The Best Rear Racks For Bikepacking?

[@danjames4086]

I've been observing the whole bikepacking phenomena for a while now, and am really intrigued. Top tube bags, stem bags, frame bags, fork bags....all brilliant ideas which have given us more versatility. However I'm so glad you have spoken about some of the obvious flaws of these ridiculously oversized saddle packs...particularly stability. I seem to recall a lot of bikepacking 'innovations' came about soon after manufacturers started to remove eyelets from frames. They were an answer to the problem of making frames look 'clean'. Thankfully some manufacturers are waking up to the idea that most people don't race...so a couple of extra ounces to put eyelets back on makes a bike far more versatile! We've gone full circle!

[@GrafRamolo]

it's like reinventing the wheel, 🤡

[@markschneider1396]

This is a fun way to spend a ton of money, but I toured off road with mountain bikes and old touring road frames with no issues. (yes rim brakes touring rims) IMO the biggest innovation that's actually been useful since 2000 are the tires. And thanks to people like Jan Heine, and Panaracer we now have a huge selection of tires I would have killed for 40 years ago. Bike racks have always been a good idea, a huge saddle bag without one is just silly, and for most trips panniers make a ton of sense.

[@UlyssesZopol]

It's tragic how fashion has people make less than optimally practical choices in a field where practicability makes all the difference between a good experience and a terrible one.

[@RalfPinkaire-f7w]

All more material and straps than volume. A hipster fad.

[@LiterallyCensoredDaily]

Cool tip: zip tie an old license plate to a rear rack. You now have a flatbed, fender, small table, etc.

[@StuWright]

or pretend to be a car ! which is about as sensible as this comment

[@ZenEndurance]

I found an old pannier rack in my garage the day before starting a 3 day gravelbiking trip and I was so excited. It changed EVERYTHING and I knew it would. It was missing the final attachment hardware to the seatpost, so I dug up an old reflector seatpost mount and used that to connect to, and it worked fine the entire ride. And yeah, next time I'd put less in the pannier bags and more on the flat top to be more aero. But the upside of pannier bags is really low center of gravity. You don't need to spend a lot. This one was awesome and it was a cheap one probably 15 years old. They've figured out the design decades ago. Anyway, I was able to have a fresh bike kit every day and a few more items because of it and it was so great.

[@tizzekarlsson]

As a non-ultralight bikepacker heavy duty rear racks are what enables me. It is great to see options are expanding AND that frame manufacturers are adding back mounting points for them.

[@AWBabbage]

As an old bike tourist (racks/panniers) I have resisted being converted to bike packing primarily because of the increased complexity multiple bags and strapping onto the frame while simultaneously increasing the time to pack and unpack. My current system consists of a Iberia rear rack and trunk bag and two Ortlieb waterproof panniers. I can remove and replace all three bags to the rack in one minute. Each has a shoulder carry strap. The trunk bag has five zippered compartments giving immediate access to everything needed during a day of riding. I have a rain cover for it for the rare rainy days ride. This is simple, accessible, easy to live with, and doesn’t require a myriad of solutions to fasten loads all over the bike. It need improving with a front load carrier for balance. It wouldn’t be ideal for real off-road bike packing, but for any kind of touring that involves roads, it works great.

[@brif56]

I am thinking getting a similar setup. I already have an Ibera rack (great underrated rack imho) but I was concerned about the Ortlieb panniers compatability and rattling. Have you experience any issues with this seput? Also which trunk bag are you using? Thanks

[@AWBabbage]

@@brif56 Ibera has two racks. I have the higher weight rated one. It has an extra horizontal mounting tube for the panniers to mount to and uses tubular forward connectors instead of flat. The Ortleib mounting system is so adjustable that it was easy to find a rattle free way to mount the bags. I have the big commuter rack trunk with five zippered compartments ( and one more inside) that makes it easy to organize and access everything. I had my doubts, but it all is well engineered and constructed. Bargain at the price. It is heavier than a lot of alternatives, but the convenience makes up for that. With all the zippers, the trunk is not waterproof, but I bought a pack cover that covers the whole thing if needed.

[@erynnt4151]

Dude, I am so thankful for people like you! I appreciate you taking the time to research, trial, and review bike gear. Your efforts help me make better gear decisions and therefore get me out enjoying the great outdoors in a more confident and comfortable way. Thank you!

[@Mike-vd2qt]

Cycle tourist since 1982. Back then in the U.S. all we could get were Blackburn racks, and Kirtland panniers. I've used most of the systems from Tubas, Ortleib, and Arkel. After living from your bike for two months you figure out that less is more, and simple is "more better".These days, I've completely switched to frame bags even for road tours, and especially for off road tours. I've found off the shelf Revelate Designs to be the best bang for the buck, and very durable. I ride a Brooks B-17 saddle so the Revelate Spinelock seat pack system doesn't work with the Brooks saddle, but the Revelate Terrapin worked great for 2,000 miles off road until the plastic support started to tear out. Now I have a 7Roads seat pack from Ukraine that uses a small stainless support attached to my seat post for the seat pack. I feel that using a dropper post for long off road tours might become a problem, I had a brand new $350 dropper post fail on me after two weeks (no pack attached) which the company serviced under warranty. When I got it back, I sold it and got a Thomson post. When you have weight on the bike touring, more than likely dropping your seat to descend will be the last thing on your mind. You might even walk some downhills when presented with baby-head loose rock and erosion rutted DG. Happy trails!

