Bike Rack Reviews

[fuzzyrider]

A few weeks ago I found a web site that reviewed bike racks (for panniers, not for mounting to cars).  This guy reviewed dozens of racks including the good, the bad and the ugly.  With comments on what to look for and what to avoid.  Material, construction, size, ease of mounting panniers, etc…  More information and detail than I imagined could be found anywhere.  But like a dope, I didn’t add it to my Favorites and of course, now I can’t find it.  Has anyone else come across this site?  Thanks for you time.

Fuzzy

[bktourer1]

lancerushing.com

[bktourer1]

Sorry , this site is just panniers. Try nordicbicycleproducts/ or  nordic group

[fiddler4060]

I can't help you with the website but there is a really good article in the current issue (December/January 2010) of Adventure Cyclist; "The Good Rack," by Jan Heine. I'm new to touring so the article was especially helpful to me. After reading the article it helped me decide on a rack for my bike by helping me better understand what to look for and what qualities are most important. I ended up with the Surly Nice Rack (for my LHT) and after one short trip am very satisfied with the selection (so far).  Good Luck!

[John Nelson]

http://bicycleluggageracks.com/

[fuzzyrider]

Yes, yes, yes!!!  That's it.  Thanks John Nelson.

Fiddler, I just re-joined AC after being away for too many years, so I haven't seen the Dec/Jan 2010 AC issue yet but until then this web site has all the info on racks I think I'll need.  Check it out.  BTW - what is LHT?

[JHamelman]

I just re-joined AC after being away for too many years, so I haven't seen the Dec/Jan 2010 AC issue yet but until then this web site has all the info on racks I think I'll need.  Check it out.  BTW - what is LHT?

If you don't receive the Dec/Jan 2010 issue due to when you rejoined, keep an eye on the Adventure Cyclist page http://www.adventurecycling.org/mag/index.cfm. Eventually there will be highlights from the issue posted there. If that article doesn't show up there, be sure to look for it in the publications archive http://www.adventurecycling.org/library/index.cfm.

.Jennifer.

PS LHT is a Long Haul Trucker, the touring bike made by Surly.

[indyfabz]

I got a pair of Bob Beckman racks nearly 11 years ago, and in 2008 I got him to make me a new pivot mount so I could retrofit the rear rack to a new touring bike.  Bomb proof and great looking.  The front rack's large platform is particularly handy.  When I toured with a North Face Slickrock tent I could it easily fit on the front rack lengthwise.  The rear rack also has a long and wide platform.  Holds my Velox 3 tent lengthwise with no problem.  You will never have to put anything perpendicular to the carrying surface.

Assuming the guy in still in business, be prepared to wait for your stuff.  You may even have to leave a message with his wife.

[nomadic1]

I have been using a set of racks made by Nitto and the the models are Campee 27F for the front and Campee 27R for the rear. I have and use the Tubus Cargo and Tara but the Nittos are in my opinion several notches above anything else on the market and oddly enough seem to be pretty much unknown to most mainstream cycle tourists. This may be because they are REALLY expensive ($180-$269 each is the selling range you'll see online) but they are not only beautiful (fillet brazed rather than crude welding) but are nickel plated. All the Tubus racks I've ever used wear thru the powder coating in short order even using plastic Ortlieb attachments exposing the bare metal to rusting. The main thing that sets them apart for me is that they use a lowrider frame both front AND rear, and angle the bags out at about 10 degrees from the bottom and the load carries much more stable than carried high and vertical. The front rack also allows the use of a traditional french style randonneur handlebar bag carried lower and more stable than a handlebar mounted bag. This is the setup Jan Heine uses who wrote the rack article named earlier, and for good reason.

[Westinghouse]

It's Feb. 8, 2010 and I am back in Florida. The trip from Vero Beach, Florida to San Diego, CA went 55 days. I will recap its main points later. I would advise to stay on ACA's mapped route all or most of the way.  I found at least some routes alternate to theirs which were hell for a bicyclist, e.g., Hwy 190 east of Baton Rouge, Louisiana for one. So, dat be the southern tier, huh? No $1100.00 Surly for this cyclist. I am out there to drive, not to get ripped off. Cytomax is very good for energy. I recommend it.