Missing eyelets in your bike? Can’t mount a rack to your bike? Have no worries. Here, you will be taught all the possible ways you can mount a rack to your bike.
Almost all of the modern bikes missed eyelets in their frame. Nobody can surely give you a valid reason. But some major explanations are.
- Modern bikes are made to weigh less as possible. So, the manufacturer of modern bikes doesn’t prefer to keep things that could add weight to your bikes including eyelets that also can be used to attach racks or carriers.
- Eyelets let dirt accumulates inside of the bike’s frame.
- Bike’s design varies by brands and manufacturers. It’s their own thing that some of the bikes of them don’t have eyelets.
Whatever the reasons are, the main one is that those bikes are not for carrying weight. Though renowned bikes contain eyelets at the rear to install rack later. If your one doesn’t contain eyelets, you won’t need to worry as there are plenty of options you are going introduced to attach a rack to your bike.
First,
What do you need to consider before getting a seatpost rack for a bike that has no eyelets?
Well, you need to consider many things. But you are summering the most basic into a simpler order.
- Will it Fit?
Whatever the rack you got, you have to think first whether it will fit or not to your frame. Most of the rack won’t fit perfectly to your bike frame. You need to get some tools to get it fit perfectly into your bike’s frame. But that doesn’t mean that you can fit any kind of rack to your bike’s frame. Thus, at a first glance, you have to consider before getting a rack whether you can fit it or can’t.
- How much you usually will carry?
Without knowing your needs, you just can’t choose and get a rack for your bike. Different racks from different manufacturers have different load capacities. Thus, it is very important to know what and how much you will usually carry then you need to get one that will meet your needs.
- Do you have any plans to use panniers?
Some people don’t know what panniers are let alone the word “Pannier”. Therefore, then don’t even think of considering as they don’t know anything. But if you know what these are, you will of course willing to consider them for daily comminuting or bike touring.
To know if your rack supports panniers is easy. Just looks for the side rail feature of the rack and you will know whether it supports pannier or not.
Panniers Racks
If your bike doesn’t have mounting points (Eyelets) then using Panniers Racks is one of the best and easiest solutions you can ever have. These racks are easy to both install and remove.
Most of these bike racks are Seatpost mounted and available everywhere. Even you can order these online and insert yourself into your bike at home.
These Panniers are very quick to install, at the highest can take 10 to 15 minutes to install to your bike.
Let’s discuss the types of panniers racks including their pros and cons.
Types of the Panniers Racks
Front Panniers Rack
This front rack is perfectly suitable for both suspension-type and non-suspension-type fork. It mounts over the high end of V-Brakes and the bottom parts are attached with a clamp around the fork. This type of Front rack is very light, durable as it is made of aluminum or Chromoly. This type of front rack easily suits almost all kinds of bikes. So, no worries whether it will support your bike or not, you can install it.
Load Capacity of Front Bicycle Rack
Different carriers have different load capacities. It depends on the manufacturer. Therefore, it is recommended to check the manufacturer’s weight capacity guide. But keep in mind that front racks are not usually made to take heavy loads as a back carrier. Thus, you shouldn’t always excess amount of load rather than a moderate amount of load on the front rack of your bike.
Price of the Front Bicycle Rack
The price of the bike’s front rack fully depends on the materials it is made from. There are various options with various price tags. Hence it primarily depends on your budget and need.
If you are planning on getting a rack to completing a long-distance tour then you might need a solid hard durable rack which might cost you around 40$ to 120$+ depending on manufacturers, brands, models and material. But you might be able to get a steel one for around 5$ and 25$ for an aluminum one which might not have good load capacity and durability.
Quality of Front Rack
Racks are usually constructed from steel, aluminum or Chromoly which is a type of heavy steel alloy. The quality fully depends on the materials they are used to construct.
| Steel Front Rack | Usually much more heavy, more durable. Steel Racks can easily be repaired if damaged. |
| Aluminum Front Rack | Though racks made from aluminum are lighter but are less durable and can’t be fixed if damaged. But high-end aluminum racks are found in the market which is more durable and costly. |
| Chromoly | Racks made out of Chromoly are pretty popular as they are very lightweight, durable and very strong. Whether long-distance touring or heavy-duty comminuting Chromoly s the most recommended. |
Advantage and disadvantage of the Front racks
| Pros | Cons |
| LightweightEasy to installDurableCapacity to take a moderate number of loadsComes in various designs and options | Scratches the forkNot very suitable for the off-road ridingLong-term use can damage the fork |
Seatpost Pannier Rack
Seatpost mounted racks are usually mounted at the back of your bicycle where eyelets for mudguards usually are. Most of the bicycle contains these eyelets or mounting point at the back.
But you should not worry if your bike is missing this mounting point. Because nowadays most of the back carrier of a bicycle has pannier or quick release system to easily mount it to the Seatpost of your bike.
Load Capacity of Back Racks
Seatpost Pannier racks have moderate load capacity. You can carry almost around 20 kg on your back on these kinds of the rack without a sweat. The most interesting thing about the pannier rack is that it contains additional arms which can be attached at the back of the frame which helps to carry more weight at your bike’s back. But always check the manufacturer’s recommendation before buying one if it meets your carrying capacity limits.