[@garymitchell5899]

Walking downhill. Hmm, never done that :D Do you not have brakes?

[@fatbikejamie]

Oh... on the seat bag/rear rack thing: those of us with short legs almost never have seat pack options. Rear racks (or trailers!) are sometimes the only functional option 😂

[@gehirndoper]

Those prices are insane. Several hundreds of $ for some welded aluminium and a few extra clamps and screws.

[@teacherguy5084]

I've picked up several vintage Blackburn, etc racks at Goodwill over the years, about $5 each. They work fine. Started strapping stuff on top of my first rack ( a Pletscher) on a 41-pound Schwinn Varsity 10-speed when I started touring in 1971. A buddy made some panniers (we called them saddlebags, because that's what they looked like) with his mom's sewing machine, they worked great, so I made some for myself a few months later with my mom's machine, out of light cotton canvas with some Naugahyde protection against the rack. By today's size standards they were mini panniers but got the job done for the first 5 years /6k miles, one piece hung over the rack so no hooks or buckles, weighed about 150 gm for the pair.

[@jackglennon497]

Keep your racks and panniers etc with your daylight robbery prices disgusting if people have to pay that for a rack it's a money RACKET 🤬

[@black.raven.adventures]

Tumbleweed racks are just simple and just simply great. To address the "missing" tire-to-back-interface-platform, I just added a transparent cutting mat from a household store for 1 CAD between the rack and the dry bag - increases the lifetime of the dry bag and keeps everything a bit cleaner.

[@crevasse5396]

A 1 gallon milk jug cut to size with a few zip ties makes a great rack fender too!

[@matiasaravena6605]

The Ortlieb Quick Rack is amazing. I descended a volcano with it on summer, fill with panniers and dry bags and worked like a charm. Its an amazing product.

[@MegPo]

I used the Tailfin for about a year on my 46cm gravel bike and even with the extended rack stay, I still had to jam the bag under the back of my saddle, which required some creative packing and sometimes would rub my butt. Also, adding the QR dropouts raises the height of the arch which compounds this problem, so I was never able to use them. I really wanted to like it, but after my Great Divide trip, I was completely fed up with the packing issues and ultimately ended up switching to a regular rack that sat lower over my rear wheel and further back.

[@falcoperegrinus82]

I have the Tailfin, it's great!. Rock solid and so light. One thing you can also do is remove the drybag and use its internal frame as a conventional rack. While it's not necessarily designed to do this, it worked very well for carrying my tripod strapped down with a pair of voile straps.

[@gregknipe8772]

maybe we can just call it touring again.

[@gregknipe8772]

racks work every day. seat packs have no other use, they suck to ride when they are empty.

[@BigCountryOutdoors325]

But bikepacking isn’t touring. Each is its own niche. They have similarities, such as taking gear for an extended ride. But that’s about where it stops. I’d never take a touring bike on something like the AZT. And I’d never take a MTB on a tour of the Netherlands. Just my opinion.

[@PRH123]

​​​@@BigCountryOutdoors325i think he's saying there's no reason you can't ride an MTB with racks on the AZT, and that is essentially just touring, off road touring....

[@cvspvr]

touring is for old people

[@viveviveka2651]

​@@cvspvrTouring is for Freds. Bikepacking is for hipsters.

[@michaeljohnbos5967]

A great tip is to put a small cut in the end of your bolts that you attach your rack with, if you snap one that is a big problem but if the hole goes all the way through get out your trusty swiss army knife and unscrew it.

[@OmmerSyssel]

How can you over tighten screws on a bicycle? Get a grip or buy a torque wrench.. ✌🏻

[@watertankhikes]

LR, M5 bolts are a little undersized for supporting the weight of the rack, bags and cargo at or near the rear dropout. Definitely the weak link in a rear rack system. Nothing to do with over torquing during installation. Great idea, Michael, BTW.

[@gsrossco]

I have the Tumbleweed front and rear racks running Frameworks design mini panniers, just finished the Attack of the Buns ride in Australia, and racks and bags worked a treat.

[@MB_MN_19]

I really like Topeak's system of rear rack and platform that accepts Topeak's rear rack "Trunk Bags." Slide the bag into the grooves on the rack platform, and click it into place. Easy to mount rear-tail light hardware too. Can fit both the trunk bag and panniers onto the rack, depending on the panniers --some have too much bulk where they hang from the rack, but others work just fine. Really well thought out.

[@ResilienceOnPurpose]

I never fully transitioned away from racks. I have a tubus rear rack and a Surly front (6 pack rack, love it), with a Rogue Panda frame pack. The capacity in the frame pack lets me get away with small panniers on the front and rear and I still have the top of the rear rack if I want to go full lux with a camp chair or something. I don't even need a bar bag. The whole set up feels more evenly distributed and works for commuting or road touring just as well.

[@christopherharmon9336]

I installed an inexpensive Blackburn rack (Maybe $35 USD) on my 1998 Gary Fisher mountain bike. With a pair of Ortlieb front panniers, it makes a perfect commuter.

[@jirdesteva]

Great video. I have always used racks on all my bikes and find them very convenient for lugging stuff around town or on long rides. My go to rack is the Tubus Logo Classic rock solid performance for many years.

