Pannier Racks compatible with disk brakes

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st599_uk
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Pannier Racks compatible with disk brakes

Post by st599_uk »

Just wondering if anyone has any recommendations for a pannier rack for a llight tourer with disk brakes?

Preference would be silver and a max load of 25kg+

Tortec seem to do a nice one (Epic Alloy or Transalp) but no where has them, Tubus have had a fire and are out of stock unless you want to pay $$$$, Topeak seem to have stopped silver and are out of stock all over.
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slowster
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Re: Pannier Racks compatible with disk brakes

Post by slowster »

What bike and what model brakes?
st599_uk
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Re: Pannier Racks compatible with disk brakes

Post by st599_uk »

slowster wrote:What bike and what model brakes?
Spa Elan and TRP Spyre

For light touring and the odd commute.
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“the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible.”
slowster
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Re: Pannier Racks compatible with disk brakes

Post by slowster »

Disc brake calipers mounted on the chainstay, as on the Spa Elan, do not interfere with rear racks, so you should be able to choose pretty much any rear rack.

Tubus' sister brand, Racktime, which makes aluminium racks, has this model in silver as well as black:

https://www.bikester.co.uk/racktime-add ... ?cgid=b248
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foxyrider
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Re: Pannier Racks compatible with disk brakes

Post by foxyrider »

Disc specific racks have been a con from the outset - I used to get tasked with fitting the things so had plenty of 'practice'. If the brakes are fitted inboard you don't need them. if the brakes are fitted ahead of the seat stay you don't need them and often bikes that in theory would need them , ie rear fit outboard position, they rarely fitted any better than a normal rack if at all :?

In my experience, badly positioned mounting points are a much more significant factor than whether the bike has discs or not.

The OP's Spa should take almost any standard rack, my budget choice would be the excellent Tortec City or if you want to spend 4/5 times the money, a Tubus Fly or Airy. They will all take a 25kg load although its better to use front size panniers to put it in.
Convention? what's that then?
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m-gineering
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Re: Pannier Racks compatible with disk brakes

Post by m-gineering »

st599_uk wrote: 18 Oct 2021, 5:34pm Tubus have had a fire a
in 2014

Covid & the company changing hands are probably more disruptive at the moment
Marten

Touring advice for NL: www.m-gineering.nl/touringg.htm
pal
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Re: Pannier Racks compatible with disk brakes

Post by pal »

I have an Axiom streamliner on my light tourer. It's narrow, so not great for putting stuff on the top rack if you also have panniers (so, e.g, wouldn't work for cycle camping), but I've found it works v. well for ... well, light touring! They do a disc-brake model - but not, as far as I can see, a silver option... https://www.axiomgear.com/products/rack ... ner-racks/
st599_uk
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Re: Pannier Racks compatible with disk brakes

Post by st599_uk »

Thanks all, now that I know that a disk specific variant isn't needed, I'll look at some of the options.

If I remove it when not needed, are there any trick to prevent paintwork damage at the braze ons?
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nsew
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Re: Pannier Racks compatible with disk brakes

Post by nsew »

st599_uk wrote: 20 Oct 2021, 12:18pm Thanks all, now that I know that a disk specific variant isn't needed, I'll look at some of the options.

If I remove it when not needed, are there any trick to prevent paintwork damage at the braze ons?
It’s good policy to keep bolts in the bike’s unused bosses to keep the threads intact and the bolts are immediately available. If you’re going to be bouncing around on mixed surfaces with panniers I strongly recommend a steel rack as they have far greater fatigue resistance. There’s a used stainless Tubus on eBay at the moment - I’ve got at least 50,000 miles of heavy duty use on one without issue.
slowster
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Re: Pannier Racks compatible with disk brakes

Post by slowster »

I would suggest avoiding Tortec rear racks because they are typically much taller than other brands, resulting in a large gap between the top of the mudguard/tyre and the top of the rack. For example, the distance from the bottom bolt holes to the top of the Transalp rack is 400mm, i.e. approximately 25mm-30mm more than a typical Tubus rack for 700C wheels.

Image

The gap will be even higher on an Elan, because the upper eyelet on the rear dropout is 20mm or more higher than on most frames*, and is the one that would normally be used for a rack, with the lower eyelet used for mudguard fastenening (photograph below from Spa's website).

* An advantage of this, is that the eyelets are well clear of the chain on the outermost cassette sprocket and consequently a longer bolt for the rack can be inserted on the inside face of the drop out, i.e. the chain will not foul on the head of the bolt (especially if it is a button head). ~8mm or so of bolt thread protruding beyond the rack will then allow a Nyloc nut to be used. In the (unlikely) event of the bolt shearing, the head of the bolt will remain and can still be used to remove the shortened bolt.
st599_uk wrote: 20 Oct 2021, 12:18pm If I remove it when not needed, are there any trick to prevent paintwork damage at the braze ons?
Use washers under the heads of the bolts and/or nuts, and smear a little bit of grease where the washer or rack presses against the paint .


Image
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