Cargo Rack on MTB - Considerations?

Michael J. Klein said:

I asked my LBS about putting a rear cargo rack on my new Yukon MTB.
He said that nobody does that, and it would limit my use of the bike
for off-roading. The reason that I have an MTB for street use is the
nature of the roads here. Often they are un-improved and differing
levels which I feel could be more easily negotiated by a mountain bike
rather than a road/comfort bike. Given that I don't use it for actual
hardcore off-roading, are there any other considerations about
mounting a rear cargo rack on my MTB, other than it looking retarded?

Michael J. Klein [email hidden]

You need to condider a new LBS.

Lorenzo L. Love said:

Michael J. Klein said:

I asked my LBS about putting a rear cargo rack on my new Yukon MTB.
He said that nobody does that, and it would limit my use of the bike
for off-roading. The reason that I have an MTB for street use is the
nature of the roads here. Often they are un-improved and differing
levels which I feel could be more easily negotiated by a mountain bike
rather than a road/comfort bike. Given that I don't use it for actual
hardcore off-roading, are there any other considerations about
mounting a rear cargo rack on my MTB, other than it looking retarded?

Michael J. Klein [email hidden]

You need to condider a new LBS.

Why, because he told me what is usual for this country?

Michael J. Klein [email hidden]
Dasi Jen, Taoyuan Hsien, Taiwan, ROC
Please replace mousepotato with asiancastings
---------------------------------------------

Michael J. Klein said:

Lorenzo L. Love said:

Michael J. Klein said:

I asked my LBS about putting a rear cargo rack on my new Yukon MTB.
He said that nobody does that, and it would limit my use of the bike
for off-roading. The reason that I have an MTB for street use is the
nature of the roads here. Often they are un-improved and differing
levels which I feel could be more easily negotiated by a mountain bike
rather than a road/comfort bike. Given that I don't use it for actual
hardcore off-roading, are there any other considerations about
mounting a rear cargo rack on my MTB, other than it looking retarded?

Michael J. Klein [email hidden]

You need to condider a new LBS.

Why, because he told me what is usual for this country?

No, because it sounds like he's not willing to listen to his customer
and help find a solution for what is needed and/or wanted.

Lorenzo L. Love said:

Michael J. Klein said:

I asked my LBS about putting a rear cargo rack on my new Yukon MTB.
He said that nobody does that, and it would limit my use of the bike
for off-roading. The reason that I have an MTB for street use is the
nature of the roads here. Often they are un-improved and differing
levels which I feel could be more easily negotiated by a mountain bike
rather than a road/comfort bike. Given that I don't use it for actual
hardcore off-roading, are there any other considerations about
mounting a rear cargo rack on my MTB, other than it looking retarded?

Michael J. Klein [email hidden]

You need to condider a new LBS.

Indeed. I remember the first time I walked into my local asking for
real full-coverage fenders. A guy looked at me blankly as if to say
"why would you want them?"

They are my local though; other shops are inconveniently far away.
The wrenches are better than the guys up front.

-Luigi

On Fri, 25 Jun 2004 20:33:34 -0700, Peter <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Michael J. Klein said:

Lorenzo L. Love said:

Michael J. Klein wrote:

>I asked my LBS about putting a rear cargo rack on my new Yukon MTB.
>He said that nobody does that, and it would limit my use of the bike
>for off-roading. The reason that I have an MTB for street use is the
>nature of the roads here. Often they are un-improved and differing
>levels which I feel could be more easily negotiated by a mountain bike
>rather than a road/comfort bike. Given that I don't use it for actual
>hardcore off-roading, are there any other considerations about
>mounting a rear cargo rack on my MTB, other than it looking retarded?
>
>Michael J. Klein [email hidden]

You need to condider a new LBS.

Why, because he told me what is usual for this country?

No, because it sounds like he's not willing to listen to his customer
and help find a solution for what is needed and/or wanted.

This is the same guy who replaced my BB after 4 days riding my new
bike, in the same afternoon when I brought it in unannounced. I don't
have a problem with him.

