Blackburn Local Pro rack as Salsa Alternator alternative!?

[mostlypedals]

Hey y'all! Anyone else have alternator dropouts and think to themselves "boy, Salsa is getting away with highway robbery asking $120 for a rear rack!" Me too.

I've been eyeballing Blackburn's new Local Deluxe rack, which utilizes an interesting ladder-like approach to setting rack height. To me, it looks like it could play nicely with the alternator dropouts on my Marrakesh, by inverting the lower assemblies and drilling them out for the frames M6 hardware.

This would allow the rack to "hang" from the dropout, rather than being held above it, so that your panniers can sit at a reasonable height over your rear wheel (rather than up in the stratosphere, as mine currently do.)

https://www.blackburndesign.com/local-deluxe-front-or-rear-rack.html

I have a set of those lower arms coming from Blackburn right now to experiment with before I pull the trigger on the rack (although, at $45 it's not exactly spendy.)


Has anyone else thought this? Anybody tried this? Anyone want to put on some def leppard and stay up all night drilling on some bike parts like it's 1991?! YEAH! HECK YEAH!

[Joeli7]

I recently road Baja Divide route on Salsa TJ with Alternator rack  & 2 very small panniers  (12l each).  My buddy had an identical rig and broke the rack.  (lower attachment eyelet).
We were able to fix the rack using kevlar string and hose clamp.
On the route,  I have also seen a broken Blackburn rack.   My conclusion is that rack are ok so long as you don'd load them.   i.e  no more than a 10l dry bag.
Next time on such a route I would seriously consider leaving the rack behind and going for a seat post bag instead.
Good luck