BikePacking Cargo Racks

Bike Cargo Racks

• • Cargo Racks are the easiest and most versatile way of transporting gear on a bike

  • They also allow you to carry an assortment of cargo

    • Milk crates

    • Cardboard boxes (Not for the rainy season)

    • Firewood

    • Frying pan and large pots

  • Depending on what kind of Bike Packing we go on, you will likely need a bike cargo rack

  • Bike Cargo Racks are notorious for getting loose!

    • Loctite the bolts and bring extras

  • Examples:

    • rei.com/c/bike-cargo-racks 

Recommendation:

• As with most bike gear, we recommend that you come talk with our Bike Team first

  • You may need a special rack for your bike, and it will be obvious when we take a look at it 

• Economy Rear Rack

  • Topeak Explorer Rack

    • Sold at REI on online

    • Reasonable rack at a reasonable price

    • Requires built in rack mounts

• Bikes without Built in Rack Mounts

  • Come talk to the Bike Team First

    • Your bike may need something special

  • Topeak Tetrarack 

    • This might work for your setup

    • Doesn't carry a lot of weight

    • A bit pricey for what you get

    • Mounts to rear frame of hardtails and some full suspension bikes

Rackless BikePacking

With ultralight Bikepacking, it is possible to pack all of the gear you need on your bike without using a rack.  This allows for more nimble and lighter riding with a narrower profile, great for single track riding.

How do you get away without a rack?  First and foremost, you pack minimal gear for summer outings.  You then strategically pack it into specialty made bags wherever you can fit them.

The bag used behind the seat needs to have enough support to avoid sagging into the tire or flopping around when riding.  

Bags may also interfere with seat post suspension systems.  The can limit travel or overload the seat tube suspension entirely.

Many bikepackers have transitioned from rackless saddle bags to strapping their bags onto mini racks, which lowers the bike's center of gravity, eliminates swaying of the rear bag and are generally easier to pack.

We discuss various bags on our BikePacking Bags Page.  

Rear Cargo Racks

• • If you plan properly, you should only need a rear rack and not both a front and rear rack for BikePacking

  • If you are on a supported bike ride, a rear or front rack should be enough to carry your daily essentials

  • Bikes with Mounts for Racks

    • Many bikes, especially touring bikes, come with mounts designed for rear racks

      • Threaded mount above rear axle

        • This supports the majority of the weight of the loaded rack

      • Threaded mounts on frame above rear wheel

        • These stabilize the rack and keep it level

        • These are sometimes missing, but there are several ways to mount a rear rack without these

    • Examples are listed in the following section

  • Bikes without Mounts for Racks

    • Most rear racks require mounting points near the rear axle and above the rear tire

    • Luckily, there are options for bike without mounts

    • Adapter - No Mount above rear axle

      • If your bike doesn't come with a dedicated rack mount above the axle, you have options

      • Mount Adapters

        • Rubber coated P-clamps found in hardware store

          • Simple and affordable way to add a mounting point

        • Tubus Clamps

          • For mounting on frame tube

            • tubus.com/en/products/accessories-rear-carriers/tubus-product/clamp-set 

          • For Quick Release Axles

            • tubus.com/en/products/accessories-rear-carriers/tubus-product/adapter-set-for-qr-axle-mounting 

          • LM-1 is designed for front tubes

            • tubus.com/en/products/accessories-front-carriers/tubus-product/lm-1-mounting-set-for-forks-without-eyelets 

      • Adapter - No Mount above Rear Wheel

        • Many bikes don't come with a mount above the rear wheel 

        • Frame Mounts

          • Rubber coated P-clamps found in hardware store

            • Simple and affordable way to add a mounting point

          • Tubus Clamps

            • tubus.com/en/products/accessories-rear-carriers/tubus-product/clamp-set 

        • Seat post clamp with rack mount

          • Salsa rack lock mount

      • Specialty Designed Racks that Don't Require Built in Mounts

        • There are several racks designed for bikes without Built in Mounts

        • Clamp on Racks

          • These clamp on the frame surrounding the rear wheel

          • Some also clamp to the seat post for more stability

          • Some of these can be used on full suspension bikes

          • Examples:

            • TopPeak Tetraracks

              • topeak.com/global/en/products/91-Racks

            • Ortlieb Quick Rack

              • Can be used with and without built in mounts

              • Has adapter for use on bikes without built in mounts

            • Mica Rack

            • SimWorks Burrito Rack

            • Thule Tour Rack

            • Aeroe Spider Rear Rack

        • Axle Mounted Racks

          • Several well-built racks mount to the axle using custom axles or special mounts

          • This distributes the load of the rack to your axle instead of your frame

            • Can allow for much heavier loads

            • Generally more expensive that other options

          • Examples:

            • Tubus

              • tubus.com/en/products/accessories-rear-carriers/tubus-product/thru-axle-adapter 

              • Foot Extension may be needed tubus.com/en/products/accessories-rear-carriers/tubus-product/foot-extension-set 

            • Old Man Mountain Racks

              • High End Racks (expensive)

              • Can be used on bikes without rack mounts

              • oldmanmountain.com 

      • Seat Post only Mounted Racks

        • These racks mount directly to the seat post and NOT to any part of the frame

        • Seems like a great options for bikes with rear suspension

          • They don't work as well as you may think

        • They can only support so much weight before they start swinging side to side

          • A moving rack will make your ride more interesting and sometimes dangerous

          • At the very least - it gets very annoying very quickly

    • Seat Pack

      • A Seat Pack is a setup composed of a textile bag to the bottom rear of your seat

      • Some use a cradle to help stabilize the pack

      • Some incorporate a little rigidity into the pack or rely on the pack to be fully packed to keep it rigid

      • Option used by many BikePackers trying to maximize lighter loads and avoid a rack altogether

      • Won't work well with seat posts that compress

      • Example: 

        • Rock Geist Mr. Fusion

  • Panniers

    • Panniers allow you to pack a lot of gear and in a manner that lowers your center of gravity

    • Some racks aren't really designed for panniers

    • If you are running panniers, you may wish to get a rack with guards to prevent pannier from hitting your spokes

    • This is even more important if you have a floppy DIY panniers

  • Rack Quality

    • Poorly designed or manufactured racks will break - this can be a show-stopping event!

      • Racks designed for bikes without rack mounting points are often unstable

    • Commuter Racks 

      • Designed to carry pizza boxes on city streets

    • Touring Racks 

      • Designed for heavy loads and panniers on roads

      • Built on the heavy side

    • BikePakcing Racks 

      • Designed to carry gear in narrower trails on bikes with disc brakes

      • May not be has heavy duty as Touring Racks

      • May be designed to anchor to seat post as some gravel and mountain bikes may not have rack mounts

    • Economy Racks

      • Designed sell because they cost less that other racks

      • Quality not sufficient for Touring or BikePacking

      • Expect to break if used to carry anything substantial

Straps

• Straps will likely be needed to attach your gear to your rack

• Examples

  • ROK Motorcycle Straps

    • Great economical strap for bigger bags

    • Great for motorcycle adventure packing too!

  • Voile Style Straps

    • Great for securing smaller gear to just about anywhere on your bike

    • The ones with nylon buckles are less likely to scratch your frame and paint

    • You can bulk purchase these on ebay from the factory if you don't mind blemished goods

    • Sizes:

      • 15" 

        • 0.7 OZ

        • Fits cargo approximately 1-4" in diameter

      • 20" 

        • 1.0 OZ

        • Fits cargo approximately 2-5.5" in diameter

      • 25" 

        • 1.2 OZ

        • Fits cargo approximately 2-7.5" in diameter