Hi – this may have (probably has been) covered elsewhere. I have a new bike with no eyelets for fitting a pannier. What are the (cheap) options for doing a bit of touring on it? Big backpack? Get eyelets drilled?

I’ve already got pannier bags etc and would prefer to use them rather than have to buy a new set of everything.

seat post mounted rack

seat post mounted rack

Any recommendations / experience with them?

http://bridgestreet.cc/

use p-clips if the stays are up to the job, or if not use one of the many pannier rack options that mount to the rear axle, which offer better support than those that attach solely to the seatpost.

Use p clips to mount a pannier , or places like alpkit, wildcat that do suitable bike packing gear

On one bike I used bits of Meccano to fashion mounting points.

Thule do a range that’ll likely fit.

I was a bit sceptical of them but I’ve seen a few survive LEJOG no problem

http://www.thule.com/en/gb/products/sport-and-travel-bags/bike-bags-and-racks/racks/thule-pack-n-pedal-tour-rack-_-pp_100016

Any recommendations / experience with them?

I have used the topeak one for touring,it has been excellent for weekenders,but you could also use a frame and bar bag if you wanted to take more.

You could also ,Go big on a seat pack.

I have one of the Arkel pannier racks – seems to do the job.

http://www.arkel-od.com/en/arkel-randonneur-rack.html

Presuming it has normal dropouts, a Blackburn EX1. Better than a seatpost rack as its just a normal rack that mounts via a longer qr axle. Comes with p-clips for the seat stays.

Tubus Fly rack – has mounts that allows you to secure the struts with a longer QR. Fitted one to a friend’s bike that she used for a LEJOG ride.

As above if you have the gear already use the Blackburn rack that uses your quick release for support and then attack to your seatpost clamp like this.

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=200504746540&alt=web

Koala

Or this
http://www.wildcatgear.co.uk/products/seat-packs/
with this inside
Airlok Tapered 13l

Read the OP John.

🙂

It’s easy to drill and tap mounts (if there’s enough meat there), and p clips DO NOT work to hold the weight at the dropout (IME) they are fine at the seat stay.

Full/big panniers will flap around on a post mounted rack, which have 10-15kg weight limits.

I speak from experience.

EDIT the blackburn rack is the best solution IMO/E

Tubus Fly rack – has mounts that allows you to secure the struts with a longer QR. Fitted one to a friend’s bike that she used for a LEJOG ride.

That’s what my mate used for lejog. Much more impressive looking than proper eyelets.

Used a seatpost collar mount with the longer QR option to mount a rack on a coast to coast that included loads of offroad, loads of lifting bike over deer fences and general overloading of kit…they held up fine. I on the other hand

Carradice camper longflap saddlebag on a SQR block fitted to the seatpost.

Holds plenty of stuff.

Old Man Mountain also do QR mounted racks. Probably more secure than regular M5 mounts.

+1 for the Blackburn EX1 disc/QR mount rack. That or the Oxford version http://www.tredz.co.uk/.Oxford-26-28-inch-Adjustable-Carrier-Rack-Disc-Compatible_55674.htm?sku=155374&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=AdwordsProductAds&utm_campaign=Adwords&gclid=CIbwwcqekssCFUqeGwodQD0FUw

I’ve used that with both p clips on the stays or a seat post clamp with rack mounts with no issues!

Presuming it has normal dropouts, a Blackburn EX1.

+1 for the Blackburn EX1 disc/QR mount rack.

Just to be clear – there are no eyelets on the seat stay on my bike, but the blackburn rack comes with p-clips as standard so I won’t need them – have I got that right?

I don’t know what the blackburn comes with.

The Oxford one doesn’t come with anything. You can either buy p clips or a seat clamp with eyelets like
http://www.tredz.co.uk/.M-Part-Seat-Clamp-Mount_34111.htm?sku=79197&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=AdwordsProductAds&utm_campaign=Adwords&gclid=COG-r-mjk8sCFSoOwwoduF4Ohw#

Nether of my bikes I have used it on had any eyelets on drop outs or stays

the Blackburn one comes with p-clips yes. But they are very cheap anyway if you needed different ones or more for some reason.

I managed it , sort of, cheating a bit, with just a 14litre backpack. no coking stuff (ate at pub etc), two thin down jackets, v thin sleeping bag, thin bivi bag, done in October (lucky with the weather). It does allow you to ride a proper lightweight XC bike and ride like you would any other time.

Don’t suppose it would work for Scotland in January though!!

C