jur

May I also suggest my method? Accepts standard pannier but is much cheaper than the Xootr Crossrack idea, plus does not leave a structure on the bike. Pics to come...

Based on Pathlesstraveled's idea.

Giant Doofus

I'm intrigued. Look forward to hearing more and seeing pictures.

jur

Here you go:


Small Ortlieb pannier, standard config at the top, with QR bottle clamp at the bottom, a quick easy mod, I also have a large Ortlieb pannier set up like that which I use for shopping and the like. Stiffeners inside make them retain shape.


Small 20l backpack hung off the back using same tube, with sternum strap providing some stabilisation;









Carradice saddle bag, fitted with hooks from an old Tioga pannier I had, and Velcro plus handlebar grip for stabilisation.

I have this aluminium tube on all my bikes so the exact same luggage works on all bikes, from smallish Carradice Roll bag to the biggest pannier I have.

I started out with a wooden dowel, which one day broke going over a bump, and then got a 10mm aluminium tube which has now withstood years of punishment without a whimper. And those shopping expeditions can get very heavy!

So the small tube is the item that remains behind on the bike. If I want to take even that off, I remove one rubber bung and simply slide it out from the zip ties, later slide it back in.

Giant Doofus

@jur - That is brilliant! I'm going to head to a hardware store tomorrow to try this out. I have a Brooks saddle with hooks on it on another bike, so I should be able to get it ready to go before my new bike even arrives. Thanks!

Edit: Can you help me out a little on sourcing the aluminum tube? If I go to a hardware store, are all of the 10mm aluminum tubes likely to be the same thickness (not diameter, but how thick the walls of the tube are)? How wide did you cut it? It looks like you left a good bit of room beyond the width of the pannier hooks to add those rubber stoppers.

Abu Mahendra

To my mind, a pannier offers two disadvantages. Higher cost, and greater weight, both relative to a drybag. A Tern Kangga Rack and a Sea to Summitt 20L drybag together weigh 659 grams, and cost about $75. The Klickfix caddy used to hold this offers the flexibility to use any other Klickfix mount bag, basket, accessory.

Giant Doofus

Cost of the panniers isn't an issue because I already own a variety of panniers that I use on my other bikes. It would be nice if I didn't have to buy new luggage for this one.

I thought about using the Kanga/Vario rack. It might work well, but ends up costing a little more than the crossrack. For now, I think I'm going to try jur's solution, which looks like the lowest cost and most flexible option. It also has the advantage of not interfering with lowering the seatpost at all.

jur

I think it to be superior to the Brompton luggage options, which I also have but no longer use much at all ever since I invented this idea. If I have a huge amount of shopping then I add the Brompton shopping basket to the front as well. The small Ortlieb pannier I use especially during winter commuting when I need to carry more stuff to work. The Carradice Cape bag I use for Audax, for casual riding around, for summer commuting and the like. I usually commute with the Ti Swift, but on bad weather days I take either the Moulton or the Brompton, both of which have mudguards. I needed the luggage flexibility due to this. The begin point was a dowel with backpack. Over time I refined the idea to what you see in the pics. The backpack is no longer used; it tends to swing around a bit when pedalling out of the saddle. The panniers are very stable, as is the Carradice bag of course.

The length of the 10mm tube is about 220mm; the active area is 190mm. This is dictated by the saddle width, as the pannier hooks have to go past on either side of the saddle to engage the tube. The tube wall is 1mm thick.

Especially the Ortlieb is very easy; I flip open the QR that clamps around the seatpost, then simply pull the pannier off, as pulling on the strap opens the pannier hooks. On the Brompton, If I do a full fold I have the option of leaving the pannier on, but open the QR at the bottom and swing it out while pushing the seatpost down. So it does not interfere with the fold either. And as you pointed out, it does not leave something attached to the seatpost. The little rubber bung protects the saddle when you lean the bike against a tree ar wall. Rubber does tend to leave a black spot on walls, so I started using white rubber, and later still, soft plastic tube end covers. That does not leave marks but still constrains the pannier hooks.

The ultimate is using some Ti tubing. Very strong and does not scratch up.

jur

For the bottle cage clamp, I bought a couple of these
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/2-Mo...e-f58b758bd00b
I removed the bottle cage and used the clamp. I filed the opening so it is more gradual, and glued rubber sheet where it clamps the seatpost. It uses the same thread (M5 IIRC) as the Ortlieb system.

iamdougsbike

@jur this is a great idea! Definitely looking into doing it to carry luggage on my Swift. Though I'll want a less permanent solution for the bottom of the pannier since my other bikes have normal racks.

Didn't like the Cross Rack because it interferes with lowering the seatpost.

Thanks!

jur

I have an idea for the bottom instead of the clamp. The clamp is just for stability; I have also used a patch of Velcro on the pannier, and a flat plastic plate on the end of the clamp with Velcro, so the clamp is vecroed to the pannier, allowing the normal system to remain in place too.

