Rear rack buying advice

I have a Topeak Rack from REI. As Mstone suggested, it is aluminum and does not corrode. As a soft metal, it does wear a bit where the bag rubs against the rack – but not enough to worry.

Topeak fits generic panniers. Topeak also has a proprietary system – a track on the top of the rack – where its trunks slide in an lock in one quick motion. I use panniers for work and equipment like you are talking about. But on the weekend I use a Topeak Trunk that I can just slide on and off – which is nice when you are hoping around to coffee shops or doing other errands.

Be careful of low end. I bought Trans-it panniers from Performance. Now even if I am a 100% commuter, I think the bags wore out way too fast. I have holes in the bottom. People on the forum have Ortlieb, speak highly of them, and say they have lasted forever.

And remember, if you are carrying a laptop – you want something that is going to protect it.

One big thing to think about is how does the bag attach to the rack. My first bags attached with a spring and a hook, which of course would pop off. My Trans-it bags attach with a strap system. They almost never fall off; when they have it has been my fault. I would like a system that its easier not to make a mistake, though. And its a little hard to get on and off. Ortlieb’s system is suppose to be both very easy to use, and very secure. The bag is not flying off the bike.

One thing to watch for – check the compatibility of the rack with the panniers you plan to use. Some panniers have a twist or toggle mechanism in the top/middle that helps to lock it onto the rack – in my view, a very nice feature. If the rack has a third brace coming up from the hub end, it may be difficult to place this type of pannier on it, as the brace comes up right where the toggle is.

I have two bikes and two different style racks. I much prefer the rack that is supported by only two braces.

When you’re ready to buy panniers, The Clymb usually has them. For example, there are some available today https://www.theclymb.com/shared-brand-event/3445/Cycling-Accessories/325080 (full disclosure, signing up with this link will give me a bonus — I’ll owe you a beer).

@jrenaut 44752 wrote:

Ok, cool. It seems the hardest part about this is narrowing my choices from the millions that seem to be good options to anything that stands out for any reason.

This is definitely something you can over think. Pick a bag, then make sure it works with the rack. (It almost certainly will unless it has a proprietary mount, in which case get the matching rack.)

I’ve had a few racks. The one on my bike now is the Topeak “Super Tourist DX with Side Bars”

http://www.amazon.com/Topeak-Super-Tourist-Tubular-Bicycle/dp/B000ZKHN6E/ref=sr_1_96?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1361904427&sr=1-96

It has a tubular frame and all the blah blah good stuff – it fits, it works, etcetera and there’s an alternate version for disc brakes too.

The deciding feature – the one that made me replace the last rack that was otherwise identical – is the side bars. With those I can hang my panniers there and still put things on top of the rack, be it a trunk bag or a milk crate or a carefully strapped down pizza and some beer. I do have a Topeak trunk that uses the MTX track (and I’ve had my eye on the folding milk crate with wheels) but it works fine with non-MTX trunks too. It also worked fine with my Novarra commuter panniers and is working… okay with my Jandd really big bags – heel clearance is close with those, but that’s mainly because they’re so big.

Price is about as good as it gets, though I bought mine semi-locally at HTO for a few dollars more than the Amazon listed price.

Hello, just a note I use a VO Constructeur rack and Axiom Lasalle Panniers and very happy with this combo. See my blog here for photos, rack only that is. It’s connected to my fenders…which I would INVEST in as well. You don’t need aluminum ones or anything but helps to have something..