[@UlyssesZopol]

Best racket ever, but not hip enough to make this list.

[@LoranBriggs]

34.9mm seatpost owners: The salsa rack-lock in size 35mm will fit over our seattube (but not seatpost) if you take a half-round file and file off the lip. Works really well but I do have two seat binders now, one normal and one specially for my rack mounts. I couldn't find an option for a 38.6mm binder. 2020 Specialized Fuze 29 (has rack mounts by the through axle)

[@hendrixinfinity3992]

Carradice make an amazing option for this. It's called a bagman. If you have brooks style saddle loops it's a super lightweight bend of metal that can support 5 kg. Fits a milk crate, designed for traditional saddlebags. Looks like a Jack the Rack. They make a QR version for if you don't have loops which is £50 currently from SJS (UK and Europe) and they've got a bunch of discounted saddlebags on there as well. I use the sport on my road bike and use a lightweight audax 12l and honestly I have space for the Expedition version which is big enough for the 20l Super C or Barley. Combine that with a frame bag and a handlebar support for a roll or Carradice bag. And honestly if you're not doing more than a 2 week trip you don't need more than 10kg of gear, you just need some extra space for food. The cheapest Jack style handlebar support I could find is £50, the bagman QR is £50, my audax bag was £40, and a larger carradice bag from SJS will be like £60. Add a frame bag like my lotus for £20 and you've got a proper lightweight, stiff, around 30l setup for like £220. My bivvy setup cost me around £70 and the bike £325 second hand with upgrades. All my cycling kit was like £150 max. Garmin 800 secondhand £60. I'm at well under a grand for the whole setup.

[@tedsmith2150]

M-Wave luggage rack used for about 1000 miles!. Minimalist and £17 (about 20 dollars?). Given that I carry about 5 or 6 kg max on there (its rated at 25kg), its a no-brainer. Adjustable height setting too, have mine adjusted about a cm above tire, works perfect and keeps weight low. Another great example of how so many others are ripping cyclists off. Cheers from England.

[@tedsmith2150]

ONLY 100gms heavier than my previous saddle bag and I use a 150gm 22lt LifeVenture rucksack ( with home made silpoly waterproof cover) with 2 straps=rock solid, also= when doing 'serious' hike a biking can remove rucksack from rack and carry on shoulders, so 5 to 6 kgs less on your arms- hope this helps.

[@drvoxmentat]

I have the Aeroe with two side-by side cradles. It’s a great setup and I get full use of my dropper post.

[@kirkhammet2x3]

i got one cradle on top. at least you can still fix some small stuff like hammocks underneath. I Enjoy the nice flow, i feel very comfortable on trails with this rack.

[@OldManMotoAdventures]

I have both styles of Tumbleweed racks and love them. Also own a Tubus rear rack for less adventure style rides.

[@DonnieX6]

+1 for the Ortlieb Quick Rack! Works perfectly on my gravel bike together with two of their 10L gravel pack panniers and a small dry bag on-top. As I mostly use my bike for day trips, it is nice to be able to quickly set it up and remove it again. Also quite sturdy and love the locking mechanism 👍 Thanks for the great overview, Neil!

[@p504504]

How many rack mount bolt thingies does it come with? I can't find this info anywhere. I want to use the rack on my commuter and sometimes on my gravel bike too. Do I need (or can I...) order additional mounting bolts? Thank you

[@reyfitz4622]

@@p504504 it comes with a set for one bike. Ortlieb sells separate kits to fit them on a second bike

[@DonnieX6]

@@p504504 You get two pairs of bolts and plastic bushings for the lower connection, but they are two sizes (M5 and M6) to support different bike types. I have also ordered another adapter set to be able to switch it to my second bike (both bikes use M5), you can get them for about 7€ in Germany (Google for "ORTLIEB Rahmenbefestigung Drehlager M5 & M6" to get an idea). If you have more questions, feel free to ask any ;)

[@p504504]

@@DonnieX6 thank you so much!

[@p504504]

@@reyfitz4622 thank you!

[@medina1440]

the thru axle mount for the old man mountain rack, allows it to have a heavier load capacity compared to mounting on the eyelets

[@VeloObscura]

All of these are great products, but I still think the Tumbleweed is the king - Steel, bombproof, simple. 3-Pack mounts for extra capacity for either luggage or water... It's pretty perfect for this sort of use case.

[@BigCountryOutdoors325]

If Tumbleweed had an option to mount on a bike without bosses, I would’ve went with it instead of OMM Divide. The Tailfin Aeropack was my other option. But, it’s cost, relative to versatility is what stopped me dead in my tracks on that. Although paid about the same for the OMM Divide and the MLD bags that I got, it provides a lot more versatility.

[@tristenmullen1195]

​@@BigCountryOutdoors325 😅v

[@michaelmcarthur7134]

Great job covering all things rack here Neil. Have owned a dropper seat pack and when it came time for a new hardtail, I definitely wanted rack mounts for the reasons you cite. Tumbleweed T-rack + Rockgeist dry bag do the trick for singletrack touring.

[@ellejay4497]

My husband installed the Ortlieb quick-release rack on his gravel bike and liked it so much that we bought one for my hardtail mountain bike with the seat tube and through axel attachments. Fingers crossed it will work for me as well!

