Attaching stuff and other ways to weigh it down

[hercule]

Vaguely recall seeing a pair of ski boot bags modified to use as a cheap alternative to Radical side pods....

In Velovision a couple of issues ago. Sue Archer tells you how to make side panniers from a pair of rucksacks...

The Radical bags are well made, though. Although they are right in the spray from my front wheels they have proved reasonably water resistant but of course you need plastic bags etc to guarantee this. They do tend to get pretty mucky though for the same reason. Unfortunately mine are a uniform black which does nothing for visibility. Radical now make them with bright coloured panels and reflective strips.

Fearful that there would soon be no rear racks for my QNT I've just splurged out and bought one. (I really have no idea how many they have, but didn't want to be told in a few years time, "sorry, we've none left"!) I plan using this with the Radical rack bag I have for my Fuego: it will give me a nice blob of yellow and reflective fabric to the rear. Particularly with the darker days, I've always been concerned that my QNT is pretty black when seen from the rear - black mudguard, black seat fabric, black Radical bags... this should give me a bit more passive visibility plus some more light mounting points.

[mrjemm]

I don't know about the rack for the QNT, is it quite unusual and proprietary? The one for the suspended Sprint gets rather poor reviews, and 26 rear end sprint appears to be a bog standard bike rack with long arms. I think this is one thing ICE have not designed, let alone well- I had a thought about using a low-rider somehow, though for the 26 rear Sprint at least it looks like it would not work. I have however seen a pic of the Monster which shows it to have something like that fitted.



Looking at pictures of the Sprint 26 to work out how it could be made better, it looks very simple; I just wish I had the skills to fabricate something. Perhaps somewhere between a low-rider and regular rack, certainly not set as high as the current one. Even adding lower mounts would improve it I think.

[mrjemm]

And I've just discovered that you can put an Ortlieb bar bag on a klik-fix, courtesy of cycle chat (only recently discovered that forum!)- http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/klick- ... ag.141947/

That would make life easier- those don't use the darn wire and I think are friction mounted. Another option for me.

Is it really geeky of me that I like meandering about the darker corners of websites like SJS (luggage accessories, dynamo spare parts, etc.), Problem Solvers and the like, thinking how many of the little bits'n bobs I see there I could use in different ways for my own little purposes?

[hercule]

The suspended ICE rack is a mighty piece of engineering, all hollow steel tubing and designed to keep your panniers nice and low as well as far inside the wheelbase as possible. It's a solid structure unlike the fold flat version for the current models. And it now seems to be cheaper than it was when I originally bought my QNT!

I've absolutely no experience of the Sprint or Adventure, but the luggage carrying arrangements seemed to me to be a major step back from the original Q and T series. The rack isn't suspended from the main frame, but uses a series of joints to achieve apparently the same end; and it seems to put the weight behind the rear axle rather than as far forward of it as possible. I suppose it was necessary for the compact fold - and perhaps plenty riders are like me and have rarely used a rear rack - but it didn't really seem like progress to me.

I note that HPVelotechnik use a Monster-like rack for their 26" rear wheeled Scorpion.

[mrjemm]

I note that HPVelotechnik use a Monster-like rack for their 26" rear wheeled Scorpion.

Just had a look at their racks, and I think they've got some good designs going on there.



I think that must be the one you're referring to, and I think that it's good, being rather more designed for the machine/purpose- low, forward and light. OK, it doesn't allow for rack top mounting, but not everyone uses that- I don't, and would prefer something along these lines.

In almost every other way though, I think ICE have them beat.

I do like how Catrike frames lend themselves to the little modules that go behind the seat, that remind me of battery/tool boxes on old motorbikes.

Just noticed the very skinny bottle cage on the Monster pic a few posts above. That's really quite snazzy, but I suppose it's to be expected that 'exotica' like this would have fancy features. Kinda heretical to put luggage on such a beast though...

[plantfit]

Squeeker, Mark gOvbr posted some pics of his modified boot bags in an earlier post , (might have been on another site,cycle chat maybe) he still uses them, a lot cheaper than trike specific stuff

Roger

[mrjemm]

Hope all my questions aren't boring everybody just yet!

I've been looking at lots of pics of loaded trikes lately, and I've noticed there's a nice big gap behind the seat that would accommodate a tubular shape going right through quite well. Maybe a dry bag strapped to the seat struts would work well. Or a wine cooler perhaps.

[Tigerbiten]

I've the hardshell seat on my trike at it's most reclined so the gap is smaller but I've still enough room to keep my 3 liter Camelbak in that gap.
I found that the best place for the Camelbak because on a hot day I end up drinking around 0.5 liters an hour to keep hydrated.

[mrjemm]

I've never liked the idea of a camelback bladders really; had been pondering setting up something like it using bottles instead, but of course those are smaller capacity.

Thinking about it though, one advantage of a 'bent in this case is that it wouldn't get warmed up by your bodyheat, like they would in a backpack. So maybe I should open my mind up...

[[XAP]Bob]

Camelbacks are a convenient large store, which doesn't need moving to drink.

I have a plain bladder which I use in a sidepod - only issue is that it is hard to tell when you're running low

[mrjemm]

I think that gap might be a good one for a tent, come to think of it. Not that I'll be using it for camping for a while... (Still not got one at all, TBH, but... the clock is ticking).

[[XAP]Bob]

Hope all my questions aren't boring everybody just yet!

I've been looking at lots of pics of loaded trikes lately, and I've noticed there's a nice big gap behind the seat that would accommodate a tubular shape going right through quite well. Maybe a dry bag strapped to the seat struts would work well. Or a wine cooler perhaps.

Yep - ICE use it to mount the battery for their e-assist system.
I have a bag strapped between two struts holding spare tubes and other tools.

[mrjemm]

Thanks Bob. No plans for an e-assist, so nice to have it free for other stuff. To me the rack is too high and precarious, so think this gap could be used well for day-to-day use. I could adapt a duffel bag with straps/clips that attach it in there like you have done.

[Young Ed]

trailer?
Cheers Ed

[[XAP]Bob]

trailer?
Cheers Ed

overkill for most loads...