Tailfins

Specifically the rear rack and top bag, the alloy one mind I’m not made of money!

Because of reasons I need an axle mount rack, I managed to snap the band on stays that were to adapt my Ortlieb quick rack whilst riding the Pictish Trail a couple of months ago.

It’s great, the Ortlieb, it just needs to be on the lugs on your frame, if you have them.

I hate seat packs so I’d like a pannier rack again. My thoughts turned to the Tailfin. Has anybody on here got one?

I understand Ortlieb are to introduce a thru axle mounting system in 2025 but I need a set up sorted for a crack at the HT550. I would like to have used it and broken it in whichever one that is well before Spring.

I’ve seen it demoed. Tailfin were at the Bespoke exhibition in Manchester earlier this year showing their entire range, you could sort of “build your own” bikepacking set-up on their demo bike. It was very good indeed. Rock solid in use but still goes on and off in moments.

Based on that I later bought a couple of wedge frame bags which have rapidly become “how did I manage without these?!” items.

Yeah, I’m pretty sure I’d be really happy with it. There’s an option, at a cost of course to add other panniers to the Tailfin rack which appeals too.

It’s just sucking up the initial outlay. 🙂

Tubus make a through axle adaptor for their racks. They probably make the Ortlieb rack too. Have you looked at that adaptor and adding the plastic mount points? Might just be them testing to some CEN standard that is holding up the same long bolt. Maybe

https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m5b0s215p5118/TUBUS-Thru-Axle-%2812x142mm%29-Adaptor-T71700

I have an Aeropack Carbon, bought via the Kickstarter campaign after seeing their stand at Bespoke Bristol. I have found it superb, plenty of room and so stable. Granted, it’s a big outlay, even for the alloy version, but it’s worth it. If I was buying now I’d probably go for the alloy version with the mounts to enable pannier fitting. The axle adapter works really well and I use that on my Vielo, but on the Tempest I use the frame mount adaptors.

I have the Tailfin alloy aero pack. It is very good. Strong, stable and waterproof.
I bought the bolt on version that mounts to the mudguard/rack mounts but have since bought the Fast Release Dropouts and a thru axle (which luckily fits my hard tail and gravel bikes). These make it much more convenient and easier to mount and remove the rack.

They’re not cheap but if you can afford one I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it.

I bought a top tube bolt on rack, the bolt spacing was too narrow, sent it back, replacement was the same. Sold it.

Just bought their new drop bar bar bag, fitted it last night and it’s spot on.

They seem very good at some stuff, not so good at others..

Oh, on the top tube bag, their customer services were adamant that it was fine, my Giant and Spesh bikes said otherwise, but I was wrong, apparently.

So, IMO, good, excellent in parts, arrogant though.

The bar bag, with a couple of garmin/light mounts is about £300..

I managed to snap the band on stays that were to adapt my Ortlieb quick rack

Which bit snapped, in what circumstances?

Is the rack adjustable? My OCD is screaming at me to level things out…

@montgomery The band on pieces failed coming over the Fungle Road I bodged with cable ties.

The band’s wouldn’t have stood up to the bounce of the panniers if they were made of steel.

It’s a lightweight only option, the band on lugs. You need that axle mount to stand the abuse.

Do you mean one or more of the metal bands failed, or did the plastic bit shear off? I’ve had my own issues with the stay adapters, mainly due to the fiddly installation process, but no failure as such. Just want to know what to keep an eye out for.

https://www.tumblr.com/tracksterman/766555149052329984/i-took-the-ortlieb-quick-rack-stay-adapters-off

@merak … I have the carbon rack and bag that’s just about to go on the classifieds if you’re interested ?

comes with a few different axle bits and bobs.

@therevokid

Yeah I may well be. How come you’re selling? You don’t see many on the 2nd hand market.

@montgomery

Yeah it’s the light alloy bands, two of them snapped and a bolt worked it’s way loose. I think the tightened torque is 1.2nm or similar. Thread lock may have helped but my experience is it’s a lightweight solution only.

Not loaded with kit hammering over all sorts of terrain over a period of days. I need the durability of the Tailfin I think.

There’s a reason the ultra guys use them I think.

Is the rack adjustable? My OCD is screaming at me to level things out…

@Merak – Yes, to a degree. It depends where you attach it to your seat post. It’s sloping on my hard tail as I didn’t want to clamp it around the dropper post stanchion.

Yeah it’s the light alloy bands, two of them snapped and a bolt worked it’s way loose

Did the bands snap at some point along their length, or where they’re folded over and crimped down? I’m trying to understand the mechanism of failure. Would it be more accurate to say ‘the bolt worked its way loose and so two bands snapped’?

I bought mine off the back of the following thread I started and, like you, have reservations about it, but that’s more to do with the amount of plastic in key areas.

Ortlieb Quick rack curious

@therevokid I might be interested if Merak isn’t, been looking at these for a while

It’s a shame the tailfin carbon ones don’t have the cage mounts.

If I was buying I’d get the alloy version for that reason, plus it’s cheaper.

Have had a tail fin for ages – works really well and easy to transfer between bikes. I have the alloy/bottle boss version which is good for some extra arm rotate if needed.