Cargo Rack for Back of Bike

[Laura]

Hi, everyone. I'm getting started with riding my bike. With gas
prices so high, riding my bike is a good way to save money. And, my
truck needs a new transmission.

My problem is I can only transport things in my backpack. I'm looking
for a cargo rack for the back of my bike. I'm thinking of one which
can use panniers but I don't really know where to start.

Can anyone give me some advice?

Laura

 

[Stephen Harding]

Laura wrote:

> My problem is I can only transport things in my backpack. I'm looking
> for a cargo rack for the back of my bike. I'm thinking of one which
> can use panniers but I don't really know where to start.
>
> Can anyone give me some advice?

Just about any bike shop will have racks of various sort.

There are lightweight, alloy "mouse trap" types for light
loads. The spring hinge holds a sweatshirt or raincoat quite
well. You can increase it's carrying capacity by zip tying
a milk carton on the top of it (one of my bikes has this
setup and it has worked very well over the years).

For heavier loads, you'll need a heavier duty rack. The
Blackburn versions are good. They allow attachment of
panniers to the sides and can bear substantial weights. I've
carried perhaps 40 pounds in rear rack panniers on some bike
tours over the years.

You need to determine attachment points available on your
bike. Some bikes don't have any pre-drilled holes for attaching
the rack, so you'll end up either buying a type of rack (Old
Man Mountain is good) that can attach without actual bolt holes,
or finagling your own attachment method. Pipe hanger strapping
in metal or plastic can work very well.

Typical mounting points are a couple bolts on the seat tube
and another near the dropouts. If there isn't anything there,
you'll have to pay a bit more for the rack or be more
imaginative in attachment technology.

Probably best to use stainless bolts with hex heads. They are
easier to put in and out (with a hex key rather than a
wrench that is blocked by other "stuff" around the attachment
point). You may or may not need nuts on the other side of
an attachment hole. Getting the perfect length bolt can be a
job too. A dremel with a cutoff wheel makes excess bolt length
an irrelevancy.

And don't forget some Loctite! Occasionally, I've had front
pannier rack and fender bolts loosen. A little Loctite solves
the problem.


SMH

 

[[email protected]]

Laura <[email protected]> wrote:
> Hi, everyone. I'm getting started with riding my bike. With gas
> prices so high, riding my bike is a good way to save money. And, my
> truck needs a new transmission.

> My problem is I can only transport things in my backpack. I'm looking
> for a cargo rack for the back of my bike. I'm thinking of one which
> can use panniers but I don't really know where to start.

> Can anyone give me some advice?

I've been a trunk bag user for about six years and 12,000 miles. My
first rack was kind of a generic one. I got a Lone Peak bag that strapped
to it, and it gave me good service until I overloaded it and popped out
the zipper. About that same time I also managed to break the rack.
I replaced the rack with a Topeak "Explorer." This rack is stronger,
having three uprights instead of two on each side. I used my old trunk
bag on it for a while, then when it broke, bought a Topeak. Topeaks are
unique in having a slide and latch system, which is very handy because it
makes it easy to detach the bag and carry it with you. (Topeak also makes
panniers and trunk/pannier hybrid bags.) Other trunk bags these days seem
to attach mostly with Velcro, and I don't trust Velcro.
If you'd just like a look at what's available out there, I recommend an
eBay search.


Bill, who admits he wishes he knew how to pronounce "Topeak"


__o | Roads aren't for cars. They're for people.
_`\(,_ |
(_)/ (_) |

 

[Jay]

"Laura" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi, everyone. I'm getting started with riding my bike. With gas
> prices so high, riding my bike is a good way to save money. And, my
> truck needs a new transmission.
>
> My problem is I can only transport things in my backpack. I'm looking
> for a cargo rack for the back of my bike. I'm thinking of one which
> can use panniers but I don't really know where to start.
>
> Can anyone give me some advice?
>
> Laura
>
Milk crate.

