Front pannier rack novice seeks advice

[Russell160]

Hello, I 've just bought these forks to swap out my suspension forks on a Marin with a view to kitting it out as a tourer.

http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/FOVATRX/van ... y_mtb_fork

They are Van Nicholas alloy: I know conventional wisdom is for steel but these are specced for touring so I am willing to take a chance. I will not be taking the kitchen sink.
I have done all the homework on suspension corrected, a to c stuff and I am confident these will be fine.


I now realise I do not know what to do next re racks and panniers as I have never had one before. My questions are:

i)The rack holes are on both sides of the fork. Does this mean a bolt goes all the way through? How do they work?

ii)There is only one mudguard eyelet at the drop rather than the two I've seen on 'proper' touring bikes. What sort of rack will fit?

iii)I have been considering a Tubus Tara. Will that fit? From looking at pics I can't see how.

iv)RE panniers, are there front specific panniers or can you use any standard pannier to fit on a front rack in the same way as a rear?

v) What is this Low Rider thing of which advanced beings speak?

I haven't started fitting them yet so if I have made a grave error of judgement it's not too late to drop the hacksaw and pull back from the brink.
Thanks.

[531colin]

http://www.tubus.com/documents/1321272002_Tara.pdf
Hope that works.....

Edit....OK, it works. ...The Tara fits to the eyelet behind the dropout ....a spacer takes it clear of the fork tube. There is then an "eye" on the Tara to attach the mudguard........file from here http://www.tubus.com/product.php?xn=16.

Tara is a "low rider".....the idea is to get the pannier about on the steering axis, rather than in front of the axis, like an old fashioned "high" pannier....the "lowness" is a function of getting it on the axis, not an end in itself.
Front/universal panniers are small, to take light(ish) weight....it does impact on the steering.
Tara is a decent rack, the hoop over the wheel adds rigidity.

[gaz]

v) A Low Rider, like the Tubus Tara is a type of front rack that positions the panniers about half-way down the fork in such a way that roughly half the weight of the pannier's contents is in front of the steering axis and half behind. This helps keep steering stable, if a little heavier than when unloaded. There are Low Riders and there are Low Riders, beware styles without a hoop over the top of the wheel unless they clamp to both sides of each fork blade. More here.

iv) Front panniers tend to be smaller than rear, they are not endowed with any mystical "front use only" properties (my own front panniers have red reflective strips ). Larger rear panniers may hang too close to the ground on Low Riders. Some designs of Low Rider do not accomodate pannier hooks as well as others. A little more on the Blackburn FL1 here. The Blackburn CL1 has it's own problems (the inner rail gets in the way of bulky hooks). Wait for a Tara Tubus user to post but I doubt that it has any issues.

iii) It's certainly the right style. Hopefully a Tubus Tara user will be along soon to advise if any modification or spacers are necessary.

ii) Attach the Low Rider or other rack directly to the eyelet, mudguard (if used) outside the Low Rider fitting, avoid spacers if possible.

i) Yes, a bolt goes all the way through. The Tubus would attach to the outside of each fork blade at the eyelet. Other designs (e.g. Blackburn CL1) attach to both sides of the fork blade.

[Brucey]

personally I would fit a rigid fork/low riders as you have started to do. However it is not the only way (as if it was possible....)

I have seen front carriers that mount to suspension fork crowns, that fit two small panniers at an angle, high up. Probably they are smaller than you might fit onto a low rider but there are plus points;

1) the load is still close to being centred on the steering axis.
2) You still get to have suspension, if this is what you want/you are touring in very bumpy places.
3) the panniers are part of the spring weight, not the unpsring weight, so the suspension still works properly

http://www.outdoorgb.com/p/tubus_swing_front_rack/?utm_source=froogle&utm_medium=directory&utm_content=GBR&currency=GBP&country=GBR&SelectedBundle=158098&SelectedItem=561323&gclid=CLax4rbW6bICFcfKtAodiAsA1g

thought I'd throw it in there, sorry it if causes yet further confusion....

cheers

[Russell160]

Thanks all for your helpful and detailed replies.
Colin: that diagram was exactly what i needed it all makes sense now
Gaz; thanks esp for the link to CJs warnings. it seems crazy that safety regs don't apply to front racks in the same way as rear. I have now got The Fear...so am more reassured about spending the extra on a Tubus in return for a quality design.
Brucey: thanks, I didn't realise you could get a front carrier for suspension. Rigid is a done deal on this project but useful to know for future reference. I was aware of the Old Man Mountain ones for rear suspension but not front. Clever chaps at Tubus.

[willem jongman]

The Tubus Swing does not carry its name for nothing
Willem