[@thibaudepeche]

To my knowledge the Ortlieb quick rack pegs mount on eyelets, and if the frame has no eyelets, one can buy seat stays adapter to mount it. Can you tell me more about this through axel ?

[@russellromig8969]

A superb pack for a rear rack are the British military ruck rocket pouches. Super tough and lightweight. I zip tie them from the webbing on the back to the rack, and they fit like a dream. 15 liters per pouch, 30 liters with 2 pouches. You can't beat them for the durability and the cheap pricing.

[@hakimh4182]

Not a bad idea !! And you use the main bag as top bag on the rear rack ?? If yes, it s very ingenious if you need a backpack during the trip! Can you send a picture please ?

[@BrianRPaterson]

I like the Tailfin rack, and I'm intrigued by the Aero system. But, as a penny pinching Scotsman, I'm sold on the Ortlieb Quick Rack, which looks functional, durable and affordable. Cheers

[@pedallinraw]

Tumbleweed looks very nice…..i’m currently using a steel rack i found in a skip…my Surly loves it 🥰🥳

[@1esk192]

I use the Carradice Bagman Expedition. It's great for a biggish Carradice style saddle bag, it's also amazing, because I can fit a small saddle bag between it and the seatpost or a bottle. This time I chose to put just the Restrap Techbag on it plus my sleeping pad. Next time for when I have a Neo Air I might put my sleeping bag on it. It's way more versatile than a seat pack and I was able to pack my bike a bit more front heavy to have more fun on trails. For riding with a dropper post I might use a Tailfin

[@BigCountryOutdoors325]

Mountain Laurel Designs has some pretty awesome bags now, specifically designed for bikepacking. They’re made from Ultra 200 and super lightweight. I ordered the Poco Ultra panniers and the 22L Ultra bikepacking dry bag. They’ll be here Monday. They’re gonna sit on the Old Man Mountain Divide (made in USA) rack that will be here Monday as well.

[@Mike-vd2qt]

About eight years ago I ordered an Old Man Mtn rack online through his website. I never got an order confirmation, tried to email several times, left a couple VM. No response for two weeks, so I cancelled the order and had to stop CC payment through my bank. Hope his company is doing better these days.

[@BigCountryOutdoors325]

@@Mike-vd2qt I think OMM was bought by Robert Axle Project in Oregon. I got my rack in just a matter of a few days.

[@Mike-vd2qt]

@@BigCountryOutdoors325 That would explain a good turn a round in management. Robert Axle Project is legit, I once emailed them about a NailD proprietary axle design on a Marin Pine Mountain 2 that I owned. They gave me a professional, guarded, overview of the design. Can't say anything more about that issue.

[@kcdiazWTV]

Love the shirt, man.

[@MrJonas2255]

Aren't they chameleons?

[@michaelmann6482]

@@MrJonas2255 yep.

[@gaypreator8547]

Better than music in the back ground. ✌️

[@jamisonswift8320]

Love seeing the Grappler in there with the Old Man. :) Agree 100% on the usefulness of racks. Just gotta make sure to balance between front and back and you're golden.

[@garymitchell5899]

No, the back is fine heavier than the front. Only consideration is not too heavy on the front as it affects handling.

[@DominiqueB]

@@garymitchell5899 I'm gonna say it depends on the bike geometry: some bikes are designed to carry heavier weight on the front (for instance, the old-skool "Porteur" style.) Each bike behaves differently when loaded. Too much weight on the bike can make handling pretty flighty, specially when riding up steeper slopes. Luckily, we can also shift our own body weight around, say, when bombing down a fun track, and compensate a bit for poorly balanced loads.

[@madisondeans5566]

Neal you are so good at this!! Tumbleweed rack looks like a great fit for me!Thanx for these informative vids,the best in da biz!!!

[@goatsplitter]

The thing that attracts me to rack system vs all the bags, is that it's so much simpler to have a big dry bag on the rack and throw in all my standard backpacking gear into it than try to figure out what i need specifically for bike bags. I do bikepacking and backpacking and whatever i can use that shares the most gear is the most best for me. Racks simply offer the most shared compatibility for me.

[@paulnam4488]

Haven't read all the comments. Unless i slept through it Neil didn't include the Topeak or Thule racks in the review which work with full and non suspension bikes. Ive seen these things haul panniers and dry bags no problem. My buddy rolls his stuff up in his temt or bivvy and straps it on top of his Thule rear rack platfrom. My wife uses a Topeak rear rack with small panniers so that she can use the dropper post. We have the Topeak suspension fork rack which works great as long as you put hose clamps at the bottom so the rack doesn't slip down. However on our last trip to the Moab area o decided i needed full suspension and a seat dropper. I modified the front rack to fit on my full suspension by removing the platform amd flipping the rack so that the cross bar is over the rear tire. Then i cut a large plastic protein powder jar in half and zip tied them into a perfect place to locate the dry bags away from my heels. This worked pretty well, but I'll be making some mods. During the trip banging down the Steel Bender i was able to use the seat dropper, but had to use a bungee on the seat post to stabilize things in a third point of attachment. Because a bungee is elastic i could still use the dropper post.

[@reinhartbigl367]

Great episode! I’m going with the Tumbleweed mini pannier rack. Original ordered the T-rack, then saw the mini pannier and thought it would be better if/when I may want to use small panniers. Our Canadian distributor was cool with the change after the order. Will be using it with cages and 5L lightweight drybags for the GDMBR in late summer.

