Hi-

I'm not currently a tourer (but maybe some time soon!), but I figured you guys would have the best knowledge of this stuff.

I have a new bike which I plan to use for utility, so I want cargo capacity. Bike has canti brakes and dropout eyelets for a rack, as well as the possibility of attaching at the fork (where you would mount a caliper brake).

I want to use front panniers.

Can you recommend front racks for someone on a budget? Can't spend 100s, and a classic look is a nice touch if functionality requirements are met.

Thanks!!

The cheapest option for carrying lots of volume up front would be a basket like this... https://waldsports.com/index.cfm/wald157basket.html

If you really want to use panniers you can look at something like the old man mountain racks https://www.oldmanmountain.com/Pages/...rontRacks.html

Does your fork have the eyelets in front of the dropout or behind it? Most forks only have them in the back which wont work for a front rack.

I would recommend Tubus racks, but they are a bit expensive... but you get a high quality steel rack instead of aluminium. depends on how much do you want to load on your front rack.

Thank you, chriskmurray. Yes, the fork has eyelets fore and aft of the dropout.

I was hoping to find options somewhere between $15 and $150 rather than at either end. I've done some general web searches and found options for racks fitting to rack bosses on the sides of the fork blades, which I don't have, or for attaching to the dropout and the fork crown, but I'd rather find something that natively attaches to the DO and the canti bosses, which seems both sturdier and more elegant to me.

The bike isn't actually new; it's a 1990 Schwinn High Plains.

Thanks Lynx. It seems that there may be a gulf in price/quality between lowish end and very high end.

The Soma "mini alloy" rack is a popular choice, and attaches exactly where your bike has eyelets. You could mount panniers on them, but the weight may negatively affect your steering more than if you used a lowrider rack. The only options that I'm aware of that make use of the cantilever bosses are the inexpensive racks from Nashbar or Sunlite. They're nice little platforms, but not compatible with panniers.



This rack from Racktime is also inexpensive, but it makes use of mid-fork eyelets and would put your panniers in a weird place. I used it for small loads on the top platform.

Tubus Smarti is made to fit on the end of the cantilever boss', and the fork eyelet.

their other front, low riders may need one of their fork-blade clamping mounts
but the mount-clamp is top-shelf-good.
quality bike racks go from one biker to another , strip them off when you sell the bike.

there are copies of the 70's Blackburn low rider racks.
the upper rear corner secured with a U bolt around the fork..

Your LBS may offer additional choices..