Front rack and panniers

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andrew_s

Legendary Member
Location
Gloucester
From the CTC magazine, Nov 2006
I am sorry to have to mention this again, but in spite of published warnings (not only in the December 2004 issue of Cycle but also Bicycle Business): cycle shops are continuing to mis-fit front carriers in a dangerous way.

Barbara Robert's Dawes Kara-Kum came with the front carrier fitted thus, by the central despatch department of a major cycle retailer. She thought it looked wrong, but was assured it was correct! Fortunately, when she took the bike for its first service at another branch, they agreed and returned the bike with the carrier re-fitted correctly, as shown in the second photo, bolted either side of each fork blade.
If you have a bike with this kind of carrier, make sure it looks like the lower photo. The alloy spacers seen in the first photo, by the way, are meant to space out the lower fixing in case of a fat fork end.
Good news: the seriously injured CTC member I last advised on this matter is on course to receive a large sum in compensation. So any retailer who thinks they might have supplied any wrongly fitted front carriers would be well advised to check their insurance – whilst offering these customers a free service!
 

snorri

Legendary Member
andym said:
Some people swear by panniers front and back and others find that a set of rear panniers are all they need
I'm a firm believer in front and rear panniers to even the load and make the bicycle easier to handle when you are off the bike as much as on. It can become quite a handful when lifting up stairs onto a boat or train etc. if all the weight is on the back.
Just because you have four panniers does not mean you should leave home with all panniers full. Some spare pannier space can be handy for things you might buy along the way, perhaps more clothing, cooking utensils, maps or just something that takes your fancy.:evil:
 

jay clock

Massive member
Location
Hampshire UK
I have a Koga Miyata World traveller which came with Tubus racks front and rear. I will use these if I ever I do a longer trip, but after an overloaded jaunt to NZ my last one week tours have been with rear only, and a light dry bag on the back rack with tent in

The front rack must weigh at least 500g, the 2 front panniers about 1kg, so that is 1.5kg before I even add stuff.

I think I would need to be doing a longer tour, more own cooking, and colder weather so needing more clothes before I add the front rack back on.

Having said all that I think it helps balance and handling. Except my bike seems to handle fine with just rear kit, even if laden

Jay
 

jay clock

Massive member
Location
Hampshire UK
I have a Koga Miyata World traveller which came with Tubus racks front and rear. I will use these if I ever I do a longer trip, but after an overloaded jaunt to NZ my last one week tours have been with rear only, and a light dry bag on the back rack with tent in

The front rack must weigh at least 500g, the 2 front panniers about 1kg, so that is 1.5kg before I even add stuff.

I think I would need to be doing a longer tour, more own cooking, and colder weather so needing more clothes before I add the front rack back on.

Having said all that I think it helps balance and handling. Except my bike seems to handle fine with just rear kit, even if laden

Jay
 

Crankarm

Guru
Location
Nr Cambridge
jay clock said:
I have a Koga Miyata World traveller which came with Tubus racks front and rear. I will use these if I ever I do a longer trip, but after an overloaded jaunt to NZ my last one week tours have been with rear only, and a light dry bag on the back rack with tent in

The front rack must weigh at least 500g, the 2 front panniers about 1kg, so that is 1.5kg before I even add stuff.

I think I would need to be doing a longer tour, more own cooking, and colder weather so needing more clothes before I add the front rack back on.

Having said all that I think it helps balance and handling. Except my bike seems to handle fine with just rear kit, even if laden

Jay

That's a scientific approach ................ You won't know until you try riding with 4 panniers adopting a more even weight distribution. Then you can certainly establish if your bike rides or handles better rather than having all weight including yourself over the rear wheel.
 

Crankarm

Guru
Location
Nr Cambridge
jay clock said:
I have a Koga Miyata World traveller which came with Tubus racks front and rear. I will use these if I ever I do a longer trip, but after an overloaded jaunt to NZ my last one week tours have been with rear only, and a light dry bag on the back rack with tent in

The front rack must weigh at least 500g, the 2 front panniers about 1kg, so that is 1.5kg before I even add stuff.

I think I would need to be doing a longer tour, more own cooking, and colder weather so needing more clothes before I add the front rack back on.

