My touring rig - post yours

[redned]

Gregmacc:

what type of front rack is that? It looks like a lowrider but it is mounted on a suspension fork. Is there some fanct fitting?

cheers

[gregmacc]

Hi redned ... They are meant for conventional forks ... They have been attached to the RockShox with a combination of the supplied brake pivot brackets and home made galvanized P straps/saddles.
I'm going to take some photos for another post tomorrow so I'll also photograph the racks and post that as well ... watch this space
Cheers
Greg

[gregmacc]

Redned and all: Re the previous post: The racks came from Lifecycle in Adelaide (http://www.lifecyclebicycles.com.au/) ... Sorry but I can't remember the brand. Some of the supplied fittings and fasteners were discarded because they were a bit dodgy ... but the racks themselves (aluminium tube) seem to be pretty reasonable quality. The fasteners we used were stainless steel (including nylock nuts)and the P brackets/straps are home-made from strips of galvanized steel sheet. Turns out they could have been a touch bigger in diameter but they work just fine (all should be obvious from the photos). I had to cut a small slot in the metal (top left of the rack in the first photo, and just visible in the second photo) to accommodate the pannier clamp. We don't carry much weight on them ... just one down sleeping bag in a small Ortlieb Front Roller Classic on each side. No speed wobbles or handling glitches so far.





These brackets mounted on the V-Brake pivot points came with the racks and they seem to be sturdy enough.


Cheers
Greg

[redned]

gregmacc,

Thanks for that. It looks like a good solution: I was wary of the high ride of the swing-type racks for suspension forks. I would prefer to keep the weight lower.

chhers

[carrotspoke]

Redned and all: Re the previous post: The racks came from Lifecycle in Adelaide (http://www.lifecyclebicycles.com.au/) ... Sorry but I can't remember the brand. Some of the supplied fittings and fasteners were discarded because they were a bit dodgy ... but the racks themselves (aluminium tube) seem to be pretty reasonable quality.

Yeah, I bought those too (somewhere else online, for $29+a few dollars P&H; they were on clearance). It's a Chinese brand of some kind. Bor Yueh? As you say, the fasteners are all a bit dodgy, but the racks themselves are of reasonable quality. Alas, I didn't quite figure on my Ortlieb panniers not wanting to fasten to the top (I didn't read the product page properly, OF COURSE), so I took an angle grinder to it and removed a chunk of the top flat plate out, leaving just enough for a bolt fastening. Worked fine! It's pretty light in weight, as well.

Of course, I also didn't have very much in the front panniers. Taking to them with an angle grinder isn't something I would normally advocate!

[stevepedlin]

^ These racks are made by Bor Yeuh, you can also get them from Velogear online for less than $30!
Mine are yet to be really tested over long distance, but like Greg I have done a bit of reworking of the fittings just to be sure, no big deal.

They seem very sturdy and are flex free so far, cheap doesn't mean nasty, I would have been a bit dirty on myself and felt a bit 'had' if I'd spent $200-$300 on a bit of formed and welded chrome-moly bar or tube for my front rack, when I could get a friend at an engineering shop to knock up the same thing as the Tubus rack from chrome-moly for a carton of beer... if i had a rigid fork.

[juddo]

Have finished the final touches on my tourer and thought I would share with the forum,

I originally bought the bike about 3 years ago for commuting but ended up getting into touring. Have slowly been adding and subtracting parts ever since and there are now only a few original parts left on the bike.

The trailer was modified by a mate and myself to carry the solar panel

Build specs:

Jamis Coda frame, XTR Brakes w/ avid levers, XT Cranks, Deraileurs, Shifters, Chain. Velocity Dyad Rims on XT hubs, XTR pedals,
Topeak bar bag and rear top rack bag, ortlieb classic panniers,
XtraWheel trailer, 10W solar panel w/ 12v battieries on custom alloy rack

[V17L]

Nice wheels juddo. Do you have any closer up photos of your rig?

Great idea about the solar panel. What's the main functions you use the 12v batteries for
cheers
steve

[prawza]

Hey Guys,

Here's my Surly BeastCheck.



Getting my final preparations done before me and the Crosscheck depart for a Perth->Brisbane->New Zealand adventure sometime this month.

[il padrone]

I would have been a bit dirty on myself and felt a bit 'had' if I'd spent $200-$300 on a bit of formed and welded chrome-moly bar or tube for my front rack, when I could get a friend at an engineering shop to knock up the same thing as the Tubus rack from chrome-moly for a carton of beer... if i had a rigid fork.

You can get the Tubus Tara front lowrider for just E58.90.... about $A84 plus shipping. I have one and would rate them streets ahead of the Bor Yueh in ease of fitting, strength and durability.

And I'll wager your mate's engineering shop job won't be as nicely finished and warranteed as the Tubus

The Touring Store

What makes the Tubus warranty superior? Within the warranty period, Tubus grants worldwide delivery of all Tubus spare parts to registered customers. They send spare parts by courier to any place in the world free of charge. Tubus racks carry a ten year warranty. I know - some companies offer a lifetime warranty, but that does not mean their racks are better. It's just that most racks are never used for heavily loaded cross country touring, so they can afford to offer a lifetime warranty because their racks rarely get strength tested.