[@ipat4556]

Heyy, can I ask how did the rack hold up with the drybags attached? Did you go through any rough terrain? Thanks!

[@reinhartbigl367]

@@ipat4556 Hi, the rack held up perfectly...once I remembered to tighten the mounting screws after assembling the bike when I started out on the GDMBR. LOL! I eventually replaced the rear dry bags, not because they were not secure...as they were very secure and I had no problems...rather, I just felt I needed more capacity...and to that end, I was fortunate that the rack supported both cages or panniers, as I bought a small set of panniers along the route. I've used that setup on shorter bikepacking trips closer to home and they were rock solid over some very rough terrain. You can see how it was in the series of videos I'm putting together on my YT channel; "Ride with Reinhart" I hope this helps! Cheers

[@ipat4556]

@@reinhartbigl367 thanks, very helpful answer! Skimmed through some of your videos, looks like it was quite a nice ride ! You’ve got a new subscriber ☺️

[@Elchderdritte]

first one... yeah. And I switched form Seatpack to Tailfin Aeropack.... It is a great Rack especially if you want to use a dropper..

[@andrew_nepsund]

Luddite Club meeting confirms racks are great!!

[@________2705]

Tumleweed Mini Panier Rack or Old Man Mountain Elkhorn Rack for a front Rack? any first hand experience regarding durability, practicability, etc.?

[@paulnam4488]

Phillip Priolo ive got a full suspension Stumpjumper and i used a Topeak Tetra rack. My wife uses one on a Santa Cruz 5010. The carbon seat stays need to be pretty beefy. My 2016 Stumpjumper rear triangle is box section aluminum (front carbon). See my comment above. The Topeak Tetra racks use a velcro strap and a tensioning system to secure the rack. The rack can slip, but weve beem able to redy that with various measures. Try to put some protective tape on the zones where the load goes first. A zip tie covered in duct tape can make a good location guide and backstop.

[@leesaunders7232]

The Ortleib QuickRack is excellent👌

[@randallgd]

Have used the Areo rack on a full suspension carbon bike on single track solid set up. Would buy again

[@samuraioodon]

Hi I'm case of a crash do you think the seat stays could snap? That's what I'm afraid of on carbon bike .

[@randallgd]

@@samuraioodon I guess its possible. It would have to hit just right though and I really don't think ita any more of a risk than normal. they mount pretty wide on the stay. Good luck!

[@509bunnyhaven]

Huge fan of axiom, dlx and the journey are both incredibly well thought out and work well with both front and rear panniers. I use the journey with smaller front panniers and have 0 play. The rack and bags set me back about $125...including a dry sack on top.

[@fotografamos4083]

Can vouch for the voile rack strap. It's wonderful! I use it all the time on my Pelago front rack.

[@Jaysus145]

I use it too, it is great!

[@crevasse5396]

I thought about getting these but would require 2. They cost twice as much but are half as useful, having no other use other than top of rack. I can get 4 regular straps for the price of these and still do what these do. What am I missing?

[@Jaysus145]

@@crevasse5396 I mean, you need 4 regulars to do the job of two of the rack straps. I was tired of that hassle and love the upgrade.

[@DominiqueB]

@@Jaysus145 Mmmm, i too must be missing something -- why would i need _4_ Voile straps to wrap around and tie down my dry bag to the rack? It works fine with 2, as shown in the video for every rack setup (one random example at 5:20 .)

[@barrybogart5436]

I've decided to put my old Tubus rack on my MEC Cote. I'll keep the Timbuc2 BP bags including the seat bag, and just use skinny panniers on the rack. I mainly want to eliminate my backpack. Weight should be about the same, and I have a lot more flexibility. I used my old Tubus rack on the tandem for MANY miles of radonneuring and touring. But I have had Axiom rack welds come apart in the middle of a tour. Quality counts.

[@valentingm9718]

I have used the ortlieb quick rack for a touring/bikepacking trip of 3000kms on both pavement and fireroads and I am not convinced by the toughness of the rack and the fixation at all. I found the rack to slip out of the quick release rod and fully rotate on its bottom mounts to touch the road after a few kilometers on the road. I strapped it to the frame for the rest of the trip. So I recommend this rack only for commuting and not for touring/bikepacking. It has a non-slip paint which wore out very quickky with panniers (I had 2 ortlieb 10l panniers for a total charge of 14kg)

[@MaxRevitt]

There's a cargo net called an air pannier (UK made), it really is great for stuff which won't fit in bags (tent maybe when bikepacking). But I can also carry my daughters bike on my bike with it! Might be worth a review!

[@bruce.KAY-bike-drifter]

Is there a link to that "air pannier"?

[@MrEstelacosta]

I have a topeak MTX rack and bag that I love due to the simplicity to attach/detach the bag to the rack, very useful. Now I got a Salsa Warbird and due to the complete shortage of their rack-locks I was wondering if the other options for 31.8mm seat tube will fit since Salsa's seat tube is listed as 32mm?

[@VV-om8vv]

Just ordered an elkhorn and a 5L dry bag from sea-to-summit for the front of my lynskey. Really excited to have more storage space! Mostly need it to carry extra water.

[@ellerybice3787]

Thank you Sir, may God keep you safe from all that you do not fear.

