Front Racks for Road Bike

I am planing a 1 week "credit card" trip on my road bike. We will be travelling light and carrying
the bare neccessities. I am trying to locate a front rack for bikes without eyelets. I checked the
Blackburn site and it looks loke they no longer carry the low rider rack. Does anyone know of other
companies that make a front rack for road bikes?

In article <3e96fc2c.0311030936.3f0cc8aa@posting.google.com>, gregrmoore@aol.com (GM) writes:

>I am planing a 1 week "credit card" trip on my road bike. We will be travelling light and carrying
>the bare neccessities. I am trying to locate a front rack for bikes without eyelets. I checked the
>Blackburn site and it looks loke they no longer carry the low rider rack. Does anyone know of other
>companies that make a front rack for road bikes?

Bruce Gordon. Expensive but very well made.

Tom Gibb <TBGibb@aol.com

tbgibb@aol.com (TBGibb) wrote in message news:<20031103211711.11891.00002031@mb-m11.aol.com>...
> In article <3e96fc2c.0311030936.3f0cc8aa@posting.google.com>, gregrmoore@aol.com (GM) writes:
>
> >I am planing a 1 week "credit card" trip on my road bike. We will be travelling light and
> >carrying the bare neccessities. I am trying to locate a front rack for bikes without eyelets. I
> >checked the Blackburn site and it looks loke they no longer carry the low rider rack. Does anyone
> >know of other companies that make a front rack for road bikes?
>
> Bruce Gordon. Expensive but very well made.
>
> Tom Gibb <TBGibb@aol.com>

Try www.oldmanmountain.com ; I got a rack from them earlier this summer and it's very nice - easy to
fit. I have a road bike with front suspension which made it difficult to fit a rack to fit..

"GM" <gregrmoore@aol.com> wrote in message news:3e96fc2c.0311030936.3f0cc8aa@posting.google.com...
> I am planing a 1 week "credit card" trip on my road bike. We will be travelling light and carrying
> the bare neccessities. I am trying to locate a front rack for bikes without eyelets. I checked the
> Blackburn site and it looks loke they no longer carry the low rider rack. Does anyone know of
> other companies that make a front rack for road bikes?

Are you sure you even need a front rack? On a short credit card trip, you might be able to get by
with just a rear rack, or even just a seatpost "trunk" rack (perhaps combined with a handlebar bag).
Also, it's my understanding that front racks affect bike handling a lot more than rear racks.

> I am planing a 1 week "credit card" trip on my road bike. We will be travelling light and carrying
> the bare neccessities. I am trying to locate a front rack for bikes without eyelets. I checked the
> Blackburn site and it looks loke they no longer carry the low rider rack. Does anyone know of
> other companies that make a front rack for road bikes?

The by far best racks are Tubus chromoly http://www.tubus.net/index_uk.htm we used their rear rack
for long trips with heavy loads http://www.lowdin.nu/MTB/MTB.html and never had the slightest
problem with them, they are more "elastic" than aluminium and can be welded if need be. However, if
you are on a "credit card" trip, do you need a front rack.

Per http://lowdin.nu

On Tue, 4 Nov 2003, GaryG wrote:

> "GM" <gregrmoore@aol.com> wrote in message news:3e96fc2c.0311030936.3f0cc8aa@posting.google.com...
> > I am planing a 1 week "credit card" trip on my road bike. We will be travelling light and
> > carrying the bare neccessities. I am trying to locate a front rack for bikes without eyelets. I
> > checked the Blackburn site and it looks loke they no longer carry the low rider rack. Does
> > anyone know of other companies that make a front rack for road bikes?
>
> Are you sure you even need a front rack? On a short credit card trip, you might be able to get
> by with just a rear rack, or even just a seatpost "trunk" rack (perhaps combined with a
> handlebar bag). Also, it's my understanding that front racks affect bike handling a lot more
> than rear racks.

Actually, front racks affect handling in a better way than rear racks; they make the bike more
stable rather than less stable. the only advantage I know of for rear racks is that you can use only
one pannier since side to side balance isn't a big deal on the back, while a front rack needs
roughly equal weight on the two sides.