Now, I still am no closer to understanding what the considerations are
with mounting a rack on the rear of a MTB. I suspect its none really.

Michael J. Klein [email hidden]
Dasi Jen, Taoyuan Hsien, Taiwan, ROC
Please replace mousepotato with asiancastings
---------------------------------------------

Luigi de Guzman said:

Lorenzo L. Love said:

Michael J. Klein said:

I asked my LBS about putting a rear cargo rack on my new Yukon MTB.
He said that nobody does that, and it would limit my use of the bike
for off-roading. The reason that I have an MTB for street use is the
nature of the roads here. Often they are un-improved and differing
levels which I feel could be more easily negotiated by a mountain bike
rather than a road/comfort bike. Given that I don't use it for actual
hardcore off-roading, are there any other considerations about
mounting a rear cargo rack on my MTB, other than it looking retarded?

Michael J. Klein [email hidden]

You need to condider a new LBS.

Indeed. I remember the first time I walked into my local asking for
real full-coverage fenders. A guy looked at me blankly as if to say
"why would you want them?"

Normally, I don't resent such statements when asked by professional
people who know more than I do about a particular subject. However,
after I introduce myself and appraise them of my expertise in a
particular area (if appliciable), I then get miffed if they insist
upon not selling me what I want.

Quoted message said:

They are my local though; other shops are inconveniently far away.
The wrenches are better than the guys up front.

Probably not a good idea to [censored] them off, me thinks.

Michael J. Klein [email hidden]
Dasi Jen, Taoyuan Hsien, Taiwan, ROC
Please replace mousepotato with asiancastings
---------------------------------------------

Michael J. Klein:

Quoted message said:

Now, I still am no closer to understanding what the considerations are
with mounting a rack on the rear of a MTB. I suspect its none really.

You suspect correctly.

Jose Rizal _@_._ said:

Michael J. Klein:

Quoted message said:

Now, I still am no closer to understanding what the considerations are
with mounting a rack on the rear of a MTB. I suspect its none really.

You suspect correctly.

Time to go looking around. There are several places in my
neighborhood which have them 🙂 Thanks Jose.

Michael J. Klein [email hidden]
Dasi Jen, Taoyuan Hsien, Taiwan, ROC
Please replace mousepotato with asiancastings
---------------------------------------------

Michael J. Klein said:

I asked my LBS about putting a rear cargo rack on my new Yukon MTB.
He said that nobody does that, and it would limit my use of the bike
for off-roading. The reason that I have an MTB for street use is the
nature of the roads here. Often they are un-improved and differing
levels which I feel could be more easily negotiated by a mountain bike
rather than a road/comfort bike. Given that I don't use it for actual
hardcore off-roading, are there any other considerations about
mounting a rear cargo rack on my MTB, other than it looking retarded?

I fitted a rear rack to my Giant MTB the other week. It rattles a bit over
bumps, but I most likely need to tighten up a couple of nuts and perhaps
stick some blutac or tape on some of the fixings that resonate a bit. The
only problem I have with it is that you can't fit the rear rack on and a
crud catcher. So you get a muddy / wet back. The rack could perhaps foul the
wheel if you fitted it very close and had massive tyres on, and collected
lots of mud. But you'd have to fit it really stupidly to get it to foul
before the frame.

You could always fit a seatpost rack, but they won't hold as much weight.

Michael J. Klein said:

I asked my LBS about putting a rear cargo rack on my new Yukon MTB.
He said that nobody does that, and it would limit my use of the bike
for off-roading. The reason that I have an MTB for street use is the
nature of the roads here. Often they are un-improved and differing
levels which I feel could be more easily negotiated by a mountain bike
rather than a road/comfort bike. Given that I don't use it for actual
hardcore off-roading, are there any other considerations about
mounting a rear cargo rack on my MTB, other than it looking retarded?

