From the time I started biking to work, I used a backpack to carry my clothes to work. This worked well, but I came to realize that using the backpack was leading to the lower back pain that I was experiencing. It was time for a better solution.
I started by deciding whether to use a rack-top bag or panniers. Since I don't typically carry a laptop and I rarely need to carry much, I opted for a Arkel Tail Rider. This is a very nice bag. I also found some Deuter Rack Pack II panniers for a great price. I use these when I need to carry more than will fit in the Tail Rider.
Next, I needed to find a rack, which would fit on my bike, a Soma Juice. This was complicated by a few factors. First, I'm using disc brakes, so the lower part of the rack needs to be wider than normal. Next, the frame doesn't have upper rack mounts, so I would need to use p-clamps or some other solution. Finally, because this is a 29er mountain bike frame, it supports big knobby tires and many racks aren't tall enough.
I started by trying to use an old Blackburn rack, which I had used many years before. This didn't have enough clearance for the rear fender. I also had an older Topeak seat post rack laying around, so I gave that a try.
Happy to be riding without a backpack, I left for work with my new setup. I immediately noticed that weight of the bag and seatpost rack. There was no side-to-side motion, but I felt the weight pulling the saddle and seatpost back. The effect was even more pronounced when climbing. Clearly, this would not do.
The next stop on my search for a rack was the Axiom Journey Disc, which is designed to deal with disc brakes. This was a much better option than the seatpost rack, but it still had problems. First of all, the special hardware to deal with the disk brakes stuck out about an inch, making it difficult, if not impossible, to mount a pannier on that side. The other problem, and this was the deal killer, was that the vertical stays were designed to fit a mountain bike with 26" wheels, so there was not enough vertical clearance if I used the rack/fender eyelets. I tried using p-clamps to mount the rack to the seat stays, but it just wasn't stable enough.
Next in line was Soma Disc Brake Rack. I had looked at this rack earlier, but for whatever reason, I decided that there were better options. This rack is designed to deal with disc brakes and has an adjustable height. This rack was much easier to mount and so far, it's been working well.
I started by deciding whether to use a rack-top bag or panniers. Since I don't typically carry a laptop and I rarely need to carry much, I opted for a Arkel Tail Rider. This is a very nice bag. I also found some Deuter Rack Pack II panniers for a great price. I use these when I need to carry more than will fit in the Tail Rider.
Next, I needed to find a rack, which would fit on my bike, a Soma Juice. This was complicated by a few factors. First, I'm using disc brakes, so the lower part of the rack needs to be wider than normal. Next, the frame doesn't have upper rack mounts, so I would need to use p-clamps or some other solution. Finally, because this is a 29er mountain bike frame, it supports big knobby tires and many racks aren't tall enough.
I started by trying to use an old Blackburn rack, which I had used many years before. This didn't have enough clearance for the rear fender. I also had an older Topeak seat post rack laying around, so I gave that a try.
Happy to be riding without a backpack, I left for work with my new setup. I immediately noticed that weight of the bag and seatpost rack. There was no side-to-side motion, but I felt the weight pulling the saddle and seatpost back. The effect was even more pronounced when climbing. Clearly, this would not do.
The next stop on my search for a rack was the Axiom Journey Disc, which is designed to deal with disc brakes. This was a much better option than the seatpost rack, but it still had problems. First of all, the special hardware to deal with the disk brakes stuck out about an inch, making it difficult, if not impossible, to mount a pannier on that side. The other problem, and this was the deal killer, was that the vertical stays were designed to fit a mountain bike with 26" wheels, so there was not enough vertical clearance if I used the rack/fender eyelets. I tried using p-clamps to mount the rack to the seat stays, but it just wasn't stable enough.
Next in line was Soma Disc Brake Rack. I had looked at this rack earlier, but for whatever reason, I decided that there were better options. This rack is designed to deal with disc brakes and has an adjustable height. This rack was much easier to mount and so far, it's been working well.