J.

 

[Jay]

"Laura" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi, everyone. I'm getting started with riding my bike. With gas
> prices so high, riding my bike is a good way to save money. And, my
> truck needs a new transmission.
>
> My problem is I can only transport things in my backpack. I'm looking
> for a cargo rack for the back of my bike. I'm thinking of one which
> can use panniers but I don't really know where to start.
>
> Can anyone give me some advice?
>
> Laura
>
Milk crate.

J.

 

[landotter]

On Mar 11, 4:44 pm, Laura <[email protected]> wrote:
> Hi, everyone. I'm getting started with riding my bike. With gas
> prices so high, riding my bike is a good way to save money. And, my
> truck needs a new transmission.
>
> My problem is I can only transport things in my backpack. I'm looking
> for a cargo rack for the back of my bike. I'm thinking of one which
> can use panniers but I don't really know where to start.
>
> Can anyone give me some advice?

Here's an example of two basic items for a total of $50 that should
fit most bikes*:

http://www.bikemannetwork.com/biking/p/ACBMRCKRDRP/RK6604
http://www.bikemannetwork.com/biking/p/ACBAGPANN/BG6630

That "Appalachian" bag, if I remember correctly, has both bags
connected by a gusset with a carrying handle in the middle. It's not
huge capacity, but enough to carry about as much as you can fit in a
pretty full basket at the grocery.

Single panniers that convert to a backpack or handbag are worth a look
as are trunk bags that have a shoulder strap option, the links above
were just the cheapest most solid option I could think of off hand.

What kind of bike are you mounting this to?

*I do not work for bikeman, though I've had perfectly fine service
from them, as I've had from many other QBP resellers.

 

[Jeremy Parker]

"Laura" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi, everyone. I'm getting started with riding my bike. With gas
> prices so high, riding my bike is a good way to save money. And,
> my
> truck needs a new transmission.
>
> My problem is I can only transport things in my backpack. I'm
> looking
> for a cargo rack for the back of my bike. I'm thinking of one
> which
> can use panniers but I don't really know where to start.
>
> Can anyone give me some advice?

If you want to carry lots of weight, it is good to distribute it so
that not all of the weight is on the rack at the back. Get "low
rider" racks as well, that fasten each side of the front wheel, low
down. With low-riders you can add a pannier each side of the front
wheel in addition to the panniers that you will have at the back. If
you put too much weight in a handlebar bag in front, it makes the
steering funny.

With lots of weight on your bike you will not accelerate quickly.
Remember that in traffic. If the ground is level the weight is ok,
once you are moving, but you may find yourself walking on some steep
hills, and you won't stop as quickly on downhills.

It should be fairly easy to carry, say six bags of groceries at 20
lbs per bag: one bag in each of four panniers, plus 2 bags in
saddlebag/milk crate on rack, or whatever

Jeremy Parker

 

[cmcanulty]

Here is great way to use any daypack as a pannier. I did one daypack,
only took a few minutes and a few inches of nylon webbing stolen from
excess on pack.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Backpack-panniers-that-are-still-backpacks/.

 

[Laura]

On Mar 12, 9:16 am, cmcanulty <[email protected]> wrote:
> Here is great way to use any daypack as a pannier. I did one daypack,
> only took a few minutes and a few inches of nylon webbing stolen from
> excess on pack.http://www.instructables.com/id/Backpack-panniers-that-are-still-back....

I appreciate all the advice given. I'm definitely looking into all of
it. You've been very helpful.

In regards to what bike I have, it's a Giant Iguana.

Laura

 

[landotter]

On Mar 12, 11:52 am, Laura <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Mar 12, 9:16 am, cmcanulty <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > Here is great way to use any daypack as a pannier. I did one daypack,
> > only took a few minutes and a few inches of nylon webbing stolen from
> > excess on pack.http://www.instructables.com/id/Backpack-panniers-that-are-still-back....
>
> I appreciate all the advice given. I'm definitely looking into all of
> it. You've been very helpful.
>
> In regards to what bike I have, it's a Giant Iguana.

