Commuting - is there any way at all to make my bike rackable?

buying a new frame seems to be expensive as all get out. i have a cross country MTB of which i've replace the suspension fork with a rigid fork. the problem is that the frame has large square stays (and yes, it IS a cross country frame) and no place at all to mount a rack. the other problem is that mtb frames with rack mounts cost a fortune.

so, is there a cheap way to get a new frame suitable for mounting a rack upon? it needs to be suited to using a cross country type suspension fork as my rigid for is suspension corrected (it's as long as a suspension fork).

You may want to do a search on this forum relating to racks that will fit on any frame. The subject comes up at least once a month. Some of the options are a bit more expensive than those that aren't, such as OMM racks, but they are definitely cheaper than a new frame.

http://www.oldmanmountain.com/

That said, you could likely buy an old Trek, Rockhopper, or the like for less than the cost of an OMM rack.

problem is that they don't hold much weight. i have no idea what my groceries weigh and i don't want my rack snapping while i'm bombing down a hill. and i've read they bend axels or skewers... or soemthing like that.

and it looks like it's QR only and i'm betting all those parts don't like people taking out the QR routinely as i do whenever i park my bike at work.

Another vote for OMM.
If you need to carry more than 50-60 lbs you better get yourself a trailer or a Surly Big Dummy.

An inexpensive frame (http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product_10053_10052_173009_-1_10000__10001) is probably cheaper than a high-end rack. This one (http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1062451_-1_29000_24500_29508) is even cheaper - $80 on sale. Both of these appear to have rack mounts, although you'd want to call them to verify before ordering. There are some expenses in building up a bike from a frame, of course, but with your existing components I wouldn't classify it as " expensive as all get out."

You may want to do a search on this forum relating to racks that will fit on any frame. The subject comes up at least once a month. Some of the options are a bit more expensive than those that aren't, such as OMM racks, but they are definitely cheaper than a new frame.

If someone asked me I'd tell them to buy a new bike before mounting a rack that doesn't bolt into the end of the rear triangle and bolt near the top of the rear triangle. Racks that hook onto just the seat tube are no better than backpacks: You can't carry anymore stuff or weight.

do any of you know of the disk mounts will get in the way of a tubus cargo?

Axiom has several racks you could fit:
http://www.axiomgear.com/products/gear/racks/

They have models which mount from the seatpost to the rear skewer,so you don't need any frame mounts.

Are we talking front rack or rear rack here? I've rarely seen a MTB that won't take a rear rack, but the responses seem to be going front/back in the answers
-R

do any of you know of the disk mounts will get in the way of a tubus cargo?

You've yet to even say what bike you have. You can't expect reliable answers.

That said, the tubus cargo, with the quick-release mounts does NOT clear the disc caliper on my Salsa Las Cruces. It's not even remotely close to working. Might work better on a MTB though with stays that are less vertical.

rear rack. i could mount a front one but i need more room. and descriptions of the bike are above.

rear rack. i could mount a front one but i need more room. and descriptions of the bike are above.

I've never seen a MTB that wouldn't take a rear rack personally. Heck, I have a high-zoot XC race bike and even that has attachments. Something more descriptive of what you have as in make/model/year might be more valuable than "Description is above" which it's not.

Change your Seat Clamp (http://www.benscycle.net/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=146_240&products_id=3843) + P-Clamps are your friends (http://www.bikecommuters.com/2008/07/19/p-clamps-are-your-friends/) (Ben's Cycle sells those too (http://www.benscycle.net/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=146_240)... all the way at the bottom of the page)

those p clamps won't work. like i've said. the stays are big and square. i'll post pics....

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk171/CACTEX/bike.jpg

those p clamps won't work. like i've said. the stays are big and square. i'll post pics....

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk171/CACTEX/bike.jpg

Sorry, missed that. You can find aluminum (or steel) perforated strap at Ace Hardware and make your own p-clamp. That or McMaster Carr has very large p-clamps (maybe called pipe hangers, I can't remember) that would be big enough to form around the stay.

Then again, what are those eyelet looking things near the dropout? Also, you have eyelet near the brake bridge, so I don't see that the problem is at all...

Is that a picture of your bike? If so, I see braze-ons for mounting a rack.

I've circled what I'm talking about...

yeah. but there're are no rack eyelets on the dropout. those are disk mounts.

yeah. but there're are no rack eyelets on the dropout. those are disk mounts.

what are those holes then?

what are those holes then?

mounts for a disk brake.

P clamps would work. They have enough flexibility that they would conform to the square stay. And the screws are present on the seat stays.