Quality of Back Racks
The quality recommendation is the same as the front-mounted rack. The materials it is used to make are most important.
- Steel one might be heavier and beefier but these usually cost less. Though the durability is not good but can be repaired.
- Aluminum ones are lighter including flimsier but a bit more costly than Steel ones. Aluminum racks have moderate durability.
- Chromoly racks are balanced in between strength, weight and durability and cost more than steel and aluminum ones.
Price of the Back Racks
The rear racks can cost from 15$ to 100$ or sometimes more. The price mostly depends on the material it is made from and its weight limit capacity. The more heavy-duty it is, the most expensive it also is. But if your budget is tight, you can look for good deals on good quality used racks.
Accessories needs with rear racks
After purchasing and install a rear rack, you just can’t carry everything on it. You need a rope or if carrying more things, you need a bag. Carrier Bag is a must need if you love to have a long tour with your bike. It could help you to contain and carrying more things fitted in that carrying bag. In a word, A Carrier Bag is also needed to carry more things on the back rack perfectly.
Advantage and Disadvantage of Pannier Rear Racks
| Pros | Cons |
| More Carrying CapacityEasy to Install and RemoveCan fit any kind of carrying bag to take loads efficiently. | Can easily be installed.More load can break the frame.If an accident occurs Seatpost mount of the frame can be broken.Excessive load at back carrier can wobble back wheel. |
1. Alternative to install racks without panniers
What if I have a bicycle Back Carrier that doesn’t have quick release or pannier?
If you have an old rack or carrier that doesn’t contain panniers or a quick release system to mount it to the seatpost then you can get clamps to mount to. There are various kinds of clamps found in the market.
- Seatpost Clamp with Rack Eyelets
It is a simple tool that can help you to mount a rack to your bike frame that doesn’t have any Mounting points or Eyelets. You can also mount an old rack without panniers to your bike by it. In road bike installing a rack, this tool is a must.
- Tubus Stay Mounting Clamps
It is an alternative for Seatpost Clamp with Rack Eyelets. It is also a simple tool. But it can help you to connect extra rods of your carrier to the bottom of the bike frame. This is also required for some modes of the racks.
- P-Clamps
P-Clamps are also called cushioned loop straps. It is also an alternative for the bike’s frame which doesn’t have any eyelets to install a rack. Very cheap and you can find these at any hardware store.
These also come in various shapes and sizes; Thus, you are bound to find one that will perfectly fit the tube diameter of your frame.
To install, open the clamp, place it over the tube of the frame, close its mouth then tightening the bolt. Now it won’t slip.
- Tubus Quick Release Rack Mounting Kit
It is a must tool you your bike is missing lower eyelets in the frame. It allows you to attach the rack to the lower part of the bike frame in the quick release system.
These are the options to install any kind of racks to a bike frame that doesn’t contain any mounting points or eyelets. You can install Old Man Mountain or Axiom Streamliner Rack or any other rack to any kind of bike frame with these tools mentioned above.
- Seatstays Pannier Rack
Another Option except above all the options mentioned above is Seatstays Pannier Rack Thule Pack ‘N’ Pedal Tour Rack. Thule is very renowned for its products that have very good quality.
It is very different in design and style that can fit in any kind of geometries of any bike including full-suspension ones. The exceptional thing about this rack is that you can attach it to both rear and front positions where you want to attach it to.
Now,
How to mount a seatpost Rack to a bicycle without Eyelets?
It is not hard or impossible rocket science. The easiest way to mount is described.
- Unpack and remove all parts from the rack from its packaging.
- Know the parts and organize them in an order to make it easy to insert into the bike.
- Now assemble the main part of the racks. It usually stays assembled most of the time inside the packaging.
- Now you need to connect the fender guard at the bottom and tightening its Allen bolts.
- After that, you need to check the rack against the back of your bike’s frame to see if it fit without paddings.
- If it seems required then add them before installing the seatpost rack to the frame.
- After that clamp the seatpost mount around the tube and tighten it on as firmly as possible.
- Following that you need to attach frame straps to the rack and the bike frame to mount it to the saddle post.
- After finishing all these steps above, at last, you can attach the pannier rails to the bottom of the frame.
Do Seatpost Racks and Panniers change bicycling feels?
They do change the feeling of biking a bit but not to a much extend. A normal seatpost rack doesn’t affect cycling except for adding a little bit of weight in total. It won’t change a bit even if you add a basic bike trunk.
But the change seems to be felt when you insert panniers into the bike. If not properly attached to your bike, it will give you a shakes feeling all over the bike’s frame and you will face misbalanced when turning the sides with loads.
Thus, it is recommended to balance weight properly between panniers on both sides equally while inserting it.
Final Advice
It doesn’t matter what kind of cyclist you are, A casual one, pleasure-seeking one, long-distance raider or daily commuter or anything in between, getting a bicycle will change your riding experience to another extend.
As everything is described above, you should think and get a rack that will best fit with your bike and in time it will change your riding feels with loads.