Recommendations for rear pannier carrier for commuting

[Alex Butcher]

Hi -

I've got a Ridgeback Velocity bike with 700c wheels and mudguards, and I'd
like to add a carrier that would be suitable for commuting and possibly
shopping trips and day-trips/picnics in the future.

I've got a Cat Eye's LD600 rear light which I'd like to transfer from the
seat post to the back of the carrier, so Tortec's racks look attractive as
they have a mount for Cat Eye's lights, but I'm trying to decide between
the Ultralite (440g, mid-price, but is it strong enough for day-to-day use
and is the two stay design safe enough for panniers?), the Tour (650g,
cheapest, three stay design) or the Expedition (900g, most expensive,
possibly heavier than I'd like, but undoubtedly strong).

Anyone got any advice?

Cheers,
Alex.
--
Alex Butcher, Bristol UK. PGP/GnuPG ID:0x5010dbff

"[T]he whole point about the reason why I think it is important we go for
identity cards and an identity database today is that identity fraud and
abuse is a major, major problem. Now the civil liberties aspect of it, look
it is a view, I don't personally think it matters very much."
- Tony Blair, 6 June 2006 <http://www.number-10.gov.uk/output/Page9566.asp>

 

[Pete Biggs]

Alex Butcher wrote:
> Hi -
>
> I've got a Ridgeback Velocity bike with 700c wheels and mudguards,
> and I'd like to add a carrier that would be suitable for commuting
> and possibly shopping trips and day-trips/picnics in the future.
>
> I've got a Cat Eye's LD600 rear light which I'd like to transfer from
> the seat post to the back of the carrier, so Tortec's racks look
> attractive as they have a mount for Cat Eye's lights, but I'm trying
> to decide between the Ultralite (440g, mid-price, but is it strong
> enough for day-to-day use

I have an Ultralite -- only used for light duty so far, but it looks strong
enough to survive plenty more. The bracket I had for my LD600 (original?)
didn't quite fit the serrations on the rack's bracket properly so I bodged a
bit of rubber tape in to stop it slipping. Still it's certainly worth
having -- one reason why I chose the rack myself, as well as it being
lightweight and reasonably priced.

> and is the two stay design safe enough for panniers?

It keeps my medium-sized ones out of the spokes. It's also OK for a
Carradice Prima Top Bag, btw.

~PB

 

[Duncan Smith]

>
> I've got a Cat Eye's LD600 rear light which I'd like to transfer from the
> seat post to the back of the carrier, so Tortec's racks look attractive as
> they have a mount for Cat Eye's lights, but I'm trying to decide between
> the Ultralite (440g, mid-price, but is it strong enough for day-to-day use
> and is the two stay design safe enough for panniers?), the Tour (650g,
> cheapest, three stay design) or the Expedition (900g, most expensive,
> possibly heavier than I'd like, but undoubtedly strong).
>
> Anyone got any advice?
>

You could do a comparison with the 'Tubus' range of racks if you want
an alternate choice. I can vouch for the Tubus Vega which is one of
their minimalist weight weed options - will cope well with the two
full Backrollers at say 5kg per side, and the rear plate has mountings
for Cat-Eyes and B&M lights. Sturdy kit (when assembled with proper
M5 nuts, bolts and washers from a hardware store using Loctite). Has
four stays, but no lower side tubes.

You can pick them up from £60 with a ten-year guarantee.

Regards,

Duncan

 

[Alex Butcher]

On Sat, 08 Sep 2007 20:17:25 +0000, Duncan Smith wrote:


> You could do a comparison with the 'Tubus' range of racks if you want an
> alternate choice.

[snip]

> You can pick them up from £60 with a ten-year guarantee.

A bit more than I wanted to pay, but thanks anyway.

> Regards,
> Duncan

Cheers,
Alex.
--
Alex Butcher, Bristol UK. PGP/GnuPG ID:0x5010dbff

"[T]he whole point about the reason why I think it is important we go for
identity cards and an identity database today is that identity fraud and
abuse is a major, major problem. Now the civil liberties aspect of it, look
it is a view, I don't personally think it matters very much."
- Tony Blair, 6 June 2006 <http://www.number-10.gov.uk/output/Page9566.asp>

 

[Rob Morley]

