rack strength

[pliptrot]

I would appreciate any advice and anecdotes on racks. I have a soon-to-be-2-year old and currently carry her on a bike seat suspended from a clamp on the seat tube. So far so good but I think she may get a bit heavy for that frame soon (853 MTB frame). I have a touring frame gathering dust in the UK with an old (Tonard brazing company) 3 point rack (both drop-outs and the brake bridge - though the bike has cantilevers so just that there). It is nowhere as rigid as the 4-point rack on my wife's city bike, which has a child seat clamped directly to it, and I think not strong enough for a child seat mounted on it as my wife's. Any advice on a rack to suit? I may go down the route of having additional fittings brazed on the frame.

[pwa]

A 4 point rack would seem essential, if you go for a rack, but a trailer might have a longer use period and avoid having to muck about with your frame.

[gaz]

I remember TBC racks, I would not put a child seat onto one.

As for a rack to suit, typically seats and racks are matched pairs rather than every seat fits every rack. Fifteen years ago I'd have recommended a Co-Pilot Limo on a Blackburn Expedition rack, with additional racks for any other bikes you'd want to use with the seat. I've no idea about current child seats.

[Brucey]

a good four-point rack will do the job. You can use P clips at the seat stays; if the rack itself is stiff enough then there is no real need for braze-ons on the seat stays.

cheers

[pete75]

You can always put a seat on the crossbar - if it's good enough for Eddy it's good enough for anyone. Note the bracing between crossbar and downtube - not really needed on a tourer though.

[Brucey]

Eddy appears to be riding an old race bike there, that has presumably been demoted to training duties. The bike probably dates from prior to the introduction of NR brakes (it has universals fitted, I think). Check out the mismatched wheelset; the front wheel looks like it came out of a different bike, having large flanges and only 24 spokes.

Don't fancy the gearshift much, the nipper's feet are in exactly the wrong place....

cheers