Touring - Rack Mounting?

Got my rack today, plenty of clearance for the disc brakes, which was my biggest concern. I have a question about mounting the arms on the front of the rack. My bike doesn't have eyelets on the seatstays. I was going to use P clamps, but as I started looking, I remembered a suggestion on another thread to use the seatpost clamp. Are there any concerns in doing this? The arms actually fit better this way. I'd have to replace the quick release with an appropriate bolt and washers, and very slightly enlarge the hole on one of the arms on the rack. Has anyone else mounted their rack this way? I'd like to avoid using the clamps if possible as the rack will be a part time resident on this bike. (It's my mountain bike that is being pressed into light touring duty for the occasional short camping trip) The load will be about 20 lbs. or so on the rack. Here's a pic of what I am thinking:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v281/tcmers/rackmount_RJ.jpg

I might be nervous about a wiggly rack loosening the seatpost. Is that your bike? You could use the bridge between the seatstays, that's what I did for my wife's bike.

I might be nervous about a wiggly rack loosening the seatpost. Is that your bike? You could use the bridge between the seatstays, that's what I did for my wife's bike.

Yes, that is my bike. Didn't think about using the bridge. There is a perfectly good mounting hole there already. I'll play around with it and see what I can do. Did you use both of the arms from the rack, or just one? Thanks!

Yes, that is my bike. Didn't think about using the bridge. There is a perfectly good mounting hole there already. I'll play around with it and see what I can do. Did you use both of the arms from the rack, or just one? Thanks!

It was a rack with one centered arm. Good luck!

It was a rack with one centered arm. Good luck!

Thanks. My rack is an Axiom, and the arms rotate at the rack. (Kind of hard to describe). I can get it fairly well centered. I ended up using one arm mounted the way you described. Works well, rack seems very solid. I had to bed the arm coming from the rack quuite a bit. It's not pretty, but it's functional. I'll probably fabricate a new one at some point and bend it more carefully.

For the rack on my wife's bike, I used slip-joint pliers to bend the arm, and wound up grinding it through the folded up paper towels I had jammed in there to protect the surface. Not beautiful, but it definitely works. It did take a lot of bending to get it down to the bridge while keeping the rack level. Glad you've got yours attached.

A friend I used to tour with used the seat post clamp like you demonstrated and had the bolt slightly longer and used a nylon locking washer, worked fine.

Delta makes a part that bolts into the single hole in the rear bridge and lets you attach 2 rack struts-- it's kinda ugly, but it works great. I can't find a link to it, so maybe Delta was stopped making it.

Mounting the rack stays to seat post works fine for lighter loads. Just check the bolts often (and honestly, you should do this with any rack) and keep the weight down.

Delta makes a part that bolts into the single hole in the rear bridge and lets you attach 2 rack struts-- it's kinda ugly, but it works great. I can't find a link to it, so maybe Delta was stopped making it.

Mounting the rack stays to seat post works fine for lighter loads. Just check the bolts often (and honestly, you should do this with any rack) and keep the weight down.

You probably mean the part like this one. Mine was in the package with the rack. It would not be difficult to fabricate one, though. IMO the best solution. Otherwise for lighter loads, that’s right.

You probably mean the part like this one. Mine was in the package with the rack. It would not be difficult to fabricate one, though. IMO the best solution. Otherwise for lighter loads, that’s right.
The would be pretty easy to fabricate. I'll look into that. for now, I'll just use a single strut. Seems pretty solid. I'll only be carrying 20-25 lbs max., and will work to keep that under 20 for this trip. Definitell worth looking into for the future. Thanks!