FatBiker88

I capitalized the ON BIKE part because I know there are a LOT of posyts about installing carriers on cars; this is about the rack you install on the rear of the bike to hang panniers, etc. I am unable to post a pic, so I hope my question is clear:

Many of the bike racks have an angled upwards part on one end, instead of being completely flat the entire length of the rack. Some racks allow you to install with the angled section facing either forwards (so up near the seat) or facing the rear of the bike. I have seen them installed both ways. One some racks you don't have a choice, it's manufactured with the angled part facing one way or the other, can only be installed one way, and I have also seen this BOTH ways depending on the rack and/or manufacturer. So what is this angled part for, and what goes into deciding whether you want the ones with the angled bit facing forward or back? If I have a rack where I have the option of installing it either way, what goes into deciding which way it should go?

Thanks for any opinions or facts.

chaadster

Interesting. In all my years using racks— I installed my first in ‘87– I have to admit that I don’t think I’ve ever contemplated the kick-up section’s purpose or its orientation; I’ve only seen it on the inside, i.e. near the seat tube. I guess I thought it was for strapping stuff and pulling it in, but they are generally poorly designed for that purpose. That, or the binding used to accomplish the task has eluded me for decades.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a rack mounted “backwards,” nor seen one able to be mounted with the kick-up at the rear, despite the fact it might make sense to have it that way.

Anyway, I’m interested to hear people’s thoughts on this!

For clarity, this is the style of rack and mount orientation I’m talking about:

Trakhak

I've never seen one with the angling-upward part facing the back of the bike. Folding, completely flat Pletscher racks were about the only racks commonly available for sale in bike shops until the late '70s or early '80s, when Jim Blackburn (and maybe others such as Eclipse, Cannondale, etc.) began selling welded or otherwise upgraded racks.

Those, I believe, were the first racks to feature the angled part to which you refer. Speculating here, but the reasoning behind adding that feature might have been to prevent items strapped to the top of the rack from interfering with the cantilever brakes that were common on touring bikes of the era (i.e., to prevent a loosely secured item from slamming into the rear brake wire during braking and potentially locking the rear brake).

chaadster

So I just did a Google image search for “bicycle rear rack” and kept scrolling, looking for a reversible/bi-directional mount rack with a kick-up, and got to the point where it said “it looks like you’ve reached the end” but did not see a single rack of that type.

OP, I’m going to suggest that when you look at the rack you have, or get, you’ll see there is only one way to mount it. If it has a kick-up at the one or both ends, that’s fine, but it’ll still only mount in one direction.

Unca_Sam

The backstop, if the rack has one, faces the rider for both front and rear mounted racks. It shouldn't be ambiguous. The rack has a lower connection for mounting near the dropouts, and an upper connection to mount at the braze-ons, brake bridge, or seat stays for rear racks, or to the fork blade, brake post, or fork crown for front racks.

Since not everyone buys all their bike stuff new, it's possible you don't have mounting directions. Take some clear pictures and create an album, and we can look at them there to help. If you bought it new, you should be following the directions packaged with the rack...

FatBiker88

Boy I wish I could post pictures on this thing, I guess I'm too new. I googled "bike rack pannier" and the first image for an ibera looks to be sort of what I'm talking about, although it has the upwards angle on both ends. The amazon description for it is:

"Ibera Bike Rack - Bicycle Touring Carrier Plus+ for Disc Brake Mount, Frame-Mounted for Heavier Top & Side Loads"

I have looked at a few installation pics from riders of other Iberas racks, and some people have it facing rear.

The one I got is a West Biking rack w/ 310 pound capacity (although I imagine that's grossly exaggerated, especially since it doesn't attach to axle hubs). In the installation videos and customer pics for this rack I've seen it both ways. I can slide the rack off the main rail and put it in either configuration.

However, the idea that you want to stop anything from sliding forward and hitting any of the cable-driven components makes perfect sense, I think that's probably the philosophy and purpose behind it, although it does surprise me that so many racks are also just flat all the way across; maybe these ones rely on the other attachment posts/rails that connect to the seatpost or frame above the cable stuff to keep things from going awry.

I'll likely install w/ the angle facing rear, against the norm, as I might be tying some stuff to it to it to drag along behind me (I'll do some testing first to see if that will be workable and/or safe, I know I have to be mindful of making sure stuff can't come forward and hit my wheel when I brake). The are no good tie-off points on the other end.

This has been interesting, I appreciate everyone taking the time.

tyrion

More critical than a lip on the deck is the extra bit of tubing at the rear of the rack under the deck, that rounded V pointing aft and down:



That's to keep a soft pannier from getting sucked into the spokes, and you wouldn't want to mount that kind of rack backwards (assuming it's even possible to mount it backwards).

