Front rack on suspension forks

[thePig]

I am shortly to do a six week tour so my normal rear rack setup isn't going to be enough. I tour with a hardtail mountain bike and have seen some lowrider type front racks that work with suspension forks.

Does anyone have any experience with front racks on suspension forks?
Do they actually work?

 

[Dayvo]

I had a six-week trip a few years ago and managed perfectly well without front panniers!
If you really want to have front panniers, so be it, otherwise you should try to reduce the amount of stuff you take with you (I still took far too many 'useless' items with me).

 

[thePig]

I do like to pack as light as possible - makes up for the extra weight I am carrying around my waist

Did you six week trip include camping & cooking stuff?
I also need to take a laptop to keep my blog going.

 

[CycleTourer]

If you are going to be cycle camping with cooking gear and a laptop, I would suggest that you do need front panniers as it will distribute the weight better on the bike and make it more stable to ride.

You can get low rider racks that fit suspension forks from Old Man Mountain here http://www.oldmanmountain.com/Pages/RackPages/FrontRacks.html and Tubus http://www.tubus.com/index/lang/en/rubrik/Suspension Carriers/

I haven't used them personally but I met a couple in Iceland who had suspension forks and front panniers which seem to be working fine, however I couldn't tell you which make they were using.

 

[mickle]

If you are going to be cycle camping with cooking gear and a laptop, I would suggest that you do need front panniers as it will distribute the weight better on the bike and make it more stable to ride.

You can get low rider racks that fit suspension forks from Old Man Mountain here http://www.oldmanmountain.com/Pages/RackPages/FrontRacks.html and Tubus http://www.tubus.com/index/lang/en/rubrik/Suspension Carriers/

The Tubus rack looks the business and adds nothing to the unsprung weight, an excellent solution.
The Old Man Mountain racks are all wrong IMO, by attaching to the lower legs they'll screw up the handling and have a detrimental effect on the function of the front suspension. Bad design.

 

[thePig]

Thanks for the advice cycletourer. I think I will give them a go.

 

[Dayvo]

Did you six week trip include camping & cooking stuff?

Apart from a bit of normal clothing, cycle clothing and some spares, I had a small tent, a compact sleeping bag, an Exped sleeping mat, Trangia stove and fuel, and food bought as and when needed. And quite a lot of water.