[@michellesgoldberg]

Thanks! I've got the Salsa Alternator rack on my Salsa Timberjack, with Arkel Drylites. For my road & gravel bikes, I want something that I can move between bikes as needed. Looking at the Ortleib or Tailfin, but certainly open to others.

[@MrAdamNTProtester]

Nothing beats my long milk crate box that sits on my back bike rack... load groceries & tools/material for work... its awesome & FREE!

[@nickgoogle4525]

Tubus Vega Classic goes up to 180 mm width, Evo only to 170 mm. So be sure to order the matching version to your bike. A Topstone will need the Classic for example.

[@davidreadbikes]

Great summary of rear racks. Could you do a specific one on front racks, and (for those of us who like to carry a lot of stuff...) include your recommendations on the various pizza racks out there. Thanks!

[@adventurebikepacking]

as always ,a great review .I own them all and I always land on my tailfin,its just that much better .And with all the added goodies they continually pull away from the others .Hands down the best Bikepacking rack. ( skip the carbon one )

[@coreyreeder3549]

I was not aware of the Ortlieb rack but I’m very interested now. Thanks for the video

[@rbro3001]

These rear rack systems shown here are insanely expensive. 168+80 for Old Man mountain and 305 plus the cost of the bags for Tailfin, It's more affordable to stay in hotels/AirBNB's. I think the more affordable rack manufacturers haven't caught up to the thru axel generation.

[@zerofighter42]

+1 on the Tubus Vega and Voile rack straps. The Vega clears 27.5 x 3.0 no problem and will probably clear 29 x 2.8.

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

Nice! I think stated clearance on most of these racks is very conservative and like I mentioned very dependent from bike to bike. The Ortlieb Quick rack has a surprising amount of clearance for their stated 29x2.35 capacity.

[@cjohnson3836]

I think a bigger issue than tire clearance is the stanchion vs brake caliper placement, particularly on most MTBs with outboard rear calipers.

[@johnbodenchuk514]

Thanks for the great breakdown of currently available racks. I’m wondering if you’ve come across any alloy racks that are raw finish or clear-coat. All seem to be black powder coated. I’d just like to have something that blends more with my Ti frames. Thanks

[@cccpkingu]

There are titanium ones too.

[@epzamora]

Pelago (I think part of the QBP network) offers alloy and chromoly racks in "silver," as does Nitto (SOMA Fab Shop), though neither target bikepacking specifically..

[@watertankhikes]

Tubus Liviano for Ti, Cosmo for stainless steel. Also look at Nitto racks if you want something silver and burly.

[@thomasdc2439]

hehe, interesting how everything is somehow repeating. This "new" style of backpacking is what I have done 3 decades ago on my mountainbike ;). For same reason: balanced weight distribution and good stability of the packs.

[@EckmanJones]

Because of the Catrike Expedition's unique frame design it makes it really difficult to find a rack that will fit it. So we use the Evo rack with Arkel Dolphin panniers. They're expensive but so worth it.

[@danieltomaino4922]

The quick rack looks sick, looking forward to that review

[@chrisderksema5616]

I never stopped using racks through the saddle bag marketing “sell people a new product” phase. Racks just work! Tubus all the way.

[@OmmerSyssel]

Exactly.. These kids have too much money but little experience. Over complicated, expensive concept which wouldn't stand a week in severe weather conditions, if they actually travelled according to their investments in fancy equipment... 🤔

[@crevasse5396]

I'm definitely getting a hardtail and rack/pannier vibe from Bikepacking. Maybe I just look for confirmation on my original choice! I chose a system that won't have me hike a biking basically ever.

[@zap...]

I pack everything inside of my 3" tires using custom stuffsac. It's waterproof storage and cushcore at the same time.

[@BigCountryOutdoors325]

Would that also be considered bike weight and not carried weight? Asking for a friend.

[@zap...]

@@BigCountryOutdoors325 The weight of the gear actually cancels itself out. When the wheel is rotating, the rotational mass of wheel is a net zero and is at an equilibrium. The rotating mass traveling in the positive y axis is cancelled out by the rotating mass traveling in the negative y axis. The same will occur along the x axis. When reaching speeds over 11.11 mph, the wheels will become an endless source anti-gravity propulsion.

[@thisishowiedewitt76]

What panniers are those at the 2:50 mark? They’re tan in color and have the blue lacing along the back.

[@jasonm4695]

Thanks for this one. Just what I needed.

[@cjones7854]

I love my T rack. I can run it up front or out back on my Surly.

[@stephenfougere2373]

Did you ever review the Rogue Panda Gila dry bags? You mentioned that you would in the video.

