Prowler 

In a recent "where did you ride today" posting a member asked about the luggage rack on my C'dale. Better to start a new thread and maybe others have DIY racks and ideas to share.

The one on my C'dale is one I made several years ago when I wanted a place to lash extra clothing layers that I wore at the start of a ride but did not need as the day warmed. I often set out near dawn and ride for a few hours. I used to install this rack in the fall and remove it in the spring but have lately just left it on all the time. It's very light and strong enough as, with straight 'stays' it transfers weight directly to the DOs. Very little torsional forces. And I never carry much. I think of it as a package shelf vs luggage rack. tomato, tomato.






On the sides are long strips of cherry. The block in the center is sitka spruce (very light and strong enough). The wires are some very tough scraps from our live stock electric fencing. The plastic fittings at the bottom where the mounting screws are came from a scrap patio umbrella. I have two bits of old shoe lace attached at the top of the stays that poke up under the saddle and are tied around the rails. Suitable for purpose.

BTW: I've found shoe and boot laces very useful for lashing things down or tying thing together. Strong and they hold knots very well. No slip. You can see a black one wrapped around the wires, ready when needed.

Prowler 

I'll post this one too, though I've shown this photo elsewhere too. Its sort of a DIY as its a front rack made by modifying a rear rack.




The one on the right is a "before" and the gray primer one is the new one. This is actually v2 since I really did not like how v1 came out. Yes, both donors rack were literally saved from the dump. The modifications included shortening the deck and side rails, rebending both and drilling new holes for the single stay that spans to the brake bolt hole. Fab'd a new rack stay too. My Fuji has canti brakes so the front brake caliper hole is unused and just waiting for an assignment. I've also fabricated a wooden rod to install on those exposed ends of the rails and the deck to cover them up. Made that from red cedar with gloss marine varnish. Nice touch. I was also quite careful this time to ensure that the installed rack deck would parallel to the bike's TT.

pastorbobnlnh 

Very well done, Todd! I especially like the cherry one. I have some left over bamboo flooring which I thought might cut nicely into the slats for a rack.

DYI racks are on my creative to-do list when retirement begins next week.

Prowler 

^^^^^^ yooooo hooooooo next week!

thumpism 

My only contribution is a free broken Pletscher made into a seatstay mount rack. Still in use.

Cynikal 

I'm building a rack currently, I'll take some photos of the process. It's a mini porteur designed to hold a Wald 137 and a dyno light.