Custom rear racks: anyone have advice
12-30-05, 09:56 PM
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Custom rear racks: anyone have advice
RE: Exploring custom rear racks (ieg., mariposa/davidson)
for my 53" Riv Atlantis...anyone have experience with such?
As per Jan Heine's (always helpful) recent advice, I visited the
the Gilles Berthoud site (to look at his racks as nothing I was coming across
was tickling my fancy style wise): www.gillesberthoud.fr
Wow, what beautiful, curvy rear racks…
But I'm also wondering how strong they are compared to
the Tubus ones, ie, the Cargo, for a loaded tour with my Atlantis?
The Riv Nitto rear rack is also indeed quite nice, but the curves
of the Mariposa or GB ones I've seen are just so stunningly lovely that they
got me thinking that maybe I should consider the custom route.
Ideally, I want the strength of a Tubus Cargo or a Bruce Gordon
(but I don't like the black colour; and the styles don't do anything for me,
I'm afraid, with all due respect, Bruce).
So I'm considering going custom with Davidson/Elliott Bay Cycles
or with Mariposa for my 53" Atlantis.
Feel free to advise, esp if there are other makers
I haven't yet investigated that might suit my palette and avoid the costlier
custom route.
Joe
for my 53" Riv Atlantis...anyone have experience with such?
As per Jan Heine's (always helpful) recent advice, I visited the
the Gilles Berthoud site (to look at his racks as nothing I was coming across
was tickling my fancy style wise): www.gillesberthoud.fr
Wow, what beautiful, curvy rear racks…
But I'm also wondering how strong they are compared to
the Tubus ones, ie, the Cargo, for a loaded tour with my Atlantis?
The Riv Nitto rear rack is also indeed quite nice, but the curves
of the Mariposa or GB ones I've seen are just so stunningly lovely that they
got me thinking that maybe I should consider the custom route.
Ideally, I want the strength of a Tubus Cargo or a Bruce Gordon
(but I don't like the black colour; and the styles don't do anything for me,
I'm afraid, with all due respect, Bruce).
So I'm considering going custom with Davidson/Elliott Bay Cycles
or with Mariposa for my 53" Atlantis.
Feel free to advise, esp if there are other makers
I haven't yet investigated that might suit my palette and avoid the costlier
custom route.
Joe
12-31-05, 12:01 AM
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Originally Posted by mswantak
$365 for a rear carrier!? You'd have to be drinking the bong water to spring for something like that.
12-31-05, 02:16 AM
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I wasn't even aware Davidson did custom racks. I live in Seattle and visit that shop periodically. I couldn't find anything on the web site about it either.
I honestly don't think you can have your cake and eat it too here, especially not for cheap. The Tubus Cosmo seems like a good mix of pretty and sturdy, but it's not a custom job.
My girlfriend is talking about doing some touring this summer (cool huh?). If that happens I will probably get an ugly-but-functional-and-cheap Cargo and just take it off when we're done.
I honestly don't think you can have your cake and eat it too here, especially not for cheap. The Tubus Cosmo seems like a good mix of pretty and sturdy, but it's not a custom job.
My girlfriend is talking about doing some touring this summer (cool huh?). If that happens I will probably get an ugly-but-functional-and-cheap Cargo and just take it off when we're done.
12-31-05, 01:48 PM
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No I just found out Davidson doesn't...and you're right: when paying for an expensive and lovely piece of equipment the standards for anything else have to be just as high, so price doesn't really become an option...that said, and also considering I'm not rich, I am relooking at the Bruce Gordon and Tubus racks.
Joe
Joe
12-31-05, 03:29 PM
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My idea of a custom rack would be something in the line of what Thorn sells (for a price) with its Expedition tourer: a rack with tubes that are TIG welded to the frame, so the rack becomes an integral part of it. Barring that, I would suggest you go with the Tubus Cargo or Bruce Gordon rear rack (with light holder); not sure which one I prefer. You could get a matching front rack; for a lowrider rack, I think I prefer Bruce's design to those sold by Tubus: less sleek, perhaps, but Bruce Gordon's front rack seems more sturdy. (And yes, I know there are many satisfied Tubus users).
If you want a nicer-looking rack, why not take one of the above and have it painted a custom colour? I would probably use a contrasting colour because the rack scratches much more easily than the bike, so touch ups won't show as much.
If you want a nicer-looking rack, why not take one of the above and have it painted a custom colour? I would probably use a contrasting colour because the rack scratches much more easily than the bike, so touch ups won't show as much.
