wombatgrrl

I've got a front rack I took off an old Nishiki touring bike I had get rid of when I was downsizing the bike stable a few years ago. It's stamped with the name on the front. Turns out this is a pretty rare rack? I don't see myself getting another steel tourer in the near future. I am thinking about selling it to someone who would put it to good use on a proper frame. Any input on what it might go for?

jlaw

Need to see photos - certainly an interesting find. You need to get 10 posts or have another member post the photos for you.

The front racks are harder to find than the rear. The last time I looked I think there may have been two different types of the classic JB front rack.

Does the rack wrap around the fork crown like this - and does it look like the one on the bike shown in the second photo below?

3speedslow

Moving in 3, 2, 1...

wombatgrrl

The rack wraps around the fork crown.

Apparently I'll need to get busy with more posts on this forum before I can put up images!

I might just put it up on ebay but I was hoping that a vintage steel lover would get it. I've been sitting on it now for close to 10 years. It's not mint - it does have signs of wear, but not damage. I had gotten it from a friend of mine who was into old steel. He had lots of old parts and he'd given it to me for the Nishiki vintage steel tourer that I had plucked off a tree lawn and overhauled.

thumpism 

I have one that wraps and used it on a TransAm attempt. I'd expect to pay $20 or so for a replacement. Don't know if there's actually any collector value unless you have a buyer working on a JB group.

deux jambes

Early Blackburn equipment bore Jim’s full name unlike later stuff which only carries his last name. I’m unsure when that change took place. Guessing early 80’s? Maybe someone can clarify.

Anyhow, I imagine your rack looks similar to mine. Do note that I’m using mine with a pair of lowrider pannier racks installed as well. But the wraparound rack itself is fairly rare by my observation. I’ll mention too that in my experience anyway, it’s a bit of a pain to install. Once set up though, it looks great and serves well.

Yours should fit most any 27”/700c bike from the era that has lower fork eyelets, and a drilled fork crown. I think a 38c wide front tire would be a good max width.

When I was searching for the rack I saw a couple of completed listings on eBay that were priced higher than I’d be probably pay (upwards of $60 or so). I lucked out and found mine locally for $10. Bought it from a retired LBS owner & collector.

Saw one on regional CL recently for a decent price of about $25. And a similar slightly more expensive deal not too much longer before that one.

So, not an every day item, but they’re out there if one searches hard enough. And the price range I’ve observed reflects the old adage “the value of thing is only worth what both the seller and the buyer agree upon.”

thumpism 

Try it with cantilevers.

Yeah, on the trip I used mine with front lowrider racks attached. In fact, my whole front rack rig is still intact on a shelf out in the garage. Interestingly, this setup gives you the option of high bag placement or low bag placement, if you determine you need to change for some reason. I tried it to see if I could determine any difference in stability, as Blackburn's own study for the product indicated there would be (low mount front bags with high/standard mount rear bags were found to be the "best" setup) but I could not tell the difference. Low is down near the weeds in case there's a chance to get fouled on something.

TiHabanero

The Jim Blackburn racks I have, the lettering is done in a light red color. I did not add the coloring, that is the way they came from the distributor.

TenGrainBread 

It's not a rare or valuable rack. I see them all the time. Many hundreds of thousands were sold for years before the switch to just "Blackburn".

deux jambes

I’m certainly not doubting that statement, but where are they all? I’ve kept my eyes peeled for some time, and haven’t seen more than a half dozen for sale that weren’t attached to a bike.

jlaw

I see two JB vintage front racks on ebay currently - one is the wrap-around and one bolts to the front of the fork crown at the brake mounting hole.

$55 - $60 each + shipping

cb400bill

Thread moved from C&V to C&V Appraisals.

francophile 

I've actually been actively looking for one in natural/alloy at a decent price for this bike: https://www.bikeforums.net/21206374-post8.html

I don't necessarily consider $60+ship "decent", personally. So the alert I have which turned up the two above and a couple others, not jumping at me. I have a rear already with JB's full name on it I bought here a couple years back for $35 shipped, IIRC.

(NB: That's not a rack boss on the fork. I haven't yet posted a WTB here because I haven't broken down the bike yet. Gratuitous pic below...thread linked above, with another member's Majestic...)

thumpism 

Here's the setup I used, as mentioned in my post above. Hanging onto it.

wrk101

My experience is the front platform racks are quite a bit harder to find. Myself, I would gladly pay double, maybe triple, what I would for a rear rack.

On my own personal finds over the years, I bet I have found 100 rear racks for every 1 front rack. Anymore, I am donating rear racks to the co-op.

Pamelasyday

Looking at getting a decent front rack for series 3, got to be easy to fit/remove, and what is the max weight you can load on one?