D.B. Cooper

i'm very close to ordering an atlantis. my only reservation is the fact that the fork doesn't have the upper braze-ons for low-rider racks, therefore i'll be forced to use a rack with a clamp instead. question...does this hinder the stability of the rack? has anyone had a problem because of this? it certainly seems that the folks at Rivendell know what they're doing.

picturemaker

I use a Tubus Tara Low rider rack on my Atlantis. I bought some nice hardware for attatching the rack from Peter White Cycles but when I went to install the rack I didn't like the way the hose clamps pinched so close to the paint on my fork. So, I went to my local hardware store and purchased some rubber coated P-clamps. These are used primarily for attatching conduit pipes to the wall and the black rubber coating is for insulation. I purchased several sizes because I was unsure which size would fit snuggly around the fork blade. I have to tell you that they worked out magnificently. I have had no problems with any slippage or movement of the rack since day one. The rack is rigid and I have carried as much as 25lbs. of gear in the front panniers on several tours. Hope this helps you decide. The Atlantis is a great bicycle and I highly recommend it for loaded touring. If there were any drawbacks to the Atlantis, the lack of mid fork rack mounts is the only one.

roadfix

Just wondering why no mid fork braze-ons? Is it due to mounting bolt location issues with different rack maufacturers?

Kodama

I have an Atlantis with the Rivendell/Nitto front rack. When I went to install that it was obvious why there are no midfork braze-ons - it wouldn't have intersected the mounting points in the rack. I used the clamps that came with the rack and they work great and it is incredibly stable. I haven't toured with it yet but I have done a bunch of riding with fully loaded front panniers on it - no issues at all.

BTW if you get your Atlantis custom painted like I did (and now Rivendell is getting half the frames unpainted and you can get a custom paint job for only US$100 more) you can arrange to have braze ons added. I personally would only do this if you intend to use a front rack that doesn't connect at the top, like the Tubus racks.

canali

also grant on the website says specifically they don't have them on so that any one you choose will fit.

I am just getting my atlantis in a few months...can't wait.

For now I'm having plenty of fun with my Surly Cross Check.