Commuting - Anyone ever mount a motorcycle type of hard case trunk on a bicycle's rear rack?

Does anyone have any information and experience about installing, whether through modification or not, and riding with a scooter hard case trunk on a bicycle's rear cargo rack?

Below are two links to the cases considered from Saddlemen:

1. http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:ln9mPg6t1PMJ:www.saddlemen.com/store/index.php%3Fmain_page%3Dproduct_info%26cPath%3D239_398%26products_id%3D7293+saddlemen+hard+trunk+cas e&cd=6&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=safari

2. http://www.saddlemen.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=239_398&products_id=7292

Thank you
John

There are a few problems using these on a bicycle. First and foremost they put the load very high up which is not such a good idea on a bicycle. It isn't really such a good idea on a motorcycle either but since motorcycles weigh a lot more than a bicycle it is not as big a deal. Second, they tend to be noisy when mounted to a bicycle rack. This can be really irritating. Three, notice they don't list the weight ... there is a reason for that.

Ortlieb (http://www.ortlieb.de/index_white.php?lang=en&m1=0&m2=0&file=p-search.php) makes a bike specific version, the Bike-Box 2, I would imagine they have addressed mounting and noise (rattle) issues. It's relatively small though, compared to the ones OP linked to (9,5 litres vs. 28-48 litres). I'm sure other manufacturers have similar designs for bikes.

--J

My brother modified a Pelican case to mount on the top of his rear rack to safely carry his gaming laptop to/from work. It works pretty well he got some clips that mate with his rack and mounted them to the pelican case.

Since i ride motorcycles and own cases like that from Givi and Coolcase, I can tell you that they are heavy.
That would be a lot of weight up high... not such a good idea on a bicycle.

I'm not sure how to find it/them, but I've seen pics on here of bike trunks mounted on rear racks. Maybe one of those people will find this thread.

I'm not sure how to find it/them, but I've seen pics on here of bike trunks mounted on rear racks. Maybe one of those people will find this thread.

I could've sworn I had a link to this,but can't find it now. There is a company that makes a locking tail trunk for bicycles. I was able to find a link for locking panniers:
http://www.bikebins.com/bikebins_usa.html

From Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/M-Wave-122461-Bicycle-Topcase/dp/B003BOEJC2/ref=sr_1_62?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1282852545&sr=1-62

Since i ride motorcycles and own cases like that from Givi and Coolcase, I can tell you that they are heavy.
That would be a lot of weight up high... not such a good idea on a bicycle.

+1

I put my 50 liter GIVI on the back of my bike for ****s n giggles. Didn't ride with it though, but now I'm thinking about it again. Maybe a smaller 30l case.........

http://ecom1.planetbike.com/4020.html

Escape Pod
Rear Rack Cargo Box


Made from 100% recycled plastic
Lockable
Cargo net and soft interior protect your cargo
Watertight
Versatile and heavy duty rack mounting system
Retro reflective rear sticker
Dimensions: 15"(l) x 8.5"(w) x 7"(h)
Volume: 892 cubic inches


$64.99

I use a Topeak rack trunk and even though it's not "hard" like the other bags previously suggested, it does it's job very well and can be quickly removed and attached to the rack with the cool quick locking function that Topeak uses. Using a hard sided trunk for "protection" probably won't work too well in my opinion though as a thief would more likely just steal the entire bike then just break open the truck open at their own convinience--plus a noticable trunk might attract a curious thief as well. Personally I'd rather just be able to quickly remove the trunk and take it with me.

I have a rear trunk box that I don't use much anymore. Similar (the same, actually) as the previously posted Planet Bike Escape Pod.
About a dozen different suppliers sell that same box under different names for wildly varying prices. In Canada its available from Canadian Tire under the Raleigh brand for about $25 CDN. I've seen the same case under different names at various LBSs for $45, $55 and $65. It's not a bad case, light and lockable, but it does sit high, has to mount further towards the back of the rack for the lid to open fully and I couldn't stand the noise of loose articles rattling around in there. I may one day try to bodge it into a cooler and mount it on one of the ebikes for Summer beverage transportation.

I like this Otivia design though. Lower profile, better design and use of available space. http://www.otivia.com/

That Otivia reminds me a bit of the old Vetta Box.

Why do do this instead of good paniers? Compared to panniers I can think of a long and distinguished list of big disadvantages of putting a big heavy box on your rack, and not one single advantage of any real consequence.

Compared to panniers I can think of a long and distinguished list of big disadvantages of putting a big heavy box on your rack, and not one single advantage of any real consequence.

The boxes made specifically for bicycles, the Planet Bike Escape Pod and the Otivia, are not heavy at all in fact they're quite light (at least the PB is) and probably weigh in close to the weight of a full sized waterproof pannier. Personally, they don't work for me but I can see why someone would go that route, a lockable (read: mildly secure-ish) trunk box over a pannier. They may prefer the perception of a better balanced ride, maybe an improved sense of security or perhaps weather resistant qualities. Or all the above. :shrug:

I use this (http://www.amazon.com/MTM-Sportsmens-Plus-Utility-Orange/dp/B001OPTBX2/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1312373458&sr=8-9) on my left side. Lighter than a motorcycle trunk and lower down, as well as cheaper. Mounts with Ortleib hardware.

Amazon suggested this ammo box (http://www.amazon.com/MTM-Forest-Green-Caliber-Storage/dp/B003TNV46O/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1312459118&sr=8-2) as an alternative for the expensive Planet Bike box. Not bad for only $12 plus shipping. All you'd have to do is figure out some way to mount it to your rack.

Be aware that hard cases have a LOT more "bounce" when going over hard jolts, the simple hooks-and-bungee method will not work at all and you will lose the box. A locking system like Klickfix, Ortleib QL, or simply $4 of u-bolts is a must.

I've been using a Pelican case on my commuter for several years -- it's the best solution I've found for carrying my work laptop and dress clothes in Seattle winters.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5171/5459585164_aa8fdf8854.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jputnam/5459585164/)
Pelican Commuter Pannier (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jputnam/5459585164/) by joshua_putnam (http://www.flickr.com/people/jputnam/), on Flickr

The mounting system is from KlickFix,

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5295/5458979267_57c1cba683.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jputnam/5458979267/)
KLICKfix Rixen & Kaul Carrier Adapter (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jputnam/5458979267/) by joshua_putnam (http://www.flickr.com/people/jputnam/), on Flickr

It also pops off easily to make me a seat on the train -- I have a 30-minute train ride in the middle of my 10-mile bike commute, and there often aren't any seats near the bike rack, or the bike rack is full and I have to hold my bike. But there's almost always room to use the case as a stool in the vestibule of the car.

The case is heavier than a cloth pannier -- I have various touring panniers that I used when I first started commuting this route, but wasn't happy with the way they carried my work clothes or laptop. (It doesn't take too much compression in a slightly damp bag to make durable wrinkles in a starched shirt. And the compression of the clothes in the bag made my laptop's screen fret against the keyboard, leaving keyboard marks on the screen.) The hard case leaves my clothes unwrinkled and holds my laptop securely without squishing the screen against the keyboard.

When it's heavily loaded, a hard case hung on the side can bend the stays on some lighter-duty racks, since the whole mass of the case moves together going over bumps. Not a problem with the Bruce Gordon rack on my commuter, but I did once bend the rack stays on my mountain bike using a side-mounted hard case for photo gear. (That wasn't the Pelican case, it was a Cobbworks Oyster Bucket,
http://www.olybikes.com/images/cobbdeluxe.jpg