i'm new to touring and i really need to know if it is possible to put a front luggage rack (obiously i'll put luggage also on it) onto a bike with front suspension. i've been looking around for a while and i'm suprised as to how few bikes are still non-suspension. it would really make my searches for a new bike for touring purposes, without spending a fortune on a proper specific touring bike or buying a cheap touring bike i'm not sure about, a whole lot easier. my price range is a little over £200 so if u could also suggest somthing i'd be grateful but my main query is about putting a front luggage rack on a bike with front suspension. let me jus make it clear (if this turns out to be somthing impossible that anyone with common sense could've known) that i previously thought it impossible but i have seen several "touring bikes" with front suspension, making me confused.
I personally have never seen a touring specific bike with a front suspension. I suppose that it all depends upon how the rack attaches to the front. If all the attachment points are below the suspension, you should have no problems. If the attachment points are on both sides of suspension, you might have a problem unless the rack was made to flex with the suspension.
yeh its probs cos i'm looking at the cheaper scale and they jus say touring to be flashy or somthing. still know any genuine cheap touring specific bikes that u can reccomend? i'll look into the connections things but advise from ne1 else is still welcome.
As above, racks are available. I did a tour earlier in the year, with an old man mountain cold springs front rack on Manitou relic forks and found it was dangerous with all but the lightest loads (my spare clothes) on the front. The bike developed death wobbles, at speeds sometimes as low as 15kph. Locking the fork out made little difference. As soon as I got home I ordered a Surly Instigator ridgid chromoly front fork and now the bike tracks like a train at any load and speed. I would suggest to anyone wanting to put load on to a suspension fork to get the strongest fork you can find to try to reduce flex and that the cold springs rack is probably as good as you can buy for suspension. A cannondale with headshock (not a lefty) would probably be a good way to go if this appeals and the budget can take it. Personally I have found no need for suspension even on dirt roads for loaded touring, as the panniers seem to act as dampers and take out a lot of the harshness of the ride.
i currently have a cluad butler rock, don't know how old 2005 maybe. i'm thinking of tranforming it into a tourer using the special front rack + different tyres etc (don't need to know what i need to do to it, i know but then again would u advise it?). the suspension on this bike is guite soft and whenever i harden it it goes back after a few weeks to the same softness. plus when it goes up and down it leaves a trail of grease. do u think i shoud put the rack and luggage (with just cloaths in), on it. to give u an idea of how soft, i'm 60 somthing probs kg (not good at math and haven't weighed in ages) and if i were to push down (standing on bike) the suspension would go down about 6cm give or take. would soft suspension really effect the stability of bike with front luggage?. i mean suspension is up down, surely luggage effects left right. or should i change front forks? but thats too expensive and they've worked fine for a couple years daily commute. i don't really want a touring specific bike as i like to take shortcuts to my work through parks that do need the front suspension. plus i'm not rich so adding 150 pounds+ of attachments to make it a tourer of sorts and then when i get home after tour jus take it all off and hey presto i have a hybrid/mtb bike is for me at least a good idea.
