Touring - Front Rack - Which

I've visited a half dozen bicycle shops around here, and none of them carry front racks. When we look up front racks on the computer, it seems that two choices from Jandd keep popping up, the "low" rack and the "extreme" rack.

The "low" rack:
http://www.jandd.com/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=FRLOW

The "extreme" rack:
http://www.jandd.com/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=FREXT

It seems to me that the "extreme" rack would be worth it. It's $28 more expensive and 11 oz. heavier, but it gives you that added, flat shelf on top for the times when you feel like strapping something down up there, whether it's a permanent load or just a six-pack. However, I wanted to check and make sure there's no other disadvantage I haven't thought of.

Other than the added $28 and 11 oz. in weight, is there any reason to not go with the extreme rack? Thanks in advance to any opinions.

PS: Can you say the title of this post three times fast??
Front Rack Which
Front Wack Wich
Fwront Rack Rich
...I can't. :lol:

only negative I could think of is that the rack is heavy. I wish Blackburn would come back with their old front rack. Anyway I've just installed the Jandd extreme on the front of my LHT.

As long as you can still mount your panniers low, I see no reason not to go for the extreme, other than the extra weight. I'm a big believer in balancing the load and a six pack would just about do it.

Other (high quality) choices would include Tubus and Old Man Mountain...both pretty highly respected brands and considered well made/durable. If Tubus interests you contact Wayne at The Touring Store.com- he's a prince of a guy and knowledgeable on racks and panniers.

Other (high quality) choices would include Tubus and Old Man Mountain...both pretty highly respected brands and considered well made/durable. If Tubus interests you contact Wayne at The Touring Store.com- he's a prince of a guy and knowledgeable on racks and panniers.

This one is likely my next front rack - if I find I need one. http://www.bikebagshop.com/racktime-topit-front-rack-p-1614.html

I wish Blackburn would come back with their old front rack.

They have

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Blackburn_Low_Rider_Standard_Front_Rack/5300001494/

gotta have a platform!

They have

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Blackburn_Low_Rider_Standard_Front_Rack/5300001494/

That is just the low riders, they used to make a rack similar to the Jandd.

FWIW I have a BorYeu rack on my Giant Exursion and a Jandd Extreme on my Giant Iguana. I use the Excursion for on road touring and the Iguana is being set up for some fire trail touring. I prefer the full rack as long as I have the option to low mount my panniers.

Aaron:)

http://inlinethumb24.webshots.com/45015/2824109370066886751S500x500Q85.jpg

They have

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Blackburn_Low_Rider_Standard_Front_Rack/5300001494/

nope, what they used to make besides the original low rider was a front platform rack that mounted on the dropout eyelets and mid fork eyelets. I had two of them and out of generosity gave them away to friends heading out on tours thinking I could always get another one.

Surly nice rack #1

Don't forget the Bruce Gordon Mountain Rack for up front. Twenty three years later still going strong for me.
http://www.bgcycles.com/racks.html

Probably the only disadvantage is that the platform might tempt you to load up the front rack too much. A six-pack of cans weighs five pounds, and you'd probably rather carry a dense load such as that on your back rack or in a front pannier. I'd go light on a front platform.

Obviously there is more than one way to look at this, but 11 ounces is far from insignificant. 11 ounces here and 11 ounces there and pretty soon you are carrying 60-100 pounds of gear. If you really want/need to carry stuff there it might be worth it, but I don't personally find it that big of a plus and it therefore isn't worth the extra weight to me.

It makes a difference what size frame you have, but for me the rack top isn't very useful for carrying other stuff if I am using a handlebar bag. That may be less the case for others since I am on a smallish frame and like the bars very low. I do use a tiny front platform rack from Nashbar (http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/ProductDisplay?storeId=10053&langId=-1&catalogId=10052&productId=167593&cm_mmc=Goog_Prod_Search-_-Transport/Storage-_-Nashbar-_-NA-FRR&mr:trackingCode=251A1C95-1282-DE11-B7F3-0019B9C043EB&mr:referralID=NA), but I only use it as a way to carry my handlebar bag. Weight is is actually reduced in that case since it weighs slightly less than the mounting bracket it replaced.

. I do use a tiny front platform rack from Nashbar (http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/ProductDisplay?storeId=10053&langId=-1&catalogId=10052&productId=167593&cm_mmc=Goog_Prod_Search-_-Transport/Storage-_-Nashbar-_-NA-FRR&mr:trackingCode=251A1C95-1282-DE11-B7F3-0019B9C043EB&mr:referralID=NA), but I only use it as a way to carry my handlebar bag. Weight is is actually reduced in that case since it weighs slightly less than the mounting bracket it replaced.

now that is a smart way of getting just the support you need for a bundle or bag attached to the handlebars.

now that is a smart way of getting just the support you need for a bundle or bag attached to the handlebars.

