Front rack Advice

[RobinS]

Hi All,

Myself and my wife are getting back into touring after a break of many years. We used to Hostel tour with the kids on old mountain bikes with just rear panniers, but now having splashed out on new Revolution touring bikes we are planning a two week camping tour. To carry the kit we are looking at using front panniers as well as rear.
So - can anyone recommend some adequate, reasonably priced low rider front racks? We really want silver coloured, as MrsS will object if I fit a non-matching rack to her new pride and joy! Having had a look around there is everything from £15 ebay jobs to £100 ones - while I don't want to spend too much as it is a two week fairly lightly loaded trip, not a world tour, I suspect the £15 ones may not be too hot!

[Vantage]

Haven't got one myself, but one of the best for the money.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tortec-Expediti ... ition+rack

[Heltor Chasca]

I've got a Surly Nice rack up front. Lush. You can grill a full rack of beef ribs on them as a 2nd use...b

[RobinS]

Thanks for responses, the Tortec looks like the sort of thing we are after. The Surly looks more like a "cycling round the world" rack rather than two weeks in France!

[chocjohn9]

I've always put my faith in Tubus racks and Rose bikes are selling them at very good prices at the moment.

£37 for a front rack....it's black though.....but I think they sell silver ones from time to time.
Tubus certainly make them. You can pay £68 for a silver one at Evans

[Heltor Chasca]

Thanks for responses, the Tortec looks like the sort of thing we are after. The Surly looks more like a "cycling round the world" rack rather than two weeks in France!

Nah. The Surly's just for show while cruising the hood [emoji6]

[rannochraider]

Plus one for the Surly. Bomproof and offers a variety of heights as well as a solid over wheel platform for over wheel rack bag or case of budweisser . Looks cool as well. Never seen such a well engineered rack. I'll bet the used re sale values are high too.
Buy crap, buy twice.

[ANTONISH]

I've found Tortec fine. I generally do light touring but I have done camping tours - with a light tent and not with cooking equipment.
Obviously there are stronger racks but they would be over engineered for my purposes.

[foxyrider]

Plus one for the Surly. Bomproof and offers a variety of heights as well as a solid over wheel platform for over wheel rack bag or case of budweisser . Looks cool as well. Never seen such a well engineered rack. I'll bet the used re sale values are high too.
Buy crap, buy twice.

Buy Surly - buy something useful next time!

[robing]

I've got the Vavert low rider from eBay for £17. Used it all last summer and worked fine. It has the loop over the front wheel to give it extra stability.

[honesty]

I have a Tubus Tara I got from Rose Bikes. It is the only front rack I've ever used, but I am happy with it so far. Plus the loop over the wheel gives me a better feeling of security as well as another hand hold to maneuver the bike around with.

[Jimstar79]

I don't mean to hijack your thread but I was about to start a similar thread of my own. I am looking for a front rack for a Ridgeback Panorama and have read somewhere that some front racks have trouble mounting Ortlieb's.

Does anyone have experience with using Tubus on a Panorama with Ortliebs? And, which front racks are best for long distance touring, low riders or standard?

thanks in advance.

Oh yeah, I also found this link to Bike24 for a Tubus Tara at 48 Euro + 6 Euro delivery, which works out at about £40

https://www.bike24.com/p234485.html

[RobinS]

Well I decided to go for the the Tortec Expedition, which I found for a decent price. Came today, look pretty good, but there is absolutely no way they will fit around the disc brakes! Back to square one! Revolution claim that the Vavert fits (but they also said that the discs brakes would not get in the generally, assuring me that most racks should fit), but I can only find the Vavert in black.

[RobinS]

The Tubus Tara in the link above looks good - and the right colour! Can anyone confirm it will fit with disc brakes?

[Jimstar79]

The Tubus Tara in the link above looks good - and the right colour! Can anyone confirm it will fit with disc brakes?

I can't confirm if it will work but I think there is a Tubus for suspension. Hmmm? I did find a good priced front rack the other day but it was only really for suspension forks:

Zefal Raider

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Zefal-Raider-Front-Rack-Black/dp/B006518BZO/ref=cm_cr_pr_pb_t/276-2412507-2958427

I can't confirm if this is any good but the reviewers seem pleased with it. This one is in black but maybe you can find it online in silver?