Removable Rack?

I want to at least attempt commuting this year to see if I like it - only 1-2 days a week. I do not want to rush out and purchase a dedicated commuter bike however...but neither do I want to attach a permanent rack to my beloved Gunnar. If I decide I like it and see that I will continue commuting I will put something appropriate in layaway - I actually already have my eyes on something but I am not about to get ahead of myself on this (a Scott with belt drive + disc brakes). I just sold a lovely bike that didn't get ridden...

I've seen on occasion bikes around town that appear to have removable racks attached to the seat post. I've right at 2.5 inches of seat post showing... With my neck injury last fall I don't need to carry more than hydration on my back...
Does anyone have experience with these or something similar? The store I linked to has their annual sale event this weekend...

Gotta be careful with those Catrin you can't put much weight on them. Racks can simply unbolt you know. Not a big deal to remove one, basically you just unscrew four bolts.

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Originally Posted by WindingRoad

Gotta be careful with those Catrin you can't put much weight on them. Racks can simply unbolt you know. Not a big deal to remove one, basically you just unscrew four bolts.

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Good point, guess I was worried about scratching the paint on my lovely Gunnar :o However, I COULD get a bottle of touch-up paint from Waterford, I probably should have that anyway.

What I've seen is rated for 25 pounds, so I guess I better figure out how much stuff I actually need to carry with me.

Did you decide on a route? Are you going to use pannier bags?

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Originally Posted by WindingRoad

Did you decide on a route? Are you going to use pannier bags?

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I think I want to try the second route you recommended on Facebook, at least at first, depending on if they have completed the Cultural Trail on Washington and I think they have. The route down the White River trail does seem more direct, and I like that it goes UNDER 38th street...I have seen how drivers treat the bike lanes on New York and that idea just scares me right now. I know Riverside Park isn't the safest, but I doubt that would be a problem at the times I would be passing through.

I think if I plan this properly all I will really need to carry is lunch and hydration. I would only commute twice a week at most, so I can bring all my stuff to work the day before and leave a few extra things in the office. I've an empty drawer in my large file cabinet :) I don't think I would need more than a little trunk bag - and some come with a quick release attachment to the seat post. This might be a good option while I build my comfort level to urban riding. Pity I sold my little Arkel bag when I sold the LHT - got a great price for it but still.

The next step is to regain a bit more bike and neck strength - I strained a calf muscle this weekend on the bike, probably from fighting the wind down Reed Rd and crossing over to Dandy Trail Sunday. The wind was howling! I think the only thing that will help my neck tolerate riding more is to, well, ride more :cool: Intelligently however, I won't raise my mileage until there are no repercussions post-ride. The cool part is my mileage is already longer than the ride to work :)

Let me make a suggestion then on an excellent combo of items for your trunk bag and rack. The Bontrager rack you linked I'm pretty sure has the Interchange system on it. Most of Bontrager racks do and then if you get their trunk bag with the Interchange hardware it is just sooooo nice and easy to use. I have the trunk bag that has the panniers too but they fold up into side pockets when you don't need them. VERY cool bag and I absolutely love it. I have the Bontrager Back Rack II. The Back Rack I is smaller which would probably be the one for your bike if you opt for a screw in rack instead of clip on. Don't hold me to that, I'm not sure if the I is smaller or the II come to think of it. It says on the packaging though. They run about $45 and the trunk bags are from $89-125 depending on which one you go with.

The wind has been wicked there in Indy recently. Last Wednesday when I met you, I did 45 miles and it was crazy. Just be careful crossing around the White River Damn area not so much for people (you can see in every direction) but the wind there is the worst place in town :eek: You are lucky you are of shorter stature than me, you can avoid a lot of the wind. As memory serves me and IndySteel proved this one windy day riding out on the Nebo route :) I would pull till I wanted to barf then I'm like yay I get some relief she's going to pull, my legs were burning! Yeah, well no! The wind just went right over her and hit me anyways :rolleyes: It was a nice gesture though, lol. That ride beat me up.

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Originally Posted by WindingRoad

Let me make a suggestion then on an excellent combo of items for your trunk bag and rack. The Bontrager rack you linked I'm pretty sure has the Interchange system on it. Most of Bontrager racks do and then if you get their trunk bag with the Interchange hardware it is just sooooo nice and easy to use. I have the trunk bag that has the panniers too but they fold up into side pockets when you don't need them. VERY cool bag and I absolutely love it. I have the Bontrager Back Rack II. The Back Rack I is smaller which would probably be the one for your bike if you opt for a screw in rack instead of clip on. Don't hold me to that, I'm not sure if the I is smaller or the II come to think of it. It says on the packaging though. They run about $45 and the trunk bags are from $89-125 depending on which one you go with.