Does it have disc brakes? If so, you'll need a disc specific rack.

 

[[email protected]]

On Mar 11, 4:44 pm, Laura <[email protected]> wrote:
> Hi, everyone.  I'm getting started with riding my bike.  With gas
> prices so high, riding my bike is a good way to save money.  And, my
> truck needs a new transmission.
>
> My problem is I can only transport things in my backpack.  I'm looking
> for a cargo rack for the back of my bike.  I'm thinking of one which
> can use panniers but I don't really know where to start.
>
> Can anyone give me some advice?
>
> Laura
>
>
http://www.arkel-od.com/
>
you will thank me later.

J.

 

[SMS]

Laura wrote:
> Hi, everyone. I'm getting started with riding my bike. With gas
> prices so high, riding my bike is a good way to save money. And, my
> truck needs a new transmission.
>
> My problem is I can only transport things in my backpack. I'm looking
> for a cargo rack for the back of my bike. I'm thinking of one which
> can use panniers but I don't really know where to start.
>
> Can anyone give me some advice?
>
> Laura

Click over to "http://bicycleluggageracks.com/".

You need to be really careful when choosing a rack, _especially_ if you
plan to use large panniers because many of the racks on the market are
not well suited for panniers for various reasons.

There are many considerations when selecting a rack for panniers that
are not immediately obvious, such as platform length, bottom hook or
strap mounting locations, and struts that are placed to help keep the
pannier from flopping into the wheel. A good pannier rack will have
three struts, not two, and one will be a "dog-leg" strut.

Remember than if your bicycle has a rear disc brake that you need to buy
a rack designed to work with disc brakes.

Unfortunately, you usually can't go to a bicycle shop and buy a rack, as
they'll have a poor selection of racks, all of which are unsuitable
(unless you have an exceptionally good local bicycle shop).

Some good choices for use with panniers are:

-Axiom Journey (not for disc brake use)
"http://aebike.com/page.cfm?PageID=30&action=details&sku=RK6602"

-Axiom Journey Disc Brake Model
"http://aebike.com/page.cfm?PageID=30&action=details&sku=RK6620"

-IRD Khyber (not for disc brake use)
"http://store.interlocracing.com/khalra.html"

-Jandd Expedition (not for disc brake use)
"http://elitecycling.biz/page.cfm?PageID=55&action=details&sku=RK2552"
Also try to get the optional reflector bracket piece.

 

[SMS]

Laura wrote:
> On Mar 12, 9:16 am, cmcanulty <[email protected]> wrote:
>> Here is great way to use any daypack as a pannier. I did one daypack,
>> only took a few minutes and a few inches of nylon webbing stolen from
>> excess on pack.http://www.instructables.com/id/Backpack-panniers-that-are-still-back....
>
> I appreciate all the advice given. I'm definitely looking into all of
> it. You've been very helpful.
>
> In regards to what bike I have, it's a Giant Iguana.

That is very significant. Since it probably has disc brakes, you are
limited in rack choices, and since it has front suspension, a front rack
is impractical (though not impossible).

The Axiom Journey Disc (RK6620) is probably your best bet,
"http://aebike.com/page.cfm?PageID=30&action=details&sku=RK6620".
However it's not clear if the mounting rods that attach to the seat stay
eyelets will be long enough. You might be able to use the longer stays
sold at
"http://www.thetouringstore.com/TUBUS/Fit%20Solutions/FIT%20SOLUTIONS%20PAGE.htm"
but I'm not sure if they're the same diameter as the ones that are used
with the Axiom.

I used an REI 736-890 on a disc brake bicycle, but I had to do some
modifications to the mounting method.

See "http://nordicgroup.us/rearracks/rackimages/marinrackmount.jpg".


Steve