Putting a Rear Rack on a Road Bike
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Putting a Rear Rack on a Road Bike
Hi Bikeforums,
Short of buying a tour bike, how can I put a rear rack on my road bike? I don't have threaded eyelets near the dropouts, there are holes but they are smooth inside and sort of teardrop shaped:
I tried getting some bolts to mount the rack on with, but that doesn't work for (now) obvious reasons:
Do I need these things by Tubus?
Or is there some special adapter that made for this hole?
I found this post where they use p-clamps:
https://www.bikecommuters.com/2008/07...-your-friends/
but this doesn't seem like a great solution.
Short of buying a tour bike, how can I put a rear rack on my road bike? I don't have threaded eyelets near the dropouts, there are holes but they are smooth inside and sort of teardrop shaped:
I tried getting some bolts to mount the rack on with, but that doesn't work for (now) obvious reasons:
Do I need these things by Tubus?
Or is there some special adapter that made for this hole?
I found this post where they use p-clamps:
https://www.bikecommuters.com/2008/07...-your-friends/
but this doesn't seem like a great solution.
Last edited by Purp; 02-19-11 at 06:24 PM.
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Lots of possibilities
It should be save to assume that you won`t be doing loaded touring so actually, if you had to use vinyl coated P-clamps it wouldn`t be a probem for light loads. In fact, the load rating on the racks most commonly sold is pretty low anyway.
Another option would be to pick up a rack that designed to clamp to a seatpost. aon the road bike I have mysef. itLl also sneak between the rear stays and clamp on the downtube. There are other considerations - conventional side bags won`t work with that, but some rack models have integrated lower side frames and will take a top bag that has shorter side bags integrated into it.
Whatever you do - suggest you look and both bags and racks together. Unfortunately ?a/] bags will only fit on a limited number of racks. Sometimes its the attachment spacing, sometimes its the tube diameter thats the issus.
One of the nicer bags I found is made by Voyager and will convert to a backpack. What sets this one apart is that the rear harness is padded, adjustable, and fully functional - not an afterthought like the systems on some other brands.
But that bag requires a rear rack woth a conventional side tube arrangement so it only gets clipped on the rack on the hybrid.
Another option would be to pick up a rack that designed to clamp to a seatpost. aon the road bike I have mysef. itLl also sneak between the rear stays and clamp on the downtube. There are other considerations - conventional side bags won`t work with that, but some rack models have integrated lower side frames and will take a top bag that has shorter side bags integrated into it.
Whatever you do - suggest you look and both bags and racks together. Unfortunately ?a/] bags will only fit on a limited number of racks. Sometimes its the attachment spacing, sometimes its the tube diameter thats the issus.
One of the nicer bags I found is made by Voyager and will convert to a backpack. What sets this one apart is that the rear harness is padded, adjustable, and fully functional - not an afterthought like the systems on some other brands.
But that bag requires a rear rack woth a conventional side tube arrangement so it only gets clipped on the rack on the hybrid.
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It's not just the dropout mount you need to thing about, where are you going to mount the top, as this can be difficult to resolve successsfuly, if no braze on rack mounts are on the frame; the seat post bolt idea is good, but not suitable for all racks / frames. The seat clamp rack also resolves this, but is not recomended for use with carbon seatposts, also, you are normally really limited to rack packs, due to the lack of side supports to prevent swinging
looking at the photo of your frame, the Tubus option looks the best, as the holes in your dropouts are not suitable for putting bolts through. (if you try it like your photos, you will most likely either have major shifting problems, a snapped dropout or snapped rack leg
I take it that the frame is Alloy, not Carbon? much as I like plastic bikes, would not want to add a rack to one which had not been specifically designed for it, Alloy would be better, but Steel or Ti the best for adding (bodging)
I like the P clip third option but not on your frame, I don't like the look of the joint above the mech hanger, can't see any problems for normal use, but it doesn't look like it was designed to have weight added to it.
Buying a tour frame would give the best result, they have different geometry to a road bike less time in the drops, are designed to handle much greater loads than a road bike is, and normally have a longer wheel base, which will make them more stable / less twitchy than a road bike.
Also, for rack load limits, if you max these out, they may not fail, but wil definatly bend, I had a Tortec Ultralite which I used at over the max recomended weiight, and it ended up very bent, I use Tubus racks now (Vega & Cargo), and no issues yet
looking at the photo of your frame, the Tubus option looks the best, as the holes in your dropouts are not suitable for putting bolts through. (if you try it like your photos, you will most likely either have major shifting problems, a snapped dropout or snapped rack leg
I take it that the frame is Alloy, not Carbon? much as I like plastic bikes, would not want to add a rack to one which had not been specifically designed for it, Alloy would be better, but Steel or Ti the best for adding (bodging)
I like the P clip third option but not on your frame, I don't like the look of the joint above the mech hanger, can't see any problems for normal use, but it doesn't look like it was designed to have weight added to it.