Giant Doofus

Good idea. The attachment at the bottom of the pannier is the piece I'm having most trouble figuring out based on your photos. The pannier I'll use most often is a 2wheelgear backpack (https://www.twowheelgear.com/products/pannier-backpack-convertible), so that's easy enough. I'll just use the straps that normally connect around the rack stays on the seat post. But I also use an Ortlieb front roller classic. That one's a little more challenging to figure out how to stabilize it at the bottom.

jur

I'll take my setup apart and post some pics tonight.

iamdougsbike

Was thinking the Thule Pack n' Pedal magnet might work mounted to a quick release clamp but Velcro is probably cheaper and just as stable.

jur

Here are pics of the clamp setup:


I took off the normal Ortlieb retaining hook and screwed on the clamp which goes around the seatpost.


The clamp has a M5 threaded insert. I took a M5 bolt, sawed off the head to the correct length, screwed the threaded section into the M5 insert in the clamp using Loctite to make it stay put. That is then screwed into the Ortlieb threaded T-nut. The clamp has a cross shaped moulding which is a nuisance. I used rubber spacers as a flexible washer to solve that.

The clamp could, instead of getting a sawed off bolt, also be mounted with a plastic plate using a countersunk M5 screw. The plastic plate would be covered in Velcro with a matching patch on the pannier, perhaps just above or below the bottom fitting on the pannier, to stick the clamp to. I am about to implement this in a week's time, as there is one case where I have a battery mounted on the back of the seatpost. The battery will get a matching Velcro patch to stick the pannier's bottom to to stabilise it. In all other cases, the clamp with Velcro will be used for stabilisation.

(The battery is a new development on my Moulton which I converted to electric drive using a mid drive motor.)

fietsbob

Tikit had a steering mast fitting option* to use Brompton's Bag mount , in their add on menu,

maybe that can be used, added on the Packit build list too ?


*I'm told on the Tikit It turned with the bars...
(I just bought a Used Tikit v with it's own front pannier rack)

Giant Doofus

Bingo! Yes, they can add the Brompton carrier block to the headtube of the PackIt. I just added that to my order. It was a $70 upgrade, but well worth it, I think. I'll put the most basic bag/basket that Brompton offers on it and just throw whatever bag I happen to be using that day in there.

@jur - Thanks for the great photos. I'm still planning to add your invention to the saddle as an alternate attachment system. I figured it was worth it to get the Brompton block put on now even if I end up preferring your system.

rmac

I kind of wanted something more stable and could carry a heavier load than some of the solutions discussed so far. So, I ordered the rear rack that is made for the pakIt.

Giant Doofus

That looks like a good option too, but I don't think I'd necessarily put more of a load on that rack than I would on the front carrier system I'll be using. I think the PakIt should handle pretty well with a front load. I'll probably put fenders on mine eventually. I'm just hoping they come up with something that follows the arc of the wheel a little better than the current ones do. It's purely an aesthetic thing, but I do like my bikes to be pretty. :-)

LuckyGhoul

(first post!)

It seems like the braze-on for the carrier block is located not on the headtube, but on the clamp that holds the stem together. I believe this part remains attached to the stem during the folding process, so having a carrier block may interfere with the final folding step of attaching the stem to the main frame with a pin.

dahondego.com/2017/03/14/i-tested-a-bike-friday-pakit/

Look at the final photo of this link, to me it doesn't look like there would be enough room for a carrier block to fit inbetween the stem clamp and the folded rear triangle... so this could be one tradeoff you might need to consider.

The test rider from the link above mentions a degree of flex in the handlebar post when riding hard uphill. I'd love to hear some thoughts on this from those who are fortunate enough have a pakiT already. I'm still waiting for mine!

invisiblehand

Rear racks like that can be used to support a back pack that is also connected to the saddle/seat post. You just have to be careful with heel strike.

rmac

Here are another couple of views of the rear rack:

fietsbob

I'd still add a brace triangulating the rear of the rack to the dropout bolt where the vertical strut is attached ..

rmac

I was thinking of that. Maybe even a slight "L" shape. Would be a better design if it had it. Now if I had a welder...

fietsbob

find one pay them..

I'd guess , there is a place to put a reflector on the back?

that will do for the rear mount, a U of tubing can form the rest,, crush the end and drill a hole in it.


no welding needed.

Giant Doofus

My bike arrived two days ago. I'm very impressed so far. It fits me beautifully, disappearing from my awareness as I ride, which for me is the test of a good fit. I'm not thinking about the bike or its components. I'm just enjoying the ride.

It arrived in perfect condition. Everything was adjusted just right (gearing, brakes, etc.). It was also very simple to put together. It takes me about a minute to fold it, but I think that will get faster.

I decided to go with a Brompton carrier block and bag/basket for carrying gear. The carrier block will arrive separately, and should be here in a few days. For now, I've got a simple handbag (the Timbuk2 Colby) attached to the handlebars with Velcro.

Untitled photo by[/url], on Flickr