[@josh33172]

Really good video! So I can attest to the the Old Man Mountain experience, but went a slightly different route. I'll be honest, the $168 price tag just for the rack was too rich for me, and everything said and done starts getting into the Tailfin space. So what I did was purchase a mounting kit and 2 sets of axles kits (one for my 12x142 hardtail Ibis Tranny29) and one for my gravel bike (12x142 Rodeo Labs Flaanimal). I was hoping to get lucky that they shared the same thread pitch and length but unfortunately luck was not on my side. I really wanted the Ortlieb Quick Rack to work but I believe it was going to be too wide with the quick rack mounts. So after some searching, and measuring, a quick hack if you don't necessarily need a beefy overbuilt OMM rack that's quite spendy, it will work with racks with boost spacing, but you need to have the rack dropouts to have 2 holes to mount to the "Divide Drop Outs - Pair" (DRO100) to interface with the axles. Two screws to attach it to the rack with bolts. When you see the kit, its self explainitory. I personally went with a Racktime BOOSTIT 2.0 which fit my price/needs. I also purchased the Seat Post Clamp (SEA101) which is awesome because it splits in half. It doesn't fit on the frame but added some extra rubber to connect it to the seatpost directly. Which is even better because you remove the need to adjust anything when taking on/off. I really like this setup because its literally 4 bolts and I can move the rack from my gravel bike to my HT in less than 5min, and its 4 bolts (assuming the axle is installed) I don't even have to adjust the angle or length moving it from bike to bike (got lucky there). It's a slight hack and I had to drill two holes in the rack to get everything to line up, but the axle kit and Divide Drop Out kit is a legit robust easy pairing if you find an alternate rack that works with it. I will say that one of the reasons I looked at this particular rack is the "Snapit2.0" base that snaps onto the rack. I attached an Ortlieb Rackpack 24L to it and it basically does the same as the Tailfin AP20. I use it everyday to commute into work. Just quick-disconnect and carry the bag into work. Works better than loading/unloading panniers. This was my personal hack. If anyone wants to know more about this setup/DIY, I'm willing to help through the process.

[@firsthippy]

Do you have pics or video of your setup? I wanted to use OMM axle with Ortlieb Quick Rack but the rack wasn't tall enough so I bought OMM rack. But I still have Quick Rack so I also bought their frame mount kit. Now I'm wondering if I could use the Quick Rack on my partners gravel bike with another OMM axle and your bodge to extend the legs. I see the OMM leg extender parts but I'm not sure how they'd mount to the Quick Rack.

[@josh33172]

@@firsthippy I do have pictures, but I don't have close-ups and the bike is very dirty to take pictures...and the water in the hose is frozen to clean the bike....It's just a consequence of riding here in Belgium. :/ To connect to the rack and what slips over the axle is the "Divide Drop Outs" you purchase from OMM (the were $32 for the pair when I bought them). I chose my rack specifically because it was the only stout rack with two bolt holes to mount the dropouts so that they functioned very similar to the Divide rack. That is what will give you the extra height because it's adjustable depending on which thread holes you use. As far as using the Quick Rack, I literally just got it in the mail and haven't even cracked open the box to start looking at the bits... I haven't decided if I will use the rack for bike touring or commuting. I have Ortlieb Gravelpacks so that's what I would be using for a pannier setup.

[@jennifercrosland9352]

Hi, I found this video informative and use a full rack with paniers. I also have a rear seat post rack from Arkel ( not the rollpackers) called the randonneur rack that would be worth a look and a review.

[@mukkaar]

Personally I really like racks. At home, I can use it for pannier to carry groceries. And for bikepacking, I can strap waterproof backpack on it, much more space than seat bag, and more aero than panniers. It's just superior to both in every way, since you also get actual big backpack for your trip. Also, just ignore Tailfin, it's extremely expensive and not as versatile as normal rack. You can strap any bag into rack and it does the same as tailfin. In fact if you get ortleb rack pack, it's exactly the same with wide rolling top.

[@Mike-ql4sz]

Can anyone recommend please a full suspension bike for touring? (w. fenders, lights, dynamo, luggage racks etc? Thx

[@sk8ben66]

the Ortlieb Quick Rack Light look really great .am using the arkel randonneur but i cannot use pannier .the ortilieb look the best of 2 world easy to remove and work with pannier .

[@marcokalle2452]

Tubus Vega classic for life! 🤘🏽❤

[@karlr6810]

Hey Neil - thanks for the video. Been thinking about diving into bike credit card touring and what option to use - rack or seatpost bags. After discussing the issue with the guys at my LBS, it seems a rack with a dry bag and a handlebar bag, and maybe a 1/2 frame or full frame bag is the way to go. Since all of my bikes are Salsa's, I'd probably go with their racks. Unfortunately, that means an alternator rack for standard rear axle width, the fat bike rack for my Beargrease, and Wanderlust for my Journeyer's. Or I just pick one bike (probably one of the Journeyer's) for touring. What do you think about Sea to Summit's Big River Dry Bag? I'm looking at their 20L version since credit card touring means I don't have to carry as much gear. Thanks, sir 🍻

[@thebr0wnhornet]

I like axiom streamliner dlx racks, rated for 50kg and cost like $60-75

[@Guzurti1995]

Ortlieb quick rack clears a 29 x 2,6 in my kona unit, so the recommended clearance seems conservative.

[@stefanofranco2153]

Thank you for your feed back! Mine is a 29x2,25 bike and I was very much in doubt for the maximum clearance declared. So do you think I will not have problem with this rack? Thanks

[@johnbodenchuk514]

Have you had any experience with or heard much about the Soma Rakku Alloy? Price seems very reasonable, triple bosses for cages, clearance for 29 x 2.6”, and is come in raw alloy (thinking it may look nice on my Titanium Jones or Binary Havok.

[@charliebamford2807]

Is it possible to buy just seatpost clamps with the ability to link to racks?

[@lastfirst5790]

I need a bike and rack that can handle ~100lb on the rack. What are my options?