Michael J. Klein [email hidden]
Dasi Jen, Taoyuan Hsien, Taiwan, ROC
Please replace mousepotato with asiancastings
---------------------------------------------

You wouldn't want a rack if:

- Your bike is full suspension(I don't know if a Yukon is)
- You bike singletrack in dense bush and trees, the rack will almost
certainly get caught.
(And, a traditional screw-down rack may not fit if you have disc brakes.)

I had a screw-down rack on my wife's first MTB, which was used only on fire
roads and rail trail. Not a problem.

For my MTB, I have a seatpost rack with quick release: goes on when I do
fire roads and touring off-road; comes off when I am riding technical
trails.

Iguana said:

You wouldn't want a rack if:

- You bike singletrack in dense bush and trees, the rack will almost
certainly get caught.

Huh? Anything it could catch on will already have caught on the rider,
who is wider than anything else on the bike.

--
Warren Block * Rapid City, South Dakota * USA

Bought one from Nashbar. It was pretty cheap, holds up to 40 lbs and
certainly doesn't rattle. I see these racks all over town on mtb's, not
sure what the big deal is? Sure they add weight, but so what if you need
some utility. It was a great investment.

Curt

"Michael J. Klein" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I asked my LBS about putting a rear cargo rack on my new Yukon MTB.
He said that nobody does that, and it would limit my use of the bike
for off-roading. The reason that I have an MTB for street use is the
nature of the roads here. Often they are un-improved and differing
levels which I feel could be more easily negotiated by a mountain bike
rather than a road/comfort bike. Given that I don't use it for actual
hardcore off-roading, are there any other considerations about
mounting a rear cargo rack on my MTB, other than it looking retarded?

Michael J. Klein [email hidden]
Dasi Jen, Taoyuan Hsien, Taiwan, ROC
Please replace mousepotato with asiancastings
---------------------------------------------

Michael J. Klein said:

Jose Rizal _@_._ said:

Michael J. Klein:

Quoted message said:

Now, I still am no closer to understanding what the considerations are
with mounting a rack on the rear of a MTB. I suspect its none really.

You suspect correctly.

Time to go looking around. There are several places in my
neighborhood which have them 🙂 Thanks Jose.

Michael J. Klein [email hidden]
Dasi Jen, Taoyuan Hsien, Taiwan, ROC
Please replace mousepotato with asiancastings
---------------------------------------------

There are a lot of considerations, do you have eyelets brazed to your
rear stays? There are other mounting methods for rear racks such as
seat post mounting but the most common and ruggedest mounting method
uses rear stay eyelets. I would definately buy a rack made of tig
welded aluminum tubing rather than a wire rack. The tubing is
stronger and lighter and they don't rattle. I bought an inexpensive
Delta universal rack that will fit a 24 inch MTB if the rear stays
have eyelets. The only extra mounting work I had with the universal
rack was that I had to drill out the support bracket holes to the size
of my seat post pinch bolt.

http://www.sjscycles.com/store/vIndex.htm
Go to SJS Cycles website and look under Carriers and Racks, Rack
fitting kits.

You will get examples of the different parts used to attach rear racks
to your mountain bike or any bike. I am assuming you don't have
eyelets at the rear dropouts and braze ons at the top of the
seatstays. If you have eyelets at the rear dropouts and braze ons at
the top of the seat stays, they you can just bolt on any rack you
want. My Raleigh M600 from 1999 has the required eyelets and braze
ons for a rear rack. I have a Blackburn Expedition rack on my
mountain bike.

So your bike shop guy was lying when he said nobody puts a rear rack
on a mountain bike. Please ask him to explain how a rear rack will
limit the bike's use for off roading.

Michael J. Klein <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

I asked my LBS about putting a rear cargo rack on my new Yukon MTB.
He said that nobody does that, and it would limit my use of the bike
for off-roading. The reason that I have an MTB for street use is the
nature of the roads here. Often they are un-improved and differing
levels which I feel could be more easily negotiated by a mountain bike
rather than a road/comfort bike. Given that I don't use it for actual
hardcore off-roading, are there any other considerations about
mounting a rear cargo rack on my MTB, other than it looking retarded?

