Front low rider requires double eyelets, fork has single
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Blacksburg, VA
Posts: 37
Bikes: Soma Saga, Vintage Roberts
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Front low rider requires double eyelets, fork has single
All right guys... I have kind of a silly problem that I'm hoping some of you handy types can help me troubleshoot. I got a great deal on a Salsa Down Under Rack for a Soma Saga touring build I'm working on. Unfortunately, I failed the realize that the rack relies on double mid-fork eyelets, and the Saga fork is equipped only with single outside eyelets. The general shape of the rack eyelet(s) makes me think that I could use the single fork eyelet and reinforce it with something that swings around the fork to attach to the other side, but I can't quite picture exactly how it might work. Can anyone suggest a good work around for this that doesn't involve drilling a hole in my beautiful new fork?
A few additional considerations:
1. This is for a fully loaded 1000+ mile road tour this summer so, while I'm willing to jury rig the thing, it will need to hold up to a decent beating. I plan to have 20+/- lbs of gear attached to these things.
2. I'm looking for inexpensive workarounds. The rack isn't quite nice enough to justify spending a lot of money or defacing my new bike.
3. Please don't chime in to tell me I'm an idiot for buying incompatible equipment. I already know that.
A few additional considerations:
1. This is for a fully loaded 1000+ mile road tour this summer so, while I'm willing to jury rig the thing, it will need to hold up to a decent beating. I plan to have 20+/- lbs of gear attached to these things.
2. I'm looking for inexpensive workarounds. The rack isn't quite nice enough to justify spending a lot of money or defacing my new bike.
3. Please don't chime in to tell me I'm an idiot for buying incompatible equipment. I already know that.
#2
Banned
You should be able to stack mudguard mounts and the lower or bottom of the rack
at fork tip mount on the same bolt, add some spacers..
For higher stress use better steel bolts. 8.8 is marked on the hex head
of bolts that are using a higher strength steel for the bolt.
I got mine from an industrial fastener store.
Now for the top of the rack,
they are thinking of a thru the fork braze on,
Making a top mid fork fitting for a fork that has no thru the fork,
or ahead of the fork braze on presents different issues ..
Submit Photos of your test fitting .. no pix no clue..
Oh.. never mind the above stuff..
I would have a grand solution, ... send the rack you bought back.
Buy one of Bruce Gordon's lowrider racks instead.
as Bruce says 'Hoopless is Hopeless'
I have 25 year old BG touring racks that are still fine ..
at fork tip mount on the same bolt, add some spacers..
For higher stress use better steel bolts. 8.8 is marked on the hex head
of bolts that are using a higher strength steel for the bolt.
I got mine from an industrial fastener store.
Now for the top of the rack,
they are thinking of a thru the fork braze on,
Making a top mid fork fitting for a fork that has no thru the fork,
or ahead of the fork braze on presents different issues ..
Submit Photos of your test fitting .. no pix no clue..
Oh.. never mind the above stuff..
I would have a grand solution, ... send the rack you bought back.
Buy one of Bruce Gordon's lowrider racks instead.
as Bruce says 'Hoopless is Hopeless'
I have 25 year old BG touring racks that are still fine ..
Last edited by fietsbob; 02-23-11 at 08:40 PM.
#3
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Blacksburg, VA
Posts: 37
Bikes: Soma Saga, Vintage Roberts
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
yeah... that's the response I was afraid of. I'd gladly buy a BG rack (or full bike, for that matter) if it fit my budget. I guess I'll just have to suck it up and buy a Tubus. I really like the Salsa rack though.
#4
afraid of whales
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Front Range, CO
Posts: 4,306
Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 347 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times
in
5 Posts
Back in the day, that's all we had. I rode 2400 miles in the Rockies with my front rack mounted on spacers. Kept all the cooking gear, stove and food in my front panniers, 1 gallon (4 ltr) of H2O on the top of the rack. Never gave it a thought.
#5
Expired Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: TN
Posts: 11,499
Mentioned: 37 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3648 Post(s)
Liked 5,380 Times
in
2,731 Posts
Clearly, the rack requires something to attach to on both sides of the mid-fork. I wonder if you could somehow use a P clamp, since it appears one side of the double strut is slotted and may not have to attach exactly opposite the other.
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 105
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
ok. return that and keep the cash under your mattress until you can save up $100 (BG rack is $165).
if your tour is this summer, that's plenty of time to save.
might as well get what you want...life is short.
#7
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Blacksburg, VA
Posts: 37
Bikes: Soma Saga, Vintage Roberts
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
That's exactly the kind of fix I was looking for. I'm pretty sure if I drilled a hole in a P-clamp, I could put a bolt through the front eyelet and P-clamp and into the fork, then bolt the wing of the p-clamp to the slot. Might be more work than it's worth, but if I have P-clamp laying around I might give it a shot and see how it feels. Thanks for the tip!
