took my rack off my brompton. its small and most people just use the front bag most of the time anyway. I kept breaking srunts at £5 a pop due to pressure from closing my dahon androes stem extender.
Clean look and weight loss suits road race sytle conversion anyway
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...k-or-mudguards

I have a rear rack for my Friday but it messes with the fold so it's most left off. The "under rack" bag is cute but gets FILTHY.

On the Friday, a Travois trailer is the best.

On my Soma minivelo, I run a front rack + rando bag and a Carradace "bag man" rear with a largish saddle bag. And then STILL carry the laptop in a messenger bag.

FWIW, Older Burly Flat bed with my Pocket Llama, all 4 tires are 406 .. 20"
(Current one uses 16" like BoB trailers)

The Bi Fri, Suitcase trailer and the Travoy are 12.5"

Carry Freedom City, a flat-folding trailer, uses 12.5 wheels too .

Without a front bag I find there's a distinct tendency for the front wheel to lift on my Brompton when pulling away from lights.
That said the wind resistance seems to be increased out of all proportion. Sometimes I pull out to overtake a bus on London bridge only to find myself going backwards.

I have Brompton, with no rack and just use the T-Bag on the front. I had seriously considered a rack but as I talked it through with the dealer - how I planned to use the bike - he suggested that I not get a rack and just use the front luggage carrier. Having said that, for other Brompton owners and other owners of folding bikes, a rack can make good sense.

I were the OP, since he doesn't use the rack I would remove it but hang on to it in case I found that removing it didn't provide the advantages I imagined.

Sorry to divert off topic for a sec here but Charles, I was wondering how you like having the drive wheel in front, as a the "steerable" wheel on your recumbent. In my "imaginings" I have thought that shortening the drive train to the easier, more direct connection to the front wheel would have advantages but wondered how that would work with steering. I have thought that it would not be an issue at speed but but slower more intricate maneuvering might be a bit compromised.

Your "imaginings" are pretty good. At speed, I can ride for extended periods of time with no hands, so it really becomes a positive. At very low speeds, it can be noticeable and can be a little on the annoying side (but the speed at which this is an issue is still getting lower and lower). It does take a little getting used to, but once you do, it's fantastic.

Going a step further with this I have thought that a front wheel drive recumbent with a simple rear wheel electric hub drive motor, with low centrally mounted battery as you obviously have room for, would be a very intriguing rig. Aerodynamic, simple and with additional power for what I understand can sometimes be an issue - climbing - for recumbents. I have neither a recumbent nor electric bike but "imagining" can be fun.

I run racks on most of my bikes, including the folders. My Twenty's came with racks, I bought racks for my Dahon Classic III's.

I typically use a Banjo Bros rack top bag with drop down panniers. They do work with the 16" wheels... barely. But is still comes in handy.

Aaron :)

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8401/8...267a804c_c.jpg
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8464/8...7530fd07_c.jpg

aaww yeaaah.

I never use a rack on my 9FS. I do not normally carry much ( if anything ). I use a backpack when necessary.

Om,
Yan

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7446/1...2a6af07151.jpg

(with the bag)

With the front rack being pretty small, out of curiosity, what keeps the bag from falling down?

Velcro straps at the bottom of the bag?

Yes, it's the Acorn boxy rando bag, which has velcro and side straps and a rigid hidden body that keeps it upright even without a decaleur (which is good for commute riding).
http://littlecirclesvt.com/wp-conten...3/img_7767.jpg <- not mine

Thanks for the info. I didn't know smaller porteur racks were called decaleurs.

sweet...

http://www.yostwerks.com/RuthBascom.jpg

http://www.yostwerks.com/ReddingKeswickD.jpg

http://www.yostwerks.com/BFB.jpg

the Bike Friday includes braze ons , on that fork, is a 4 point mount for their front rack . ..


They connect with a front cross Tube , the racks pack Flat for all things to go in the suitcase for travel .

