only other possibility I see right now is to make a U shaped bracket and bolt it down to the brake bridge through the fender hole and then drill a hole in each upright to accept the seat stay rods.

Flash of brilliance! A u-bolt might be the way to go anyway. Fasten the u-bolt so that it runs parallel to the seatstay (fastened at about the height of a rack braze-on on the bike). Then attach the rack stay to the bolt and tighten the nut down against the plate of the u-bolt. Instant braze-on! You might have to do a little surgery on the rack stay to get it to fit around the u-bolt.

So..can I buy front tubus rack? ^^?;

Yes. However the OMM bolt on AC lowrider rack (not the skewer mounted one) is very cheap -$40 - and well built. I think you could use a u-bolt to hold it on the fork (look at the mounting mechanism for a Blackburn lowrider). The Tara's run much more than the AC. Personally I think the Tara is sexier but I'm sick:D

Flash of brilliance! A u-bolt might be the way to go anyway. Fasten the u-bolt so that it runs parallel to the seatstay (fastened at about the height of a rack braze-on on the bike). Then attach the rack stay to the bolt and tighten the nut down against the plate of the u-bolt. Instant braze-on! You might have to do a little surgery on the rack stay to get it to fit around the u-bolt.

That is Brilliant! what would work really well is to come up with a square bend 15mm x 5mm u-bolts for each seat stay and it would be perfect!

Thnaks a lot~! I'll look for U-bolt and other kinds of equipment for racks... Thank you!

That is Brilliant! what would work really well is to come up with a square bend 15mm x 5mm u-bolts for each seat stay and it would be perfect!

I glad you can make a picture of it ;) I can't draw a straight line:o