Front rack for Surly LHT
 

I just put a stainless steel Tubus Cosmo rack on the rear of my black LHT.I was going to put the matching front stainless rack on but now am wondering if I might want a front rack with a top shelf. Does anyone know of a front rack in stainless with a top shelf.Also, would anyone care to comment on the usefulness of a top shelf on a front rack.Thanks in advance for any responses.

You can get the surly nice front rack for your surly lht.I got both front and rear in black on my Surly LHT.

I really want it to be stainless or at least silver to match the rear rack.

Good question. I'd also like to hear some opinions. I'll be looking to get a front rack in a few months.

The Surly racks are made in silver.

As for the usefulness of platform, it's useful to put stuff on it. :D I put a photo backpack across the rack and panniers instead of a handlebar bag. I find the difference in handling between low and high rider negligeable. In fact, I'd say I prefer the high-rider position.

what size of wheels on your LHT? I had a 700c LHT that tolerated a top mounted load but was happier with low rider load. I now have a 26" wheeled LHT of the same frame size and it does just fine with top mounted panniers AND I have the rack for tying stuff to. So if you've got a 700c LHT i'd look to keep low rider function if you add a top rack. ps. once the bags are on you really won't notice if the rack is silver or black.

I have 26" wheel on my Surly LHT and yes you can get the surly nice front rack in silver.

The Surly front rack is powdercoated silver, it is not stainless. Try the Nitto front rack http://www.rivbike.com/products/show...nt-rack/20-187

pass and stow racks seem like they can be made in silver now. the best platform rack out there hand down.

I have Blackburn racks, an MTF-1 up front. I chose a platform rack after reading Ken Kifer's rationale for rack-top bags instead of handlebar bags, but I wonder whether he knew about bags that mount on decaleurs/brackets. Next time, I might forgo the platform.

Edit: My bar-end shifter cables kind of get in my bag's way; that's one reason I think a handlebar bag might have been better.

or this one for maximum capacity http://www.rivbike.com/products/show...k-nitto/20-075

nitto campee

route the derailleur cables up along the bars just like the brake cables. Never understood why manufacturers leave those housings out flapping in the wind.

Me neither, but I'd have to replace the cables with longer ones to do that. Maybe some time. INBD

Nitto isn`t stainless it is plated over chromo, which is nice, though I would also accept powder. Carry a little crazy glue for the inevitable scratches.

As mentioned above, the Blackburn MTF-1 comes in silver. I have it on my LHT and it works well:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/M...&ModelID=14121

the nitto doesn't scratch. i have the campee...

there are no stainless platform front racks in production.

i think a platform is unnecessary.

This Velo Orange rack is stainless.

I got their earlier chromed version of that rack for the front of a CrossCheck, the neat part is that you can use p-clamps to connect it to the cantilever brake bosses with the fork crown tang at the top cut off. That way the fork can still flex but it's secured well. Not sure if the angle of the back strut works with that one but it's perfect on mine.

A platform seems unnecessary, until you have one. Then you wonder how you got along without it. It sure comes in handy for grocery shopping and heavily loaded touring.

It doesn't accomplish what the op seemed to be looking for -- a low rider rack with a platform in stainless. None of the V-O stuff supports low-rider panniers. They are hung up on immitating the French in the 50's.

I was responding to positron about the existence of SS front racks with platform, but the OP doesn't mention lowriders at all.

I have a Surly which I bought for the low-riders and platform but after trying the high-riders, I don't use the low-riders anymore. I don't know how much weight the VOs can handle though.

Do you have photos of your setup? How much weight do you think it can handle? I put a photo backpack on the platform, which can weigh 7 pounds, plus the front panniers. Thanks

A front platform is quite useful. I have the tent and a spare tarp lashed to the front. On days with intermittent rain, I'll also have the rain gear lashed to the front rack where I can reach it quickly if I need it.

no photo but it's pretty straightforward, the small back of the rack is nearly parallel with the brake cable and 3/4" forward of it, the platform is level and I used p-clamps that were slightly larger than strut because the angle of the p-clamp and the strut were a few degrees off. The first time I installed it I used p-clamps that were the exact size of the strut but it made the front end somewhat stiff. In my paranoia I wondered if hard jarring (riding off curbs) could weaken the cantilever bosses but I'm guessing not as much as racks that put their weight on the bosses. I took it off and road without for 1/2 yr. then re-installed it with larger p-clamps and that seemed to allow for some vertical movement in the forkblades. Again this may all be in my head. It's absolutely solid side to side and fore/aft. I'd feel comfortable putting more on it than I'd want on the front of the bike, 25lbs? The support is all vertical to the eyelets without any loading on the bosses.
The platform isn't long enough to mount Ortlieb panniers to comfortably and the tubing is too narrow. My intention is to use it for six pack sized loads, compression sack, or pannier-less front loads using two 13liter dry bags clicked together at the closure buckles then layed over the rack and strapped on the sides vertically. If the bags weren't stuffed enough to keep from from falling between the vertical struts I'd lash some 1/8" polyester line between the struts.