Buying a tour frame would give the best result, they have different geometry to a road bike less time in the drops, are designed to handle much greater loads than a road bike is, and normally have a longer wheel base, which will make them more stable / less twitchy than a road bike.
Also, for rack load limits, if you max these out, they may not fail, but wil definatly bend, I had a Tortec Ultralite which I used at over the max recomended weiight, and it ended up very bent, I use Tubus racks now (Vega & Cargo), and no issues yet
#4
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The Tubus kit will work, the wheel removal will require unscrewing the QR,
as that becomes the lower mounting bolt.
P clips, rubber lined or 'plastidip' coated ones should be OK, for the top struts.
there are some racks that mount under the brake mounting bolt. then you can omit the P clamps..
should be OK for small bags .. commuting with stuff..
People have used Beam racks too, just clamps onto the seatpost.
as that becomes the lower mounting bolt.
P clips, rubber lined or 'plastidip' coated ones should be OK, for the top struts.
there are some racks that mount under the brake mounting bolt. then you can omit the P clamps..
should be OK for small bags .. commuting with stuff..
People have used Beam racks too, just clamps onto the seatpost.
Last edited by fietsbob; 02-19-11 at 07:41 PM.
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Another option would be to pick up a rack that designed to clamp to a seatpost. aon the road bike I have mysef. itLl also sneak between the rear stays and clamp on the downtube. There are other considerations - conventional side bags won`t work with that, but some rack models have integrated lower side frames and will take a top bag that has shorter side bags integrated into it.
As a temporary solution I resorted to P-clamps and hose clamps (because the lower P-clamps wouldn't stop slipping down such that the drive-side one interfered with the chain); some time I'll get a local frame builder to add braze-ons.
Last edited by Drew Eckhardt; 02-23-11 at 12:30 PM.
#7
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Another vote for the Tubus kit for mounting it to the QR. You'll then need a Tubus rack or something else with two holes at the bottom to attach the Tubus kit to. For the top mounting, P-clips work OK, but even better is to use a seatpost clamp that has integrated rack mounting points - just do a Google search for "seatpost clamp rack mount" and you'll see what I mean.
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Thanks for all the replies
Alloy, carbon stays
Hmm yeah maybe this is silly, I want to put my 10lb lock and a day or two's worth of groceries (including beer) on the back.
I have a steel '89 Puch that is very similar to this one from a different thread:
Doesn't really look like a touring frame to me, but there are m5-threaded holes in the dropouts above the axle:
...none in the upper seatstays for attaching up top, though.
Maybe this is a better candidate, I had been avoiding it because the rear spacing only accepts about 7 speeds and I'm used to the 10 on the more modern frame featured earlier.
Alloy, carbon stays
I have a steel '89 Puch that is very similar to this one from a different thread:
Doesn't really look like a touring frame to me, but there are m5-threaded holes in the dropouts above the axle:
...none in the upper seatstays for attaching up top, though.
Maybe this is a better candidate, I had been avoiding it because the rear spacing only accepts about 7 speeds and I'm used to the 10 on the more modern frame featured earlier.
Last edited by Purp; 02-21-11 at 04:46 PM.
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This. It is designed for tight geometry road bikes, uses a mounting system similar to the tubus one, and I don't get any heelstrike with it when combined with my very large axiom panniers on my bridgestone RB-1. I can't say the same for the original constructeur-style integrated rack on my Peugeot UE-8, which has much longer chainstays.
It is worth noting that putting weight that far back on a racing geometry frame screws up the handling a bit. I do not reccomend riding no handed on one with loaded panniers.
It is worth noting that putting weight that far back on a racing geometry frame screws up the handling a bit. I do not reccomend riding no handed on one with loaded panniers.
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This. It is designed for tight geometry road bikes, uses a mounting system similar to the tubus one, and I don't get any heelstrike with it when combined with my very large axiom panniers on my bridgestone RB-1. I can't say the same for the original constructeur-style integrated rack on my Peugeot UE-8, which has much longer chainstays.
It is worth noting that putting weight that far back on a racing geometry frame screws up the handling a bit. I do not reccomend riding no handed on one with loaded panniers.
It is worth noting that putting weight that far back on a racing geometry frame screws up the handling a bit. I do not reccomend riding no handed on one with loaded panniers.
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Are you using it for serious touring or commuting? I use a Topeak MTX beam rack and a Topeak MTX DXP bag on my CAAD for commuting. Attaches to the seatpost and works great (I bring my bike inside so someone stealing my rack is a moot point). I agree with the post above about unbalancing a race frame with rear panniers. I don't load it up more of a change of clothes and lunch and I definitely notice a significant change in handling. The trunk bag is nice b/c the "panniers" fold up and zip into side pockets when not in use. I wouldn't compare it to touring panniers, but then again if I wanted touring panniers, I'd get a touring frame.
