front rack for 26" wheeled LHT
 

I'm looking around for a front rack similar to the Jandd/Surly racks but not as large and heavy duty top rack. The Jandd hits the down tube gear cable stops, the Surly doesn't appear to but weighs 3lbs. I like the slightly higher low rider rail on the Jandd. I had a Blackburn front rack but it puts the panniers too high and too far forward. Basically looking for a strong mid height low rider with small rack for resting a stuff bag or six pack sized box. It should be possible to pull of this design for 1 1/2 lbs.

I've not seen any such thing. Nitto's big front rack(tubular cromoly), at a bit over 2lbs. is as light as I've seen for a platform and the ability to carry panniers. Without going to either titanium or making it flimsy, it's just not possible to make one otherwise at that weight.

I have seen someone use a Blackburn rear rack up front , but they had to machine their own rack extenders to allow it be mounted far enough forward and high(for 700c wheels. http://www.flickr.com/photos/32306142@N07/3293019098
Blackburn racks don't offer the most stability though for panniers.

I have this on my 26" LHT, Blackburn Mtf-1 Front Rack (weighs a little less than 1.5 lbs):

http://www.cambriabike.com/shopexd.a...f+1+Front+Rack

imagine something like this except the major tube is more vertical with a small rack extending to the fork crown and the pannier cross piece is cantilevered off of the front and back.

http://www.tubus.com/en/lowrider/smarti

That would be a custom rack, there's some good ones in the US. They usually start over $300.

Otherwise it would take two racks to do that, add a Nitto Mark's rack or M-18. http://www.benscycle.net/index.php?m...f8a46891ad839a

Nitto has this too. http://www.benscycle.net/index.php?m...f8a46891ad839a

I think the best/lightest option would be a tubus duo with the nashbar mini front rack. Nitto m-18 would be nicer and stronger, but heavier.

I'm glad they're back to making those but they mount the pannniers too high and forward. Imagine shortening the rack about 2 1/2" so it's as long as to the edge of the steel emblem plate riveted on top. Too short for a regular rack pack or panniers but plenty big to pile a compressed stuff sack, handlebar bag. Instead of having two struts go up to the front of the rack rack only have one, the vertical stays where it is.
Then you take that single straight diagonal strut that used to go from the mid-fork mount to the front of the rack and turn it into a < with the top edge level for panniers, connected to the forward leaning vertical and the main vertical. The back of the < is connected to the rearward leaning vertical that connects down to the mid fork mount. The amount of extra material used to make up the < piece would come out of the shortened rack. I can't imagine it would weigh much more than the existing rack.

Oh wait, needs more material further down to stabilize the panniers,,hmm, no free lunch.

except for the part where I want the panniers to sit higher than the mid-fork mount. I like being able to pull up to the curb and the panniers to sit just above the curb with 26" wheels.

http://nordicgroup.us/bicycleluggage...t_Rack_Summary This shows many front racks for reference.

The Nitto Big Front or HighRider http://www.rivbike.com/products/list...s?a=1&page=all are about as close as you may find without going custom. The Big Rack weighs just over 2lbs.,the HighRider just under 2lbs., not a big deal for a touring bike.

thx Garthr, what I'm imaging is something like the Nitto Big Front but without the large deck top. The Nitto High rider puts the weight too far forward of the fork axis.

Sorry, missed this part - I see you had what I recommended.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=150352http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=150354

I do not know if you had considered either of the Bruce Gordon racks pictured above but my BG Mtn Rack weighs 20 oz. It and the companion BG rear rack have worked well for over 20 years on and off pavement. Handling under load is excellent.

Where does the BG Mtn rack attach at the top? It doesn't say on his website, or give a detailed photo.

Where does the BG Mtn rack attach at the top?

There are adjustable clamps for the upper fork blade shoulder. I had a braze-on placed in that location to eliminate wrap around part of the clamp pieces.

Can it mount on a TOP fork crown mount like this? http://www.flickr.com/photos/3230614...7612156720803/

Tough to guesstimate but I would say yes. The standard SS attachement piece supplied is 2mm thick,15mm wide and 75mm long twisted towards the end of the later third so that end is vertical to the plane of the other end of the piece.

You could custom make one if a longer or shorter one is needed and of course could be bent as the situation requires.

You should call BG for any further details as there may have been some changes in the clamp pieces- mine are over 20 years old. Before I had a braze-on added the supplied clamping system worked very well.

Honestly, I would put my energies into modifying a rear rack. Perhaps one of the more simple Blackburns.

Someone posted a picture of something like this with custom mounting brackets, but I know I've seen other bikes with modified rear racks that required less "doing." Worth looking into, I think.

I saw this and remembered your post:
http://store.interlocracing.com/lhfrpara.html
I've never seen nor used one, but it looks like it might cover some of your requirements.

I have a duo on a 26 inch wheel bike. I can verify that my super c front panniers are at least a couple inches above any "normal" curb.

Edit, there is also the new tubus smarti, which is a highrider similar to the duo or tara...

I bet Jandd makes that, or IRD took Jandd's design.

except that the IRD version looks like it won't hit the down tube as soon because the vertical back strut is angled up to the deck after the mid-fork mount and not a straight line up to the rack top. Unless someone has a minimal version this looks like the rack. Funny IRD says 25lbs and Jandd says 40lbs for capacity.

Could be, but the IRD version looks to have the low mounting arm slightly more forward which would be the rack more to the rear, although this is difficult to judge from the image. Also the IRD seems to have a steeper rear angle slope which again would place it further back. Would be nice to see an image of it mounted.

If you already have the Jandd, here's an option:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9320902@N04/2416671789/

Here's one I've not seen before:

http://www.charaway.com/item/NIDMIN17171110.htm
http://au.fcbe.net/blog/2005/06/mt3500sf.html
http://pedaldamnit.blogspot.com/2008...ast-of_15.html

Here's the Minoura link for the USA website http://www.minourausa.com/english/ra...t3500sf-e.html