Bicycle Mechanics - Topeak Explorer Rack Installation on old bike!

Hello all:

I am attempting to put a Topeak Explorer on my old Windsor International. the problem i am having is finding a way to bracket it to bike. Here are pictures of my bike, and then the rack. I couldn't think of a better bunch of people to help me figure this one out!

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5171/5533084906_ea3e4db87c.jpg

http://media.rei.com/media/697821_321Lrg.jpg

P-Clamps at the top. You'll have to bend the rack straps/rails to fit. It should bolt to the bottom the same way the old rack did.

Take off the rear reflector/mount from the seat post bolt and mount a rear light on the rack, or mount the rear reflector to the rack if you like

Look at this pic and image P clamps where the braze ons are.

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r162/jsharr/3829236130_c0cdb64f3f_b.jpg

Hello all:

I am attempting to put a Topeak Explorer on my old Windsor International. the problem i am having is finding a way to bracket it to bike. Here are pictures of my bike, and then the rack. I couldn't think of a better bunch of people to help me figure this one out!

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5171/5533084906_ea3e4db87c.jpg

http://media.rei.com/media/697821_321Lrg.jpg

If the rack arms are long enough, I've attached them to the seatpost clamp bolt several times and never had any issues at all.

In most installations you'll need to bend them. You can just bend them up instead of down. ;-)

Yep. Bolts through the stays on the rack and the eyelets above the dropouts on the frame, and P clamps up where the rack straps/upper stays meet the seat stays. You may need to shim the p clamps to get them snig on the frame... I would use a section cut out of an old inner tube wrapped around to take up the space - there is very little load on the upper stays of a standard bolt-on rack so rubber shims should work fine if needed.

http://www.loosescrews.com/index.cgi?d=single&c=Accessories&sc=Rack%20Clamps&tc=&item_id=LS-2621KR&id=828707327039

Look at this pic and image P clamps where the braze ons are.

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r162/jsharr/3829236130_c0cdb64f3f_b.jpg

The only problem with this method is that I don't have those two holes, instead mine looks like this:

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5302/5622639513_d4e3b16111.jpg

If the rack arms are long enough, I've attached them to the seatpost clamp bolt several times and never had any issues at all.

In most installations you'll need to bend them. You can just bend them up instead of down. ;-)

So you would put 1 p clamp on each side of this?

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5148/5623226652_0a4252aebf.jpg

would seem you could do a longer bolt (threaded on both ends) through the seat clamp with nuts at the clamp and nuts to hold the rack too. There is a seat post clamp you can buy that has screws on it for a rack, but not sure would work with your setup.

So you would put 1 p clamp on each side of this?

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5148/5623226652_0a4252aebf.jpg

No - you wrap the P clamp around the stay a few inches below the seat post bolt. Look again at the pic of the light blue bike with the white rack - there are two bolt holes ('braze ons') on the seat stays. On your bike where these braze ons would be if you had them, put the P clamps there.

Do you know what P-clamps are? They are thin metal straps shaped like their name suggests and are a circular ring with two parallel legs that have a small hole in each. The ring is available in various diameters and can be had with a vinyl coating. Go to any hardware or home center store and ask for them and it will be aparent how they are used.

P-Clamps Are Your Friends (http://www.bikecommuters.com/2008/07/19/p-clamps-are-your-friends/)

P-Clamps Are Your Friends (http://www.bikecommuters.com/2008/07/19/p-clamps-are-your-friends/)

i know what they are now! thank you very much, guys! Once school is out in 2 weeks, I'm going to try this out. i'll keep you posted.