lapher22

I finally broke down and built a front rack due to a combination of lack of racks that I like and are in my price range. I bought everything at Home Depot. So here are the ingredients 1 pack of conduit hangers, 4' of 3/4" square alum tube, 4' of 3/4" alum angle, 4' of 1/2" steel square tube, 4' of 3/4" steel flat bar, 14 6mm nuts and bolts. Cut the alum angle 16" long for the front and back, and the alum square 12" longfor the sides and two center bars. Then cut the steel flat to the desired length for hanging off the bars and the 1/2 steel square to desired length for the fork mount and cut the top and bottom at an angle for the bolts to recess in. took me an hour and was able to ride home tonight with a 12pack and my backpack not on my back. enjoy

thehum

very nice job. I like how you cut the steel square at an angle to bolt it onto your fork. Hmm this is giving me some ideas. how much did it cost you total? the guys at the utility forum would love this.

bigbenaugust 

That is a work of art. If I could do it for the rear and make it so my panniers would fit on the bar, I would jump right in.

lapher22

It cost about $35 but I bought more material than Ineeded, I have some of the steel flat and square left over and the conduit hangers came in a pack of 5, also the top of the fork braces are at an angle too with 6mm bolts and the bolt heads fit perfectly in the center of the tube.

gmule

Nice work!!

rugerben

I think I'm in love.

Is it bad that while some guys are drooling over carbon fiber and brifters, I drool over the most utilitarian bikes I see?

dschwarz

Any worries about the metal edges where the stays attach to the handlebars? I wouldn't want to contact one of those, or the bolts, in a wipeout.

genec

One thing to be careful of... especially if you live in a coastal area or any wet area, is electrolysis. You have combined bare aluminum with bare steel... where those metals come together, there will be an accelerated corrosion due to the dissimilar metals going into electrolysis. The aluminum will just be eaten away.

The way to protect the metals is to put some barrier between them... anything non conductive will do... paint or plastic, or even a primer like zinc oxide. Teflon tape will work.

If you live in Arizona, I wouldn't fret it... the dry air there will protect your metals.

BTW nice job at the supports that go to the forks.

lapher22

Everything is getting cut to proper length, loctited and painted flat black today.

CliftonGK1

Nice work!

(Reposition your front wheel QR lever before installing the rack after painting, or else you won't be able to open it without removing the rack. Looks like that rack strut is blocking it.)

jnp2whls

I must admit that that is one cool functional rack. Some one asked how you cut the angles. I'm not sure how you did it, but if you got a friend with an electric miter saw, you can get a 10" metal cutting blade for about 5 bucks that will cut any angle you wish. I use one to build trike frames and cutting AL or cold steel is a whiz with exact angles every time. Very inventive and creative.
Neal

lapher22

I cut the angles on the legs with a simple cutoff wheel using air tools and a grinder to finish it off.

striegel 

Man, that's sturdy! With a cushion, you could take paying passengers.

YoKev

awesome platform!

Any worries about the load being too much stress on the fork eyelets? A heavy load and a few good bumps could/may cause problems?

I'm going to make my own following your lead, but I'm going to attach it to my Old Man Mountain front rack.

Nightshade

PLEASE! Round off the top/edges of those flat support bars/clamps!!!!

I can see your guts ripped open if you take an endo!!!!!!

Otherwise nice work.

lapher22

Yes, but for now my heaviest load will be a duffle bag with work clothes or groceries so I really just needed a large platform. I would have liked to mount to my axle but can't due to my fork angle. I may eventually get a bolt on rear axle and rebuild the front wheel with it if I decide to take really heavy loads.

slloth

If I had one of them I could bring pizza home after work for the whole family!

YoKev

Cool, just checking

I had the same problem when I was attaching a Wald basket to a Surly fork. I had to use a dremel on the basket struts so it would mount properly.

Again, thank you for sharing.

genec

Heck with that rack you could take the family to the pizza!

lapher22

Here are some update pics the bag is the reason I built the rack. So I can transport my work clothes on monday and friday. Now no more impailer bars and she's black.

Nightshade

MUCH better! Much better!

rugerben

ooooohhhhh i like it a lot now.

Wino Ryder

Very nice rack, man.