Easily removable rack solution for bike without eyelets
08-25-09, 07:40 PM
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Easily removable rack solution for bike without eyelets
After deciding I like riding my road bike more than my heavy commuter I sold the commuter bike. The road bike has been great, but I am starting to miss my rack and light panniers as it gets colder and I need to carry more things. My bike doesn't have eyelets or braze-ons for a rack. I know about the P-clamp suggestion, but my issue is that I need something that can be easily removed on the weekends for rides where I don't want the rack. This is what I've come up with so far, please let me know if I've missed something:
1. Tubus Stay Mounting Clamps
2. Axiom Streamliner Rack (or something similar that uses the rear skewer) and some other way of mounting the top of the rack (brake bridge isn't easily removable and I don't want that piece of metal sticking out). Perhaps a rack mount seatpost clamp.
3. Seatpost mounted rack and bag.
4. Spend big bucks and get a Tubus Rack with their Quick Release Mounting Kit and the rack seatpost clamp.
Number four is out because of the cost. Number three would seem okay but I just don't think it looks sturdy, I worry about my thighs hitting the clamping mechanism, and the cost for a rack and a bag is more than I'd like to spend since I already have a rack and panniers. I'm not sure how to make number two work without spending a lot on a different rack also. Maybe I could cut the brake bridge metal bar going to the rack and drill holes and affix it there, but I think that would impact fit. So I think number one is the most likely. It will look kind of ugly having the clamps there, but I might try to paint them black to match my frame. Any options I'm missing?
1. Tubus Stay Mounting Clamps
2. Axiom Streamliner Rack (or something similar that uses the rear skewer) and some other way of mounting the top of the rack (brake bridge isn't easily removable and I don't want that piece of metal sticking out). Perhaps a rack mount seatpost clamp.
3. Seatpost mounted rack and bag.
4. Spend big bucks and get a Tubus Rack with their Quick Release Mounting Kit and the rack seatpost clamp.
Number four is out because of the cost. Number three would seem okay but I just don't think it looks sturdy, I worry about my thighs hitting the clamping mechanism, and the cost for a rack and a bag is more than I'd like to spend since I already have a rack and panniers. I'm not sure how to make number two work without spending a lot on a different rack also. Maybe I could cut the brake bridge metal bar going to the rack and drill holes and affix it there, but I think that would impact fit. So I think number one is the most likely. It will look kind of ugly having the clamps there, but I might try to paint them black to match my frame. Any options I'm missing?
08-26-09, 05:57 AM
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try Carradice
Here's a #5 option for you. Get a Carradice bag with their Bagman rack with quick release. Some of the Carradice bags will hold as much gear as panniers, and even the smaller ones hold as much or than a racktop bag. The Bagman rack supports the bag and has a quick release so you can easily remove the bag. The other advantage is that Carradice bags center the weight just behind and below your saddle so it doesn't affect handling much. For comparison, I tried a seatpost mounted rack and it sucked. With a racktop bag, the weight was centered much higher and it affected handling a lot, plus it was harder to swinmy leg over it when getting on or off my bike.
Here's a photo of a couple of several of my bikes using the same Carradice bag and rack set up. You can see that it works as well on a racing frame as a touring frame. BTW, My Carradice bag is the Barley, which is their smallest seatbag.
Here's a photo of a couple of several of my bikes using the same Carradice bag and rack set up. You can see that it works as well on a racing frame as a touring frame. BTW, My Carradice bag is the Barley, which is their smallest seatbag.
08-27-09, 07:45 AM
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Here's a #5 option for you. Get a Carradice bag with their Bagman rack with quick release. Some of the Carradice bags will hold as much gear as panniers, and even the smaller ones hold as much or than a racktop bag. The Bagman rack supports the bag and has a quick release so you can easily remove the bag. The other advantage is that Carradice bags center the weight just behind and below your saddle so it doesn't affect handling much. For comparison, I tried a seatpost mounted rack and it sucked. With a racktop bag, the weight was centered much higher and it affected handling a lot, plus it was harder to swinmy leg over it when getting on or off my bike.
Here's a photo of a couple of several of my bikes using the same Carradice bag and rack set up. You can see that it works as well on a racing frame as a touring frame. BTW, My Carradice bag is the Barley, which is their smallest seatbag.
Here's a photo of a couple of several of my bikes using the same Carradice bag and rack set up. You can see that it works as well on a racing frame as a touring frame. BTW, My Carradice bag is the Barley, which is their smallest seatbag.
08-27-09, 08:12 AM
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P clips using wingnuts instead of regular nuts too difficult to remove?
08-27-09, 08:20 AM
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I use a seatpost rack with a racktop bag. Carries A LOT though the weight distribution kinda sucks - higher than I would like and if there's a load in there I can really feel it when hammering. The nice thing is it takes 3 seconds to take it off, 10 seconds to put it on. This combination was $30 from Nashbar including shipping. (Price is now $40 but I imagine you can find a coupon out there)
https://www.nashbar.com/bikes//Produc...2_167746_-1___
https://www.nashbar.com/bikes//Produc...2_120340_-1___
My thighs do not contact the clamping mechanism under normal situations, however due to the weight distribution I'd only go for the seatpost rack and racktop bag if you want to take it on and off quickly.
Otherwise the seatpost mounting adapter and the Tubus adapter with wingnuts is probably your next best bet, though this adds $40 to your rack and bag cost.
https://www.nashbar.com/bikes//Produc...2_167746_-1___
https://www.nashbar.com/bikes//Produc...2_120340_-1___
My thighs do not contact the clamping mechanism under normal situations, however due to the weight distribution I'd only go for the seatpost rack and racktop bag if you want to take it on and off quickly.
Otherwise the seatpost mounting adapter and the Tubus adapter with wingnuts is probably your next best bet, though this adds $40 to your rack and bag cost.
Last edited by twentysixtwo; 08-27-09 at 08:30 AM.
