Epicus07 

I really want to put a nice looking rack on my Guerciotti so i can ride it to school (school is in a low theft area). The problem is that there are no eyelets for racks on the bottom or the top. I suppose i could get an adapter that attaches to the seat tube and p clamps for the bottom. I refuse to use the heavy, top-heavy, ugly type that attach to the seat post.

I would be more interested in having a front rack/bag rando style if it could handle my textbooks. I know that i shouldn't put heavy things up there but it sounds like a more appealing option.

What do you guys think?

The other option is to HTFU and carry a lot of weight on my back.

KonAaron Snake 

If you have the ability (space and funds), I'd keep the Guerciotti what it was meant to be...a racing bike...and buy a cheap commuter (or not so cheap) for the school book duty.

Epicus07 

This is what my heart wants.

She was meant to be a backup bike / fast commuter since i can't park my Roubaix anywhere.

If i didn't love her to bits I would sell her and buy a nice commuter that i could tour with. However she is too much fun / beautiful to part with.

I guess i'll have to find room for a third. My SO is going to S*** herself


Thank you for talking sense into me Aaron.

stien

Don't scratch up the paint! Get a beater.

KonAaron Snake 

That's how it starts! I knew my wife was a winner when she was over at my apartment for the first time...a medium sized one bedroom. The entire living room was dominated by 6 or 7 bikes and the wheels, parts, etc. that come with it. She didn't even freak out...and thought it was really cool that I had such an interesting hobby. She started to REALLY like it when she saw me making money selling things.

Epicus07 

I think women start out more tolerant. After years of parts all of the place, bike grease, non stop forums/craigslist surfing, and bikes coming in and out of the apt like a revolving door....they get less impressed. I make money by selling bikes that i grow tired of as well. The problem is the money always goes into more bikes so she doesn't see it as a positive

In any event, your wife needs to have a nice heart to heart w/ my girlfriend

WalksOn2Wheels

Quick question, what kind of weight are you talking about carrying? 10-15 pounds or something crazy like 20-30?

BluesDaddy

^ +1... those seat stays may not be "rated" for the loads a rack would impose on them.

Epicus07 

My textbooks are 7 lbs so it would probably be 15-20 lbs.

A: Tubing is SLX
B: I would cry uncontrollably if anything happened to her.
C: I really need an excuse to buy a bike with a triple crank that i can tour with / abuse the crap out of.

Conclusion. N+1 it is.

WalksOn2Wheels

Actually, if he's keeping his weight to a reasonable amount, I've had huge luck with a backpack I recently purchased. An Osprey Talon 22. I have to pack carefully, but I don't carry books (ebooks only for me as of this semester) and it's plenty big for clothes, laptop (13.3 inch only), a notebook, extra papers and some grub. Has a nice place to mount your helmet on the back for off the bike. I really enjoy it.

I plan on doing a lengthy full review in the commuter forum at the end of the semester, but so far I really, really like it. Worn properly, the weigh is very well distributed across your back and hips. I tried a traditional backpack and got one awful pressure point on my upper back and straps that dug into my shoulders. The Talon is rated for something like 15-25 pound comfort range. The most I've had in it on the bike may have been approaching 17+ pounds.

Anyhow, at 100 bucks, it's not cheap, but about the same price as a good rack+pannier setup. And it doesn't require compromising the beauty of your steel steed.

531phile 

https://www.peterwhitecycles.com/tubus_racks.asp

Scroll down where it says: Tubus QR Adapter $32

It says it is meant for Tubus racks, but I don't see why you can't mount another rack. Instead of using two bolts on each side you will use just one. If you get it, let us know how it works out.

Then use P-clamps for the stays.

I've been thinking of it getting it for a bike with a broken eyelet. The only thing that would suck is you would have to uninstall the rack everytime you have to get to the rear wheel. If you run a tire with good flat protection. This shouldn't be an issue.

WalksOn2Wheels

Yeah, for sure. Buy a beater. But do take a look at the backpack, it has made commuting a lot better for me. Panniers kind of suck. Especially if you're used to tooling around on light bikes all the time.

habes78023 

With how cheap a good old mountain bike would be I would go that direction.

Even in a low theft area, it only takes one time with someone who has bad intentions for you to be short a bike.

I always carry a backpack too so I haven't dealt with racks, but then again I don't ride very far to classes either.

Yeah, it's up to you and that is just my two cents. Carry on.

Epicus07 

It might be time to try a backpack again. I smashed the front of my clavicle to bits almost 2 years ago. Even after a year i couldn't wear anything with a strap on that side. i have been using a messenger bag ever since. It would be nice to try something that distributes the weight evenly.

BluesDaddy

I know this won't neccesarily help the OP but...
Way back in the day when I was poor, car-free (aka couldn't afford one) and commuting by bike to community college I used one of these:

https://www.jandd.com/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=FCP
It's a pannier that has a shoulder strap and a cover that hides the hardware for off-the-bike use.
I would also use it to bring home groceries.

Epicus07 

Hey Walks,

I was looking at that Osprey Pack, Looks like it would be really cool. I might have to check it out.

WalksOn2Wheels

Looking at the bikes in your sig, it looks like we might have a lot in common. I'm also a student and I have an '06 Roubaix, an 87 Sirrus that is just as aggressive geometry wise as your Gueciotti and your SO is ready to kill at the mention of a 3rd bike.

A little more info on the bag: I'm not sure if you've ever been backpacking, but a properly fitted bag actually puts the majority of the weight on your hips. I cinch the waist belt down snugly and on the bike, I barely even feel it on my shoulders. I mean, I obviously feel it, but my hips carry most of it and the back conforms to my back well enough that it doesn't crate any pressure points. The shoulder straps are certainly there, but they're not even close to the "digging in" point.

I really, really tried to make a rack work on my aggressive bike and did the seatpost mounted rack thing for a while. Honestly, these bikes just aren't made for that sort of work. Putting the goods on your back keeps your bike nimble and fast. A bike with a short wheelbase that will push the panniers past the point of the CG being over the rear axle just gives it that tail wagging the dog feeling.

WalksOn2Wheels

Find a local REI and check it out. They should have some in stock. It's a pretty big seller. Seeing it in person will help you determine if it will be big enough for your books, etc. I've whittled my school setup down to one 5 subject notebook and a laptop, so it works great for me. But if I tried shoving a computer plus a book or two, it would probably get tight with clothes in there as well. But if you live close enough that you don't have to shower and change like I do, it could work just fine.

Barchettaman

I can see a low-level MTB, slick tyres, a rear rack and an argument with your Significant Other in the near future.

That Guerciotti is too nice to be left outside anywhere. It ain't a beater, so don't beat it.

sced

There might be some useful info here. https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ets?highlight=

I was interested in a rear rack though.

Glennfordx4

I just picked up a set of NOS Jim Blackburn custom eyelets for Campagnolo style dropouts on Ebay for less then $5.00 shipped. I may want to put a rear rack on my Centurion Elite RS. I also found a Tange seat bolt mounted bridge that I may pick up so I can try and cobble something together to mount the front of the rack.
https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=STRK:MEWNX:IT
Glenn

Epicus07 

You can add 220 lbs working down to 175 to that list. I used to be 234 went down to 175 and then started working in the ER and blew back up to 220.

Sigh lol