Here's my trunk bag (Arkel Tailrider) mounted on the rack using this system. I used this to carry a DSLR and a 70-200mm lens mounted on it that day. Rack is the Tubus Fly which works very well since it's wider back deeper on the rack and then narrows to the front. Any flex side to side depends on the bands you use to attach the battens to the rack. If you use wire and twist it tight, that would be the most secure (very secure)
Originally Posted by
HardyWeinberg
can you post a photo of the Airy? I've never seen one 'in the wild'. Just the same catalog pix over and over.
Actually, I can't in the next week or so (traveling). I took it off the bike and only put it on when I need it. It's narrow at the front like the fly is but it doesn't get wider like the fly does. It's a great rack and I've carried a lot of weight on it.
Originally Posted by
PaulRivers
I feel like this could go on forever, it's not a competition over who can be the most clever - it's just about that someone ordering the rack should know it's not going to work well with a trunk bag out of the box.
That's a good pic.
I've considered doing something similar because I've felt like it's the best looking rack with no bag on it, and with a bag on it the bag would cover up any odd attachments.
Yep. That's how it works. As you cinch down the bag on top, it just tightens it up further. You could go even more firm by using wire or something too but I don't think that would be necessary. The things to watch for are how the attachment system works and how much velcro they give you to work with. It varies bag to bag and it can lead to incompatibilities to any number of racks.
But I'd be really annoyed if I ordered that rack because of a recommendation, and only after I got it and installed it found out that it required additional work to put a bag on it, wouldn't you?
Actually, I wound't. I've done enough of this to realize that there are all sorts of incompatibilities between bags and racks and loads. You have to check each combination no matter what.
You don't have to put it on the bike to test it. You can do it off the bike and see how it fits first. No different than any other rack and bag combo. I guess I've always tried them out on the racks in the store or when I've gotten them all home and found that important to do. And, FWIW, I think you pretty much need to go through this with any rack and trunk bag if they are not from the same mfg and designed specifically to work together as well as how it's going to be loaded (and sometimes even then).
That all said, I've gone away from rack trunks. I agree with the sentiment that the lightest rack is no rack and now use seat/saddle bags like this:
https://bolderbikepacking.wordpress.com/saddlebags/
So I hardly ever use a trunk bag by itself anymore. A rack weighs more than a pound and close to two. A rack trunk without anything in it is one or two pounds. So that's three to four pounds of added weight before you even put anything in it.
if I'm using panniers or pannier style bags, then I hardly ever need the trunk bag anymore either. For touring, I'd put the sleeping bag on top of the rack or my tent and not the a rack trunk.
I find that the bike handles better with the weight close in and you get ride of the weight of the rack and the extra weight that is usually found in all the trunk bags (which tend to be heavy compared to the saddlebags). Since I tend to favor tighter geometries in my bikes, this matters to me.
But if you want to use a trunk bag on a Tubus Fly or Airy, this is how you can do it. I think those are two of the best looking racks out there. And I really like how they tuck the side loads in closer to the bike by not having all that width up top. Worth the try if one is looking at these racks. And it would be prudent to make sure it's all returnable in the event that it doesn't work out (which is the same advice I'd give on any bag/rack combo).
J.