[Aushiker]

Getting my final preparations done before me and the Crosscheck depart for a Perth->Brisbane->New Zealand adventure sometime this month.

Hi

Nice. So what are you plans? Maybe a new thread is warranted

Andrew

[prawza]

Well.. basically it will be an open ended trip and so I'll be taking it as it goes with no pre-determined route. As a general guideline I'd like to pass the following towns/cities: Esperance, Adelaide, Melbourne, (Ride around Tasmania), Sydney, Brisbane then ride around New Zealand.

I've been recording the whole planning process but my blog is a real mess and a pain to read in chronological order.
Proud Supporter of Two Minute Noodles start from the bottom of the page and work your way up if interested in the trip.

[stevepedlin]

.. about $A84 plus shipping. I have one and would rate them streets ahead of the Bor Yueh in ease of fitting, strength and durability.

[/quote]

Cheers for the link! yes it would be the go come a rigid fork at that good price.
But, the bor yueh is proving very sturdy so far with weekend tours over even chopped up dirt roads on the sus forks, and it has a three point fix instead of two. I'm a bit of newb with touring but I'm impressed given the price.

Still sorting my rig out, currently I'm rebuilding my rear wheel with triple butted spokes, refining little aspects of the bike before heading off in August, pics later.

Cheers for the blog link prawza, open ended sounds good.
I'm not riding to a strict time frame or schedule either, everyone that does seems to regret it.

steve.

[juddo]

Nice wheels juddo. Do you have any closer up photos of your rig?

Great idea about the solar panel. What's the main functions you use the 12v batteries for
cheers
steve

The solar panel is used to charge 2 x 12v 2ah batteries which I use for charging headlights, camera, phone, UHF and a small set of speakers I have inside the handlebar bag. I mounted a 12v outlet on the handlebar bag for all the gadgets

Close up shot of the bike and trailer fully loaded


Close up shot of the custom rack we built from alloy tubing

[Alex Sniga]

I'm quite new to all this so here is my first attempt to convert my commuter roadie to a tourer.
The weight is around 17kg loaded with my stuff in handlebar and saddle bag, plus whatever i have in my backpack.
The plan is to travel like this for up to 100km a day, and stay in hotels/motels whatever I could find.

[ozipom]

Here's a pic of my Surly LHT at Newcastle after our first overnight trip from Sydney. After a great weekend now planning longer tours in the coming months

[DEARFOOL]

Hello Everyone,here is my best partner：小白懷特 white

(Sorry that I can't post photo immediately)

We will have a nice journey form Perth to Darwin on 19th May 2010.
We are ready to go.And i need your encouragement.

My Blog is http://www.wretch.cc/blog/FUNR

Sun

[Aushiker]

My Blog is http://www.wretch.cc/blog/FUNR

Sun

Hi

Sun all the best on your ride. Pitty I cannot read your blog but

Andrew

[paul-b.]

Just had it a month, have a Jandd front rack waiting to go on after I fiddle with some brackets. Looking to do some overnighters and short tours this Winter break, then hopefully a longer tour come Christmas break. I still use my road bike to commute, as the comfort of the touring bike is outweighed by my fear of it getting stolen and the extra effort needed to push it along.

To Aushiker: I love the Hebie Bipod! Thanks for answering my questions about it. Was fairly easy to install as well.

Bigger pictures are available on my excuse for a blog, as well as some other comments about accessories.

http://pb10bike.blogspot.com/

[pawnii]

This is my LHT. Custom built my be in Dec 2009.
I built this to cross from Adelaide to Perth in Jan this year. It was my first tour but definitely not my last
Ultegra 6700 10speed groupset
Mavic XM719 rims
Shimano Dynamo
Lumotec IQ Cyo headlight
Home made 6volt DC rectifier with USB ports (to charge iPod, AA & AAA batteries, mobile and camera)
Tubus racks
Vaude panniers
B17 saddle



My partners Allegro Tour. Melbourne to Wollongong tour March 2010
B17 Imperial womans
Tubus racks
Ortlieb Classic Plus panniers
(Melanie is getting a dynamo hub and light for her bday next month)

[Baldy]

Gday Pawnii

Nice setups you guys have there mate, do you have any online journals or info about your travels? At the moment im living vicariously through crazyguyonabike journals

Ive just about got everything I need to tour now, all the basics anyway. Only thing missing on my bike setup is saddlebag/toolbag.

[pawnii]

Hi Baldy,

Sorry mate i don't have any online journals about our tours. I've only done 3 tours and never really bothered to write a blog on them. I personally didn't think i would enjoy touring so much. I'm totally converted now and love touring as much as hill climbing on my road bike.

I'm thinking about writing a blog. I'll let you know when i do

cheers.

[jet-ski]

http://picasaweb.google.com/10888384026 ... 7217217554

yet another LHT.... Deore XT/XTR drivetrain.... front rack to come

[KenGS]

Finally got a touring bike so I can post here legitimately. Its a Tim Stredwick Velosmith Jota. Pics on Facebook here.
Now to start planning some routes

[Edited: added pic in the post]

[culverwood]

Dave Yates Wayfarer custom