Amazingly - thats exactly what I ended up doing myself! But that kinda left me wondering what to do with a couple extra long skewers and that bottom end stuff!

If you can keep your loads reasonably light (which is a good idea anyway), it should be easy to go with just a rear rack.

That would be my preference over other configurations.

Touring wheels can be built plenty strong enough for this, and often are.

With light to moderate loads, handling shouldn't be a problem.

For an excellent rack at a reasonable price, check out the Jandd Expeditions.

I would say this is the absolute maximum: http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=305560

The Jandd Expeditions are stiff and reliable, and the company is a good one that stands behind its products well.

I also have Tubus and Gordon racks, among others. If I were building up a bike from scratch and needed to buy a rack for it at a reasonable price, it would be the Jandd. It's a fine rack with a great design and top platform. The oversized aluminum is stiff and very durable.

I might even go with it if the others were offered at or near the same price. The design is better and the quality is fine.

~Shimagnalo - beautiful and while that's a buddy of mine's attraction I tend to go for less

Put it in the tool box then in 30yrs when the kids come to clean out the stuff they can wonder what it is.


wrt the rear OMM rack it just doesn't seem like a good design to forego the conventional attachment from front of rack to seat stays .

I used a Nashbar front rack for a few tours until I could spring for a better one. Not ideal, but functional for your budget if you do not weight it down. Alternatively. I could also recommend a Blackburn rear rack only and put all of your stuff back there if you are no more than 30 lbs of stuff... I have toured that way and if bike handles well, it works until you can afford an ideal setup.

One problem I ran into with my OMM front rack was that it wasn't compatible with a friends car roof rack. It was the kind that you were supposed to remove your front wheel and attach the forks to it, but it didn't fit with the OMM Cold Springs mounted on it. That said, I've given 200 pound persons a ride on that front rack numerous times (so much so, that at one point I had custom pegs mounted up front!). It's super durable.

This guy is a little smaller than my regular passenger (the couple of years I did this regularly):

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=305859

Usually I had the passenger hang onto my bar ends, but he was very drunk and completely belligerent. It was rather tricky with him moving around!

No complaints about my Jandd Expedition rear rack either, except for the paint flaking off.

A front rack is not necessary. I tried to tour with panniers front and rear once, and that lasted about 3 days before I ditched a set of panniers. All my other tours (and some have been quite long), have been with one rack, and one set of panniers.


The only way I could see a need for more is if I were to do expedition/trekking style touring where I travelled somewhere really remote.

A front rack is not necessary. I tried to tour with panniers front and rear once, and that lasted about 3 days before I ditched a set of panniers. All my other tours (and some have been quite long), have been with one rack, and one set of panniers.


The only way I could see a need for more is if I were to do expedition/trekking style touring where I travelled somewhere really remote.

Do you mean the little platform rack or the low rider? If the low rider, I'd carry any load that I am likely to carry on the front with it. We used them on a fairly heavily loaded Trans America and I have used them on other tours. I don't really see the need for ever replacing it.

As far as the Blackburn EX-1, the only reason I would replace mine is to go with less rack for lighter touring.

My perspective for these comments is that of a rider who has toured with 45-50 pounds at most, so if you want to go real heavy my view may not be applicable. These days I have been going really light (11 pound base last tour) where again that perspective isn't very applicable, but for the opposite reason.

Rear rack is not either.. big saddle bag , handle bar bag and perhaps, a generous credit line .

or debit card to withdraw savings..

A few years ago, I used a front and rear rack on my bike. I would have the tent and a few othe items in front and the rest on the rear rack. Today, I do not use such a setup. Instead, I have lightened and condensed my load to the point where a rear rack and a handlebar bag are more than ample for most trips. If I am going somewhere isolated and will need to carry enough food or water for several days, I will add the front rack and use smaller panniers in front for food.