That said, if there's a corresponding hole on the drive side there's no issue with using the disc mount holes. They're made to withstand a lot more stress than a rack will put on them. You have V Brakes, so the disc mount is unneeded

are y'all trolling me? any fool knows disk mounts are only on one side.

Find a used kid trailer and use that. You can pick one up used for super cheep :)

I had a similar lack of rack mounts on the dropouts on my Cannondale Caffeine. I solved it by getting a disc rack (Axiom Journey Disc in my case), mounting to the disc brake tabs on one side, and fabricating a nut and spacer to replace the derailleur hanger bolt with a more standard 5mm bolt on the drive side. It took a bit of doing (and a lathe) to accomplish, but works great. It might be worth asking around to see if any of your friends have access to a small lathe - it's a very easy project.

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_dn4pJsq-DrY/Sjht2HFWqYI/AAAAAAAAAXM/amEjDWz9fhY/DSCN0284.JPG
This is the drive side of the bike with the rack on it - the rack brace goes from the socket-head bolt in the center of the picture, upward at about an eleven o'clock angle.

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_dn4pJsq-DrY/Sjht2DdMw-I/AAAAAAAAAXQ/MB2Ujzt-WSw/DSCN0289.JPG
Here's the nut I made. This one's aluminum; the one I ended up putting on the bike was stainless steel. It's shaped like the back of the original derailleur hanger nut, but tapped M5x.8 through. There's a spacer in front; it's got the same OD as the larger step of the nut, is drilled .201" through, and is perhaps 5mm long.

The whole thing stacks up like this, from the inside of the dropout to the outside: Machined nut -> frame -> derailleur hanger -> spacer -> rack leg -> bolt.

There are plenty of racks that mount using the vbrake studs. Did you searching for a previous thread on this topic?

do any of you know of the disk mounts will get in the way of a tubus cargo?

I use a shim made from a cylinder of aluminum to clear my caliper. I have a Tubus Logo rack.

are y'all trolling me? any fool knows disk mounts are only on one side.

Yes, disc mounts are only on one side. But frequently there's a corresponding hole on the drive side stay so that if the bike doesn't have discs the mount can be used for a secondary purpose. like (ta-da!) a rack!

IMHO here we're not the ones trolling. You've been supplied multiple viable ideas and simply choose not to accept any.

-R

are y'all trolling me? any fool knows disk mounts are only on one side.

Nope, those just look odd for disk mounts. At least to me.


Yes, disc mounts are only on one side. But frequently there's a corresponding hole on the drive side stay so that if the bike doesn't have discs the mount can be used for a secondary purpose. like (ta-da!) a rack!

IMHO here we're not the ones trolling. You've been supplied multiple viable ideas and simply choose not to accept any.

-R

Yeah, just use the disc mounts on that side and a large p-clamp (or as I mentioned fabricate your own) on the other.

Then again, if you're ignoring the advice in order to justify a new frame purchase. :innocent: I can completely understand :thumb:

http://www.axiomgear.com/products/gear/racks/rear-racks/odyssee-seatpost/

Mounts from the setpost to the rear skewer. No eyelets needed.

Nope, those just look odd for disk mounts. At least to me.



Yeah, just use the disc mounts on that side and a large p-clamp (or as I mentioned fabricate your own) on the other.

Then again, if you're ignoring the advice in order to justify a new frame purchase. :innocent: I can completely understand :thumb:

actually, i'm trying to justify a whole new bike. i really want a jake the snake. :o

actually, i'm trying to justify a whole new bike. i really want a jake the snake. :o

Oh, well then...

...Your bike is totally unrackable. Even if you did manage to get a rack to look like it's attached, it really wouldn't be secure. A rack on your current bike would totally screw the handling. Your current bicycle, when fitted with a rack, is nothing more than a public menace, just waiting to create a hazard for other cyclists and drivers alike. In general forcing a rack to fit onto a 2004 KHS Alite 300 is much akin to suicide.

Oh, well then...

...Your bike is totally unrackable. Even if you did manage to get a rack to look like it's attached, it really wouldn't be secure. A rack on your current bike would totally screw the handling. Your current bicycle, when fitted with a rack, is nothing more than a public menace, just waiting to create a hazard for other cyclists and drivers alike. In general forcing a rack to fit onto a 2004 KHS Alite 300 is much akin to suicide.

I agree, I fear for your rear wheel should you hack-install a rack. Imagine if your home-made jury-rigged mount failed... rack stay goes into your rear wheel and... well, let's just say we'll talk to you some time next year. ;)