Is this front rack useful?
11-23-23, 11:35 AM
#51
Sunshine
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Des Moines, IA
Posts: 16,614
Bikes: '18 class built steel roadbike, '19 Fairlight Secan, '88 Schwinn Premis , Black Mountain Cycles Monstercross V4, '89 Novara Trionfo
Mentioned: 123 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 10964 Post(s)
Liked 7,491 Times
in
4,189 Posts
I've ridden most of my life with rear racks. I recently got a Mongoose Elroy that came with a front rack.
https://www.mongoose.com/products/elroy
I strapped my rack bag to the top of it and I've been riding that way for a month or two now. It's not growing on me. I don't like all that weight through the bars. It also catches crosswinds, which want to steer the bike. And it (the rack bag on top of the rack) blocks part of the beam from my headlight. At some point in the future, I'll probably remove the rack and replace it with a rear rack. I'm not finding the frame bag all that useful, either; I'd rather just toss stuff in the rack bag or (on my other bikes) the panniers. Also, this frame bag is bolted to the frame, so I can't easily take it inside with me.
https://www.mongoose.com/products/elroy
I strapped my rack bag to the top of it and I've been riding that way for a month or two now. It's not growing on me. I don't like all that weight through the bars. It also catches crosswinds, which want to steer the bike. And it (the rack bag on top of the rack) blocks part of the beam from my headlight. At some point in the future, I'll probably remove the rack and replace it with a rear rack. I'm not finding the frame bag all that useful, either; I'd rather just toss stuff in the rack bag or (on my other bikes) the panniers. Also, this frame bag is bolted to the frame, so I can't easily take it inside with me.
Likes For mstateglfr:
11-23-23, 12:23 PM
#52
Full Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Worcester, MA, USA
Posts: 411
Bikes: Dawes Lightning DLX, 1988 Klein Performance, 1991 Peugeot Safari, 1985 Raleigh Alyeska, Carrera Phantom, 1973 Raleigh Record
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 282 Post(s)
Liked 129 Times
in
92 Posts
If it makes you feel better to invalidate my opinion, knock yourself out.
11-23-23, 12:30 PM
#53
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 3,094
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1034 Post(s)
Liked 1,290 Times
in
743 Posts
Shorter stems are more twitchy. Longer stems are more stable. That's usually a matter of preference and fit but for a bike with this style of front rack, twitchy on top of the problems you already have is the last thing you want. When someone says short stem in the context of a steering speed discussion, they usually mean 6-7cm being short vs 10-11cm being average vs 13+cm being long. Zero is frankly extreme.
https://velo.outsideonline.com/road/...-and-handling/
https://www.cyclingabout.com/steerin...teering-speed/
https://velo.outsideonline.com/road/...-and-handling/
https://www.cyclingabout.com/steerin...teering-speed/
11-28-23, 10:27 AM
#54
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 646
Mentioned: 9 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 185 Post(s)
Liked 36 Times
in
31 Posts
Basket Rack
This is from an errands ride yesterday. Basket and platform front rack. It had 18# of produce at one point and steered fine.
Yes, it's a town ride vs touring. Thing is, the OP didn't ask about touring and actually asked about how they would be for local town riding. Thars what you responded to, and then went on a touring rant over.
Heck, you even acknowledge they can be fine for in town riding, which is what the OP asked about.
All the rest of your posts where you talk about touring is just filler.
As for a front rack on touring, to each their own, bud. You do you and others do their way. It seems comical, and frankly on brand, for you to declare there is one way to do things and everyone else is wrong.
Again, maybe they are just not as scared of how a bike with weight in the front handles. Maybe they are just not as sensitive with weight on the front. Maybe their geometry is different than yours. Etc etc.
11-28-23, 11:28 AM
#55
Sunshine
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Des Moines, IA
Posts: 16,614
Bikes: '18 class built steel roadbike, '19 Fairlight Secan, '88 Schwinn Premis , Black Mountain Cycles Monstercross V4, '89 Novara Trionfo
Mentioned: 123 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 10964 Post(s)
Liked 7,491 Times
in
4,189 Posts
What basket rack is that? I have a porteur rack, and liked it ok, as long as I didn't load it up to much. Seemed like with a heavy load, it took a bit of muscle to keep the bike on the side of the path I wanted it to, mostly when riding curvy paths. Otherwise, it handled fine. It was better with panniers, and only a light load on the platform.
I bought longer stays and a couple daruma connection bolts to tighten the stays. I also flattened the diving board/diving board so that the rack could sit lower and closer to the wheel.
The rack was $50 and as stock it would work great if the included stays are the correct length.
https://www.amazon.com/GORIX-Front-C...1b6112eae892fa
The basket I have on there is a half height 139 basket.
And I used to use a Jandd Extreme front rack that has pannier mounts and a platform on the top to mount the basket, but this more minimal setup cuts almost 1 pound off. I can easily toss the Jandd back on for the rare times I need panniers.
11-28-23, 12:20 PM
#56
Clark W. Griswold
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: ,location, location
Posts: 13,525
Bikes: Foundry Chilkoot Ti W/Ultegra Di2, Salsa Timberjack Ti, Cinelli Mash Work RandoCross Fun Time Machine, 1x9 XT Parts Hybrid, Co-Motion Cascadia, Specialized Langster, Phil Wood Apple VeloXS Frame (w/DA 7400), R+M Supercharger2 Rohloff, Habanero Ti 26
Mentioned: 54 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4357 Post(s)
Liked 3,995 Times
in
2,666 Posts
The bike is a neat concept but at that price I would have ditched the bag and the front rack and put better overall components on it for that price. They always try to make it look cool and all but functionality and practicality is always at the bottom of the list.
11-28-23, 01:43 PM
#57
señor miembro
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: Pac NW
Posts: 6,625
Bikes: '70s - '80s Campagnolo
Mentioned: 92 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3889 Post(s)
Liked 6,488 Times
in
3,211 Posts
Couldn't an AI bot have come to a solution without posted crap on bikeforums?
What's the end goal here, "user1617"?