Inexpensive front racks are available, for about $20, from Nashbar and Performance. They should work
fine if the Blackburn lowrider would work on your fork. They do require an eyelet on the fork
dropout. I have heard of folks using P clamps to add eyelets to forks for this purpose. With sturdy
clamps holding the upper part of the rack to the fork, this might be an OK solution for GM.

Mark <www.cs.unca.edu/~boyd/bicycling.html

Mark Boyd wrote:

>On Tue, 4 Nov 2003, GaryG wrote:
>
>
>
>>"GM" <gregrmoore@aol.com> wrote in message news:3e96fc2c.0311030936.3f0cc8aa@posting.google.com...
>>
>>
>>>I am planing a 1 week "credit card" trip on my road bike. We will be travelling light and
>>>carrying the bare neccessities. I am trying to locate a front rack for bikes without eyelets. I
>>>checked the Blackburn site and it looks loke they no longer carry the low rider rack. Does anyone
>>>know of other companies that make a front rack for road bikes?
>>>
>>>
>>Are you sure you even need a front rack? On a short credit card trip, you might be able to get
>>by with just a rear rack, or even just a seatpost "trunk" rack (perhaps combined with a
>>handlebar bag). Also, it's my understanding that front racks affect bike handling a lot more
>>than rear racks.
>>
>>
>
>Actually, front racks affect handling in a better way than rear racks; they make the bike more
>stable rather than less stable.
>
That's a debatable point. I find it to be the opposite. My bike is a lot more stable (easier to
handle) with only rear panniers as opposed to front and rear. Weight on the front wheel amplifies
any lateral movements of the wheel. Herky-jerky is the technical term I like to use.

--
*****************************
Chuck Anderson • Boulder, CO http://www.CycleTourist.com Integrity is obvious. The lack of it
is common.
*****************************

On Tue, 4 Nov 2003, Per L=F6wdin wrote:

> > Actually, front racks affect handling in a better way than rear racks;
>
> - hmm, from what I understand low riders make the steering heavy and sluggish, whereas fronriders
> (mounted on the handlebar) makes the steerin=
g
> unstable (you can=B4t let go of the handlebar for even a second because i=
t
> immediately flips in either direction).

Mounting weight up above the front axle is not a great way to go, although some people like it.
Mounting it at or below the axle is what most folks prefer. That is what the racks I mentioned do.
No problem with the steering not being stable. GM will have a hard time finding what you called a
fronrider.

The steering does feel slower with weight mounted properly on the front but, for touring that is an
advantage. Some folks, like Chuck Anderson, swear that rear loading works better, but I find a rear
loaded bike harder to handle when riding or when pushing. They are an especial nightmare when you
have to take them up and down stairway, e.g. in European train stations!

> Carrying loads there are always trade-offs. This summer we used BOBs that has the advantage that
> the load is not directly on the frame. The drawbac=
k
> with them is that they are hard to transport, to take on a flight or bus although it can be done.

Yes, trailers are good, but problematic for transporting and not a good choice for the credit card
touring that GM, the fellow who started this thread was asking about.

=09Mark <http://www.cs.unca.edu/~boyd/bicycling.html

">
> The by far best racks are Tubus chromoly http://www.tubus.net/index_uk.htm we used their rear rack
> for long trips with heavy loads http://www.lowdin.nu/MTB/MTB.html and never had the slightest
> problem with them, they are more "elastic" than aluminium and can be welded if need be. However,
> if you are on a "credit card" trip, do you need a front rack.
>
> Per http://lowdin.nu

Well, I guess it's a credit card trip, with a few extras. In addition to a couple of changes of
cycling clothes, also warm weather gear, khakis, a couple of t-shirts,sandals toilet kit. So I think
a seat mounted bag is too small. It was my understanding that a lo riding front rack had less impact
on handeling than just a rear rack with the load higher up. I've never done any touring but like the
idea of being able to lightly load my road bike (with fatter tires of course) for up 7 day training
trips. Should I be looking at a rear rack instead?

> Actually, front racks affect handling in a better way than rear racks;

- hmm, from what I understand low riders make the steering heavy and sluggish, whereas fronriders
(mounted on the handlebar) makes the steering unstable (you can´t let go of the handlebar for even
a second because it immediately flips in either direction).

Carrying loads there are always trade-offs. This summer we used BOBs that has the advantage that the
load is not directly on the frame. The drawback with them is that they are hard to transport, to
take on a flight or bus although it can be done.

