Viewing 23 posts - 1 through 23 (of 23 total)
  • Pannier Rack
  • benz
    Free Member

    I recently got a Croix De Fer at a decent price (Gumtree bargain).

    I now fancy kitting it out with a pannier rack and do a few days touring in the old railway track bed network.

    So…pannier racks.

    Planet X have a disc compatible one for what seems like pennies or CRC have a heavily discounted Blackburn one.

    I’d appreciate your thoughts.

    Tubes, etc are likely better but I’m not going to tour the world….

    Thanks.

    mechanicaldope
    Full Member

    Put a topeak dx disc on my Cd Fer. Seems fine.

    tjagain
    Full Member

    IME disc specific racks are clunky and heavy. I have always on multiple bikes been able to fit normal racks with a small spacer to clear the calliper and this gives a neater result

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    joshvegas
    Free Member

    topeak dx disc

    I have one if you’re interested

    ribena
    Free Member

    Where is the disc caliper mounted on the frame? If it’s mounted on the chainstay (rather than seatstay) you won’t need a disc rack anyway.

    I like the Tortec Ultralite & Tortec velocity, very lightweight.

    whitestone
    Free Member

    The rear brake on a CdF is mounted on the chainstay

    benz
    Free Member

    No, it is an older CDF and seatstay mounted….

    whitestone
    Free Member

    I stand corrected – mine is a 2016 model.

    Dickyboy
    Full Member

    Nothing wrong with the topeak DX disc imo – I can see what tj is saying, but the disc specific ones are better than any bodge

    tjagain
    Full Member

    dickyboy – I would disagree. Spacing out one side a few mm to clear the calliper is far better than having a rack that spaces it out 2 cm each side and that weighs far more than needed. I had a topeak dx disc. Its was so clunky and heavy that I sold it on and used a nicer rack spaced out by about 5mm

    scotroutes
    Full Member

    The Topeak Super Tourist DX is what I use on the Amazon (with seatstay caliper). The design of the dropouts is such that it needs a disk-specific rack. I even tried the Tubus version but it wouldn’t fit. In short, “it depends”.

    FWIW, the rack is just fine. Once it’s on a loaded up bike it’s not noticeable (weight or aesthetics). It’s also well designed in that it has the second (lower) bars for pannier mounts meaning the top is clear and has good additional vertical bars to prevent any wheel/pannier interface.

    freeagent
    Free Member

    Spacing out one side a few mm to clear the calliper is far better than having a rack that spaces it out 2 cm each side and that weighs far more than needed.

    +1.
    I’ve got a disc specific rack from my Arkose – but in reality a ‘normal’ rack would have fitted quite nicely and been a neater solution.
    I’m currently considering swapping it out for an Alpkit mool (or similar)

    benp1
    Full Member

    I have the Topeak Super Tourist DX too on my Arkose. Having the side rails lower than the top rails are particularly useful

    I can mount 2 panniers (works with my Lidl ones and my Ortlieb ones) AND something on top, like my rack pack or a folding crate

    The rack pack and folding crate I have are both made by Topeak, they slide straight on. They’re genuinely excellent, I really rate them. Easy to use, reliable and super quick. I use my rackpack for commuting everyday, the fold out side pockets take a surprisingly amount of stuff

    joshvegas
    Free Member

    5mm wouldn’t even come close to avoilding the bb7s on my old Kona dewdrop.

    Weight Wise it’s irrelevant when you strapping kilos and kilos to it.

    trail_rat
    Free Member

    disk racks are the bodge if you ask me.

    designed to fit all bikes with all disks such as the above dew drop with bb7s. so when you fit them to bikes that are well designed for racks they look bloody awful – they are designed so that romantically minded mechanics can fit them without havign to think classically 😉

    Got a non disk stainless steel tubus on the wifes day one alfine and a disk steel tubus on her tour de fer. im going to swap them over prior to sellign the day one as i cant stand the huge gap between the frame and the rack uprights on the tour de fer

    joshvegas
    Free Member

    Oh it’s chunky alright.

    But the dewdrop is hardly the streamlined looker.

    zilog6128
    Full Member

    Have the Tubus Disco on my older CDF which fits perfectly & is rock solid. IMO looks great & matches the bike nicely. Fairly light also, which is good as I often take the panniers off & use it for road riding as well as commuting.

    steezysix
    Free Member

    Get a Specialized pizza rack, you’ll avoid the issues of disc clearance at the rear, having the weight up front is a nicer riding experience, and when you’re not touring the top platform is great for commuting/shopping. Just check that your bike has mid fork eyelets (pretty sure the CdF does…)

    kcr
    Free Member

    You can definitely mount a non disc specific rack on a Croix de Fer with a seat stay brake.
    I’ve used ordinary racks on 3 different disc frames over the years, just using washers/spacers to get clearance where required.
    Tubus stainless are good, if your budget allows. Alloy racks wear more easily and are more likely to fail in the long run, if used heavily. I’m currently using a Tubus Fly, which is minimalist, but can handle a full pannier load without problems.

    thomthumb
    Free Member

    cdf is ‘classic/ proper’ touring geo.

    good argument for lowriders only. i did this on my vaya and it rode brilliantly.

    tubus tara is brilliant lowrider rack. check german shops- often cheaper for touring stuff.

    trail_rat
    Free Member

    low riders only is great till you ride in a cross wind.

    utter bollocks if your riding across the canterbury plains everytime you cross a gate opening in the hedge.

    Spread the load evenly your bike handling will thank you.

    PeterPoddy
    Free Member

    Planet X have a disc compatible one f

    Probably not necessary. Most disc brake bikes don’t need a disc compatible rack and if it’s like my CdF the calliper is between the stays. I used a Tortec one, a slim, light one. Was fine for 300 miles round Belgium.

    [url=https://flic.kr/p/LA8hDA]Untitled[/url] by Peter Atkin, on Flickr

    EDIT Just read the whole thread. You still might not need a disc rack as such.

    greatbeardedone
    Free Member

    It’s not the only way to mount a rack-top bag, but topeaks design that slides on is definitely the best.

    Rack-top trunk bags are really handy and unobtrusive. You’ll appreciate them.

Viewing 23 posts - 1 through 23 (of 23 total)

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