The wind has been wicked there in Indy recently. Last Wednesday when I met you, I did 45 miles and it was crazy. Just be careful crossing around the White River Damn area not so much for people (you can see in every direction) but the wind there is the worst place in town :eek: You are lucky you are of shorter stature than me, you can avoid a lot of the wind. As memory serves me and IndySteel proved this one windy day riding out on the Nebo route :) I would pull till I wanted to barf then I'm like yay I get some relief she's going to pull, my legs were burning! Yeah, well no! The wind just went right over her and hit me anyways :rolleyes: It was a nice gesture though, lol. That ride beat me up.

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LOL; I remember that ride. I also remembe it being so windy either on that ride or some other that we finally just threw in the towel and went to the Monon. I went through a phase where I was really tough when it came to the wind. I've since turned into a wimp again.

Thanks for the advice, I will look into that combination. As far as replacement tires, I like what is on my bike so much that I thought the BGI sale would be a good time to get a spare set - they aren't cheap... I just don't want to spend much on commuting specific stuff until I see if I like/will do it. No commuter specific bike this year - that will be a winter/spring purchase if I stick with it.

Tell me about the wind, I had forgotten that 46th borders on that small airfield and it was screaming through there Sunday! I like that pretty loop down Reed, across 46th to Dandy Trail and then north back to 56th, it adds a couple of miles and is a decent warm-up. Sunday I stayed on Lafayette Rd all the way down to 56th - I like that section between 71st and 56th but that turn onto the trail is just a horrible angle - I stopped and walked that turn.

I keep forgetting how much taller than me you are - but I don't see myself as "short"...though I am :o

I have that rack, used it before I got a bike that has rack mounts, along with their trunk bag. That trunk bag, while it was a nice idea, kinda became an issue. The bag snaps into the back of the rack with a spring action latch, and the front hooks in. That spring at the back (there is a big push button to open the latch) got weak and the bag would slide back and forth, compressing the spring (opening the latch) and it almost fell off. I had to open the mechanism and install a stronger spring. I was nervous about it after, so slid a velcro tie-wrap around the front strap loop and would loop it around the seatpost to make sure the bag would not slide back if the rear spring got weak again.

The other issue was weight. No, not the weight weenie weight (I think the Bontrager is rather light for that type of rack) but where the weight was. I was putting several days worth of lunches and a shirt and shoes in it and the weight felt rather destabilizing being up so high. I then got a bike with rack mounts and bought the Bontrager rackmount rack and panniers. With the trunk for lighter stuff like clothing, and the panniers for food, jacket and shoes, that worked much better in terms of weight distribution. But it was overall heavy.

So I weight weenied and bought one of those 'rackless' bags, the Revelate Pika. Yea it's for rackless trekking, but the idea sounded good. No heavy metal rack. It's not for dress clothes (it's a compression bag) and not for computers and stuff like that, it's for clothing. Being I take the car on Monday now and take a week's worth of food and other stuff and just need the bag for a shirt, pants, gloves and jacket, it made more sense for me. It looks like a giant black banana that's about 3 times longer than the seat. It weighs 12 oz and I can get a change of clothes and a cycling jacket in it along with the typical cycling accessories. A small bag up front carries the tubes and tools and I am done. No more racks.

at risk of going a bit sideways. When I don' want a rack I use a Zimbale Saddlebag, sometimes the 7 liter and sometimes the 11 liter but you need to have eyelets on the saddle or a saddlebag clamp to attach. I like a bag that sits below my saddle, the taller ones (some of the trunk bags) or the Revelate Pika, when loaded, sit up so high I feel like I am sitting on them and then end up sliding forward on my saddle. Maybe I just have a big back end :(

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Originally Posted by Sky King

at risk of going a bit sideways. When I don' want a rack I use a Zimbale Saddlebag, sometimes the 7 liter and sometimes the 11 liter but you need to have eyelets on the saddle or a saddlebag clamp to attach. I like a bag that sits below my saddle, the taller ones (some of the trunk bags) or the Revelate Pika, when loaded, sit up so high I feel like I am sitting on them and then end up sliding forward on my saddle. Maybe I just have a big back end :(

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This is interesting, I like the Zimbale saddlebag. I did get the rack that Winding Road recommended, and replaced my Arkel Tailrider bag (for the same price for which I sold my original). That will be fine for taking lunch but eventually I might want more and will keep this in mind. The Pika is interesting as well, byt quite a bit more expensive.