Tubus Stainless Steel racks

[tombrogan]

Anyone using Tubus stainless steel racks? Thoughts? Pricey but beautiful?

[Tourista829]

I have Tubus Cargo (100lbs) Rear   (weight carrying capacity)
                    Tara   ( 33lbs) Front       "        "            "

Use with Ortlieb Roller Classics Front & Rear which are a perfect match

Observations: Light weight, very strong, stable, and durable. (One word sums it up solid)
Cargo- has a wider width on the top, in the rear, and a place for a Busch Muller rear light. (50 & 80mm)
Tara-has hardware 2 attach a kickstand works in conjunction with a rear kickstand attached 2 chainstay*
Tara- has a loop/bridge to connect 2 racks.**

*Robenne pointed this out, uses it on his Comotion, and appears to work well.
** Tubus believes that the loop/bridge helps with balance and stability.

I wish Tubus made a piece that attached to the loop/bridge and secured, on the other end, around the frame, so I could put my sleeping bag on it. (May have to engineer one)

I thought you might appreciate the below:

Rack           Type    Weight    Capacity   Material   
Tubus Airy       Rear    230 g    30 kg    Titanium
Tubus Cargo    Rear    625 g    40 kg     25CrMo4
Tubus Carry     Rear    350 g    30 kg     Titanium
Tubus Cosmo   Rear    680 g    40 kg     Stainless Steel
Tubus Disco     Rear    658 g    20 kg     25CrMo4
Tubus Fly        Rear     330 g   18 kg      25CrMo4
Tubus Logo     Rear     730 g    40 kg     25CrMo4
Tubus Locc      Rear   1050 g    40 kg     25CrMo4
Tubus Vega     Rear    510 g     25 kg     25CrMo4

RackTime FoldIt Rear 700 g     25 kg     Aluminum
RackTime AddIt Rear 733 g     30 kg     Aluminum

Tubus Duo      Front    510 g    15 kg    25CrMo4
Tubus Ergo     Front    570 g    15 kg    25CrMo4
Tubus Nova    Front    535 g    15 kg    Stainles Steel
Tubus Tara     Front    500 g    15 kg    25CrMo4

Some notes on rack materials (supplied from this source):

Aluminum is stiff, lightweight and cannot be welded. An extra stiff rack can be unforgiving on the rider when biking over potholes or rough dirt roads with a full load. If the tubes are bent, structured integrity can be compromised, vastly reducing the weight capacity.

I have had Blackburn alumium racks and I did have a break, on the front rack where it attached to the fork. Never had a broken a rear rack.

[staehpj1]

To me, fairly inexpensive aluminum racks are fine.  Personally I think the Blackburn EX-1 (rear) and Nashbar or Performance low riders are a good way to go.  That said I am not that in to the whole bike fetish thing.  My theory is that the tour experience is the same as long as the bike and gear meet some minimal standard of suitability.  When I think back on a tour I think about the tour, not how pretty the racks, or bike, or whatever are.

[Tourista829]

"That said I am not that into the whole bike fetish thing."

Staehpj1, your choice of words is interesting. When my Cannondale, of 20+ yrs was hit by a car, my LBS recommended the Tubus because I was going with the Ortlieb bags. I have toured for years and the aluminum racks worked fine for me. (didn't know any better) When it came to bags, I got tired of problems and rain covers, I haven't had any since.