Is it possible to safely install a rear rack on a bike that doesn't have seat stay mounting points? There are eyelets down by the dropouts but no mounting points on the seat stays. What are my options for mounting a rear rack? thank you!

I don't want to drill into my bike. I'm thinking p-clamps like this: https://www.bikecommuters.com/2008/07...-your-friends/

Any thoughts?

P clamps will work just fine.

P-clamps generally come with the rack. Blackburn, for instance, used to include 2 different sizes so check them out carefully. Most of the load is on the bottom legs so pretty much all the seat stays do is stablize the rack.

There is an alternate upper anchor point and that is the rear brake bolt. Several racks (Blackburn, Rhode Gear and at least one of Nashbar's house branded racks) came with a single center bracket that fastens to the center of rack top, loops over the rear brake and have a tab that brake bolt goes through.

I have a Blackburn rack mounted just this way on an older Trek frame that has dropout eyelets but no seatstay braze-ons.

Either that or get a seatpost mounted rack.

Yet another option:
https://bicycletrip.com/itemdetails.cfm?LibId=54359

Those P clamps work great. They are what we always used to use and I've never had one fail. I'm using them to mount a rack on one bike now.

Anthony

I don't recollect ever even seeing seatstay mounting points for a rear rack. Anyone have a photo example?

I just picked one of these for my Poprad. It rocks.

My '93 vintage Trek hardtail MTB has braze-on rack mounts on the seatstays and almost all touring frames have them too.

That's the first time I've ever seen 'seatpost' and 'rack' together in a good way.....

My '85 Jamis fat-tire city bike had them.

P-Clamps are your friend. That's how I did my front rack. One thing though - even if you get the right size p-clamp you may still want to wrap electrical tape around the frame part the clamp clamps to just to be sure it will be tight enough. One time my front rack slipped down a little and the rack bolt started rubbing against my tire.

About seatpost racks - I have one of those but when loaded they swing and swivel your seat! I had to fashion two vertical supports to the dropouts which stopped the swinging. Kinda defeats the purpose of the seatpost mount though.

Here's an example:

My Tubus Luna rack uses a single strut that attaches to the brake bridge using the brake mounting bolt.

Here's some big pics of my Crosshairs with a Jannd rack attached at the seat stays:

https://home.comcast.net/~joejackson9...s/DSC09675.JPG
https://home.comcast.net/~joejackson9...s/DSC09676.JPG

Jandd makes this adapter for bikes with 'wishbone' style seat stays:

Has anyone experienced any stability or weight limitations when using the p-clamps instead of braze-ons?

I'm thinking about buying an old Marin steel frame with no braze-ons for a long-distance bikepacking trip. I'll be traveling relatively light, but most likely will still use a rear rack.

Well, you resurrected a 10 year old thread but P-clamps as the upper (seatstay) mounting points work very well. Just get them in a diameter that snugs down firmly on the stays and use vinyl coated clamps to protect the paint.

They have also been used as lower mounting points for frames that don't have dropout eyelets but they are less stable and sturdy there.

wow old thread. I've used common p-clamps from the hardware store but they make a more substantial unit specifically for bike racks. they use 2 screws, 1 to hold onto the bike stay & the other to hold the rack.



I remember seeing someone here with them. If I can remember who the person is I'll try to mention them so maybe they can chime in with a link. here we go see post#11
Mounting a rear rack w/o braze ons?

by @cyccommute

maybe he has a current photo?


here's a link to a product on amazon Tubus Clamp Set for Seat Stay Mounting 16 mm (#71616) but I guess there is a specific size, not sure how that would fit your bike stay

Suprised no one mentioned seatpost collar adapter which replaces your seatpost collar with one that has integrated rack mounts. This is the way specialized handle mounting a rack on the new diverge. Works great with no issues over thousands of touring km's.

https://salsacycles.com/components/c...lars/rack-lock
https://www.amaincycling.com/special...700001/p747412

I've used a seatpost mounted rack with 10 pounds of weight (probably would take a lot more) effectively. Very sturdy system, but it was from Performance Bike which is no longer viable, but I'm sure there are other systems.

I would favor the Rack-Locks unit, cuz the tension bolt(s) appears to be separate from the rack bolt

This question is deserving of it's own thread. This question is no more similar to the topic of the thread than any other bike question.

Be bold.... start new threads, even if your question is exactly the same.

I think those are versatile, I have a cpl of those, even made one from scraps. but I find it difficult to get a tool in there to tighten those nuts & wind up finessing it with locking needle nose pliers