Pletscher Rack Spring -- Its Purpose?
04-24-17, 02:59 PM
#1
The Drive Side is Within
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Pletscher Rack Spring -- Its Purpose?
OK, what WAS that spring for? I had it on my parents' Atalas when I was a kid.
I used to just sort of imagine that it was for a newspaper or baguette, but now that I've seen modern bikepacking setups, I wonder if it was for a bedroll camping setup.
Pic is from Rivendell I think, with their version. Not sure how that book would stay there. When I was a kid, mine would hold plastic bags with a few cassette tapes from the record shop in the next town. The form and function just don't make sense to me.
I used to just sort of imagine that it was for a newspaper or baguette, but now that I've seen modern bikepacking setups, I wonder if it was for a bedroll camping setup.
Pic is from Rivendell I think, with their version. Not sure how that book would stay there. When I was a kid, mine would hold plastic bags with a few cassette tapes from the record shop in the next town. The form and function just don't make sense to me.
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The bicycle, the bicycle surely, should always be the vehicle of novelists and poets. Christopher Morley
The bicycle, the bicycle surely, should always be the vehicle of novelists and poets. Christopher Morley
04-24-17, 03:05 PM
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They were quite versatile, but not very strong. When using the front stop, they could securely carry rectangular objects.
04-24-17, 03:29 PM
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that double spring and bail set-up is designed to carry a basketball (or football) .... from back in the day when kids played outdoors and such.
04-24-17, 03:38 PM
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04-24-17, 04:20 PM
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Books and notebooks, of course. It was essential for me in grad school. I could get to the center of campus in Ann Arbor 10 minutes faster by bike than by car (it was the parking and walking time that did it) because the rack could carry my language study books.
04-24-17, 04:26 PM
#7
Cyclist
I thought it was designed to hold a bottle of wine
04-24-17, 04:32 PM
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It was there to annoy me cuz it wouldn't securely hold a six pack of bottles.
Never a fan but I like the front ones better. (as a bag support)
Never a fan but I like the front ones better. (as a bag support)
04-24-17, 04:43 PM
#9
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I've toured Ireland with one on a gas pipe ten speed from a Belfast flea market. It's a good thing Ireland is small.
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The bicycle, the bicycle surely, should always be the vehicle of novelists and poets. Christopher Morley
The bicycle, the bicycle surely, should always be the vehicle of novelists and poets. Christopher Morley
04-24-17, 04:49 PM
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04-24-17, 04:56 PM
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It was designed to hold exactly one (1) rolled-up windbreaker. Which is about the maximum load capacity of one of those cheap, flimsy racks 
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04-24-17, 05:07 PM
#12
The Drive Side is Within
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I'd like to see some promotional photos of it in use.
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The bicycle, the bicycle surely, should always be the vehicle of novelists and poets. Christopher Morley
The bicycle, the bicycle surely, should always be the vehicle of novelists and poets. Christopher Morley
04-24-17, 05:08 PM
#13
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04-24-17, 05:24 PM
#14
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While I haven't used one since I was like 12, IIRC they worked pretty well for holding a baseball glove. Also used mine for a fishing pole on many occasions. Probably stuffed a few bag lunches back there too. They would get kind of squished.
04-24-17, 05:33 PM
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Laterally, a cat.
(Please, please, please, don't ask for pics. The Cat.)
(Please, please, please, don't ask for pics. The Cat.)
04-24-17, 05:37 PM
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Based on my experience, it was there to hold something that you were willing to have go flying off without warning. Best one was when Ma sent me to the store for a 3 quart carton of milk. I arrived home with about 1 pint in a very battered carton, after its misadventure on the way home. 
04-24-17, 05:37 PM
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I used mine to hold my milk crate. It worked.
@Lascauxcaveman, they're wobbly but they don't break.
@Lascauxcaveman, they're wobbly but they don't break.
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04-24-17, 05:38 PM
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It was a very generic rack, and ubiquitous in it's era. The spring was for whatever it could hold; a coat, sweater, book bag, or whatever. Stiff too big or heavy to simply "rat trap" coule be held on with bungee cords.
Rat trap racks of this kind were standard BITD, and the Pletcher rack was only one of a myriad number with some variation of the feature.
Rat trap racks went out of favor in the USA, when folks started selling welded aluminum racks like the Blackburn, and charging triple to remove the spring feature.
Rat trap racks of this kind were standard BITD, and the Pletcher rack was only one of a myriad number with some variation of the feature.
Rat trap racks went out of favor in the USA, when folks started selling welded aluminum racks like the Blackburn, and charging triple to remove the spring feature.
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04-24-17, 05:42 PM
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I thought it was for an extra water bottle. Maybe it wasn't designed for any one specific thing?
04-24-17, 05:43 PM
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The fact that anybody would ask is proof of the generational turnover among bike riders.
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04-24-17, 05:45 PM
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That's what I used it for.
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04-24-17, 05:46 PM
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I used mine to hold my milk crate. It worked.
@Lascauxcaveman, they're wobbly but they don't break.
@Lascauxcaveman, they're wobbly but they don't break.
__________________
● 1971 Grandis SL ● 1972 Lambert Grand Prix frankenbike ● 1972 Raleigh Super Course fixie ● 1973 Nishiki Semi-Pro ● 1979 Motobecane Grand Jubile ●1980 Apollo "Legnano" ● 1984 Peugeot Vagabond ● 1985 Shogun Prairie Breaker ● 1986 Merckx Super Corsa ● 1987 Schwinn Tempo ● 1988 Schwinn Voyageur ● 1989 Bottechia Team ADR replica ● 1990 Cannondale ST600 ● 1993 Technium RT600 ● 1996 Kona Lava Dome ●
● 1971 Grandis SL ● 1972 Lambert Grand Prix frankenbike ● 1972 Raleigh Super Course fixie ● 1973 Nishiki Semi-Pro ● 1979 Motobecane Grand Jubile ●1980 Apollo "Legnano" ● 1984 Peugeot Vagabond ● 1985 Shogun Prairie Breaker ● 1986 Merckx Super Corsa ● 1987 Schwinn Tempo ● 1988 Schwinn Voyageur ● 1989 Bottechia Team ADR replica ● 1990 Cannondale ST600 ● 1993 Technium RT600 ● 1996 Kona Lava Dome ●
Likes For High Fist Shin:
04-24-17, 06:04 PM
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Secures canvas panniers that drape over the rack.