Thunder Dan

Due to space constraints, I can really only hang on to one road bike at this time. That being the case, I am building up a Surly Cross Check that will serve as my road ride, commuter, and light touring bike. I am leaning towards a Massload CL-476 rear rack, but was wondering if anyone had experience with a rack that might be more easily removed on the weekends for when I hook up with my road riding buddies. If it helps, the rack with be used with Ortlieb Back Roller Classic panniers.

Any suggestions are appreciated. Thanks!

JAG410

4 bolts and done. My CC is the easiest bike I've had to put racks on, you shouldn't have any troubles.

Thunder Dan

That's pretty much what I thought. Thanks for the feedback.

vik 

Why bother taking off the rack? It's not going to slow you down in any significant way and when the rides over and you want to get a six pack of beer you have somewhere to carry it... Eventually you'll rush and cross thread a bolt and wonder why you took the rack off in the first place.

Both my road bikes have racks and they perform the same as a naked bike.

LeeG

$.02 is to consider an Axiom Streamliner DLX and leave it on. It's one of those narrow racks. I had one on my crosscheck installed with flat ss struts and it is amazingly stiff with the rack level. The struts are a short distance between seat stays and rack on the 56cm frame. The stock tubular struts impinged on the fenders.

Then have two sets of wheels, light set for road riding and heavy set for touring/commuting. It's easy enough to remove with four screws but I think you'll have more utility and performance difference with light/heavy wheels and tires than switching out a one lb rack.



The adjustable Ortlieb panniers address the need for positioning to avoid heel strike and the close forward position of the rack makes for a rack that is tight in to the wheel/frame. Pretty sure it has less aerodynamic drag than fenders.

pallen

I have the Axiom Streamliner Road rack on my Pacer. I wouldn't use it for fully loaded touring or anything, and it cant accept a top trunk bag, but it handles getting clothes and an iPad back and forth to work. I like that its slim and light enough that I can just leave it on the bike when I want to go more minimal, roadie-style. Its easily removed with 3 bolts - although one of them is the brake caliper. On the cross-check, I think there is a hole you can use to mount a rack where the brake bolt would go.

https://www.amazon.com/Axiom-Streamli.../dp/B003UWESMQ

EDIT : LeeG beat me to it The road version attaches differently and has a setback bracket to address heel strike.

crhilton

+1 on the light racks. Get a lighter narrow rack and leave it on. The rush of taking it on and off just seems like it's liable to go wrong. You might cross thread a bolt, forget a bolt, forget to fully tighten one.

LeeG

I was suspicious of the Axiom Journey rack and those tubular seatstay struts as it felt a lot more flexible side to side than a regular Topeak or the Tubus Cargo. When I installed the Axiom Streamliner DLX with flat struts it felt just as solid or moreso than the Tubus Cargo. A lot of it probably has to do with the size of the frame and whether the seatstay struts are long or short. In this case they're very short. I used it with Ortliebs adjusted back for heel strike.

CliftonGK1

+1 for just leaving it on. Be "that guy". You know... the one who shows up for a ride with the roadies with all his racks and luggage; only to keep pace, and take an extra-long turn up front.
I ride a Cross Check with a 12L Berthoud front bag and a Carradice Pendle, full steel fenders and 32mm tires and I show up for the LBS shop rides with all the CF roadies. It's fun to be "that guy".

pallen

Yeah, there is some flex in the road rack if you load it down. It works for me because I rarely need to carry over 10-15lbs. If you need something beefier, I wouldnt use this one.

vik 

Nothing quite as much fun as dropping someone on a climb when they see your bike has fenders and a rack! Well worth using a rearview mirror for just that purpose...

crhilton

Just so you know, they're not racing you up that climb and if you made an extra long pull you weren't in an up tempo ride .

LeeG

shhhh

Thunder Dan

Thanks for all the information. I'm still not sold on leaving it on all the time, but I haven't ruled it out entirely. Per your suggestions I am taking a look at the Axiom Streamliner DLX (regular version, not the road version) and was just wondering what the biggest tires were that anyone has put on with this rack. A couple of reviews indicate that fatties DO NOT fit.

LeeG

I'll check, I've got 35mm on and it doesn't look to me like the rack is anywhere near the tire. brb

CliftonGK1

I've got no grand delusions that I'm keeping pace with the A-class racers on a high intensity ride. I head out on the shop rides that list "moderate pace" and "regroup at the top of climbs". Still, I'm rarely the last guy to the top, even when I'm hauling all my luggage.
I think they let me take XL pulls because they like sitting behind "the truck".

531phile 

Problem solved.

vik 

It's not my fault you can't keep up with an old guy who has a rack and fenders on his bike. But, if the excuses make you feel better be my guest. I'll be too far ahead to hear them anyways.

LeeG

I measured the rack. at the tightest dimension up near the rack which is a couple inches above where the tires are located one set of struts are 2 3/4" wide. Down where the tire is located it's about 3" wide. Pretty sure that means the widest tire that can fit on a Cross -Check won't hit the rack.

kludgefudge

ok, I am not even going to bother reading what anyone else has said, and am going to tell you to man up, and not worry about taking off your rear rack to save precious grams on your non-competitive group rides with your buddies. The whole idea is just ridiculous.

Edit (for the record I have the Axiom streamliner on my bridgestone RB-1. it is a good choice)

Thunder Dan

Great, thanks for checking.