I have a big rack!

[Vantage]

But can it be lowered? Tortec Expedition.

My plan, is to ask Pam's dad to squish the tubing up to the weld where all the tubes meet then drill another 6mm hole thereby lowering the thing by about 2 inches.

Any metallurgist's here think this would cause issues? (besides warrantee issues)

 

[Drago]

Sweet rack.

 

[Vantage]

Have you bought the right size rack for your bike? I think you may have a rack for a road bike/tourer and you have a 26inch wheel bike?
I've got that rack and its not high up like that.

I read on YACF somewhere that these Tortec racks have discrepencies in their sizes. The labelling thingymajig says its for both 700c and 26".

 

[Hugh Manatee]

I wouldn't have thought that you would retain much of the strength. Squishing the tube would cause some pretty impressive stress risers and wouldn't be the same as solid metal for the hole.
It looks like an alloy of aluminium. Do you know what type? Some need extensive treating after welding to stop them being brittle and weak.
A good welder with the correct equipment, (tig I would guess) and filler rods might be able to do a job but there are a lot of variables.
I would forget the whole squishing plan. Can you not find a rod of the correct diameter and shove that up inside the tube?
A better plan all round might be to advertise on here for a swap.

 

[Ian H]

I would be very wary of bending/squeezing aluminium alloy.
As others have mentioned, and I have found, Tortec racks do vary in height (two, supposedly identical, bought).

 

[dantheman]

I reckon you could grind down the weld slightly, cut a portion of the tube out and then use a slightly larger tube to go over top, using some strong epoxy resin or putty to keep in place..... But - unless you bodge a bend or another fix on the tubes that connect up the top near the seatpost, then the rack will not be level, and would look worse, and forces would be applied in different places etc..

I do think it's more hassle than its worth tbh.

 

[bikingdad90]

It looks gorgeous, don’t do anything to it!!

 

[Tenacious Sloth]

It'll help keep the bottom of the panniers away from your heels.

 

[Crankarm]

You would certainly invalidate any warranty and failure of the new mounting point i.e. the metal cracked and broke around the bolt would mean you would have to buy a new rack.

 

[Vantage]

Think I'll leave it as it is.
Thanks chaps and chappettes.

 

[iluvmybike]

Why not just get a rack top bag - Trotec do ones that match their rack - and ditch the saddle bag?

 

[Vantage]

 Sacrilege!
One doesn't just 'ditch' a Carradice saddlebag! What's wrong with you?
Old fashioned and not terribly sexy they may be but they are build to last and do a better job of their intended use than some of the blingy crap that's out there.
I'm more concerned about how the rack looks and its rather high centre of gravity when it's eventually loaded for a tour. Looks like I'll just have to keep the loaded weight down as much as reasonably possible.

 

[the snail]

Might be able to swap the mudguard/rack and use the lower mounts on the dropouts, which would bring the rack a bit lower?

 

[Ming the Merciless]

^^^ Just what I was thinking.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Other thought was to get the Carradice SuperC rack bag