Fifty Plus (50+) - Rackin an MTB

Any of you MTB'ers have rear racks on your bike?

I'm startin to do more time offroad, and some of the rides are quite a few hrs in the Los Padres backcountry.
I REALLY Dislike having stuff on my back when ridin. So I'd like to put my hydration pack (with chow and emergency supplies) onto a rear rack.
aside from the std rear rack, I'm thinkin of this seatpost type...
http://www.performancebike.com/shop/Profile.cfm?SKU=19329&item=20-1981&slitrk=search&slisearch=true

any comments on using racks, and rack types, for intermediate type offroad stuff would be appreciated.

Take a look at frame bags by Carousel Design or Epic Design. I use them on my mtb b/c it keeps the weight off the rear wheel and it also keeps it lower down for better handling.

Yup, an old POS that had been hanging around in the garage for years. It servers mostly as a fender.

I can't image using a rear rack for any serious mountain biking. I would think moving your center of gravity back would do strange things to your control.

If it doesn't go comfortable in a Camelbak you are carrying too much. Frankly you don't want a rack rattling off the back of your bike. It will drive you crazy. And it will interfer with you having to get off the back of the saddle during descents.

Get use to the Camelbak. As a docent who leads rides, I have to carry at a minimum 100 oz of water, snacks for other people, a full first aid kit and a full set of tools and extra tubes, binoculars, camera etc. If I can carry all of that, you can put your stuff in the Camelbak.

I use a camelback and it is the basic one that has room for the hydration pack and a wallet--and only a small one at that.

On the Tandem we use a seat post mounted rack and it carries up to about 5Kgs with ease. We also have a larger topbag for carrying waterproofs or extra sandwiches and PIE on the longer trips but be warned. That much weight high up on the bike does affect handling at slow speeds.

For rail trails, dirt roads and such I do not consider a rack and/or handlebar bag to be a problem.

I'm not really interested in riding where I can't carry a rack. I've already had six knee surgeries (or is it seven?) and two shoulder surgeries.

Take a look at frame bags by Carousel Design or Epic Design. I use them on my mtb b/c it keeps the weight off the rear wheel and it also keeps it lower down for better handling.

thanks everyone for the suggestions and thoughts.
I'm still gonna give a rack a try, and also give some consideration to Jim's suggestions - Carousel Design and Epic Design. some very interesting stuff made by these 2. The 'pods' look very cool... er.... warm.

Thanks

I've had racks on MTBs before and didn't find they caused any handling problems on reasonably moderate type riding. I wouldn't think it would be a great idea for very fast riding on serious trails, but for casual stuff, why not?

I think the seat post racks are OK if you really want a rack and there's no way to mount a real frame mounted rack, but I would go for the more solid attachment and increased load capacity of a frame mount if at all possible. MTB seat posts get enough strain from the rider moving around and slamming into obstacles without adding the stress of a loaded rack hanging from it. Seems the center of gravity would be raised also. Besides, the post racks look kind of goofy.

Have you looked at Old Man Mountain? Made in Santa Barbara and have been extensively used in Los Padres NF. The Cold Spring Harbor and Sherpa models are designed for rear suspension frames or hardtail w/o seatstay eyelets--they use a QR axle mount.

Have you looked at Old Man Mountain? Made in Santa Barbara and have been extensively used in Los Padres NF. The Cold Spring Harbor and Sherpa models are designed for rear suspension frames or hardtail w/o seatstay eyelets--they use a QR axle mount.

20 yrs in this town and I had no idea these guyz existed :o

chek'd out the videos - the racks sure do seem to get 'worked', a lot more than I;d ever do...

will definitely chek the stuff out in person, looks like it will certainly pass muster...

thanks a bunch!

I have a Blackburn MTN Rack on my Schwinn. The biggest challenge was the lack of eyelets, since this model was intended as a racing bike for Ned Overend's team, but the little vinyl coated clamps do the trick. My chain hanging peg keeps the rack clamps from sliding down the stays.

You're welcome. Have fun!