Broke Back Rack - Need Steel Back Rack Rec's.

[xyster]

My Delta Post Haste back rack cracked after tackling big bumps. Now sacked, I'm in need of a better back rack that won't so easily crack. I recall a thread regarding just this at one of our old haunts, but I don't recall the name of the steel back post rack touted as stronger than our aluminum back rack crap.

Anyone?
Anyone?
Other back rack rec's for suspended bikes?

 

[knightmb]

I have an extra steel back rack, meant for the 36 volt SLA batteries. I have a delta mega rack (aluminum) which is still going strong, but it carries the NiMH packs, so it's true it's not being stressed with as much weight. This steel rack also has a spring load bar on it to clamp down? Paper? Not sure, LOL?

 

[xyster]

Do those racks with the struts work with suspension?

Here's the back rack back before it cracked. I need a replacement that can for-real handle 25lbs or so.

 

[lemmiwinks]

Don't forget, shock load is roughly twice applied load, so you might need to over-spec the rack depending on how many gutters you're going to hop 8)

 

[knightmb]

Do those racks with the struts work with suspension?

Here's the back rack back before it cracked. I need a replacement that can for-real handle 25lbs or so.

The weight should be no problem, but since you have suspension in the back that may cause some issues. The rack doesn't have mini-shocks on it, but the vertical bars can swing around 90 degrees. It may not be enough though to bend with the shock and being attached near the wheel, the batteries will bottom out with the wheel and lose the benefit of the shock I'm afraid.

I do have another idea, I put the vertical legs up with the seat post attachment. If you can find a way to attach this to your seatpost like the first one, it should give you a good platform to put weight on, plus it will benefit from the shocks on the bike.

 

[D-Man]

I saw a Topeak rear rack mounted on a Synergy (Lashout) E-bike once. It had rear suspension. But its made of aluminum.

 

[knightmb]

I saw a Topeak rear rack mounted on a Synergy (Lashout) E-bike once. It had rear suspension. But its made of aluminum.

All this technology to make everything lighter and all we want is some good ole' steel, hehe Almost need a company that makes "e-bike friendly" parts for the rest of us.

 

[D-Man]

Sorry, its not a seat mount rack though.

 

[xyster]

I was looking at the Topeak rack:
http://tinyurl.com/yz37vo

It's only rated to 20lbs, whereas the Delta Post Haste I just broke is rated to 25lbs:
http://tinyurl.com/ymvnqd

There's also this one from Bell:
http://tinyurl.com/u6tul

 

[sabrewalt]

$8.00

 

[xyster]

Thanks, uh... but I need a strong, preferably steel rack for a bike with suspension (meaning no struts).
The one's posted thus far would be far too weak without the struts hooked up, which would prevent the suspension from doing its thing.

 

[TylerDurden]

Just thinkin out loud...

Perhaps a conventional rack, but replace the rigid struts with shock-type struts... maybe gas struts for car-hoods, trunks and hatches.

After all, the seatpost-style is almost asking for trouble, considering the weight and length... that's quite a bit of torque.


.

 

[fechter]

What about making the struts longer and attaching them to some kind of clamp near the bottom bracket. This way the suspension is not affected and you still get the strength of struts. The tricky part would be figuring out how to support the struts at the bottom.

 

[xyster]

I'm in the process of removing the cracked rack...before I go buying a new one, or fashioning struts, gas shocks and brackets does anybody know where to find a rack like this except made of steel?

These easily cracked and wrecked aluminum back racks are some kind of durability-lacking scrap metal racket, dammit! (Just wanted to say that

Another tongue twister I thought to say quickly while walking in the snow the other day:
"The Abominable Snowman Has Indomitable Abdominals"

OK...back to work now...

 

[TylerDurden]

Dude,

If we knew squat, we wouldn't send you harebrained ideas like this:

Get yer sawzall and tear into an old steel frame where the toptube meets the seat-tube... cut off the wheelstays, keep plenty of top-tube to bolt on your old rack and keep enough seat tube to slide your seat post through (then seatpost goes into your current frame). Pick an old frame with an angle you like (probably inverted).

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle...

Get it?

 

[xyster]

That's a good idea TD -- and I just happen to have an old steel bike to donate to science

 

[xyster]

I need recommendations for glue or other similar goop.

I bought the same delta post haste rack as before. This time I plan to reinforce the main tube by dumping a couple bottles of gorilla glue into the tube, letting it set, and perhaps hose-clamping steel ties to the tube's exterior.

What other glue-type products might work: congeal into a strong tube infrastructure; be relatively cheap for 16oz or so; and be easy to apply (i.e. dump down the tube)?

I was thinking cement or stove-melted old (real copper) pennies -- but that might be just a wee too heavy!

http://www.gizmology.net/stovetop.htm

 

[TylerDurden]

I'm not sure anything you can pour in there will set hard enough to be a help.

You might try slipping some steel pipe in the flange end, but it should be a near perfct fit to be the most help.

I think fechter had a good plan with external supports to the the main frame: perhaps putting the rack as high on the stem as you can then connecting stays to the shock-mount....

 

[knightmb]

Or if it you feel the seat is strong enough, you could use a metal pipe clamp or something else to connect it to the bottom of your seat somewhere.

 

[Lowell]

How about a carbon/epoxy overlay? Or if you want to do it really cheap, carbon tow and polyester resin. I use that method to repair broken rc heli blades, and the results are as good as new.

 

[xyster]

These are great ideas. I'll be employing one of the external reinforcement methods, and goop of some kind inside the tube.

Lowell, can you provide a link to this carbon/polyester resin of which you write?

 

[Mathurin]

Putting the weight as close as possible to the seat tube should help.

 

[Lowell]

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/cmpages/yarntow.php

Resin can be had locally at any boat or plastics shop. For smaller amounts, local hobby shops usually carry carbon fiber to reinforce model airplane wings.

 

[jackatfsi]

I like the car hood/trunk shocks the best.......I've used them before (and might be using them again w/ 40+ lb SLA pack) and you can find them cheap as surplus items.......

 

[Matt Gruber]

Or if it you feel the seat is strong enough, you could use a metal pipe clamp or something else to connect it to the bottom of your seat somewhere.

i could hand fit a 2x4 or chunk of aluminum in there with my die grinder