Anyone tried a TailFin

[quixoticgeek]

Sorry, digging this thread out from a while ago.

I have my Tailfin now installed.   I have used the supplied light bracket to fit one rear and have just bought 2 * Omnis.   I note you have yours ziptied on.   Is this a belt and braces approach or did you have a bad experience with the tilfin bag light mounts ?

Total paranoia. It's not so much worrying about the loops of the tailfin bag, but I wasn't sure about the connection between the Omni and the belt mount I used to attach it to the tailfin. So I have cable ties to secure it to both. It's probably not necessary, but I'm rather paranoid.

J

[Phil Hears A Who]

Finally, while fast riders receive a larger % benefit from aerodynamic improvements, slower riders receive a greater absolute time benefit over a given distance than faster riders, because they are in the wind for longer.

I've heard something along these lines before and always wondered how the numbers actually came out. Punching some numbers into a calculator (http://bikecalculator.com/) shows that this is absolutely true. I looked at moving from the tops to the hoods at 30 kmh* vs 20 kmh* - over a flat 600km the time saved on the hoods at 30 kmh* was 50 mins** vs 66 mins** at 20 kmh*. If you're trying to go faster get round a ride in less time, aero is just as important (if not more so) at lower speeds.

* really the power to to do 30/20 kmh on the tops, then maintaining that power on the hoods and letting speed increase

** the calculator helpfully notes "All engineering models are wrong, but some are useful" - this doesn't take into account climbs/descents/offroad handling/faff factor, or whether a certain arrangement is more aero than another, but it's good enough for a trend - especially for flatter/windier routes

[felstedrider]

Sorry, digging this thread out from a while ago.

I have my Tailfin now installed.   I have used the supplied light bracket to fit one rear and have just bought 2 * Omnis.   I note you have yours ziptied on.   Is this a belt and braces approach or did you have a bad experience with the tilfin bag light mounts ?

Total paranoia. It's not so much worrying about the loops of the tailfin bag, but I wasn't sure about the connection between the Omni and the belt mount I used to attach it to the tailfin. So I have cable ties to secure it to both. It's probably not necessary, but I'm rather paranoid.

J

Thanks.   I popped one of the Omnis in this morning and it does move about a lot so I suspect extra security is in order.   I have had a Cateye jump out of one of the square brackets on a rack but it was some years ago.

[ravenbait]

Sorry, digging this thread out from a while ago.

I have my Tailfin now installed.   I have used the supplied light bracket to fit one rear and have just bought 2 * Omnis.   I note you have yours ziptied on.   Is this a belt and braces approach or did you have a bad experience with the tilfin bag light mounts ?

Total paranoia. It's not so much worrying about the loops of the tailfin bag, but I wasn't sure about the connection between the Omni and the belt mount I used to attach it to the tailfin. So I have cable ties to secure it to both. It's probably not necessary, but I'm rather paranoid.

J

Thanks.   I popped one of the Omnis in this morning and it does move about a lot so I suspect extra security is in order.   I have had a Cateye jump out of one of the square brackets on a rack but it was some years ago.

FWIW, I've got a couple of Omnis on mine, no extra measures, and they've stayed put even when I accidentally ended up doing some unexpected offroad. I did, however, buy the version of the bracket that curls under and has a more secure fitting (the C2) -- the clothing clip supplied with the Omni, IIRC, doesn't do that.

Sam

[felstedrider]

Sorry, digging this thread out from a while ago.

I have my Tailfin now installed.   I have used the supplied light bracket to fit one rear and have just bought 2 * Omnis.   I note you have yours ziptied on.   Is this a belt and braces approach or did you have a bad experience with the tilfin bag light mounts ?

Total paranoia. It's not so much worrying about the loops of the tailfin bag, but I wasn't sure about the connection between the Omni and the belt mount I used to attach it to the tailfin. So I have cable ties to secure it to both. It's probably not necessary, but I'm rather paranoid.

J

Thanks.   I popped one of the Omnis in this morning and it does move about a lot so I suspect extra security is in order.   I have had a Cateye jump out of one of the square brackets on a rack but it was some years ago.

FWIW, I've got a couple of Omnis on mine, no extra measures, and they've stayed put even when I accidentally ended up doing some unexpected offroad. I did, however, buy the version of the bracket that curls under and has a more secure fitting (the C2) -- the clothing clip supplied with the Omni, IIRC, doesn't do that.

Sam

Thanks.

Just ordered.


Rob

[felstedrider]

I’ve had the Aeropack since the Spring.  I assembled it as instructed and, after one of the screws at the dropout worked loose, gave all the screws a little tighten after about 6 weeks of use.  Since then it’s had some hammer with Audax and touring but never been massively overloaded.

On a short ride last week there was some rattling from the back end and the front connector was loose.  I tightened one of the screws that attach the connector to the bag and realised the other one had dropped out.  On getting home I swapped out one of the other screws over and it would thread in but not tighten.  It feels like the threading into the internal frame has failed.  It was only a week earlier I was away touring where this could have been a bigger problem.

