Centurion rear rack installation conundrum
 

Dear Abby,

The 1984 Centurion Catalog shows (see the left half of the photo below) the rear rack on the Pro Tour and the Elite GT perfectly horizontal, level with the top tube, and with the lower anchoring point attached to the rearward and lower of the two eyelets.

http://img28.imageshack.us/img28/277...installati.jpg

I just recently picked up an 83 Pro Tour 15 (see right half of above pic) where the rack's lower attachments are installed in the upper/forward of the two eyelets -- forcing the rack to "slope" from horizontal (i.e., from the top tube angle) and forcing the forward rack attachments to bend (notice they DO NOT bend in the catalog photos).

It seems simple enough to unbend the rack attachments and install the rack per the catalog photograph -- and it seems clear that whoever did the original installation was an idiot and installed the lower rack attachments in the wrong eyelets.

Or were they an idiot? Aren't the rearward/lower eyelets usually reserved for fenders? How can you install a rear fender in the upper eyelet... where it's now blocked by the rack attachment?

The bike, by the way, is rather minty -- and since I know the seller and original owner, I know it never has had a rear fender installed.

Thanks, Sleepless in Virginia Beach

If it doesn't work right where it is now, why not just move it? Chances are the LBS that assembled it just did it quickly and didn't worry about it or the original owner didn't know any better. Or there's an unforseen problem that you haven't come across yet because you haven't tried to install the rack in the other set of eyelets. As for fenders - you can always double-stack the attachments to the same eyelet with some longer bolts or find fenders that clip to the rear rack, if bending the fender struts won't make enough clearance to get to the other set of eyelets.

I've never thought about it much, but I have had both a fender and a a rack installed on the back at the same time. Currently the rack is installed in the upper eyelets.

My guess is that it doesn't matter. You just got to make them fit. If the rack fits better on the lower eyelets, put it there. The eyelets are probably far enough from each other that the rack and fender mountings won;t interfere.

perhaps something hit the rack or the bike was held or suspended by the rack. or perhaps your bike is a different size than the one in the catalog pic and that is just how it fits.

Could be the rack dimensions are different as well. Anymore upper rack supports are often adjustable.

i'm guessing different size bike/rear triangle.

A rack is often more restrictive than fenders, in my experience, anyway, so I mount the rack where it will work best, then worry about fenders.