It's a convoluted story so i'll try to keep it brief I'm off to Austria at the end of August to ride firstly the Otztaler Radmarathon then a couple of weeks later the Eddy Merckx Classic near Salzburg with a two week 'tour' connecting them.
I'm taking my carbon plaything which is where the quandary comes in. Do I take the Extrawheel trailer to carry my bags or I can rig my Tubus Carry Ti rack on the carbon - weight isn't an issue as i'll be credit card touring so just a couple of changes of clothing, 5kg tops.
So what do you think, trailer or rack?
Convention? what's that then? Airnimal Chameleon touring, Orbit Pro hack, Orbit Photon audax, Focus Mares AX tour, Peugeot Carbon sportive, Owen Blower vintage race - all running Tulio's finest!
If you're flying to Austria, isn't taking the trailer going to be a PIA? For that reason, I'd take the panniers provided you can get the rack onto your frame without compromising it. If it were me, however, I'd take my carradice longflap with the bagman, or maybe even a large handlebar bag.
I am surprised that a carbon frame has fittings for that rack. Even if it does I don't think the bike plus rack would fit in a standard hard bike box. I wouldn't risk a carbon frame in a cardboard box or soft bag on the plane. For only 5kg you want a large seatpost mounted bag, but change your seatpost from carbon to al first.
The bike has carbon bars so bar bag is out, the stuff normally up front will be in an Ortlieb seatpost bag - it has a Ti seatpost. I couldn't use a saddlebag as I have a carbon saddle - I did say it was my plaything!
Using a Tubus QR adapter and seatpost clamp with integrated mounts it's fairly easy to fit a rack without compromising the frame.
Whilst i'm flying (to Munich as I don't live in the SE I can't easily fly into Austria direct) the bike will be in a Bikebox Alan and I can get the trailer there with a minimum of fuss.
So given all that, trailer or pannier rack? Has anyone done anything similar / used an extrawheel?
Convention? what's that then? Airnimal Chameleon touring, Orbit Pro hack, Orbit Photon audax, Focus Mares AX tour, Peugeot Carbon sportive, Owen Blower vintage race - all running Tulio's finest!
foxyrider wrote:Okay so a bit more info. The bike has carbon bars so bar bag is out, the stuff normally up front will be in an Ortlieb seatpost bag - it has a Ti seatpost. I couldn't use a saddlebag as I have a carbon saddle - I did say it was my plaything! Using a Tubus QR adapter and seatpost clamp with integrated mounts it's fairly easy to fit a rack without compromising the frame.
Still no reason not to use a saddlebag, though I can see that a saddlebag and an Ortlieb seatpack together wouldn't work. I'd be inclined to use a rack and panniers rather than an extrawheel, just from the point of view of dealing with the bike when parking or negotiating obstacles like stairs
https://www.alpkit.com/bike-luggage Not a brand recommendation per say, though it is good gear, more an illustration of other options available to the modern (off road) tourer. Works well, and if you heli-tape the frame where it matters/meets is fine with carbon bikes. Plenty of makers, both domestic and foreign, look for Wildcat and Alpkit for UK based stuff, Revelate and Porcelain Rocket for US based stuff for instance. It is pretty much old fashioned saddle and bar bags in lighter modern fabrics, with a slight(90deg!) twist in the case of the seatpack. The bar bag harnesses are fine with carbon bars as there is no crushing load(just need to tape as previously mentioned) and there isn't a huge load on the front if you are organised. Plenty of tourers are using them, as well as lightweight multi day unsupported racers too.
garibeet wrote:https://www.alpkit.com/bike-luggage Not a brand recommendation per say, though it is good gear, more an illustration of other options available to the modern (off road) tourer. Works well, and if you heli-tape the frame where it matters/meets is fine with carbon bikes. Plenty of makers, both domestic and foreign, look for Wildcat and Alpkit for UK based stuff, Revelate and Porcelain Rocket for US based stuff for instance. It is pretty much old fashioned saddle and bar bags in lighter modern fabrics, with a slight(90deg!) twist in the case of the seatpack. The bar bag harnesses are fine with carbon bars as there is no crushing load(just need to tape as previously mentioned) and there isn't a huge load on the front if you are organised. Plenty of tourers are using them, as well as lightweight multi day unsupported racers too.
Part of the point is that I already have the trailer bags and rack - I don't want to be spending out more especially on some quite dodgy kit - I most certainly don't want to 'tape' my frame -it's a 5K bike not a skip buster!
Convention? what's that then? Airnimal Chameleon touring, Orbit Pro hack, Orbit Photon audax, Focus Mares AX tour, Peugeot Carbon sportive, Owen Blower vintage race - all running Tulio's finest!
Wow, skip buster?! and here was me thinking you were after helpful responses. If heli tape is ok for multi million pound helicopters and aircraft I imagine it's fine for a bike, regardless of value. And to be honest, adding racks would be far more of a risk than a little clear tape etc. Good luck with your search.
garibeet wrote:Wow, skip buster?! and here was me thinking you were after helpful responses. If heli tape is ok for multi million pound helicopters and aircraft I imagine it's fine for a bike, regardless of value. And to be honest, adding racks would be far more of a risk than a little clear tape etc. Good luck with your search.
Its not a search, some response to my actual question would be useful however.
Convention? what's that then? Airnimal Chameleon touring, Orbit Pro hack, Orbit Photon audax, Focus Mares AX tour, Peugeot Carbon sportive, Owen Blower vintage race - all running Tulio's finest!
I'm off to Austria at the end of August to ride firstly the Otztaler Radmarathon then a couple of weeks later the Eddy Merckx Classic near Salzburg with a two week 'tour' connecting them.
