Titanium pannier rack

[aflook]

Hello All
Does anyone know anything about the Dolan titanium rear rack? It's quite a bit cheaper than the Tubus equivalent (Liviano) but I can't find any review of it apart from the minimalist customer review on the website. I am also wanting to use it on a disc-braked bike and the site says "rim only" and I'm not sure why. The Airy is not substantial enough for loaded touring. If any one has tried any other titanium rack I would be pleased to hear about it. I had a Logo Titan but it stayed with my totalled bike in Germany. Doh.
Thank you!
Adrian

https://www.dolan-bikes.com/dolan-titan ... nier-rack/

[colin54]

Here's a previous post about rear racks and disc brake clearance, it may explain things.

viewtopic.php?t=118541
Some pictures in this one :-
viewtopic.php?t=74474

[ChrisF]

'Rim brake only' because the support struts would probably get in the way of your disc calipers. May be possible to circumvent by using spacers but that could compromise the loading limit of he rack.
For 'loaded touring', I can't see any advantage at all of a Ti rack. Any weight saving will be totaly eclipsed by your luggage weight.

[aflook]

Here's a previous post about rear racks and disc brake clearance, it may explain things.

viewtopic.php?t=118541
Some pictures in this one :-
viewtopic.php?t=74474

Thanks I will bookmark that and raise the issue with Stanforth who are building me a new bike.
Adrian

[aflook]

'Rim brake only' because the support struts would probably get in the way of your disc calipers. May be possible to circumvent by using spacers but that could compromise the loading limit of he rack.
For 'loaded touring', I can't see any advantage at all of a Ti rack. Any weight saving will be totaly eclipsed by your luggage weight.

Thanks for that Chris
The gain might well be a small percentage of overall weight but if I can make enough small savings it will add upto something more significant. It is also a bigger percentage of the weight when out on day trips. But I agree I have to look hard at whether it's worth the money. That's why I don't want to pay out for the Liviano.
Adrian

[slowster]

I cannot see a weight listed for the Dolan rack, which I would have expected to be one of the biggest selling points for a titanium rack. Tubus use tubes for their racks, including the titanium models, but it looks to me like much of the Dolan rack might be solid titanium rod (what makes me suspect that is that only the outer lower strut appears to have black plastic blanking plugs for the ends of the tubes). If so, there might be little or even no weight saving compared with a stainless steel rack like the Tubus Cosmo.

[aflook]

I cannot see a weight listed for the Dolan rack, which I would have expected to be one of the biggest selling points for a titanium rack. Tubus use tubes for their racks, including the titanium models, but it looks to me like much of the Dolan rack might be solid titanium rod (what makes me suspect that is that only the outer lower strut appears to have black plastic blanking plugs for the ends of the tubes). If so, there might be little or even no weight saving compared with a stainless steel rack like the Tubus Cosmo.

Good point about the plugs. I suspect you are right and I will end up with a stainless Tubus of some description.
Adrian

[geocycle]

Thanks for the link to the Dolan racks, I’d not seen them before. That does look substantial and more aimed at fully loaded touring than the Tubus Ti racks I’ve seen. I had the same debate and ended up with a stainless steel tubus fly which is great for light touring and commuting.

[PH]

What an awful description from Dolan, none of the information I'd be looking for before a purchase. I hope they're customer service is better than that, but I don't think I'd be spending that sort of money on an own brand product they couldn't be bothered describing.
I like titanium racks, I have the Tubus Airy and a titanium Tubus Logo, IMO the perfect touring rack, so no surprise it's discontinued. I sometimes carry a 10kg camping load on the Airy, that's about the limit of what I'd consider it suitable for. Linsky also make a couple of ti racks, I've seen one, though I don't know if anyone in the UK stocks them.
Quite a few non disc racks will fit disc brake frames, depending on where the caliper is fitted and how much it protrudes, I think "Rim only" means it won't fit all disc frames.
Just seen the current prices I like mine though don't think I'd pay that, the Airy came from Germany for about £140 and I baulked at that, the Logo was secondhand. Not sure what I'd buy if I needed to now, the steel Tubus I've had rusted quickly, I know it's superficial, I just don't like it. The stainless steel Tubus racks also seem expensive, I might consider aluminium (The cheap aluminium one on my delivery bike gets more abuse than any I've taken touring and has been fine) If it's the Ti aesthetic which appeals, there's a nice looking Blackburn rack that looks titanium (It's advertised as such but that only refers to the colour!)

[aflook]

I like titanium racks, I have the Tubus Airy and a titanium Tubus Logo, IMO the perfect touring rack, so no surprise it's discontinued.

Absolutely. I am constantly kicking myself for not being together enough to get it off the bike, but I was still somewhat shocked by my accident and just wanted to get flown home!

I'm thinking I'll borrow a friends battered steel Logo and hope a ti one comes up 2nd hand. Meanwhile I've emailed Dolan to ask for more details.
Adrian

[foxyrider]

I have and have used for fully loaded touring for some years, a Ti Logo. Expensive yes but it still looks pristine, weighs half the weight of the steel version and fits with my small gains build. If you can find one s/h grab it with both hands and a lead weight before it floats away to someone else

[aflook]

Dolan replied to me:

"The weight is 580 grams

Luggage width 140mm
Fixing width internal 172mm"

So a saving of 230g over the Cosmo stainless according to Tubus, or 69g according to Spa or 332g according to SJS Cycles and an extra cost of £85.
Anyone know which weight for the Cosmo is the more accurate? There are similar differences in quoted weight for the Logo stainless.
Will it weigh less if I get it from Spa?
Adrian

[slowster]

I expect the difference in quoted weights for the Cosmo is due to whether the various bolts/brackets and roundstays are included, and probably also whether the packaging was included. Which begs the question whether the bolts/brackets and roundstays are included in the weight given by Dolan.

[PH]

Anyone know which weight for the Cosmo is the more accurate?

The SJS weight is a complete rack, including fittings, as weighed by themselves.
The Tubus weights are, I think, without some fittings.
I find Spa's attitude to getting the detail right can be quite lax. You could buy that and send it back if it's inaccurately described.

EDIT - If you're choosing SS, the Logo is a bit lighter and cheaper. Unless you need the squarer top platform it is IMO the nicer rack.

[slowster]

SJS's figure of 890g is for "a sample rack from our stock". The difference between that figure and Spa's 649g will be the fixings and roundstays plus the cardboard tube (cable tied to the rack) in which they are stored.