Cycling UK Forum

While a tubus rack would be great, they’re mostly out of stock and ££££s. So a tortec expedition rack would work for me … but I need longer rack struts. Does anyone know whether tubus struts are the same size as tortec?

Worst case scenario is you might need a pair of the Tubus stayholder mounts (https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/carriers-ra ... oundstays/) if the stays are a different diameter. Someone could probably give you a more definite answer or you could try emailing SJS. I replaced the flat steel stays on my Topeak rack with Tubus stays & the above mounts.

I have just measured a Tortec Expedition, and a Tubus Cargo, both sets of stays measure 7.7 to 7.8mm in diameter: to go in an 8 mm hole in the blocks ?
Edit; Seeing is believing, I just whipped the struts off and here's a picture of the Tortec Block on the end of a Tubus stay, it all tightens up nicely.

They most certainly do work, back when my work involved fitting lots of racks to bikes, the interchangeability was a godsend, i've gone the other way too for some fits.

Now it's answered, why do the Tubus stays go that coppery colour?

Mine have as well.

Awesome Colin et all, thanks!

simonhill wrote: ↑11 Mar 2022, 10:21pm Now it's answered, why do the Tubus stays go that coppery colour?

Mine have as well.

I have loads of Tubus struts in use and awaiting a purpose and i've never seen any discolour like that.

foxyrider wrote: ↑12 Mar 2022, 7:46pm

simonhill wrote: ↑11 Mar 2022, 10:21pm Now it's answered, why do the Tubus stays go that coppery colour?

Mine have as well.

I have loads of Tubus struts in use and awaiting a purpose and i've never seen any discolour like that.

Mine have. Just on the struts (ally) and not on the racks (steel).

Possibly the colour change happens on black anodised surfaces for various reasons, some possible causes explained here :-
https://www.finishing.com/158/25.shtml# ... %20process.

pwa wrote: ↑13 Mar 2022, 4:57am

foxyrider wrote: ↑12 Mar 2022, 7:46pm

simonhill wrote: ↑11 Mar 2022, 10:21pm Now it's answered, why do the Tubus stays go that coppery colour?

Mine have as well.

I have loads of Tubus struts in use and awaiting a purpose and i've never seen any discolour like that.

Mine have. Just on the struts (ally) and not on the racks (steel).

The rack on my friend's bike (bought together secondhand, I don't know if the rack itself is a Tubus one) has coppery coloured struts. I had just assumed they were DIY struts made by someone who had done a neat job.

RickH wrote: ↑13 Mar 2022, 9:02pm

pwa wrote: ↑13 Mar 2022, 4:57am

foxyrider wrote: ↑12 Mar 2022, 7:46pm

I have loads of Tubus struts in use and awaiting a purpose and i've never seen any discolour like that.

Mine have. Just on the struts (ally) and not on the racks (steel).

The rack on my friend's bike (bought together secondhand, I don't know if the rack itself is a Tubus one) has coppery coloured struts. I had just assumed they were DIY struts made by someone who had done a neat job.

Not a stainless steel one?

https://www.tubus.com/en/products/rear- ... uctGallery

Blondie wrote: ↑13 Mar 2022, 9:09pmThe rack on my friend's bike (bought together secondhand, I don't know if the rack itself is a Tubus one) has coppery coloured struts. I had just assumed they were DIY struts made by someone who had done a neat job.

Not a stainless steel one?

https://www.tubus.com/en/products/rear- ... uctGallery
[/quote]
The rack is a black one, the struts aren't any colour that I've seen stainless steel before. I'd just assumed they were copper rod/pipe but I've not had cause to examine them closely.

The regular black ally ones do go coppery. It must be something to do with the paint / anodising or whatever the surface treatment is.

(Colin54 made the same point, but with a link)

Thanks for replies to my post stealing question re coppery colour. That link gives probable reasons. Nice to know I'm not alone.

I'll think of it as a unique anti-counterfeiting measure unique to Tubus, or possibly a long service award.

I also had a black strut discoulour like that, annoyingly just the one. I thought it might be UV damage from always parking the bike the same way at work, so started leaving it the other way round, it made no difference!