[@geoffdecker]

Curious, if I were to use a carbon frame, should I be cautious of any of these rack designs?

[@beenrudy]

I'm looking for a rack for my DeVinci Kobain. I don't have seat stay eyelets I just have a hole in the gusset tube at the top of my seat stays. Any suggestions for rack that has 3 mounting points?

[@lewis4175]

Great vid. Been looking forward to tbis since it was hinted a few weeks back!

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

Thanks for tuning in to the vids, means the world!

[@turtlecrawford6468]

Seat pack did not work for me at all this weekend bc i was on wet rocky rooty singletrack and i couldnt drip my seat post, felt like i was on a po go stick, took a couple spills, rack is looking like a much better choice than i had originally thought

[@noosarider]

Thanks for the content!! Just a quick question: at 15’50 which bike is that? It looks awesome and the geometry is to die for 🙏

[@gregs7562]

Any recommendations for a rack thatll fit my fatbike? Ritchey Commando, have both a 26x4 & a 29x2.8 wheelset. Ideally id like one with mounting bolts on the struts so i can fit bottle cages.

[@kovenant7]

What are a few rear bag brands that make the larger rear rack bags? Im not looking for sidemounting bags mainly one that sits on the rack itself.

[@jameswong391]

Neil off topic but was there any coverage of your HT550 run? Just attempted the Ullapool to Kinlochewe (Fisherfield + Loch Dubh Causeway) section this week and found it absolutely mental that you and others maintained an overall moving speed of ~+10kph! Couldn't fathom cycling a lot of the rock garden or narrow narrow singletrack bits On topic - I used Tailfin aeropack for it and found the quick releases of it got hit by rocks, turning the aluminium into a rough file, which kept pedal striking my calves. In future I might go back to my Revelate Spinelock

[@oot-n-aboot]

About the Tailfin quick releases hitting rocks. That’s interesting and, of course, a bummer. When you say “hit by rocks” do you mean you grazed rocks on the trail? Or that rocks flung by tires hit them? Is yours still useable with some tape or other adjustment? Do you think it’s an unlucky situation or a function of the design in rocky terrain like that? Can you post pics somewhere to see what you’re talking about?

[@jameswong391]

@@oot-n-aboot Rock grazes, I think if I taped over them it'd be a very temporary solution and the quick release could be chamfered to mitigate the issue. As its a 90 degree sharp corner on the piece already, I'd think it's quite inevitable for people taking it out on rocky single track anywhere I might send pictures in to Tailfin support

[@oot-n-aboot]

@@jameswong391 Gotcha. I'm honestly still trying to figure out how your calves are hitting the QRs. Thankfully the bits are replaceable. But good thing to watch out for.

[@jameswong391]

@@oot-n-aboot I'm on a boost rear hub and having to use a spacer on top of that to get enough axle on the drive side to let the tailfin strut clear my rear mech, what it means is that NDS QR is hovering a about an inch out an already wider rear triangle and is the most protruding part

[@migueltrujillo5932]

I have a HD Jand 22 inch long back rack, wonder if they make anything similar on disc bikes?

[@faraway_bikehiking]

happy with the Aeroe spider rack .. over 2500km of Caminos trails in Europe (not Road- so a mix of every imaginable trail surface, and mountain bike trails in NZ and my go to work and shopping bike with the PODs to save some carbon foot prints.. ( car nearly redundant)

[@nommchompsky]

The Tailfin is expensive, but now I have a rack that I can effortlessly remove when I don't need it or, with a few extra adapters, swap to any of my bikes in under a minute. I absolutely love mine

[@Photoshopuzr]

I saw this hooked up to a specialized levo emtb can you confirm please, im getting the same bike to load up the same rack just to hold my camera and food. good run down on these racks. I heard so man times that the same bike will not hold a rack at all and to get the other model bike that comes with a rack.

[@neilrobinson8101]

Does anyone know which options are available for attaching a rear rack to a 148mm thru-axle? Tubus have an adapter but only 142mm. I'm not interested in P-clamps on the seat stays as it's a carbon frame. Tailfin seems too expensive. Ideally a mounting adapter to use with existing racks, or a rack that can take mini panniers, but anything considered as long as it's thru-axle mounting.

[@cyrusf.4039]

So traditional panniers tempt you to pack more but the large volume of the Aeropack drybag is reassuring when you need to resupply (?). Smaller bags are certainly more nimble maneuvering on single track.

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

My point is that the Aeropack is much smaller and less cumbersome. Having just a little extra expandable space for a meal is reassuring. Panniers do the same, but as you said, it's much more nimble maneuvering a smaller system.

[@OmmerSyssel]

​@@BIKEPACKINGcomit's plain nonsense and obsessions you're busy with.. I have two sizes of Ortlieb packs and decide which size suit my needs. All those tiny overpriced packs to fumble with is ridiculous. I bring 12-15 kg equipment for minus 10°C winter or summer.. One or two grips, and my stuff is safe and easy stored in five packs. Used since 20 years.. You never travelled several months with daily tenting in cold, rain or storm with that over complex setup!

[@BigCountryOutdoors325]

@@OmmerSyssel On you’re several month trips, are you touring or bikepacking single track? Each has its own niche in terms of bags used.

[@garymitchell5899]

Classic racks like Tubus or Topeak are always the best. Got to be strong and reliable, the most important factors.