New pannier rack for old-style bike — one central stay

[Goody]

So, my beloved Raleigh Touriste 531 frame bike has done thousands of miles of touring with me and I don’t pack very light (yet). I got it with a pannier rack, but overloading caused the metal to snap. New pannier racks seem to have two forward-stabilising connections, but this bike just had the one central threaded fix point on the back fork. If that makes sense. I’ve attached a photo that hopefully shows what I mean.

The question is pretty straightforward: how do I get a strong rack that’ll work on the bike? Seems like most of the strain is up and down on a panier rack so I was considering different jerry-rigged options for that forward piece, but I’d rather a more orthodox solution. Any ideas? Does anyone know who sells a bike rack that might work for me?

Thanks!

[Mike Sales]

Sure, most weight will be taken by the struts to the dropouts, but side to side wobble is restrained by the forward struts. If there is only one it works less well, and can fatigue. Replacements with two forward struts often come with P clips to clamp to the seat stays.

[backnotes]

You can get rubber coated P-clips like these https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/mudguards/1 ... -per-pair/ that allow you to attach the two "arms" of a modern rack to the two seatstays.

Get the rubber coated ones, and not plastic coated, as the plastic coating cracks and falls off like this

This rack has been on a bike with only a centre / brake mount and no bosses on the seat stays for about 6 years now and is still solid.

[Mike Sales]

This rack has been on a bike with only a centre / brake mount and no bosses on the seat stays for about 6 years now and is still solid.

Goody does confess to overloading.

[Jdsk]

I'd ask SJS Cycles.
https://www.sjscycles.co.uk

I can't see a rack of the type you need on their website but they might have one. Or an adaptor.

I'd avoid P clips as all of mine have failed. Some sort of clamp... ?

Jonathan

[rotavator]

A neat way to mount the two stabilisers is to use a seat post clamp which comes with two threaded eyelets.

https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m2b0s215p3695/SPA-CYCLES-Seat-post-clamp-with-rack-mounts

[backnotes]

PS If you look online there are a few racks that have a centre mounting like this

https://www.cyclesolutions.co.uk/32575/ ... -inch.aspx

or less sturdy-looking but cheap(er) and cheerful like this

https://www.tredz.co.uk/.RSP-Pioneer-Cl ... ?sku=44749

If you asked on a forum for touring cyclists you might strike lucky and find someone with an older rack with a centre mount lurking somewhere in a garage / shed?

[cycle tramp]

...if you go onto Saint John Street Cycles website, then go to the menu, select accessories, then go to carriers and racks, then rack spares, then on one of the pages you can see that tubus do a 'grownup' version of the P-clips, which have had some very good views, and that's what I would use...

However, if the weight of what I'm carrying is beginning to break things, then that to me that the load is also placing quite some stress on the rear wheel and axle... so I would either try and reduce the load on the rear wheel, by either carrying less or investigating carrying some of the weight on a front carrier.....

[Brucey]

I'd suggest something like the Tortec Epic rack. It is strong, not too expensive, and versatile. It particularly suits your bike because the mudguards (if fitted) can be bolted to the eye provided on the rack, thus leaving the eye on the frame for the carrier alone.


https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/carriers-racks/black-tor-tec-epic-alloy-rear-rack/

use 'P' clips to fasten to the seatstays.

cheers

[Trigger]

I've got a Tortec expedition and its been great.

Mounted on the first bike with p clips on the stays as it had no rack mounts, was rock solid with two huge panniers full of supermarket shopping every week. It's sat idle now waiting for another bike to get attached to.

[Goody]

I was quite slow actually getting round to the order but have REALLY appreciated the tips here. Yay for p-clips, just the thing I needed to know existed. And those centrally-connecting racks too, in case I need them.

Good time to get the bike back ready to carry a *more* reasonable amount of stuff

[Sweep]

If i understand your question correctly, the tubus fly rack uses a single stay at the front. I often carry a fair old weight on mine with two large ortliebs for shopping. The top platform is narrow but i have also had two 15 litre drysacks crossways on top as they can use the full panniers as a platform.
It's not really for full on touring use though.
But a great rack, worth every penny, mine now on its second bike.

[zenitb]

EDIT: My stainless steel Tortec while NOT designed for a single central attachment point could be adapted. I used a custom bent bit of beefy rack stay "Meccano" I got from SJSC to link it to my ancient Cannondale frame .. I have cycle camped ok with this setup (26kg) so single stay racks can work...

I think its this Tortec rack .. I chucked the two stays that came with it and used their mounting slot for my chunky single stay ..

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/carriers-ra ... ck-silver/

[drossall]

Four-point fixing is generally regarded as stronger. I'd go for it, with P-clips as above, if you can. The threaded hole is probably mainly there because the bridge is mass-produced and also used on frames with brakes that mount through the same hole.