rack mounting issue

[nabanana]

My husbandand I are doing a credit card tour, carrying only shoe box type packs on the back of our bikes, and a small handlebar pack.  When  tried to mount my old rack onto my Douglas Precision Ti frame, I discovered that I do not have rear drop out threaded brazeons.  What are my options?  Are there mounting hardware attachments that can be purchaed?  Or can I use the non-threaded oblong hole located in the drop out of the frame?

[TwoWheeledExplorer]

I would go with a new, clamp-on style rack, like the Topeak QR Beam Rack, Blackburn Seat Post or Delta Post Porter QR racks. The Topeak even has an available lock-on rack pack. (No more Velcro!)

You just spent good money on a good, new titanium frame bike. Why try to match it up with an old, outdated used accessory, where you have to modify either the bike or the rack to make it work? Go with the new rack. I think you'll be glad you did.

Ride safe!
Hans



Minnesota Backcountry Trails
www.wintersnowtrails.org

[RussellSeaton]

http://www.evanscycles.com/product.jsp?style=12486

http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=112&subcategory=1079&brand=&sku=7587&storetype=&estoreid=&pagename=

http://www.ultimatepursuits.co.uk/products/list.aspx?Page=1&vertical=1&ref=14040

Buy 4 P-clips and bolt the rack to the seatstays.  Two P-clips go above the brake caliper on the seatstays, and two P-clips go at the very bottom of the seatstays by the cogset.  More than secure enough for anything less than fully loaded panniers.  Easy and quick to put the rack on.  Cheap.  I use four P-clips to put a rear rack on my brevet bike.  I put 5-10 pounds of stuff in the rackpack that goes on top of the rack.  It rides just fine for 200+ mileage days over some awfully rough pavement.  My brevet bike is a cheap aluminum frame so I don't care about the paint job.  You can protect the paint, not an issue in your case of course, by putting electrical tape around the seatstays where the P-clips go.  And the P-clips themselves are plastic coated so they don't really mar the frame if you are careful.  Blackburn makes the P-clips in three different diameters depending on how large your seatstays are.  Any competent local bike shop will have them or be able to get them.  Or at least know what you are talking about so they can tell you how to make your own from perforated steel pipe hanging straps you can get at any plumbing or hardware store.  Or get any thin piece of steel and drill holes in the ends for the bolts to go through.

[JayH]

RussellSeaton nails it, but I will add that I think my bike has the same non-threaded Oblong hole in the dropout. I have a custom rack that uses it that I commute with and it works well. a p-clamp is your better option but you might be able to get away with it. I think there was even a cycling specific thing that was sold to fabricate it, it was basically a hard rubber grommet that slid into the rounded triangle cutout and then you'd use a nut and thin bold through it. Thin enough so that it doesn't affect your rear cassette.  

I forget the name though.. have to dig it up if it's still sold.

Jay

[JayH]

OK, I googled for info, if your dropout looks like this:

http://users.crpud.net/dim/dropout.jpg

You can use that rounded triangle to mount racks to, so long as you aren't carrying monster loads.

Ohh, here it is:

http://www.wheel2wheel4bikes.com/products.php?plid=m2b145s225p6541

It's called a Blackburn Custom Eyelet Kit

it's a grommet that fits into your triangle to mount racks to...

Jay