DIY front rack

[bumbler]

A small front rack I built. I'd previously modified a rear rack to work on the front of my Fargo, but found that having weight so far forward made steering slow.

So I set about making this. My goals were to make it so that the weight would be kept as low as possible and as close to the steering centerline (i.e. steerer tube) as possible.

The rack itself, and the stem & handlebar attachments I built several months ago.

In my typical overbuilding modus operandi, I decided a while ago that there was a weak spot where the rack attaches to the fork crown; I finally got around to making the lower support struts today.

Obviously not ultralight, and my brazing skills leave much to be desired, but I have no doubt that it'll hold up just fine.

Still needs paint.

[Bill in Houston]

Wow, I like it.  Nice job.  It looks like it will work amazingly well.

[roadpacker]

How did you make it? Do you weld?

[sean salach]

That's a pretty rack!


Here's an old photo of a front rack I made out of trash(literally) back in 2008. The struts are the metal brackets that coroplast political signs get mounted on, the part that sticks into the ground. The rack is a piece of plastidipped, cheap closet shelving. All of the other hardware was salvaged from a scrap metal bin. It only needed to hold up a sleeping bag, and it did that well enough. 

Bonus showing of my favorite pair of pogies. I made them from an old, discarded tote bag and the quilted lining from a $2 thrift store jacket. Hand sewn. They were waterproof and warm.

[bumbler]

Thanks for the compliments. I'd always wanted to learn how to weld/braze, so a couple years ago (with no experience) I bought a torch set & tubing bender, and learned how to do it. I've always been a "maker" and I've come to enjoy metalworking & brazing very much, but didn't realize going in how much more cutting & filing time is required versus actual torch time. Not to mention a good amount of head-scratching time.

Alex Wetmore's rack building blog posts were a *big* help and inspiration - http://alexwetmore.org/?cat=298

Since those pictures were taken I've replaced the top loop with a smaller loop. I'll post some updated pictures when I have some time.

[bumbler]

A couple newer pics. FYI I painted the rack using Rustoleum Appliance Epoxy, which has held up well so far.

Here's the new upper loop.



Easy to stack a handlebar bag on top of the bag in the rack.