Per http://www.lowdin.nu/MTB/MTB.html

> It was my understanding that a lo riding front rack had less impact on handeling than just a rear
> rack with the load higher up.

To only have lowriders will make the bike heavy in the front, increase the risk for endos. In some
sense any weight in the front should be counterbalanced with at least and preferably more weight
in the rear.

> I've never done any touring but like the idea of being able to lightly load my road bike (with
> fatter tires of course) for up 7 day training trips. Should I be looking at a rear rack instead?

Absolutely, I think, as long as you have less than 15 kg you will hardly notice that you are
carrying a load. We always use "frontriders" too, i.e., a bar mounted bag. They come in also sizes
and are practical, for maps, camera, money, copenhagen, whatever.

If you have less than 15 kg a saddle post mounted rack may be enough.

Per http://www.lowdin.nu/MTB/MTB.html

For a short credit card tour, just get a good transverse saddle bag like a Carradice Nelson or
Camper, or a Rivendell Adam or Hoss.

I took a Carradice to the Alps for a two week trip as my only luggage and it was quite sufficient.
My Hoss hasn't yet seen its first tour; it seems to have at least twice the capacity of my
Carradice Nelson.

www.carradice.co.uk www.rivendellbicycles.com www.wallbike.com

gregrmoore@aol.com (GM) writes:

> Well, I guess it's a credit card trip, with a few extras. In addition to a couple of changes of
> cycling clothes, also warm weather gear, khakis, a couple of t-shirts,sandals toilet kit. So I
> think a seat mounted bag is too small. It was my understanding that a lo riding front rack had
> less impact on handeling than just a rear rack with the load higher up. I've never done any
> touring but like the idea of being able to lightly load my road bike (with fatter tires of course)
> for up 7 day training trips. Should I be looking at a rear rack instead?

You should be able to carry 10 lbs or less of stuff, and put it all in a decent sized saddlebag.
You'll not have to bolt things onto your bike, except the the small doohickey to the saddle rails to
hold up the bag (the www.wallbike.com site has good pictures).

Definitely check out the Trento bike pages, which you can find at
http://www-math.science.unitn.it/Bike/. There are several good light touring packing lists, which
will put all the gear you need into a Camper or Adam sized bag with no trouble. Look for Bruce
Hildebrandt's and Jobst Brandt's packing lists, both are pared down the the essentials.

I find the saddlebag method affects handling least of all, but it is noticeable when climbing out
of the saddle. I prefer it to bags on the front or on a rear rack. I use the saddlebag as my
carryon luggage when I fly with my bike- the Hoss will be big enough to be my only luggage other
than my bike.

> Some folks, like Chuck Anderson,
swear that rear loading works better, but I find a rear loaded bike harder to handle when riding or
when pushing. They are an especial nightmare when you have to take them up and down stairway, e.g.
in European train stations!

Front load increases the risk to do an endo and I can´t really see why it should be easier to handle
in stairs, etc.

Per http://www.lowdin.nu/MTB/MTB.html

On Tue, 4 Nov 2003, Per L=F6wdin wrote:

>
> Some folks, like Chuck Anderson, swear that rear loading works better, but I find a rear loaded
> bike harder to handle when riding or when pushing. They are an especial nightmare when you have to
> take them up and down stairway, e.g. in European train stations!
>
> Front load increases the risk to do an endo and I can=B4t really see why =
it
> should be easier to handle in stairs, etc.

You obviously have never tried to roll a heavily rear loaded bike down stairs! It is because the
weight is up high and there is little weight on the front. The front wants to slides out to the side
and the rear end tends to fall over and down around you! A bike with all the weight in the front is
MUCH easier to control under those conditions. Been there, done that! Remember you have to control
the bike with the handlebars.

As for lowrider front racks increasing the chance of endos, your physics is way off base. Endos are
made more likely when the weight, mass actually, is farther above the axle, not by mass in lowrider
racks which is the method that puts the weight lower than any other method of carrying it! Your
suggestion of putting the mass in a saddle bag is, in fact, the best way to increase the risk of an
endo because it moves the mass up higher than any other way of carrying it on the bike.

=09Mark<http://www.cs.unca.edu/~boyd/bicycling.html