Looking for storage ideas for my 90s Lemond > around town errand bike
 

Hi all

When I lived in the city I commuted on this great old Alpe d’Huez. I’m now in a small town and want to use it to drive less. Meaning short trips to the library, buying beer n groceries etc. I also love cool projects and supporting small US manufacturers so I’m putting feelers out for ideas on racks, bags and so on. Ill keep it single speed and go to wider perhaps 32mm gravelkings. I was gonna build this one up as a gravel bike but the frame wont take very wide tires and its honestly not in fantastic shape so a beater it shall remain. Its a road frame so there are not many mounting bosses but I am rather handy with a fully equipped garage and wouldn't mind adding some riv nuts etc.

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...7ac40459e.jpeg

Well you don't have a lot of options. A seatpost rack might fit if you raise the seat post up. Handlbar basket too. Plenty of options there from the various makers of bike accessories from China and EU.

N + 1 might be the way to go as a bike with eyelets would add a lot of versatility when it comes to grocery runs. If sticking with this bike, there are all sort of US made soft bags that could add storage capacity. I know you want to keep it to US manufacturers but Carradice make a large selection of old school saddle bags that would add some serious storage capacity. You'd have to factor in some sort of mounting system as well.

Also Old Man in the Mountain racks but your seat stays are short so that may be an issue (which is a different reason why you might want to think about N + 1)

https://oldmanmountain.com/

Thanks folks. I already went +1 for the gravel bike so the LeMond stays!

I dug out an old, medium not that nice front basket my dad found at a garage sale and mocked it up...

While I do want to aim for made in the USA its not a must. I was mostly fishing for names of cool brands I may not have heard of. My go-to in cases like this is Velo Organge. Since I have eyelets front and rear I don't see why something like this wouldn't work? https://velo-orange.com/collections/...teur-rear-rack

Semi Related: took a closer look at the wheels last night and ouch. Missing spokes, one is presta one is shrader. I think I may have talked myself into building a new set. I used real nice stuff from Pacenti for two recent tubeless wheelsets but would look for something simpler, not necessarily tubeless, less expensive for these. Any brands come to mind? again VO has a runner (https://www.velocityusa.com/product/rims/atlas-584) as does Velocity (usa!) perhaps I'll go 650b... https://www.velocityusa.com/product/rims/atlas-584

Pelago has a nice front rack that might work for you. It's hung on the brake bolt hole and fork end eyelets, and has a range of top sizes from normal narrow to pizza box and also a basket. Comes in bright SS or aluminum (also in black) to match the back rack you're considering or you can buy theirs. It's not too cheap, but beautifully made. https://pelagobicycles.com/shop/equi...racks-baskets/
A couple of US online shops carry the line.

I have the black aluminum in medium top and use it for running boxes to the post office. If you want to hang bags on the front they have a nice low rider leg kit, too, that you can use with any top. And it doesn't need mid-fork mounts!

Cool, I love that Rasket! Basically a nicer version of what I have mounted now.

Any idea where their products are made? Finland or... ?

Made in Finland, I think. They're very high quality. Some have commented on the use of bolts instead of welds, but the welds for the bolt connections are excellent, the bolts are self-locking SS, and I have had zero problems with my rack.

If you don't have the brazed connections, sometimes you can cludge something together with P-clamps.
I did that for my Xootr Swift, a folding bike.
https://velo-orange.com/products/p-c...der-attachment

Making clear I was talking about the bolts that hold the rack together, not holding it to the bike. . .

That back fender looks like it's rotated 30 degrees aft of where it ought to be.

Bikepacking stuff can make a lot of room without a lot of hard points. But it's not exactly convenient for grocery bags.

Your made in the USA option is, of course, good old Wald baskets. www.waldsports.com. Also available on Amazon.

I used to run Axiom slim rear racks on frames without eyelets. I've gone the seatpost clamp mount + P clamps route, as well as the brake bolt mount + dropout mounts route. Great way to turn a roadie into a townie.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...7eaf2c329c.jpg
Add rack mounts to your bike
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...fa4d9ce6dc.jpg
Add rack to your bike without needing rack mounts


Are you sure you can get 32mm GKs on there? I seen to recall frames of that era being limited to 25mm or 28mm tires.

I went with the Pelago Rasket: https://pelagobicycles.com/rasket/

I am new to the world of panniers - can someone tell me if there is a certain search term or size of bag that would fit this rack?