Fitting Bob Yueh Low-riders to Thorn Club Tour

[horizon]

Has anyone else managed this using the movable clip on the low part of the low-rider? It seems impossible to make the three fixing points work in such a way as to achieve a horizontal fit. I might have had similar problems in the past with other bikes but it's a while since I fitted a pair (and not to this bike).

The low-riders are standard AFAIK and the same as Blackburn.

Any tips or suggestions?

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/carriers-ra ... low-rider/
https://www.pedalpedlar.co.uk/products/ ... nier-racks

[nick12]

I couldnt get mine horizontal either but work ok on a slight tilt

[horizon]

Thanks for that - yes, mine tip down to the front but the problem seems to be the same. The low-riders don't seem to have sufficient adjustment at the clip. However, it also seems that the rack positions itself across the eyelet so even a different clip wouldn't work.

[nick12]

I also needed to put a spacer on mine to get them to fit used the small tubes out of jockey wheels to give clearance from the forks. Keep meaning to make some new clips but not got round to it yet. Had no problems so far.

[Norman H]

My old Club Tour had Bor Yueh Low riders fitted and they also had a tendency to slide forwards.

The problem with the Bor Yueh rack is that under load the P clip slides along the diagonal strut. The similar Blackburn rack has a series of raised pips along the diagonal strut to lock the P clip in one of several positions. I solved the problem on mine by fixing an aluminium nib to the strut using epoxy. I used a short length of aluminium tubing with ID equal to the OD of the strut. I cut this lengthwise to form a half round section and when the racks were horizontal I glued it in place.

The racks are not on the bike at the moment but If I get a chance I may be able to take a photo.

[Brucey]

IIRC unless you have the clip very near one end of it, you can usually bend (set) the middle rail slightly so that you can get the rack at the right angle. This means it usually works better if you use the upper of two eyes, if you have two eyes. The problem only arises in the first place because there is more than one 'standard' for the mountings.... I prefer to stick to the Blackburn dimensions in the fork (after all, they invented the scheme...)

If the P clip tends to slip you can usually address this by using some (carefully chosen) washers either side of the clip, so that the bolt load causes the clip to tighten and the clip can't easily deform so as to reduce the load, if you see what I mean.

BTW Bor Yueh makes racks; Bob Yeuh is his cousin, isn't he...?

cheers

[horizon]

The Club Tour has the eyelet for rack behind the fork (where the mudguard eye normally is, that now being half way up the fork). I can only presume that the rack expects it to be where it is on most bikes. All the measurements are the same between this rack and a Blackburn on another bike. The diagonal bar actually covers the eyelet at every angle so something cannot be right. Nick12 (above) also shows a Club Tour with the rack skew-whiff.

I've used a zip tie in the P clip for now. It feels pretty solid but I cannot say I'm happy with it.

BTW Bor Yueh makes racks; Bob Yeuh is his cousin, isn't he...?

I think lots of people use Bob, but you are right.

[horizon]

My old Club Tour had Bor Yueh Low riders fitted and they also had a tendency to slide forwards.

I think the sliding is endemic in this arrangement - it isn't brilliant. But I can't even get the rack on as it covers the eyelet. I'm wondering if your Club Tour had something different, though mine is hardly new.

[Brucey]

I blame tubus; they make models with different spacings. I have no idea who came up with a (pointlessly) different spacing to blackburn, but tubus have to carry some of the blame for perpetuating it, and so do the manufacturers who make their forks this way.

cheers

[horizon]

So who is it then who sets the standard - is it the fork/bike builders who are then followed by the rack makers or the other way round? Or do they all just dab around in the dark with fingers crossed? Normally I would have thought that this type of accessory would have a lot of adjustment/play/options to suit/fit a variety of circumstances.

PS My Tern front rack wouldn't fit my Tern fork ...

[Norman H]

horizon wrote:


The diagonal bar actually covers the eyelet at every angle so something cannot be right.

I think that's the whole point of the diagonal bar design. It's supposed to line up with the lower fixing eyelet over a large range of angles, especially if you reverse the P clip on the rail.

Once you have the rack level you tighten the P clip. The problem is getting it tight enough to stop it sliding. That's why the Blackburn rack has raised pips and why I modified my Bor Yueh rack.

[horizon]

horizon wrote:


The diagonal bar actually covers the eyelet at every angle so something cannot be right.

I think that's the whole point of the diagonal bar design. It's supposed to line up with the lower fixing eyelet over a large range of angles, especially if you reverse the P clip on the rail.

If the bar covers the eyelet then you cannot insert the bolt into the eyelet. I gave it an hour or two of trying different angles and positions of the P clip to no avail. I have mounted these racks in the past (several times) but never this rack (AFAICR) and certainly never any rack on this bike. I think they are fiddly (and have the sliding problem you mention and might need a spacer) but not impossible to install. If I have time, I am going to swap it with a Blackburn and put it on the other bike that the Blackburn is currently on. Hopefully I'll then see where the problem lies (or whether it's just me!).

[pwa]

I've had a few alloy racks in the past that I have had to do a bit of careful bending with to get things to line up nicely.

[horizon]

I've had a few alloy racks in the past that I have had to do a bit of careful bending with to get things to line up nicely.

Yes, I don't have very happy memories of fitting front racks (fat forks were an issue) but I would always get there in the end. This one seems impossible but, as I said above, I am going to swap-and-see.

[nick12]

I tryed a few times to fit mine here,s a close up of the spacer i needed to clear the fork blades without it catching and rubbing the paint.