Touring - Lack of "eyelets"

Hi!

Im very soon going out for a very long biketrip. I have a Marin Bear Valley 2006 years model, which have a cr-mo frame. The problem is that it lacks the eyelets on the back of the frame, to hold my Tubus Cargo! I have heard that the adaptors from Tubus to solve this, isn't strong enough for a long trip.

So, Im wondering if you might think it's a good idea to drill a whole through the rear fork, on the bars, on each side of the backwheel, and use a nut to connect the rear carrier. Do you think this is a good idea? Or will I loose too much strength of the frame when there is a hole in it? The hole should be 6mm.

On the right side I have some holes for mounting disc brakes. So Im also considering to weld on an extra bit of a steel-plate, with a hole in it, on the left side, and by that way connect the rear carrier.

So, what do you think I should do?

Regards,
Erik

Don't do anything to the frame! Drilling or welding it will ruin it.

Just mount your rack with p-clamps and be done with it. They are stronger that the braze on mounts most bikes have. Pick them up at most bike shops or hardware stores.

I agree. If you drill or weld your frame, you will weaken it.

Try the P-clamps, but if that doesn't work for you, then you may have to build your own rack. This can be done and it gives you the advantage of having a rack that's exactly what you want and need. See this link (http://www.bikechina.com/tb1.html) for the concept.

I made it from Alaska to Panama using P-clamps on my Cannondale Cyclocross
One of them snapped on me, so be sure to carry spares
They do work well tho

Muttsta,

Even if your bike would have had braze ons for a rack.... it's quite possible they might have snapped off as well (Alu frames with drop outs have a habit of snapping them off). I carry p-clamps for back-up even on bikes with braze ons!

Hmm, I wasn't aware of the weight limit on the tubus adaptor, talk to Wayne at thetouringstore.com about that. but good luck finding one, I think i just got the last one in the USA until the shipment from europe arrives.

old man mountain also makes a no-braze-ons-required rack.

I also used p-clamps for about 3000 miles of touring and didn't have a problem.

I think I'd reconsider the tubus adaptors (mounts to axle with long skewer) or an OMM sherpa for the Bear Valley with disc.

By the time you mount P clips far enough up the chainstay to clear the disc brake caliper, the rack will be mounted very high and 2-3" more forward than with rack boss in normal location. So, in addition to undesirable high center of gravity, pannier heel strike is a high probability on a 42.5cm (std) chainstay mtb in this scenario. Unless you got very small feet.

Maybe you should consider trailer if set on using this bike. Or use front panniers only and pack light.

Actually, you could braze rack bosses onto dropouts (if you know how, or get experienced bike frame builder) and it wouldn't damage frame. Odds are the rack boss on disc tab side will still have interference between rack and disc brake, which will put you right back to a skewer style rack mount, or some other oddball rack. Unless you don't use the disc brake - then here would be minimal interference with mounting rack aka carrier.

I had a set of rear carrier bosses (http://www.gaerlan.com/bikeparts/frame/brazeons/brazeons.html) silver soldered (brazed) onto the upper seat tube. The waisted tube style that fit on the rear are probably better than drilling through the tube. A drilled tube still needs a boss inserted and brazed.

I already had one set of fender eyelets and that was sufficient for the rack as well.
My LBS did this for ~$20

Take the bike to a bike store and say, "See here, young man, I'd like a rack to be strongly attached to the rear of this bike." They will mount a rack with p-clamps or Tubus clamps, whatever those are, and you will live happily ever after.

I don't get why people think the lack of braze-ons is an enormous engineering challenge. It just ain't.

Or they'll sell you a whole new bike ;>

I have to thank you all for your fast replies! I think I will go with the p-clamp trick! Again, thank you all!