Problem fitting rear pannier rack

[Dwnglasgow]

I have a triban rc520 (comfortable road bike) which has been great for day trips, but I now wish to go further.

I've added a Tubus Tara to the front, but would like to add a rear rack as well. The bike has attachment point for a rear rack but very little room there (it's a disc brake bike).

I have tried and failed to add both a Tubus Disco and Tortec Transalp, since both have pretty chunky fittings to attach in the very small space.

Any ideas on decent quality racks for disc brake bikes. It's not clear to me whether tubus, for instance, do anything other than the disco.

Thanks

[slowster]

I have tried and failed to add both a Tubus Disco and Tortec Transalp, since both have pretty chunky fittings to attach in the very small space.

I think it would help if you could elaborate on that. The image below from a review of the Triban rc520 shows that the brake caliper is mounted on the chainstay, so there should not be any major diffculty in fitting an ordinary rack. The Tubus Disco is designed to be fitted to bikes with seatstay mounted brake calipers, which are much more likely to foul on the uprights of a lot of ordinary design racks.

[foxyrider]

yep if your bike looks like the picture pretty much any standard rack will fit. If it doesn't look like that, post a pic and i'm sure the CUK Hive can come up with a solution

[Dwnglasgow]

Feeling very foolish. I've just discovered when taking a photo that my bike looks exactly like that but has a broken bolt blocking the upper socket of the two pictured. This must have happened when I removed the horrible mudguards which decathlon fitted on purchase of the bike. I now just need to find out how to extract the broken bolt

The curse of worsening eyesight!

Thanks for the replies

[slowster]

I now just need to find out how to extract the broken bolt

I suggest you post photographs of the eyelet (ideally from both sides) showing the blockage/broken bolt.

[robgul]

If it's as I'm guessing with a sheared off bolt in the eyelet then some careful drilling out will probably solve the problem - start with a very thin drill in the centre of the broken bolt and drill as starter hole . . . then

[If you're really lucky the drill MAY just start to turn the remains of the bolt so that it drives through the inner face of the dropout and you can then, possibly, get hold of it with pliers and continue threading it through to remove it]

Follow up with a bigger drill(s) until you have the remnants of the bolt out and the eyelet clear - the hole may be bigger than the original tapped thread - all is not lost, just fix the rack leg with a bolt and a nut on the inside (or if clearance is a problem a thin headed bolt and the nut on the outside)

Taking the wheels off the bike and holding the frame in a vice would be helpful when drilling.

The above is something I've had to do a couple of times - just take it very steady with the drilling. AND if the frame doesn't have the tapped holes at the top of the seat stays then using P-clips is no problem to hold the stays. [My ancient Galaxy as two bolts that have the head ground down to be much thinner on the inside faces of the dropouts, then a thin nut to hold them as if they were "studs" on the frame - then the rack legs and mudguard stays with a washer and nut on the outside - and P-clips on the stays. It's done thousands of miles with loaded panniers.]

Rob

[Jdsk]

Drilling out may work, but I'd like to know more about the bolt. Those photographs will help... especially about whether there's bit of bolt protruding. If there is my first choice would be to cut a straight slot with a cutting disc on a Dremel and unscrew the remnant.

Jonathan

[Dwnglasgow]

The bike is in the shed and it's too dark for a photo, but will do tomorrow. The bolt in question has broken (quite smoothly) just below the level of the seatstay(?) so I wouldn't be able to cut a slot into it. I do have very thin metal drill bits, so will give that a try. Fingers crossed!

[slowster]

Drilling out may work, but I'd like to know more about the bolt. Those photographs will help

Agreed, the easiest way may depend upon how the bolt has sheared, and so it will be best to see photographs first.

Given that the bolt sheared in the first place, it sounds like it has seized in the eyelet. Therefore whatever approach is taken to remove the remainder of the bolt, I suspect that it will be best to use a penetrating oil and leaving it to work for a day before attempting to remove the remainder of the bolt, e.g. https://www.screwfix.com/p/wd-40-penetrant-400ml/86063.

NB OP, if you use a penetrating oil, remove the rear wheel first to ensure that you do not contaminate the disc with oil. Similarly make absolutely sure that any overspray does not contaminate the brake pads, i.e. either make sure that the caliper and pads are well masked (or remove the pads and fit a bleed block to guard against accidentally squeezing the brake lever while the pads are removed).

[Jdsk]

As above: penetrating fluid well in advance. Not just ordinary WD-40 or similar.

Jonathan

[slowster]

The bolt in question has broken (quite smoothly) just below the level of the seatstay(?) so I wouldn't be able to cut a slot into it.

I would try to apply a turning force on both ends of the bolt. For example if you cut slots into both ends of the bolt and then used screwdrivers at both ends to turn the bolt. Obviously you cannot do precisely that because you cannot cut slots, but maybe other posters will be able to suggest ways of getting purchase on both ends of the bolt once you have posted photographs.

[Dwnglasgow]

Managed to drill it out with no real damage to the socket; rack now attached!

Thanks for all the advice