094 by stuartrider25, on Flickr

102 by stuartrider25, on Flickr

Nice job, whats it weigh?

That looks great any chance of a pic of the reverse?

plus a breakdown of how you made it please??

Are plastic reflector brackets strong enough to carry what must be at best 1.4kg+?

Interested to try it myself if it proves reliable

http://www.flickr.com/photos/56842631@N06/sets/72157626128448068/
I used some reflector brackets X2 (30.9 size). a slate wall shelf (clear plastic. Some metal P clips for mudguards hammered flat, nuts and bolts to fit and toe straps to strap everything together. Cut holes in the plastic with drill bit then using a small round file cut from hole to hole to form a slit for strap to run through.
The link will show you some more photos. Do not have any scales at home but it weighs bugger all.
Will be testing it this weekend on a bivvy trip so will update with a success story or failure. 🙂
The plastic reflector bracket are not strong enough to support too much weight. it bobbed up and down but you will notice a strap through the plastic and around the stem which stops any bobbing.
Hope this helps.
Stu.

How does it steer with that much kit up front? I’m kinda dubious about this ‘loads over the bar’ approach to packing, my previous trips having had all the junk in the trunk…

Works for me.

Typical glass half empty responses. Piss on my fire why dont you. Still it makes me happy because im a glass half full kind of guy and if anyone finds what ive done helpful etc then im happy.

I like it, but it does look a bit heavy.

I also like a glass that is twice the size required for the liquid it actually contains.

How much weight is on the bars? That tent looks quite precarious perched up on the bars.

looks good, i have done something similar with a klickfix bracket and some guttering, will put some photo’s up tomorrow. It is really stable, only issue is getting used to not being able to see front wheel whilst riding.

my mate at work rode home last night with two new sleeping bags he bought strapped to the tri-bars on his road bike and gave me an idea – something like these http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/tranz-x-jd-tb01-tri-bars-black-aluminium-prod13580/?src=froogle

some cheap secondhand ones cut down to the size you need and without the armpads and mounted beneath the bars would make a good front rack, they clamp down pretty tightly so should be quite robust

I wanted to take the bulk not the weight out of my rucksack.
Tent Terra Nova Photon Elite 690g.
Rab Neutrino bag 580g
Bracket 610g. soo all very light.
Test ride showed no interferance with steering and no weight issues. Strap around stem kept everything still and secure. Tent bag needs a bit of work as it flapped around at speed. Really pleased.
I tried the bungy strap thing but it creased my brake/gear cables and effected steering.
All strapped to a Ragley TD1/RC31 forks.

099 by stuartrider25, on Flickr

those plastic bags sticking out of the cupboard next to oven look like a bit of a fire hazard.

Wwaswas LOL. Bike tools on a kitchen prep area, my mum wouldnt approve 🙂

Nice work. I need something like that just to push my kit away from my cables and stuff. Brake lines almost managed to crimp themselves off last time, no mater hoe I placed stuff before bungeeing them down.

Right, here’s my take on this and it is quick release:

You need one of these:

one of these:

and some plastic guttering, a heat gun, some nuts & bolts and some straps. The straps go through slots cut in the guttering and around tha bars and whatever is loaded onto the rack, the heatgun is used to flatten the guttering out at the top and the curved bit is left on the bottom to help support the load. This is really stable and holds the load well out and away from all controls (both brake hoses in my case) and work a treat. will do some photos tomorrow of the finished article fitted to the bike and loaded.

I think there are some great ideas here, I have been thinking about trying to bodge a copy of the Revelate designs prototype, I think he made it from the lid pocket of an old rucksack with some webbing straps stiched on, this would give you a large zipper pocket for sundry bits, and a cordura roll thing that wouldn’t weigh too much

Markenduro, that looks strong and i love your idea. If mine goes tits up then i will give it a go. 🙂

*eagerly awaits markenduro’s pics*

The OMM Trio Chest Pouch makes a good basis for ‘bodging’ a pocket onto the front harness.

Now had time to take some photos (been out for a shitfest of a ride round Cannock Chase).

Front view, this is normal plastic guttering which has been heated up with a heat gun and flattened at the top section:

P1000512 by markenduro, on Flickr

Back view, outside straps go around the bars to add a bit of rigidity, middle strap goes straight through the bracket:

P1000509 by markenduro, on Flickr

Loaded view showing the clearance between load and controls:

P1000514 by markenduro, on Flickr

Side view showing gap between load and front wheel (this would work with a sus fork on full compression):

P1000515 by markenduro, on Flickr

New home made frame bag:

P1000517 by markenduro, on Flickr

Loaded up and ready to go, rear bag is an ortlieb from here, I reckon this could be modded with a bigger drybag to give a bit more capacity, might buy a cheap one to experiment:

P1000520 by markenduro, on Flickr