Yea, it works out really well for me. I use the shoulder strap to attach it to the bike. A couple wraps of the strap around the stem and clip it to the d rings on the bag. I had previously added some heavy duty stiffeners to the bag and was able to take them back out to save some weight with this arrangement.

That said the little rack has a pretty tiny platform and wouldn't work out well if you wanted to put a lot of bulky stuff there.

.

That said the little rack has a pretty tiny platform and wouldn't work out well if you wanted to put a lot of bulky stuff there.

the funny part about loading stuff is how fast the weight can go on. To securely carry 20lbs on the front through all kinds of stuff where front panniers won't smash on curbs and rocks it helps to bring the panniers up a bit higher, and as long as you're doing that have a platform for keeping items off the front wheel. So for 20lbs of stuff there's about 5lbs of rack and bags. Going with the mini rack and compression sack/handlebar bag you can carry 10-lbs between the bags and top of the fork with about a lb of support structure.

I've used a Tubus, Jandd Extreme, and Blackburn Low-Rider. The Blackburn was fine and cheap. I think it flexed a bit though - no scientific evidence of this, just a feeling I have. It was on a flimsy Nashbar Touring bike from 1992 - XXL frame, 1-inch tubing....can you say, "Whippy?"

I put a Tubus on my LHT and liked it a lot. It was very solid, not too heavy, and the tube over the front made a great place to mount a headlight.

But I decided I wanted to try a platform. I got a deal on the Jandd so I bought it. The platform made a great place to bungee a couple of things, and the rack held my paniiers rock-solidly. It's probably the heaviest of the three, but not by that much. Downside - the headlight wouldn't mount on the front like on the Tubus. Oh well, I don't ride at night on tour and don't carry the headlight anyway.

:)

if you can wait, Blackburn is reintroducing the Mountain Front rack to the US market optimized for modern single eyelet forks for 2010.

sure to be a strong contender against the Jannd Extreme front rack and a bit lighter.

A six-pack of cans weighs five pounds, and you'd probably rather carry a dense load such as that on your back rack or in a front pannier. I'd go light on a front platform.

So, the light beer goes on the front platform??
Great feedback folks, it's much appreciated. I do believe I'll get one with a platform of some sort. Great place to strap down a salmon, a bundle of firewood, or a box of wine (white on front, red on back, naturally).

I do use a tiny front platform rack from Nashbar, but I only use it as a way to carry my handlebar bag.

Interesting looking product there, staehpj1. Do you happen to have a photo showing the rack on your bike, by any chance?

Hey, suddenly I'm a "Junior Member" instead of a "Newbie." Things are looking up in the world!

Interesting looking product there, staehpj1. Do you happen to have a photo showing the rack on your bike, by any chance?

Not a great picture, but you can kind of see it on the following page from my spring trip's journal:
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/?o=RrzKj&page_id=108378&v=5W#pic_446918

Thanks, Pete. Your combo of low rack + handlebar rack is interesting, as opposed to the "extreme" Jandd I am looking at.

That is just the low riders, they used to make a rack similar to the Jandd.

FWIW I have a BorYeu rack on my Giant Exursion and a Jandd Extreme on my Giant Iguana. I use the Excursion for on road touring and the Iguana is being set up for some fire trail touring. I prefer the full rack as long as I have the option to low mount my panniers.

Aaron:)

Ah, thanks for the education, I haven't been around long enough to know that... but a quick look at the photo tells me I can probably easily combine a traditional lowride with a basic front platform rack to mimic that set-up..

I have a nagaoka rack that is similar.

only negative I could think of is that the rack is heavy. I wish Blackburn would come back with their old front rack. Anyway I've just installed the Jandd extreme on the front of my LHT.

Blackburn just brought it back - the one I was referring to above - to the US market. It has been consistently available in Europe but not available for distribution in the USA for quite a few years.

It's available now, i had my hands on one today at the bike shop - $39.99

The dealer book picture i saw of it, i thought it had been redesigned to work with modern forks with single fork end eyelets instead of the classic dual eyelet design, its not, its still the classic front mountain rack design-

Its BACK the Blackburn MTN-F is BACK.


I'm going to get a LHT fork for my Crosscheck so i can run it on the upper fork eyelets like it was designed to do.

$169 because it is a BG rack?? Nah...

Blackburn just brought it back - the one I was referring to above - to the US market. It has been consistently available in Europe but not available for distribution in the USA for quite a few years.

It's available now, i had my hands on one today at the bike shop - $39.99

The dealer book picture i saw of it, i thought it had been redesigned to work with modern forks with single fork end eyelets instead of the classic dual eyelet design, its not, its still the classic front mountain rack design-

Its BACK the Blackburn MTN-F is BACK.