I’ve raised a query with support as it should be under warranty.

[chrisbainbridge]

I had one set of screw come undone on a lankier which rolled across the road. They sent me. Ew screws for free but I wonder about their thread lock

[ElyDave]

Last weekend, I had one of the extension bars ping off and go rattling along the road.  About 25km later, the other half of it did the same (me not remembering that they screwed into each other not the rack).  I picked up the second and retrieved the first on my return route, and added a bit of thread lock when I got home.

[Andy W]

A luggage conundrum, for me.  I've read through the whole YACF thread re the Tailfin and am considering buying one.
The sole reason for not buying one yet is that I have sturdy Topeack rack and Carradice racktop bag about12 litre capacity. I could save close to 1.5 LB with the Tailfin rack and bag which would be the main benefit, but im heavy for me as in I could lose a stone so. I suppose others here have had similar thoughts. Not so much a question more verbalising my thoughts

[quixoticgeek]

A luggage conundrum, for me.  I've read through the whole YACF thread re the Tailfin and am considering buying one.
The sole reason for not buying one yet is that I have sturdy Topeack rack and Carradice racktop bag about12 litre capacity. I could save close to 1.5 LB with the Tailfin rack and bag which would be the main benefit, but im heavy for me as in I could lose a stone so. I suppose others here have had similar thoughts. Not so much a question more verbalising my thoughts

Losing weight and keeping it off is really hard. It has. 1 in 1000 success rate.

So yes. Losing weight from the bike is worth it.

J

[felstedrider]

Not terribly impressed with the customer service so far.   First response, after a week, was we can sort this out and please send photos.   Sent photos last Friday and still waiting for a response.

I'll give them another couple of days.

[felstedrider]

I have received a new top bag but not new screws.   I've asked whether to use the old screws with some threadlock.   

TBH I don't need it for a while as I have switched bikes but I need a bit of confidence that it won't give out again.

[Andrew Br]

I'm a bit (not too much) of a Tailfin fan boy; I have the carbon rack with pannier mounts, rack bag, 2x5 litre panniers plus the large top-tube bags on 2 of my bikes.

Anyway, can anyone recommend a conventional type rack bag to fit on the Tailfin rack ?
Reason for asking is that while the Tailfin rack bag is great for touring where you don't need to access the contents of the bag during the day, it's a colossal PITA for day rides where I need/want to put on a top or jacket or get my lock out. Unrolling the top (especially if it is raining) is a pain and I sometimes drop the straps onto the chain........
The side zip is practically useless for accessing most bulky items.
I use the mini panniers for these items when I am on tour and they're great for that but I'd rather keep the slim form of the rack the rest of the time.

Any rack pack mustn't wobble. That (IMO) is the best feature of the Tailfin set-up, its stability.
Another feature is that the bag mustn't have a separate rain cover to keep water out.
Ideally it would also have a mechanical "quick release" mechanism so I can take the bag into the café/pub easily and a hinged lid, a bit like the Tailfin top-tube bags.

I have asked Tailfin and they said there was no way they'd make anything to suit. Frankly I felt patronised (at best) and, apparently, they've never dropped the straps onto a dirty chain (I suggested that they swap over the side the straps are mounted on).
Shame, I'd be happy to spend quite a bit on a suitable bag.

[ravenbait]

I know of nothing that will fit on the tailfin rack other than the AP20 trunk.

Have you considered adding a frame bag or a bar bag for such items?

Sam

[jiberjaber]

I usually have my lock hanging from one of the cross over straps (depends on teh lock, wouldn't be any good for a d-lock for example ) and use the side zip to enter for accessable gear (rain golves, rain jacket type stuff) - just need to remember to place them that side when packing it up.  If I am also camping then I have a bar bag on the top of the bar roll carrier which the rain jacket goes in.

[ElyDave]

I have used an altura rack pack on a tailfin, it suffered vs on a more conventional rack of not having the rectangular support structrue underneath it, though it was not unstable in terms of flopping about.

[Frank9755]

Anyway, can anyone recommend a conventional type rack bag to fit on the Tailfin rack ?

I have looked into this in the past, as I am impressed by the Tailfin rack but don't rate their bags. 

I never actually got round to doing it, but I did spend a bit of time looking into fixing Topeak or Racktime adapter plates to a Tailfin rack.  There is then a wide range of compatible bags.  I can't remember the precise details as it's a couple of years ago (and probably a few pages up this thread!) but this Topeak adapter looks like it would work.  https://www.topeak.com/global/en/product/1323-OMNI-QUICKTRACK-ADAPTER

I recall my preference at the time was for Rack Time, as I had found a bag I was keen on - but I can't immediately find the right adapter.
 
Also I can't remember how I would have attached the adapter, but I do recall getting some detailed drawings of the Tailfin rack from them and being confident that it would have worked if I had got round to it!  Not sure if that is much help!

[ravenbait]

Anyway, can anyone recommend a conventional type rack bag to fit on the Tailfin rack ?