In article <[email protected]>, Alex Butcher
[email protected] says...
> I've got a Ridgeback Velocity bike with 700c wheels and mudguards, and I'd
> like to add a carrier that would be suitable for commuting and possibly
> shopping trips and day-trips/picnics in the future.
>
> I've got a Cat Eye's LD600 rear light which I'd like to transfer from the
> seat post to the back of the carrier, so Tortec's racks look attractive as
> they have a mount for Cat Eye's lights, but I'm trying to decide between
> the Ultralite (440g, mid-price, but is it strong enough for day-to-day use
> and is the two stay design safe enough for panniers?), the Tour (650g,
> cheapest, three stay design) or the Expedition (900g, most expensive,
> possibly heavier than I'd like, but undoubtedly strong).
>
Strength isn't much of a problem in normal use (although a cheap rack or
one that's regularly overloaded will probably suffer fatigue failure at
some point) and as long as your panniers are well stuffed and have a
good rigid back-board you shouldn't have problems with the two-stay
design, but when you're carrying a heavy load the extra rigidity of
something like the Expedition will give a noticeably more stable ride,
and if you sling a few cans of baked beans (beer, whatever) in an
otherwise empty pannier the dog-leg stays make sure the panniers can't
foul the wheel. As someone who used to carry heavy shopping on an old
Karrimor steel rack with less-than-rigid panniers I can say that
although the wobble is manageable, and rubbing against the wheel isn't
terminal, it's an altogether more comfortable experience when you have a
more substantial rack - spend as much as you can initially and you won't
regret it even if you only use the full capacity occasionally. Just
make sure you have plenty of air in the back tyre.

 

[Alex Butcher]

On Sun, 09 Sep 2007 09:12:29 +0100, Rob Morley wrote:

> In article <[email protected]>, Alex Butcher
> [email protected] says...
>> I've got a Ridgeback Velocity bike with 700c wheels and mudguards, and
>> I'd like to add a carrier that would be suitable for commuting and
>> possibly shopping trips and day-trips/picnics in the future.

[snip]

> as long as your panniers are well stuffed and have a
> good rigid back-board you shouldn't have problems with the two-stay
> design, but when you're carrying a heavy load the extra rigidity of
> something like the Expedition will give a noticeably more stable ride,
> and if you sling a few cans of baked beans (beer, whatever) in an
> otherwise empty pannier the dog-leg stays make sure the panniers can't
> foul the wheel.

[snip]

> it's an altogether more comfortable experience when you have a
> more substantial rack - spend as much as you can initially and you won't
> regret it

Thanks for the very useful post. I decided to upgrade and get Tortec's
Expedition model (<http://www.zyro.co.uk/plrg/TTEXP6.jpg>, rather than
<http://www.cyclestore.co.uk/images/products/large/6480.jpg>) instead of
the Ultralite or Tour models.

As for pannier bags, I was planning on picking up an Avenir Triple Deluxe
(with the detachable backpack) for now. If I get on particularly well with
using panniers, then I'll consider getting something more waterproof and
reserving the Avenir for dryer days.

Best Regards,
Alex.
--
Alex Butcher, Bristol UK. PGP/GnuPG ID:0x5010dbff

"[T]he whole point about the reason why I think it is important we go for
identity cards and an identity database today is that identity fraud and
abuse is a major, major problem. Now the civil liberties aspect of it, look
it is a view, I don't personally think it matters very much."
- Tony Blair, 6 June 2006 <http://www.number-10.gov.uk/output/Page9566.asp>

 

[Rob Morley]

In article <[email protected]>, Alex Butcher
[email protected] says...

> As for pannier bags, I was planning on picking up an Avenir Triple Deluxe
> (with the detachable backpack) for now. If I get on particularly well with
> using panniers, then I'll consider getting something more waterproof and
> reserving the Avenir for dryer days.
>
I don't know how that particular system works, but generally I think
triple panniers are the work of Stan and to be avoided at all costs -
they tend to be a pain to fit and remove, and they're inflexible too.

 

[Pete Biggs]

Rob Morley wrote:
> In article <[email protected]>, Alex
> Butcher [email protected] says...
>
>> As for pannier bags, I was planning on picking up an Avenir Triple
>> Deluxe (with the detachable backpack) for now. If I get on
>> particularly well with using panniers, then I'll consider getting
>> something more waterproof and reserving the Avenir for dryer days.
>>
> I don't know how that particular system works, but generally I think
> triple panniers are the work of Stan and to be avoided at all costs -
> they tend to be a pain to fit and remove, and they're inflexible too.

I've never fancied them either. Often you wouldn't need all that
capacity--so that's wasted baggage--and when you do want to carry extra
stuff, it's good to be able to simply strap awkwardly sized/shaped objects
onto the top of the rack.

~PB

 

[David Damerell]

Quoting Alex Butcher <[email protected]>:
>seat post to the back of the carrier, so Tortec's racks look attractive as
>they have a mount for Cat Eye's lights, but I'm trying to decide between
>the Ultralite (440g, mid-price, but is it strong enough for day-to-day use
>and is the two stay design safe enough for panniers?), the Tour (650g,
>cheapest, three stay design) or the Expedition (900g, most expensive,
>possibly heavier than I'd like, but undoubtedly strong).

I can't comment on the other two, but I have broken at least three cheap
racks simply by carrying heavy loads, and I have not broken either of my
steel Tortec Expeditions. Note that there are both steel and aluminium
racks called "Expedition" - unusually, the steel one is lighter. It is
also twice the price. I can't comment on the aluminium one.

Actually, I did hear the Ultralite recommended on the London Sightseer
yesterday after Juliet broke a pot-metal rack on the cobbles.
--
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