I'm going to get a LHT fork for my Crosscheck so i can run it on the upper fork eyelets like it was designed to do.

I just got a Schwinn Voyageur off eBay that came with a Blackbuirn MT-F on it - I thought I had a collector's item :-( , but glad they are coming back. Never understood why they discontinued them here. I bought a Jandd last year for my Expedition because I couldn't find one of these - oh well.

Hmmm, wonder who makes Jandd racks? And you save $15.

http://store.interlocracing.com/lhfrpara.html

This one is likely my next front rack - if I find I need one. http://www.bikebagshop.com/racktime-topit-front-rack-p-1614.html

NICE CALL! :D Just what I've been looking for... Thanks!

Bekologist, which shop did you find it in? I'm on the Eastside (Kirkland)


Blackburn just brought it back - the one I was referring to above - to the US market. ... i had my hands on one today at the bike shop - $39.99

It doesn't seem to be on the Blackburn site yet?
http://blackburndesign.com/racks.html

I have used rear racks on front , works great on some bikes, just a crap shoot whether they fit or not. Wow I am so happy the blackburn is back!

I have used rear racks on front , works great on some bikes, just a crap shoot whether they fit or not. Wow I am so happy the blackburn is back!

I have a Jandd and my only gripe is that when you turn the front wheel all the way left or right, it hits the down tube and on my LHT, right where the down tube shifter cable stops/adjusters are.

Okay, the bike shop pulled up a photo of the Blackburn MTF-1 front rack in the Easton-Bell catalog; the rack is listed for $39.99 and says "New for 2010." It has the platform all right, but in terms of holding panniers, the panniers will be "riding high." To get the panniers down low where you usually want them, you would also need the Blackburn low-rider rack FL-1, which is also $39.99. So with Blackburn, you would need the two products for $39.99 each. The Jandd Extreme, on the other hand, is essentially both racks in one, for about $80. With the Jandd, you get the platform, and the ability to mount the panniers either low or high. The weight of the two systems seems to be about the same (Jandd weight = weight of the two Blackburn devices). So, at the moment, I'm leaning toward the Jandd.. pending further education. The Jandd can supposedly carry 40 lb. but I haven't seen a spec for the Blackburn yet.

Photos of Blackburn MTF-1 and Blackburn low-rider, which can be installed together:
127341127344

Jandd Extreme:
127342

I have a Jandd and my only gripe is that when you turn the front wheel all the way left or right, it hits the down tube and on my LHT, right where the down tube shifter cable stops/adjusters are.

That's what I discovered, I wonder what kind of damage would happen to the stops with a hard hit if the bike falls or is lifted around.

That's what I discovered, I wonder what kind of damage would happen to the stops with a hard hit if the bike falls or is lifted around.

I took mine off and went with a Blackburn lowrider that I had. I think I will buy a Surly Nice rack that won't do that, sell the Jandd and put the lowrider on a different bike.

Fortunately for me, my shift cable runs along the top tube, so there's no threat to my cable/stops in that case.
Here are photos of the low/high mounting ability with the Jandd in case anyone didn't understand my post above.
127346127347
(Photos taken from Alex Wetmore's page.)

FWIW I have a Blackburn MTF-1 on ebay right this moment.
Item number: 290374736146

yeah, i like the panniers low in front and center of gravity in axis with the axle for best handling....

its nice to have the Blackburn mountain front available again in the american market competing with few and far between front decked racks.

my cure on a LHT, I had given away my silver blackburn MTF-1 to a cute touring girl riding to SF, was to mount a 10 dollar Bor Yeuh front rack -currently unavailable as far as i can source- and a Jannd Lowrider front rack.

Canadian Mountain Equipment Co-op occasionally offers the Bor Yeuh front racks.....

127418

(The Jannd is a better lowrider than the BBurn lowrider, it's more stout and one piece)

That's what I discovered, I wonder what kind of damage would happen to the stops with a hard hit if the bike falls or is lifted around.

This is what happens when your bike tips over while parked with a Jandd Extreme rack. Luckily the frame of the bike was not damaged except for a new scratch. The rack continues to work propperly but it still seams like a strange problem to me. I e-mailed Jandd about the problem and they never returned my message.

That's what I discovered, I wonder what kind of damage would happen to the stops with a hard hit if the bike falls or is lifted around.

I zip tied some dense foam tubing on the two corners that would hit the down tube. That seems to be working out OK. I found it annoying but not a show stopper for using the rack.

Heres the new-old blackburn front back on Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Blackburn-MTF-1-Front-Bicycle-Black/dp/B002RQJTSE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1259965989&sr=1-2