I have looked into this in the past, as I am impressed by the Tailfin rack but don't rate their bags. 

I never actually got round to doing it, but I did spend a bit of time looking into fixing Topeak or Racktime adapter plates to a Tailfin rack.  There is then a wide range of compatible bags.  I can't remember the precise details as it's a couple of years ago (and probably a few pages up this thread!) but this Topeak adapter looks like it would work.  https://www.topeak.com/global/en/product/1323-OMNI-QUICKTRACK-ADAPTER

I recall my preference at the time was for Rack Time, as I had found a bag I was keen on - but I can't immediately find the right adapter.
 
Also I can't remember how I would have attached the adapter, but I do recall getting some detailed drawings of the Tailfin rack from them and being confident that it would have worked if I had got round to it!  Not sure if that is much help!

The Tailfin doesn't have round tubes, they're quite thin in the horizontal plane. Vertical ellipsoids, if you will. The Topeak adapter looks like it's designed for a standard rack and I'm not sure I would trust it to stay on. Does it just clip on? I can't see any locking mechanism. The Rackit system looks really interesting, but again I'm not sure how it would connect given that it needs struts running orthogonal to the bike's long axis to connect, and the Tailfin doesn't really have any other than the front arch and the rear loop. Also, the Tailfin's top arch is splayed towards the rear. It would take quite a bit of work, at which point I would think that maybe the Tailfin isn't the solution you need in the first place.

Sam

[Andrew Br]

I know of nothing that will fit on the tailfin rack other than the AP20 trunk.

Have you considered adding a frame bag or a bar bag for such items?

Sam

Got both thanks Sam; frame bag is quite small and stays on the bike almost all the time.
Handlebar bag is only for touring; I don't particularly like the handling of the bike with it fitted unless the rear is fully laden as well.

 

[Andrew Br]

Anyway, can anyone recommend a conventional type rack bag to fit on the Tailfin rack ?

I have looked into this in the past, as I am impressed by the Tailfin rack but don't rate their bags. 

I never actually got round to doing it, but I did spend a bit of time looking into fixing Topeak or Racktime adapter plates to a Tailfin rack.  There is then a wide range of compatible bags.  I can't remember the precise details as it's a couple of years ago (and probably a few pages up this thread!) but this Topeak adapter looks like it would work.  https://www.topeak.com/global/en/product/1323-OMNI-QUICKTRACK-ADAPTER

I recall my preference at the time was for Rack Time, as I had found a bag I was keen on - but I can't immediately find the right adapter.
 
Also I can't remember how I would have attached the adapter, but I do recall getting some detailed drawings of the Tailfin rack from them and being confident that it would have worked if I had got round to it!  Not sure if that is much help!

I've looked at a couple of devices like the Topeak adaptor Frank.
I was particularly interested in the Norco range since their base fitting system looks like it's quite versatile but the bags that I saw all had a separate rain cover which I don't want.
The Topeak bags that I've had in the past have been good but they've either had separate rain covers or, on the waterproof range, roll tops like the Tailfin Trunk top bag.

I'm wondering if a Velcro strapped bag (like most appear to be) would be as stable as I want.
Somehow I doubt it......

[ravenbait]

I wonder if you could hand stitch some Voile straps to the relevant points on the base of something like the Carradice rack pack? Get some suitably strong monofilament or waxed cord and a sailcloth or mattress needle.

Sam

[fimm]

Mt fimm got himself a Tailfin rack, rackpack and panniers. Now he's got it all attached to the bike he's happy with how it all works, but he did find locating and following instructions on how to fit it all annoying. He's not a big fan of having to watch videos on how to do things, and there aren't any diagrams out there that he could find. So a bit of a grumble there.

(Meanwhile I used panniers that I bought second hand on here, and a Carradice that I bought 2nd hand on the city cycling Edinburgh forum!)

[ravenbait]

That's weird. There are downloadable manuals on the Tailfin website, and they usually send you a link to them shortly after posting your kit out.

Sam

[fimm]

That's weird. There are downloadable manuals on the Tailfin website, and they usually send you a link to them shortly after posting your kit out.

Sam

I didn't get involved in what he was doing, it would just have made him cross. It's possible he missed the email/it went to spam. But you are right about the manuals, I've found them easily on the website...

[quixoticgeek]

I decided it was time to upgrade my alpkit top tube bag to something better. I ordered the largest Tailfin top tube bag, which arrived nice and fast shipping from Germany. Which is new to me. Previously everything came from the UK.

Install was simple. And it seems pretty sturdy. Doesn't flop about anywhere near as much as the alpkit. Which is a massive improvement. It's not quite as voluminous. I can fit all my tools from the alpkit bag in the failfin top tube bag. But I can't fit that two spare inner tubes. So now I need to find a new location on the bike for those...

As with all the Tailfin kit I've tried[1]. I've been really impressed.

J

[1] tho I still don't understand why I can't get my sleeping bag to fit in a 5l cage bag...