Cannondale T2000 Front Rack Recommendation?
 

So I'm looking to go on a tour in October and need to put a front rack on my T2000. It's a 2007 model, and I've heard that there can be problems with getting one to fit. Any recommendations?

I don't see why there would be any problems. You might have to use a spacer or standoff to get the rack around the bottom of the blade but you often have to do that with any rack. I'd suggest the Tubus Tara. Nice and strong and looks good, too.

Cyc, any comments about lowriders vs racks with a platform? I also need to move some weight forward, looking at a Surly rack to put a rack-top bag and panniers on. It is heavy, though.

I've used them for mountain biking ages ago. There's nothing wrong with them but I like low-riders better. I pack all of my heavy stuff in the front bags to begin with. Stuff like cooking gear, food or anything that is dense and smallish. I put light bulky stuff in the rear.

Hello Baskinrobbin, I too have gotten a new Cannondale T2000 this year. It has about 2000 km, 1400 km of loaded touring on it so far and the bike rides like a dream and has functioned perfectly. Just what I had hoped so I am very pleased with my selection. I put a lot work into researching touring bikes before I decided on the T2000 and it was time well spent. As for front racks my old low riders fit very easily, a little adjustment to get it to fit the straight front forks but nothing serious. I really wanted a rack with a platform on it so I got a Jandd Extreme. I am very happy with the rack. It however took a great deal of bending and adjusting of the lower bracket to get it so I was happy with the fit. I am very picky about rack mounting and want my bike racks to be fasten directly to the braze-on with no spacers and not mounted with anything else on the bolt. I really want the rack mounted solidly to the bike. I have seen too many problems on the road with racks that aren't fastened properly. It's very hard to fit a broken braze-on. Also in order to clear my front fender I had to shorten the lower bracket about 1/2". Too bad that Cannondale doesn't put 2 lower braze-on's on the front fork of the T2000. I had to mount my fender on the same bolt as the rack although I have a idea about changing that. On the rear rack I drilled and tapped holes in the rack to mount my fender so that the rack is the only thing mounted on the bolt. Remember to LOK-TITE ( blue ) your bolts so that they don't come loose. You will notice that that the T2000 has 2 upper braze-on's on each front fork. I saw a bike that had a TUBUS DUO front rack mounted. I uses both those braze-on's as well as the bottom and it was a very solid mounting.
Here are some pictures of my T2000 before heading out for a 1000 km tour around Lake Ontario in June. Remember the journey is far important than the destination. Where are you located and where are you heading.
I'me not great at photo imaging and don't know why these photo's are soo small but have better ones but don't know how to get them attached. Sorry.
Enjoy the trip!

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Cyberpep,

Thank you for the pics! I use mine for commuting and now I want to get back into touring again. I'm thinking of doing the Allegheny Loop from ACA. It's a prelim ride that is on Crazy Guy on a Bike website. Should be a good tuneup for the Green Mountains next summer!

Have you had any issues with your bottom bracket? They rebuilt mine after 400 miles but it's starting to creak again. I

I've got Old Man of the Mountain (I think that is the name) on my T2000 and there was absolutely no problem mounting.

Baskinrobbin, sounds like a great plan. Both trips will be great. October sounds a little cool for me. I like warm wether and lots of day light. I have had no mechanical issues with the T2000 in 2000 km. I do most of my own repairs and tuning as there is no decent bike shop within a hour of me so I am almost always tweaking something on one of my bikes. Where are you located?

I wound up getting the Jandd Front Extreme. Now what will my wife say when she sees the $60 for a rack?

I'm in Raleigh, just looked at the daily temps in Blacksburg in early October, I really don't like cold! Hmm, maybe somewhere else warm in the Southest.

I looked at both the Jandd & the Tara; I thought the Jandd was a bit too bulky on the front-end. The Tara is pretty minimal in comparison and does have the advantage to being able to dismantle to flat-pack size. I mean minimal as a compliment in that it's almost un-noticable when not loaded. :)

Baskinrobbin, I have bicycled in the Shenandoah Valley and also at Morgantown WV in October and the weather can be great. It can also be lousy if it is raining but I have had great weather. The days are shorter but I will usually start early in the dark. I ride at night often on my daily commute and feel safer then than I do during the day. The temperature is another thing. If you are camping it can be cold, but if you are using motels then October cycling is great. Fall cycling in Ontario is simular in weather and I have had some great rides that time of the year. I usually commute well into October and some of November depending on rain. Since I live in Ontario my Jandd rack with shipping and taxes ( 15% ) ended up costing me $108 CAD. You can tell your wife you got a deal. The Jandd Extreme is the only rack that I found like it and since that is what I wanted I had little choice but to buy it. I am very pleased with it. Happy touring!

Thanks Cyberpep! I plan on camping to save on cost, now I"m thinking of biking down to Charleston instead, and having my wife come pick me up there.

The front rack came in and I got it installed. Thanks to Cyberpep and his advice, I modified the bottom bracket by removing 1/2" and redrilled another hole. It looks great! I used some flat black paint and you really can't tell that it was changed.

Nice Rig, Cyberpep!
 

Cyberper, your bike looks great. I've heard good things about Cannondale tourers. Out of curiousity, what kind of panniers are those?

Hi BigBlueToe, The panniers are just some cheap ones that I got at a LBS, they didn't even have tags on them when I bought them. The front bags I use 1 everyday to commute with. The rear bags were acually bought to go on a hybrid that I used on light tours and trails. Although they have worked alright for the price, all 4 for $150, they are not waterproof and I have repaired them a few times. I am currently in the process of researching panniers as I want to get a new complete set. I live on the Waterfront Trail which follows Lake Ontario's north shore so I encounter a great number people on a loaded tour. I generally take notice of their panniers and question them about them. There are not any stores near me that stock touring panniers so that I can look at them and compare. There are great online sites but I want to touch them first before I purchase. So far the the people that I've talked to that even liked their panniers had ARKEL or ORTLIEB. They are 2 completely styles and the ARKEL sets are expensive. I personally want rainproof and I don't care about pockets so I am looking at the ORTLIEB set, just wish the rear panniers were bigger. I haven't counted out LONE PEAK or JANDD yet. Don't know if it been done but panniers would make for a great poll, what size and what brand.
Happy touring