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DIY front rack mount bracket

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DIY front rack mount bracket

Old 10-24-17, 06:55 AM
  #1  
Benrizio
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DIY front rack mount bracket

I've posted this on a couple of other forum sites already, then just read the recent post here, "don't buy tubus duo". I'm convinced the rust is nothing to worry about (apart from resale value) but I've also seen quite beautiful photos of big pannier bags mounted on a rack above the front wheel. If it can simplify mounting and save some pennies, I might go for one of those. Both my past tours of longer than a week, I have had a bag or basket with significant weight on the handlebar. On the most recent of the two, I had Axiom lowrider racks (which broke, but probably because the pannier bags didn't fit properly). Am I likely to notice the difference if I simultaneously move weight up in the panniers and down from the handlebar?
I've got at least two questions here - I know!
Also I couldn't post URLs, so I can't embed photos until I've made "ten posts".
Long story short, I've been trying to put together a touring bike on a budget of money and time, and having run out of both, will travel with or without the bike depending on whether it can carry my stuff!

I thought I was doing myself a favour by getting both a quality steel lowrider second hand and a Tubus clamp for forks with midway eyelets (also visible in next photo) from Ebay, having broken an alloy axiom rack before. It arrived and I realised it's a Tubus Duo, when I thought it looked like a Tara! I could keep it until I find another bike or I can afford a Tara, but for now I've tried rigging it with hose clamps, inspired by the Tubus LM-BF clamp (also not compatible with the Duo) for fatter forks.

I did have to push the racks arms apart a bit, but I used the bolts with the flattest heads I had. I don't have the right allen key that fits between the rack's arms, so I haven't been able to tighten the locknuts down yet. I'm also thinking I'll use tyre tubing or other rubber to improve grip.

Does anyone know what an M5 bolt with a flat tab of metal for a head would be called or where I can find one? I thought it might be a bit stronger and more stable, easier to fit, and save squeezing a bolt head/nut against my forks.

I also had to generously space the bolt to the dropout eyelet because the fork tubes get in the way. Because of this I'm worried there might be too much lateral stress on the bolt, though it doesn't seem to move.

I guess this is something I would do temporarily on the road without hesitation, but does anyone think there's a good reason I should expect this to fail (and throw me off the bike)?

Cheers!
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Old 10-24-17, 10:26 AM
  #2  
fietsbob
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OK nicely bodged, but the Hooped Tara would offer a lot of stability..




"Hoopless is Hopeless" Bruce Gordon.


Steel fork , not that expensive (judging from stamped fork tip) (probably substantial tube wall) drill holes* set 4 mid fork riv nuts . use the rack as its designed..


* need a drill press to do it right, the holes have go straight thru , each blade and be in a line , aligned with each other..




....

Last edited by fietsbob; 10-26-17 at 09:19 AM.
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Old 10-24-17, 12:54 PM
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Originally Posted by fietsbob
OK nicely bodged, but the Hooped Tara would offer a lot of stability.."Hoopless is Hopeless" Bruce Gordon.
+1

OP, I can't tell for certain from your images, but the way you have mounted Duo rack appears to leave it susceptible to rotation around the fork leg(s), which could result in damage/injury/death if the rack or pannier interferes with the rotating tire/wheel enough to cause an abrupt stop. Duo is intended to be mounted on forks which have holes through both walls of the fork legs, thus providing a means to mount rack at upper mount point with a single bolt (each leg) which prevents both sides of rack from rotating.

I recommend wrapping the area of fork legs where your improvised upper mount attaches with old inner tube, then remount rack around the rubber. This should provide a more secure rack mount. Once done, you should test to determine if you can induce rack rotation with a force approximating a 10-20 lbs pannier. You're good if it doesn't twist.

Don't be afraid to bend your steel rack slightly to improve fit.
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Old 10-25-17, 09:58 PM
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I would not use the duo without proper installation - too risky.
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Old 11-02-17, 04:49 PM
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Originally Posted by fietsbob
OK nicely bodged, but the Hooped Tara would offer a lot of stability..




"Hoopless is Hopeless" Bruce Gordon.




....
I can imagine hooped racks are much more stable. I thought I was getting the Tara when I bought the Duo!

I can see how my bodging is no good if it cant prevent rotation around the fork and the poor little bolt on the dropout. That said, I impulsively bought a cheap (10 gbp) secondhand lowrider from eBay because it "fits" better, but again, without the hoop I doubt its much safer. It can bolt into one midfork eyelet or a u-bolt. Photos show it bolted into the tubus clamp I bought to replace the eyelet, and the duo with a u-bolt, L brackets AND jubilee/hose clamps.

Thanks everyone for responding. My plan now is to try to sell the Duo in the next few days and use either those or the alloy lowriders for the next month until I reach my next stop. I understand the weakness of aluminium, but I'm tempted to get the Blackburn outpost, or even forget lowriders and try the local deluxe. They look like they might be easy to pack for a flight, and I could fix a milk crate on top to replace my flimsy basket !
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Old 11-02-17, 08:58 PM
  #6  
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a cheap fender strut makes a solid hoop.
washers welded on at the appropriate spot to bolt to the rack
or can be attached with p-clamps.

just to clarify....the fender strut is bolted to the
fork at the eyelets. the p'clamps secure the rack
to the strut.

in photo is a cheap aluminum lowrider, came with the bike.
mounted by the bike ship with u-bolt at top, diy steel band
p-clamp at bottom. no mid-fork eyelets, and legs too
fat to use the fork end eyelets.

local chinese dude welded some washers to a steel fender strut.
held up to mucho abuse for years.
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Last edited by saddlesores; 11-03-17 at 08:56 AM.
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Old 11-03-17, 04:24 AM
  #7  
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@Benrizio

I think you should just buy a new fork. with mid-eyelets. I know you are on a budget, but its the right choice.

Surly Troll 26" Fork with Rack Mounts in Tree Fort Bikes Mountain Forks
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Old 11-03-17, 07:41 AM
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I've been known to jury-rig things on my bikes, but I would not trust that. I would at least add a fender with thick struts to add some support against it twisting into the spokes.
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