Having said all that I think it helps balance and handling. Except my bike seems to handle fine with just rear kit, even if laden

Jay

That's a scientific approach ................ You won't know until you try riding with 4 panniers adopting a more even weight distribution. Then you can certainly establish if your bike rides or handles better rather than having all weight including yourself over the rear wheel.
 

jay clock

Massive member
Location
Hampshire UK
Just to be clear, I did do a 3 week tour with all four panniers. the handling on my bike is fine with all 4 or with just a rear load.

My hunch is that 700c wheeled bikes are more susceptible to poor handling if loaded rear only. My other hunch is that 26" wheels are stronger, so it is easier to isolate the weight over the back wheel.

I did previously have Saracen Skyline (very similar to a Galaxy) and feel the Koga Miyata is better all round at luggage carrying (frantically trying to get this posting back on topic!)
 

jay clock

Massive member
Location
Hampshire UK
Just to be clear, I did do a 3 week tour with all four panniers. the handling on my bike is fine with all 4 or with just a rear load.

My hunch is that 700c wheeled bikes are more susceptible to poor handling if loaded rear only. My other hunch is that 26" wheels are stronger, so it is easier to isolate the weight over the back wheel.

I did previously have Saracen Skyline (very similar to a Galaxy) and feel the Koga Miyata is better all round at luggage carrying (frantically trying to get this posting back on topic!)
 

Crankarm

Guru
Location
Nr Cambridge
I took some pics of my Blackburn low loader racks which seem to generate so much controversy. Ok as generally concluded there are NOT the best design on the market, but I am where I am and cannot afford to replace them with Tubus made in China variants. I was assured by local LBS that fitting without an inner bolt hole boss was not a problem just fit them on the outside using the spacer tube between the ends of the horizontal bars. I guess if the lower mount wasn't also spaced out and the rack or bolts bent then they might fail as in the case mentioned above. Plus I would like front and rear racks the same diameter tubing as I have a Blackburn EX-2 rear rack and don't want the added expense at the mo of changing that, although the welding on it is poor (see pics below). I have to make do. So these are pics showing mods I have made to mine which I tried to describe in a previous couple of posts. I make no warranty or indemnify anyone who copies me. My views are purely opinion although I feel I have neatly solved an inherent problem in design of these front pannier racks.

I happen to find my mod is quite effective. No bolt or stay has been bent or stretched. The lower mount was padded out using 13mm nuts. I shall use suitable tubing when I find some and also swap the split pins for stainless steel bolts at some point which are currently sitting in the kitchen. I have been using the low loaders like this with a reasonable weight in the front panniers for about 6 months now without a single glitch.

The wrapping of old inner tube around the rack stays is IMHO a good tip for silencing rattling noisy panniers as you can do this on any rack.

andym - thanks for tip on attaching images.
 

Crankarm

Guru
Location
Nr Cambridge
I forgot to take pics of panniers actually on the racks :smile:. All are front panniers

- Vaude Aqua
- Altura Orkney (old stylee)

Light was failing so tried to hurry so not the best pics.

The Vaude fronts seem to look massive from the side but I can assure they are the front panniers. My rear ones have pockets. I think the reason the side pic makes them look so big is because inside each is an Abus Granit X Plus 54 D-lock and I haven't rolled down the tops as fully as I would when actually cycling as I was hurrying to take the pics before darkness fell.

I hope you guys appreciate the pics, if only to flame me xx( .
 

Crankarm

Guru
Location
Nr Cambridge
Plus a close up of the Rixen and Kaul hooks from old Altura Orkneys. Wooden pieces are to stop the hooks rattling should they do so, but the real reason I use them is because, about 2 years ago dec 07/08, I unwittingly one night rode through one HUGE pothole at 22mph and the pannier came off the right side of the rear rack at 22mph hitting the road hard, the stuff inside got damaged camera, lock casing badly cracked and rim was knackered requiring replacement. Fortunately I didn't come off. A bit make shift looking, but very quick and effective, it takes seconds to do up and release and the pannier WILL NOT come off.

Will take better pics of the Ortlieb panniers tomorrow as I know every one loves them although I prefer my Vaudes xx(.
 

Ricd11

New Member
Just bought a front low rider rack that can fit via the fork mounts or using the loop adapter things (I have the outer fork attachment point)

However, the mud guards are totally in the way. Somone mentioned mounting the rack most inwards is the done thing, but then the rods to the mudguard are completely forced outwards and so cannot be attached in place.

Can you mount the rack outwards of the mudguard using a longer bolt at the bottom? This obviously means that the rack is not parallel to the fork and bends the bottom bolt if you try to fit the top. Or is there some spacing device needed?
 
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