Rack on Fixie axle?

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  • I'm riding to France and my only bike is a Fixie (Condor Pista) with horizontal dropouts, no eyelets, but it is drilled for a rear brake. It's got two part track nuts, not a quick release. Will it be safe to attach a rack to the rear axle? I'm aware of p clips, but the axle seems like strongest/best place to take the weight. My concern is the rear wheel getting loose and killing me.
    And if it can be done, is installation similar to qr skewers? Just widen the hole to fit bigger axle?

  • Old Man Mountain racks will attach to the rear axle, but I believe they all require a 9mm QR axle, there isn't one for a solid axle as far as I know. How about just using a saddlebag like a Carradice or more modern like the Alpkit or Relevate ones. If you're riding fixed and it's a short tour you'll want to be packing light anyway.

  • If you have hollow axle and 25mm tyres, you can use 135mm quick release skewer for doing the job.
    I tried Tubus fly on my nelson pizza like that and it worked just fine!

  • double

  • I thought I was packing light but it looks like I'll need panniers. I'll still try and get away with a stuffsack on top a rack though. I looked at bike packing but that alpkit bag is 65 quid for only 13 litres. I packed my old ortlieb work bag which is 30 litres and still had the tent and sleep mat left over.

    Are qr skewers safe on fixed? I have 25mm tyres but solid axles though.

  • Big Carradice saddlebag and handlebar bag.

    Alpkit bag force you to take what you need, which is very handy.

    Bikepacking is definitely the best way to enjoy riding fixed.

    Another topic that's also worth checking out, don't forget to get a bigger cog when laden; touring on a fixed

  • I already looked into the carradice super c bags and I'd only get 28 litres for £140. So no space for tent. I'm going to cook as well and I've got to take trainers because I only have road cycling shoes, so I'm not going to be that lightweight.
    With all due respect Mr. Scoble, I think I need more capacity.
    46x19 sounds alright though?

  • Trainers!? Shirley flip flops, bivy instead of tent maybe? Although tbf it sounds like you will need panniers either way

  • 46/19 might be a touch spinny, best to give it a try before you embark on a tour.

    I only said this because I find fixed touring harder with the additional weight of the rack and panniers, which add up quite a lots.

    There are many way to reduced volume size, such as taking the tent pole out of the bag and put it under the top tube, meaning you can make the tent bag a lots smaller and lighter.

    Replace the axle with a hollow one when you can, and go for the quick release option as suggested by @busseynova, the latter is actually stronger

  • Trainers!? Shirley flip flops

    This.

    Trainers is overkill.

  • having hollow axle makes you able to use qr skewer for just holding the rack. Tracknuts are still there for holding the wheel

  • OK that's well clever. Thankyou. What length axle did you use, is it a track specific one? Could I use a road axle? Isn't a 135mm qr too short to go inside a track axle? Would a skewer fit properly in a hollow track axle?
    I found this on sizing but charts make me feel inadequate
    http://jail.sine.com/sheldonbrown/sheldonbrown.com/harris/axles.html
    The tubus qr adapter kits skewer is 200mm long

  • And yeah it's not ideal but I only have road shoes since my old mtb ones snapped.

  • I used 120mm novatech/formula/etc quality shithub with its own stock hollow axle. Normal qr skewer made for 135mm rear end is just long enough to clear whole package. Also 25mm tire without fenders makes it possible to run that spesific Tubus rack without qr adapter kit. No need for tricks or unnecessary qr kits.

  • OK that's a good tip for the adapter kit thankyou.
    I just went to a bike shop and found out I need an axle that fits my Condor uno hub. Phoned Condor and they said Miche doesn't make a hollow axle to fit that hub, and I'll have to find another hollow axle that fits my hubs cones.

    So, any bright ideas on a hollow axle that fits a Condor uno/Miche hub?

  • I'm thinking about getting a new rear wheel with a hollow axle. Something cheap like Munakoira has.
    Am I losing my mind?

  • You're pouring money on it that you could easily just paid someone less than half that to swap the axles out.

    Hell, that much money you might as well hire a bike.

  • If I could get replacement axles that fit then I'd definitely do that. I phoned condor and they said they don't make them and my lbs said they wouldn't be able to source them. You don't have any do you?

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Rack on Fixie axle?

Posted by Avatar for lookwhereyouregoing @lookwhereyouregoing

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