#8
Banned
Tubus makes a machined aluminum clamp for forks with no braze on ,
which when fitted is quite solid..
but its still not a thru the fork type fitting
Tubus Tara with it's support hoop is long a favorite .
https://tubus.com/en/lowrider/tara
the hoopless double strut rack requires the struts be soundly mounted
on both sides , of both racks..
the hoop types are more forgiving.
which when fitted is quite solid..
but its still not a thru the fork type fitting
Tubus Tara with it's support hoop is long a favorite .
https://tubus.com/en/lowrider/tara
the hoopless double strut rack requires the struts be soundly mounted
on both sides , of both racks..
the hoop types are more forgiving.
Last edited by fietsbob; 02-24-11 at 05:33 PM.
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 358
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
The Salsa Down Under racks need double mid-fork attachment points to provide rotational stiffness when loaded. That is, when loaded and the wheel is turned quickly, there is a tendency for bags mounted on low rider racks to rotate into the wheel spokes.
Low rider rack makers use one of two schemes to provide rotational stiffness, double mid-fork attachment points or a hoop over the wheel attaching the two racks together. P-clamps can do a passable job of supporting a load, but I'm skeptical of their ability to resist twisting rotational forces. At least, it will be inexpensive to try them.
If you eventually decide to replace the racks with a hoop style, I can highly recommend the Tubus Tara. I recently moved a Tara from my old Fuji Touring frame to my new Soma Saga frame. The load bars on the Tara racks are dead level when installed in the middle (of three) upper attachment holes. (Unlevel racks are my pet peeve. Indicates shoddy work.) It's like the Saga fork was made with Tara racks in mind. I've put over 2000 miles on the Tara racks loaded so far and they kick the snot out of the two other racks I've tried (Blackburn and Surly Nice Rack) in terms of weight, stability, and load carrying ability.
Low rider rack makers use one of two schemes to provide rotational stiffness, double mid-fork attachment points or a hoop over the wheel attaching the two racks together. P-clamps can do a passable job of supporting a load, but I'm skeptical of their ability to resist twisting rotational forces. At least, it will be inexpensive to try them.
If you eventually decide to replace the racks with a hoop style, I can highly recommend the Tubus Tara. I recently moved a Tara from my old Fuji Touring frame to my new Soma Saga frame. The load bars on the Tara racks are dead level when installed in the middle (of three) upper attachment holes. (Unlevel racks are my pet peeve. Indicates shoddy work.) It's like the Saga fork was made with Tara racks in mind. I've put over 2000 miles on the Tara racks loaded so far and they kick the snot out of the two other racks I've tried (Blackburn and Surly Nice Rack) in terms of weight, stability, and load carrying ability.
#10
Senior Member
#11
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Blacksburg, VA
Posts: 37
Bikes: Soma Saga, Vintage Roberts
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
The Salsa Down Under racks need double mid-fork attachment points to provide rotational stiffness when loaded. That is, when loaded and the wheel is turned quickly, there is a tendency for bags mounted on low rider racks to rotate into the wheel spokes.
Low rider rack makers use one of two schemes to provide rotational stiffness, double mid-fork attachment points or a hoop over the wheel attaching the two racks together. P-clamps can do a passable job of supporting a load, but I'm skeptical of their ability to resist twisting rotational forces. At least, it will be inexpensive to try them.
If you eventually decide to replace the racks with a hoop style, I can highly recommend the Tubus Tara. I recently moved a Tara from my old Fuji Touring frame to my new Soma Saga frame. The load bars on the Tara racks are dead level when installed in the middle (of three) upper attachment holes. (Unlevel racks are my pet peeve. Indicates shoddy work.) It's like the Saga fork was made with Tara racks in mind. I've put over 2000 miles on the Tara racks loaded so far and they kick the snot out of the two other racks I've tried (Blackburn and Surly Nice Rack) in terms of weight, stability, and load carrying ability.
Low rider rack makers use one of two schemes to provide rotational stiffness, double mid-fork attachment points or a hoop over the wheel attaching the two racks together. P-clamps can do a passable job of supporting a load, but I'm skeptical of their ability to resist twisting rotational forces. At least, it will be inexpensive to try them.
If you eventually decide to replace the racks with a hoop style, I can highly recommend the Tubus Tara. I recently moved a Tara from my old Fuji Touring frame to my new Soma Saga frame. The load bars on the Tara racks are dead level when installed in the middle (of three) upper attachment holes. (Unlevel racks are my pet peeve. Indicates shoddy work.) It's like the Saga fork was made with Tara racks in mind. I've put over 2000 miles on the Tara racks loaded so far and they kick the snot out of the two other racks I've tried (Blackburn and Surly Nice Rack) in terms of weight, stability, and load carrying ability.
Also, thanks for the tip. I was looking at the Tara anyway as a replacement if I couldn't get the Salsa rack to work. Nice to hear from someone who has a Saga frame to confirm that it works and works well. To me it's probably worth a few extra bucks to get a rack that works exceptionally well rather than jury rig one that might end up failing.
This is my first experience in building a bike up from a frame and it's been a hell of a learning experience - especially with all of the bits that go into a loaded tourer. Thanks again!
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
unterhausen
Long Distance Competition/Ultracycling, Randonneuring and Endurance Cycling
7
05-22-19 06:23 AM