Michael J. Klein [email hidden]
Dasi Jen, Taoyuan Hsien, Taiwan, ROC
Please replace mousepotato with asiancastings
---------------------------------------------

On Sat, 26 Jun 2004 11:04:16 +0800, Michael J. Klein
<[email hidden]> wrote in message
<[email hidden]>:

Quoted message said:

I asked my LBS about putting a rear cargo rack on my new Yukon MTB.
He said that nobody does that, and it would limit my use of the bike
for off-roading.

He lied. I have a rack on my MTB and so do lots of other people I
know. The Yukon is a hartail, right? The rack will not be in the
way. Only if you wanted to hang right over the rear wheel in extreme
descents would it be an issue - and in that case you'd probably be on
the wrong bike anyway ;-)

Quoted message said:

The reason that I have an MTB for street use is the
nature of the roads here. Often they are un-improved and differing
levels which I feel could be more easily negotiated by a mountain bike
rather than a road/comfort bike. Given that I don't use it for actual
hardcore off-roading, are there any other considerations about
mounting a rear cargo rack on my MTB, other than it looking retarded?

None, probably. I had to use P-clips on my MTB because the rack I had
spare didn't have a brake bridge mounting bar, you can get three-point
mounting racks which bolt to the brake bridge if you don't have
braze-ons. You might have trouble if you don't have eyelets, but I've
never seen a bike which didn't have at least one set of eyelets.
Sometimes you get single eyelets and have to share the bolt with the
mudguards [fenders] and sometimes you get double eyelets.

As to looking dorky, well, I'm not qualified to comment. We have
seven active bikes in the family (4 MTBs, one tourer, a recumbent and
a triplet) and every one is fitted with a rack.

Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at Washington University

On Sat, 26 Jun 2004 13:03:46 +0100, "Doki" <[email hidden]>

wrote in message : said:

The
only problem I have with it is that you can't fit the rear rack on and a
crud catcher. So you get a muddy / wet back.

Unless you fit full mudguards or use a rack with a solid platform :-)

Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at Washington University

Just zis Guy said:

Unless you fit full mudguards or use a rack with a solid platform :-)

Incidentally I've had good luck reviving a 20-year-old ESGE (? German) mudguard
by sawing off the trailing damaged portion, and mounting the rest OVER the brake to get
wheel clearance.

You have to reduce the length to clear the wheel in any case, unless you can
mount it exactly at right angles relative to its displacement.

Over it is the rear rack and milk crate, so upwards-flying debris is caught
in any case, but this eliminates back-of-leg spray.

Added plus : it no longer traps snow, so it no longer drops snow on the chain, and
so the freewheel no longer clogs with the produced ice (no-clog owing to the increased
wheel clearance).
--
Ron Hardin
[email hidden]

On the internet, nobody knows you're a jerk.

Sat, 26 Jun 2004 13:03:46 +0100, <[email hidden]>,

Doki said:

The
only problem I have with it is that you can't fit the rear rack on and a
crud catcher. So you get a muddy / wet back.

The most common solution seen around here is the Rear Deflector Shield

http://www.ratail.com/rear.html
--
zk

"Michael J. Klein" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I asked my LBS about putting a rear cargo rack on my new Yukon MTB.
He said that nobody does that, and it would limit my use of the bike
for off-roading. The reason that I have an MTB for street use is the
nature of the roads here. Often they are un-improved and differing
levels which I feel could be more easily negotiated by a mountain bike
rather than a road/comfort bike. Given that I don't use it for actual
hardcore off-roading, are there any other considerations about
mounting a rear cargo rack on my MTB, other than it looking retarded?

Nah, most MTB's have the fittings for racks. Fenders are probably not a good
idea if you go off-road (they tend to pick up sticks and crumple and jam), but
racks are fine. If you're going to stick to the streets, I'd get fenders, rack
and folding pannier. MTB's make great bad-road bikes -- try installing your
own accessories, then you won't have to suffer random opinions...