Unca_Sam

What exactly do you plan on dragging behind you? Trailers use a solid attachment to keep the trailer from running into the bike while braking. Will you be dragging pine boughs to cover your tracks? A section of chain-link fence to level the infield?

indyfabz

I have toured with racks for some 20 years and I cannot make heads or tails of the OP.

FatBiker88

that got a hearty chuckle out of me, well played. The plan is to tow a kayak behind me, I've looked at some methods to do this online and with the adjustability and ruggedness of this rack, it looks like I can make use of it in the same way as some off the kayak towing methods i've seen people rig up. So it can double as cargo carrier and kayak tower if I'm thinking things through and understanding some of these other rigs I'm seeing.

FatBiker88

My inability to post pics or links ha definitely made this more difficult than it needed to be. This West Biking rack with 310 pound capacity is such that the pannier racks can be installed with the flat rack facing either direction. And I have seen in installation videos and customer pics that it has been installed both ways. And I have a second use besides putting cargo on top that makes one particular direction work better for me than another, and wanted to make sure I was considering the implications before installing it.

Happy Feet

As to the upswing. Not certain but my vote would be for protecting the cantis. It seems to line up right where the straddle cable is.

Just make ten posts and then you can add pics. In this case copying and pasting a link will do: https://www.amazon.ca/West-Biking-Un.../dp/B074Z8PVNV

That is one crazily over designed piece of work. Sadly, with all its adjustment points it would flex a lot and probably not be as strong as a less adjustable solid welded unit.

Frankly, for your application, which isn't that unusual, a simple basic welded rack with a well balanced trailer load would suffice. You need a cart under the kayak and then a mounting point on the nose. I built this but haven't gotten to the nose as I started SUPing instead.

My plan is a bamboo pole from the cart forward with a ring at the bike end. A plywood plate on top of the rack with a large bolt and series of washers encasing a rubber bearing like a DIY trailer hitch. Unscrew the top bolt, slide the trailer ring over, rebolt.

chaadster

If that’s the one, in the Amazon link above, I don’t see any indication the deck is reversible at all, and rather seems to be another example of one which only mounts in one direction, with the kick-up near the seatpost.

indyfabz

IKR. I looked at the link and agree 100%.

All one needs to do is look at the photos. Maybe the front/rear adjustment feature is confusing the OP. That simply means the platform slides, but the rack only attaches in one direction.

chaadster

Ah, there is a pic, if you filter Amazon reviews by “image and video only,” on the second page, of the deck reversed. It appears to be only bolted on, and aligns fine in either direction. The OP is correct about that, then.

I do agree with Happy Feet that so many bolt and adjustment points, the potential for frustration and flex is really high...regardless of deck orientation.

FatBiker88

I have it in my possession, the reflector can be taken off and the whole flat bit can be slid off the rail and slid back on in reverse. A customer's image shows it installed this way in the U.S. description (link above seems to be canadian listing and I dont' see the same videos/customer pics I see in U.S. description.

Either way, I think i got the answers, thanks everyone for your time.

indyfabz

Well why didn't you simply say that the "flat bit" is removable and reversible in your OP? From what I could mine from your wording it sounded like you were saying the entire rack could be installed in reverse, which is why it left me scratching my head.

"Some racks allow you to install with the angled section facing either forwards (so up near the seat) or facing the rear of the bike."

BTW...The "flat bit" is typically referred to as the "platform." That angled up part is not for towing. Among other things, it help stop gear from sliding forward in the event of a hard stop if it's not secured tightly. My first racks, which were custom made, did not have one, and I never whished I had one.

veganbikes

I have never seen a multi directional rack that just sounds like a poorly designed rack. Go Tubus or Racktime or Topeak and don't have the problems. Cheap crap like that, isn't worth your time or money. I would doubt its ability to hold 30 pounds reliably let alone 110lbs as they claim. It clamps onto tubes in a really poor way and if you look at the seatpost is scratched meaning it wasn't properly greased and wasn't properly de-burred do you really want to waste money on a product that has that as their money shot? I would rather take that $35 and a bottle of Screwball and enjoy the evening and maybe a few more after that.

If you don't have mounts for a rack on your bike, that is probably a good indication, that bike wasn't designed for carrying loads on racks. Certainly be careful and use quality components and install them properly and don't overload them and with stuff that mentions 110lbs of capacity don't trust it for a second. Tubus which is world proven holds a max of 88lbs which is more than I would ever carry on my rack. If I was carrying a child I would use a proper child rack and seat or I would buy a cargo bike designed to carry passengers and weight. Some cheap-o bike with a cheap-o rack could lead to expensive hospital bills for the passenger and maybe the biker as well.