Mounting rack to bike without eyelets
Discussion
Has anyone here done it?
So far most googling seems to bring up Tubus QR mounting system. This sounds good, you fit a qr axle through some plates which have holes in for the rack to fit to. Then at the top, Tubus provide clamps similar to a P clip to fix to the seat stays.
Any experience of how well they all work together on multi day tours?
I have an emonda and the QR nut and the QR lever both seem to fit inside a pocket or recess in the end of the chain stay. Just wondering if that would prevent the plates which carry the rack being able to fit properly?
So far most googling seems to bring up Tubus QR mounting system. This sounds good, you fit a qr axle through some plates which have holes in for the rack to fit to. Then at the top, Tubus provide clamps similar to a P clip to fix to the seat stays.
Any experience of how well they all work together on multi day tours?
I have an emonda and the QR nut and the QR lever both seem to fit inside a pocket or recess in the end of the chain stay. Just wondering if that would prevent the plates which carry the rack being able to fit properly?
They are very well known in bike packing, they are used by the likes of Mike Hall, Juliana Buhring (sponsored by them) and I've seen the set Emily Chappell used on last years TCR, it looked brand new. I was very impressed with the quality but went Alpkit in the end for simplicity and I could phone them for customisation.
CELTIC DRAGON - re your frame bag.
I'm just about to order one - what options did you go for, and were there some you wish you had.
(I'm intending on horizontal divider, to hold clothes, and tools/spares)
I've got a road bike - what depth did you go for 4,5 or 6cm.
When packed, does yours bulge out much? (getting in the way of pedalling).
With no frame bottle cages, where do you carry your water? bladder within framebag, rucksack hydration pack, or on handlebars.
I'm just about to order one - what options did you go for, and were there some you wish you had.
(I'm intending on horizontal divider, to hold clothes, and tools/spares)
I've got a road bike - what depth did you go for 4,5 or 6cm.
When packed, does yours bulge out much? (getting in the way of pedalling).
With no frame bottle cages, where do you carry your water? bladder within framebag, rucksack hydration pack, or on handlebars.
I, like you had a few questions and tried to talk to a few people who had bikepacked (bikepacking.net were very helpful), and then popped down the Excel show where Alpkit had a stand and talked to them, looked at the kit and got to speak to 1 of them who did the TT last year. I'll type up what I have and why, hopefully you'll get an idea, I'll also include bits I have in them so you can see where I pack them or intend to pack them for the TT.
The 1 thing they all said, was the more space you have, the more crap you'll carry! I took this to heart when speccing my kit list, and I am down to about 7kgs of kit total, for 4 days of riding!
Water will be a bladder on my back, I was advised not to go for a full frame bag if I could avoid it, because they act like sails!
The 1 thing they all said, was the more space you have, the more crap you'll carry! I took this to heart when speccing my kit list, and I am down to about 7kgs of kit total, for 4 days of riding!
Water will be a bladder on my back, I was advised not to go for a full frame bag if I could avoid it, because they act like sails!
Edited by Celtic Dragon on Tuesday 29th March 18:11
My kit, I have 4 bits of kit that I'll be taking to Italy (Tuscany Trail (TT)) later this year.
My Osprey pack which is also my hydration bladder, as the TT is an MTB run, it gives me a back protector, and will have the waterproofs in it, plus small stuff like patches etc, and allows me to nip into shops en route for supplies.
A Koala (clothes and stuff not used often) I used on the South Downs last year with Sixpot, and have used it to ferry bits of fishing kit to friends house, at about 6kgs, and 15 miles each way), as well as a couple of other day trips. The main reason to use it on day trips is to take the weight off my back. 3kgs of water + tools was enough.
Large Possum (cooker, mug, tools, generally small heavy stuff) this is a new buy, and for cooking kit and dehydrated food as well as map, compass etc, plus a few other bits like tools for the TT trip. Its big enough to hold a 650ml mighty mug on its side at its deepest point and leave me about an inch of clearance either side for knee travel. I can get my thin windproof / waterproof and a pair of waterproof trousers in it easily and have a bit of spare room. Imagine strapping a 2L Coke bottle to the top tube for width. Which may not be a bad idea to do as that will give you an idea of how much leg room you have to play with.
Large customised Fuel cell (power, gells etc), for the toptube/headset area, for energy bars and battery packs. The custom bit is I can thread wires out a small velcro opening to the handlbars, so I can power my lights and charge the 810.
Then theres the drybag up front for the sleeping system.
As you will be on a road bike, you could use something like a fabic bottle cage on the stem / bars like the below to give you bottle points.
Basically my bike looks like this
To give you an idea on what you can do with a road bike, this is Ed Pickup's bike from a Tran America race
My best advice is think about what you are taking, verses what you need! I'm err'ing on the side of caution as this is my first endurance race, I could go lighter, but I wouldn't be as comfortable.
My Osprey pack which is also my hydration bladder, as the TT is an MTB run, it gives me a back protector, and will have the waterproofs in it, plus small stuff like patches etc, and allows me to nip into shops en route for supplies.
A Koala (clothes and stuff not used often) I used on the South Downs last year with Sixpot, and have used it to ferry bits of fishing kit to friends house, at about 6kgs, and 15 miles each way), as well as a couple of other day trips. The main reason to use it on day trips is to take the weight off my back. 3kgs of water + tools was enough.
Large Possum (cooker, mug, tools, generally small heavy stuff) this is a new buy, and for cooking kit and dehydrated food as well as map, compass etc, plus a few other bits like tools for the TT trip. Its big enough to hold a 650ml mighty mug on its side at its deepest point and leave me about an inch of clearance either side for knee travel. I can get my thin windproof / waterproof and a pair of waterproof trousers in it easily and have a bit of spare room. Imagine strapping a 2L Coke bottle to the top tube for width. Which may not be a bad idea to do as that will give you an idea of how much leg room you have to play with.
Large customised Fuel cell (power, gells etc), for the toptube/headset area, for energy bars and battery packs. The custom bit is I can thread wires out a small velcro opening to the handlbars, so I can power my lights and charge the 810.
Then theres the drybag up front for the sleeping system.
As you will be on a road bike, you could use something like a fabic bottle cage on the stem / bars like the below to give you bottle points.
Basically my bike looks like this
To give you an idea on what you can do with a road bike, this is Ed Pickup's bike from a Tran America race
My best advice is think about what you are taking, verses what you need! I'm err'ing on the side of caution as this is my first endurance race, I could go lighter, but I wouldn't be as comfortable.
Hart was set on a full frame bag, liked the idea that it put the weight low and central.
Although, glad that you've mentioned the problem of it acting like a sail - had not thought of that.
And thank you for giving me some more ideas.
At the moment I'm at the early stages of planning a 3 week trip.
Need to draw on others (like yourself) experience - thanks for taking time to reply.
As you've mentioned, think first issue is to work out what I really need to take.
Kevin
Although, glad that you've mentioned the problem of it acting like a sail - had not thought of that.
And thank you for giving me some more ideas.
At the moment I'm at the early stages of planning a 3 week trip.
Need to draw on others (like yourself) experience - thanks for taking time to reply.
As you've mentioned, think first issue is to work out what I really need to take.
Kevin
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