FordTrax

I built up a really nice steel road frame with no brazons for rack mounting. I have rear racks on all my other bikes and thought I could live without one on this really nice steel road frame. I tried frame mounted bag, top tube bag, etc. Conclusion: I need a rear rack to but a small trunk bag... wallet, keys, tool bag, snacks, tubes, inflator, and a small pair of binoculars.

The bike really built up nice and I used all silver components so it would look vintage. Running 9 speed friction with a lovely set of miche/H plus wheels in high polish.

I was looking for kind of a classic sliver rack and found this: Soma Champs Elysees Rear Rack (See picture attached). They indicate it can be mounted off the QR skewer and the rear brake mount bolt. So I will not need any p-mounts. It is not cheap at $100 but is stainless so it should last. But more importantly I think it will look correct on the retro steel frame and be plenty sturdy to hold a small truck bag with only a few pounds in it.

I was wondering how mounting a rack on the rear quick release skewer actually works out in practice. Is it pretty secure and trouble free or is doing a rack off the quick release problematic?

Can I use my current quick release or will I need to go to a long quick release? I believe it is a standard 130mm road QR so I could get a 135mm if needed.

Any advice, ideas would be welcome.

revcp 

Not problematic at all. One of the best and most solid racks made, Old Man Mountain, is a QR rack.

alcjphil

Mounting a rack on the quick release skewer is going to be a huge nuisance every time you have to remove the rear wheel for any reason. P clamps are preferable to this type of mount since they are set and forget, you never have to worry about them once installed

FordTrax

Huge Nuisance = That is what I was wondering if this was going to be the case.

FordTrax

My other option would be a Tailfin Rack. Which is certainly not retro and it is not cheap but it mounts of special quick release skewers that have pegs on the ends for the rack to mount to and a quick release clamp to the seat post. You can take it on and off in 10 seconds they claim. It was designed for road bikes with no mounting points on the frame. See link:

TailFin S

alcjphil

The level of the nuisance factor is going to depend on how often you feel the need to remove the rear wheel. For me, this would get old very quickly since I often remove the rear wheel to clean my bike or to stow it in my car trunk when I travel with it, not to mention changing tires or repairing flats.

cyccommute 

I don’t agree. I had an Old Man Mountain long ago. The skewer bent and was almost impossible to remove from the hub. I went a different route.

I agree that the quick release mount is a nuisance. You have to remove the quick release completely...more parts to keep track of on the side of the road...and, once the rack is free it is flopping around as you attempt to remove and replace the wheel.

I’m not a fan of P-clips, however. They are just barely adequate. Tubus rack adapters are much more stable and much easier to use, They can be used as the upper and/or lower.

I have them on a couple of bikes as the upper mount and at least one bike as the lower mount.




They are relatively strong...I use them for a commuting load (about 15 lb). I’ve also used them for off-road touring. I’m not carrying much of a load in the little bags but the rack is extremely stable. I’ve been using them for about 10 years without problems.




You have to measure the diameter of the seat stay to get the right size (use an adjustable wrench if you don’t have calipers)

alcjphil

Those adapters are a great solution, they are basically an extra robust P clamp designed specifically to support a rear rack on a bicycle. Far superior to using the quick release skewer to support the rack

dsbrantjr

I like that the Tubus adapters separate the clamping and rack mounting functions to two different bolts.

cyccommute 

I agree. P-clamps are a pain because of the single bolt. As an added bonus, you can leave the Tubus adapters in place if you take the rack off for some reason.

Crankycrank

A large seatpack would also work well, no rack needed. https://store.biketouringnews.com/ca...seat-bags.html

mitchmellow62

Do the Tubus adaptors mar the finish at all?

WizardOfBoz

Another route, if your seat-post adjustment and seat are strong and rigid:

Arkel Randonneur Rack:

FordTrax

I ordered a Soma Champ Elysees Rear Rack (tubular stainless steel) and my local bike shop is trying to get me some 14mm Tubus Rack Clamps that Cyccommuter recommended. I think that rack will be plenty for a light day ride trunk bag and keep the retro look since it is silver. I appreciate all the input.

cyccommute 

Not really. They come with friction tape. Once tightened they don’t slip.