rear rack touring DIY

datakoll said:

PLYWOOD REAR RACK
The rack problem is solvable thru adding ½ plywood, better than
exterior roofing CDX, to a metal rack.
Start with cardboard templates-visit a furniture store for card
board.
One sheet each side, one sheet on top.
3 bean cans wide and 2' long is adequate. The 2' length should allow
the bike to stand up on the rear then lean against a support for
maintenance, lubrication, and when flipped over, on the seat post for
rear tire removal.
Home Depot has metal hardware for joining sides to top on the top of
the top. The bottom of the top gets two 2x2's at the joint. One side
is beveled to direct and support the side plates angles to the
dropout
eyelets. The beveling 2x2 is essential to force the sideplates into a
straight down run not bow out over time. The top/side/2x2 are joined
with 1/8 bolts, blue locktite, washers. That's the skilled part. An
angle gauge, block plane, bondo shredder, ax, table saw, skill saw...?

At the dropout, a 6mm grade 8 bolt is shimmed out with nuts and
washers both sides, inboard and out adjacent the dropout with the
female end outboard thru the side plate which gets two fender washers
each side. The inboard dropout bolt side is shimmed with locknuts and
washer for wrench access. Outboard dropout side nut and lock nut shims
the ply side out to the correct angle running up to the beveled block.
Use nylocks, loctite blue, grade 8 hardware. Carry
spare 6mm bolts as the quality may not be grade 8. Linseed metal hole
area and all bolt hardware not painted. I expected the necessity of
adding a thru ply metal bushing as the ply wore. The ply did not wear
a larger hole over 6 years use.

This contraption's top ply surface is mounted over the standard metal
rack's top with
rectangular straps spanning the metal racks members in 3 places-two
aside rear, one ahead middle, or four if there's room. Cut straps
from
soft steel plate(scrap from metal shop), drill two holes and bolt the
ply to the rack, one bolt each side metal rack member.
The ply side's rise above the ply top's surface in three sections
each
side with two flush spaces between: like a toothed wave flowing down
the rack top's sides. The risers hold the top bag and load, form a
keeper for rope loops, and allow flush access across in
the in between spaces.
The sides are cut in a curve back from your heel, trial and cut. The
sides are cut out with four lightening holes in each side's quadrents
with corners slightly elongated
for shock cord hook purchase. The two top cutout's tops are below the
bottom 2x2 surface so the hooks have an edge to hook over.Notches are
cut into the outside perimeter, holes drilled, for shock cord hooks
and ¼" rope holes. The rear top is drilled to accept the hook ends so
a cord can run over a large bag or duffel and hook around the seat
post. The shock cord rig is learnable from pack animal loading
instructions, knot books or online.
My side's are long side top-short side bottom-with curves front and
rear so the side plate looks like a bag. The ply is painted with
several coats of white rusto from Wal after sanding clean, wiping
down. The ply is allowed to dry after purchase.
Straight side's four sides may look good in dayglo yellow or orange.
Try working with a cardboard template for visuals.
When the standard rack's chainstay bracket breaks, fix an angle
across
the top's front (which runs up under the seat past the standard front
rack edge) with two holes drilled for a long legged exhaust pipe U-
bolt, standard from True Value. The $11 metal rack used here snapped
immediately on a test ride for first use Conti TT on the first right
left right pothole avoidance try: light weekend camping load.
The U of the bolt goes around a 1/2 section salvaged frame tube
placed
over the seat post.
My rig has a second front mount of metal angle bolted to the top's
underside, running down to the seat stay cross piece. Use a steel
cable u clamp there also True Value.
For camping, the rack will mount one duffel on top with 45 pounds and
two duffels or garbage bags each side with clothing and sleeping bag,
tent bag atop the duffel. All held down with shock cords. Shock cord
security is best controlled with 1/8" diameter cord tied shock cord to
rack so if a shock cord comes loose, it will not tangle with the
wheel. Shock cords do come loose especially when tired.
The ply sides bottoms above the axle are notched to accept 2-3 shock
cord hooks. Shock cords strung vertically over the top then down to
the opposite side's bottom notch when looped with 1 or 2 shock cords
hooked from seat tube to rear rack that is around the sleeping bag or
clothing bag, will hold a light bag in place.
The rear wheel is off course beefier than standard: Conti Security or
Panaracer Messenger/Specialized thornproof or thornproof slime tubehttp://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCEqSection.jsp?sid=EquipTubesRoad
/ Cr-18 rim/DT14 Ga straight shaft spokes, 16mm DT nipples with
linseed oil or Spoke Freeze if the trip is serious/Deore 760XT hub/
Wheels Mfg 130mm solid axle.
The ply rack's ability to continuously carry heavy loads for camping
and shopping outstrips the standard metal rack by far. And off course
there should be no mounting problems for Peter White's bagshttp://www.peterwhitecycles.com/packs&racks.htm, Jann, or whatever
given the bolt-on anywhere ply's adaptability.

too complicated

http://home.att.net/~rhhardin2/bikebackupc.jpg

Just a plastic milk crate. Lay a piece of wood under it crosswise
at the back of the luggage rack, so it's supported there over its
whole width rather than just the area of the rack ; or lengthwise
along the rack extending to the back of the milk crate. Either way
works.

--
Ron Hardin
[email hidden]

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

yep. that's intra-urban milk crate.
the board idea goes for inside a duffel. a 2'x14" kelty used here has
a round corner 1/4" ply latex coated board inside, air pump duct taped
onto.
the duffel usually goes on the rear rack.
but when grocery shopping, the kelty goes to the front transversely
where your basket hangs.
up there, one bolted thru the brake hole is aluminum strap 3/4"x1/8"
u'd forward 8" and 6.5" wide bent in to 3" and open, closed by a #8
bolt where 2-3 shock cords hook then travel back to the bar into a
hitch: holding the board stiffened duffel.
a vertical brace of AL strap same size runs from the former center
pull hanger (sidepulls installed and appreciated) to 2.5" from the
forks onto the U shaped platform.
a side shock cord runs hooked from one side U shape to the other, thru
the side clips on the Kelty then looped over the bar each side:
balances the rear with 20+ pounds if necessary.
that's stable.