I agree. Carrying some load on the front improves the handling of my 20" folding bikes. Without the front load, I sometimes do wheelies (front wheel liftoff) when I take off from standing start in the uphill direction or when pedaling over speed bumps and uphill at the same time. With some front load, that doesn't happen. Also the steering is a little less twitchy when there's some mass on the front, still responsive and quick but less sensitive and tracks the direction of travel better.

AdventureCycling has touring tips, among which they say:Source: What to Take and How to Pack | How To Department | Adventure Cycling Association

I have front and rear racks on my Dahon Mariner. The rear came with the bike, while the front rack, which is basically impossible to buy new from anywhere, came from another forum member to whom I am very grateful.

I commute on it daily, and on about half the days I only have the rear rack in use; I have the backpack strapped to it by using an S-Caribiner to clip the backpack's top handle to a seat rail, and then a bungee net to secure it to the rack. This way, I have no heel clearance issues, and I can get the backpack off the bike and on my back in around 30 seconds, which I need to do midway through my commute since folding the bike with the pack strapped on isn't really possible. I have a little saddlebag with tools and a tube always attached to the rear rack right up against the seatpost.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=369820

I use the front rack about half the time. Usually I just use one pannier up front or a rack-trunk on the top, so I can still fold the bike when they are attached. Occasionally I need to use both panniers up front, such as pictured here (I was bringing in two dozen donuts into work - one boxed- dozen in each bag), and when that's the case I need to unclip one pannier to get a fold, or I just don't fold (which I can get away with when the trains aren't crowded.)

Steering is obviously slower when there are bags installed up front, but really, it doesn't feel much different than a full-sized MTB; I find it takes around 30 seconds to get used to it.

A front rack along with the right bags really increases my commuting flexibility, and I recommend them if you can find them.

-Warr

I have both a front and rear rack. My bike came with a rear rack, but I do tour with my folder and I like to put some weight on the front to make it easier to handle. John

Front and rear rack on my NWT. I tour on it and carry front and rear panniers, back rack bag and handlebar bag. Don't ask me to lift it ;-)

Tern Kanga Rack

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...3594730833.jpg

I love my crossrack. Pull the pin and it's like riding with no rack, no extra weight. Pop the rack on with the pin and I can go shopping. I wouldn't want a permanent attachment rack because I don't like pushing the extra weight when I ride. I do like that the crossrack is behind my body and there's no drag from wind. Easily holds a full shopping bag. Now my Nitto rack up front is permanent and holds my mini rando bag. That's home to my lock, wallet, rolled up jacket when needed, or minor shopping items and take out. Minimal weight and it helps with steering.
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=505552

I haven't been using my Bike Friday a lot around town.

Personally I use a backpack quite a bit, so for ordinary rides, stuff just gets put into the pack.

When I do need a folder, it usually needs to get stuffed into a suitcase, and a rack would be more work. What my last trip did demonstrate, though, was that I definitely need more tie-downs on the suitcase. I bought a couple of rims that wouldn't fit inside, so they got lashed down on top. But, then getting into the suitcase meant unstrapping and strapping.

So, my goal is to add 2 sets of tie-downs. One set for a backpack in the middle (for easy access pockets), and a second set for bigger cargo. I"ll have to decide how it will work if I choose to carry both.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=505553

For my commute I have to have a rack and mudguards.

http://i.imgur.com/48gNCze.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/iFpKe5z.jpg

I solved the problem of having a rack when I need one and having no rack when i want the bike light by buying TWO folders :)

for my daily commuter workhorse I run a rack on it with full fenders and mudguards and use a rack bag on those very hot 28+C summer days (that's my cutoff before it gets too sweaty!). but usually I used Deuter bag with their suspended backpacks. doing that gives me less fiddling around when i'm folding and just get into work.

for lightness my other folder has no fenders rack or anything unnecessary heavy.

Brompton with titanium front rack and rear rack.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=505845

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=505846

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=505847

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=505848