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A friend used P-clamps to mount a rack on a frame with no eyelets for a credit card tour (clothes, etc. but no camping or cooking gear) so his load was pretty modest. Even so the lower p-clamps wanted to slide down until they interferred with his chain. We had to stop at a hardware store and buy two small hose clamps to act as "stops" and keep the P-clamps in place.
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+1 ^^. I would not hesitate to use p-clamps for light loads, but I seriously doubt that the load-carrying capacity of rack mounted with p-clamps is higher than that for a rack mounted on threaded eyelets.
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They also have a lot of flex so the rack can wiggle when you get out of the saddle for climbing or accelerating. With that sort of movement it'd be interesting to see what their fatigue life is like.
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Hmm yeah maybe this is silly, I want to put my 10lb lock and a day or two's worth of groceries (including beer) on the back.
Here's my suggestion: Leave a lock at the grocery store, and just carry the key. Stock up on beer so you don't need to carry it on your bike. Distribute the load between a large front pack, a small backpack (on shoulders), and a clamp-on-the-seatpost rear rack.
I met a guy on a road bike touring with a rear rack that clamped on his seatpost. He just had his bulky but light sleeping back on the rear rack, and had large front panniers.
#17
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Go with the green one, with the threaded holes in the dropout. put a rack on It ,
though It, Too, May have short chainstays. making the setup compensate ..
Tubus Fly ,
https://www.thetouringstore.com/TUBUS/Fly/FLY%20PAGE.htm
+ front roller panniers ,
https://www.thetouringstore.com/ORTLI...FRP%20PAGE.htm
set up with the hooks shifted way forward,
will shift the bag to the rear.
figure out which 3 ratios out of the 10 you use least. and the 7 speed will be fine with those.
It's Ratios after all , not 'speeds'.. you can always set up the same ratio.
... then you still have the other one to go and demonstrate your prowess upon.
though It, Too, May have short chainstays. making the setup compensate ..
Tubus Fly ,
https://www.thetouringstore.com/TUBUS/Fly/FLY%20PAGE.htm
+ front roller panniers ,
https://www.thetouringstore.com/ORTLI...FRP%20PAGE.htm
set up with the hooks shifted way forward,
will shift the bag to the rear.
figure out which 3 ratios out of the 10 you use least. and the 7 speed will be fine with those.
It's Ratios after all , not 'speeds'.. you can always set up the same ratio.
... then you still have the other one to go and demonstrate your prowess upon.
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If those are carbon fibre stays then P-clamps are a no-no!
Carbon fibre doesn`t take well to the kinds of loads the would result from tightening up P-clamps enough to support a loaded rack and keep it secure.
But I`m not sure what issues you ran into with the seatpost mounting. Road bikes are a little pecular and have some pros and cons. I mentioned that I actually mounted mine on the downtube. The sidepull brakes allow that. Cantilever or V-brakes usually put too much cabling in the way.
The model I have is an Axiom but several brands and models will do the same thing. The main frame actually slides off the oval centretube which makes it adjustable forwards and backwards as well as making it easy to insert between the rear stays. I`ll see about posting some photos. In that placement the centre of gravity is lower and its impossible to hit the clamp. The water bottle is wider and in the same area.
But after all that - the most practical thing I`ve found for grocery shopping is a large backpack. That also seems to have the least impact on handling.
But I`m not sure what issues you ran into with the seatpost mounting. Road bikes are a little pecular and have some pros and cons. I mentioned that I actually mounted mine on the downtube. The sidepull brakes allow that. Cantilever or V-brakes usually put too much cabling in the way.
The model I have is an Axiom but several brands and models will do the same thing. The main frame actually slides off the oval centretube which makes it adjustable forwards and backwards as well as making it easy to insert between the rear stays. I`ll see about posting some photos. In that placement the centre of gravity is lower and its impossible to hit the clamp. The water bottle is wider and in the same area.
But after all that - the most practical thing I`ve found for grocery shopping is a large backpack. That also seems to have the least impact on handling.
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I had a terrible time trying to find a rack solution for my Kona Paddy Wagon when I tried last year. I had a messenger bag I was using and wanted to ride without a big bag on my back for 10 miles on my way to work in 90 degree weather. What I learned through the experience was the bike was not designed for use with a rack and in hindsight it wasn't worth all the time I spent mounting, remounting, trying different bags, finding my heel strike them, then returning them for a different bag that didn't feel comfortable with the lopsided balance, etc. My recommendation is save yourself some time (and probably money) and pick up a nice messenger bag that you can throw over your shoulder, carry on your back, and will allow you to carry your lock and a day's worth of groceries. It's really not worth your safety to push a bike to do something it's not designed to do...just my $.02. One trip to the ER from a crash can wipe out the cost of a brand new touring bike that would do exactly what you need.
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