Author Topic: Front rack which uses brake bridge rather than mid fork mounts  (Read 2184 times)

Front rack which uses brake bridge rather than mid fork mounts
« on: 13 October, 2019, 11:12:51 pm »
Looking for a  front rack for Btwin elops 900 ebike (link below) ie one that uses uses brake bridge rather than mid fork mounts

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/elops-900-e-step-over-classic-electric-bike-id_8379380.html

I just need something that can hold a couple of small panniers.

Thanks!

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Q. Which front rack for Btwin elops 900 ebike?
« Reply #1 on: 14 October, 2019, 10:23:56 am »
What stops it fitting? If you want something to carry a couple of small panniers, any low-rider rack should do, I'd have thought, eg:
https://www.wiggle.co.uk/tubus-tara-lowrider-front-rack-1/
or
https://bike-uk.co.uk/collections/racks-baskets/products/m-part-flrb-front-low-rider-rack-with-mounting-brackets-and-hoop
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Re: Q. Which front rack for Btwin elops 900 ebike?
« Reply #2 on: 14 October, 2019, 10:31:59 am »
Thanks Cudzoziemiec, I looked at Tubus, but they all required mid fork eyelets. I'd rather something that fitted on to the existing drillings ie using the crown below the suspension rather than P clips, but I couldn't see anything other than repurposing a rear rack designed to attatch to the brake bridge?

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Q. Which front rack for Btwin elops 900 ebike?
« Reply #3 on: 14 October, 2019, 11:35:59 am »
Perhaps something like this?
https://bike-uk.co.uk/collections/racks-baskets/products/m-part-flr-front-low-rider-rack-for-braze-on-fitting
It's not clear exactly how it fits, TBH. It would be helpful if they showed photos of it fitted or at least described what mounting points it needs.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

bludger

  • Randonneur and bargain hunter
Re: Q. Which front rack for Btwin elops 900 ebike?
« Reply #4 on: 14 October, 2019, 02:28:41 pm »
I hope you get on better with the Elops than I did. It was a good utility vehicle for a few months but began developing a very annoying click that no amount of servicing seemed to get rid of. I ended up taking it back to Decathlon and getting a full refund under their 365 day return policy.

I also found the real wheel an absolute bugger to remove for maintenance purposes.
YACF touring/audax bargain basement:
https://bit.ly/2Xg8pRD



Ban cars.

Re: Front rack which uses brake bridge rather than mid fork mounts
« Reply #5 on: 14 October, 2019, 09:09:56 pm »
You should be able to find a mini front rack like this that will fit
https://www.bricklanebikes.co.uk/blb-rack-chrome

However...
a) They are intended for things like propping up handlebar bags or for sleeping bags, rather than panniers.
b) Putting luggage on the sliders of suspension forks stops the suspension working properly.

Re: Q. Which front rack for Btwin elops 900 ebike?
« Reply #6 on: 14 October, 2019, 09:18:10 pm »
https://bike-uk.co.uk/collections/racks-baskets/products/m-part-flr-front-low-rider-rack-for-braze-on-fitting
It's not clear exactly how it fits, TBH.
It's a copy of the original Blackburn custom low-rider.
It fits to the inside and outside of mid-fork braze-ons - either normal dumb-bell rack fittings on the front or rear of the fork blade, or through the middle of the fork blade (better, but not possible in the case of suspension forks). There will also be P-clips (not shown) that attach the central diagonal bar to the fork end eyelet.

Re: Front rack which uses brake bridge rather than mid fork mounts
« Reply #7 on: 15 October, 2019, 12:15:58 am »
most bikes are amenable to having some kind of front luggage added. The Elops is not one such.  If you mount a basket on the front it obscures the light, and if you mount a rack it is difficult and usually does nothing for the suspension quality.

If I didn't want to lose the built in front light, I'd probably  mount a rack using the front axle (using pieces to adapt it, probably) .  There are racks that are meant to mount using the brake centrebolt, but they are not meant for suspension forks. This would probably mean a modified rear rack.

The easiest racks to modify for this purpose are ones with

a) bolt-on (adjustable) metal 'feet' and
b) top mountings that use an adjustable length stay

I'd modify/make new feet to attach to the axle rather than the mudguard mountings (they are notoriously brittle and easily damaged on most suspension fork lowers) and likewise modify the rack to attach to the fork crown. Possibly this would involve shortening the top platform.  One dodge that might come in handy is to make the rack a bit taller (using the 'feet' if necessary) so that the platform clears the top of the fork brace.

If all this sounds like a fair bit of faff, it probably is.  However I don't think you will find anything that just bolts on to a fork like this and does exactly what you want.

cheers

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Front rack which uses brake bridge rather than mid fork mounts
« Reply #8 on: 15 October, 2019, 12:20:48 am »
I think if I was going to faff about adding a front rack to that bike, I'd give serious consideration to removing the front light and using its shell to support a rack.

Re: Front rack which uses brake bridge rather than mid fork mounts
« Reply #9 on: 15 October, 2019, 12:34:06 am »
further to my post above see this example I just found online



https://www.instructables.com/id/Front-Carrier-Rack-for-Bicycle-With-Suspension-For/

not exactly how I'd do it but it is along similar lines

cheers

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Front rack which uses brake bridge rather than mid fork mounts
« Reply #10 on: 15 October, 2019, 11:55:19 am »
Panniers on suspension forks can work okay. I used to have a Tortec rack fitted to an mtb with P-clips. It was rock solid, but I could never get it straight, and the empty rack caused problems when parking in town. It probably wouldn't be up to proper off-roading but I didn't use the bike for that and I don't think you would on an Elops either.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Re: Front rack which uses brake bridge rather than mid fork mounts
« Reply #11 on: 16 October, 2019, 01:44:05 pm »
Thanks for all of the suggestions

I'm going to order a rear rack with a brake bridge fitting:

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/900-pannier-rack-id_8402094.html

though I'm concerned the angles of a rear rack might overlap with the fork, if that fails I'll go for the p-clip lowrider option.


Re: Front rack which uses brake bridge rather than mid fork mounts
« Reply #12 on: 28 October, 2019, 10:23:28 pm »
Hi,
A bit late but VELO Orange do a couple.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Velo-Orange-Randonneur-Front-Cycle-Carrier-Rack-for-Bar-Bags-Luggage-CANTILEVER/193046489451?_trkparms=aid%3D333200%26algo%3DCOMP.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D20171012094517%26meid%3D96e1150b133b4fd7b891e0ab24afc990%26pid%3D100008%26rk%3D4%26rkt%3D8%26sd%3D323953820322%26itm%3D193046489451%26pmt%3D0%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D2047675&_trksid=p2047675.c100008.m2219

And
[urlhttps://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Velo-Orange-Constructeur-Front-Rack/202446574446?_trkparms=aid%3D555018%26algo%3DPL.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D57923%26meid%3Da842c94a30f943ee86935eb4ec286b52%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D12%26mehot%3Dpf%26sd%3D193046489451%26itm%3D202446574446%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D2047675&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851][/url]

HTH