My experience - the importance of finding the right racks for the bike
 

I just want to share my experience about how important the bike and racks combination can be and possibly to help others who may not be happy with the handling or ride their current set up has.

I have a 1984 Specialized Expedition touring bike that I built up from the frame about 20 years ago and have previous posts regarding experiences I've had with some nasty shimmy when loaded down that I couldn't resolve. I initially had a Blackburn Expedition rear rack and Blackburn Custom Lowriders on the front that do not have a cross loop connecting them. I tried all load and weight combinations and still had a very scary frequently oscillating ride. I then went to a Jandd Extreme front rack so I could add more weight up front which seemed to lessen the shimmy. That had tolerable results but I could still get the bike to start wagging without out much help.

I checked all other possible contributors to the shake and swapped wheels, replaced the headset with a Stronglight A9, and had my alignment checked and fork tweaked. None had any real affect and I bought an old Schwinn Voyageur to do my touring on. I was about to strip the Expedition for parts I wanted to keep and sell it when I decided I would give it one more chance. I put a Tubus Tara front lowrider rack with the hoop and a Topeak Tourist DX rack in the back that has a more vertical rear stay to help keep the panniers from flopping.

To my amazement I loaded it up like I had in the past and magically it now tracks like a dream and I can even ride if for some time with no hands. I even added a handlebar bag which previously was the kiss of death and it still rides like the highly regarded vintage touring machine it had been touted to be. I can't even get it to wobble when I try now.

Anyway I just thought I would post this just in case it helps someone trying to work out the bugs in their tourer.

Nice post! Lots of people seem to think a rack is a rack is a rack but - it ain't so! A rigid framework that places the weight optimally is actualy pretty hard to come by and different frame sizes, different mounting positions and different mounting hardware qualities don't necessarily come together to create a perfect combination.

Personally I think its a bit like buying shoes. The longer you plan on walking in them - the fussier you need to be about fit.

My bike has an integrated rack (Tout Terrain). There's no wobble or shimmy, ever (I was going 70km/h+ downhill once, and the bike started responding differently, but everything would at that speed).

The only downside is that it can't be removed when you're not touring ;)

Thanks - I want to follow up that the Jandd and Blackburn racks I previously used are still very good high quality racks and on the right bike can work wonderfully. Case in point they work like a dream on my Voyageur and a Cannondale T400 I have. It is just that certain bikes may be a bit more troublesome to get the optimal equipment on them.

If you have problems with a good quality bike it may take some patience and experimentation to get it set up right. Don't give up on it too soon.

Most people don't realize that not all racks are built alike and they think that a $20 or $40 rack perform the same as a $100 or $200 rack. This isn't so, because what's important is the dynamic side loading characteristics of the rack itself that is the most important aspect of the rack on the bike. It can be a difference between fish tailing and being ridden straight as an arrow.

I got Bruce Gordon's racks in the mid 80's , then later, I changed bikes underneath them.

Powdercoat got chips, but otherwise, fine.. now. veteran of many Long tours.. :innocent:

I've used Topeak racks exclusively for more than a decade. They haven't given me any issues on the range of bikes, from a converted MTB to design-specific touring bikes.

I did have a Blackburn front rack with the hoop over the wheel, but I dispensed with front panniers quite a while ago.

Topeak racks, for me, have been durable and stable. The newest ones with the "drop bar" that lowers the panniers below the top deck have worked well on the Thorn Club Tour bikes we're now using.

I seldom get over 25 mph but there's a hill on my commute where on the downhill side, if traffic is clear, sometimes I can. My problem is that I have long feet (US M's 13) and a average length chainstays. My panniers have to be mounted as far back as possible to not make contact with my heels. But sometimes on that downhill, I get the shakes...wish there was a simple solution apart from getting a new bike or cutting my toes off.

Well, low rider front racks will get rid of the shakes, but they can be more of a hassle than rears.

I do understand you sure don't want the shakes, here's a winding downhill I shot heading back to San Diego from the Paso Picacho campground on Memorial Day. I had a handlebar bag and two 15-quart rear panniers modified from Tupperware-like dry dog food storage containers, not over 20 lbs total in gear. I do have a inexpensive rear rack with oversize hollow aluminum tubing; stiffness is a huge factor. Max speed was 40 mph for a few seconds...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=giTD_ynXi2c

I have hte same bike built up with new components. I put a Tubus Cargo on the rear and a Tubus Tara on the front. I am heading out on the Pacific Coast in a few weeks. I'll let you know how it goes. The previous rack was the other you mentioned, the Blackburn Expedition, and it was a bit wobbly.

Please post your results and have a great trip. Here is how mine was loaded with my previous set up of the Jandd and Blackburn when I did the Oregon coast. It was pretty stable with no big scares but it was pretty heavy up front. I'm glad to have improved stability with less rack weight on the new configuration.