Functional bikes. Not Porn not Anti

Does anyone remember the guy that was modifying Surly front racks so that they had a porteur style flat base but could also mount panniers?

I find those combination to be reasonably light and doesn't stiffen up the fork too much.

Yup!

Wonderful!

The Blackburn rack is a horrible colour and so flexy . I really wouldn't bother. Either a Surly rack or Porteur would be better.

I look at the weight and can see how it would be flexy; it weight a mere 850g which is very light for the particular kind of rack.

Surly Nice rack is the stiffness rack I've ever used and it's over 1.3kg.

The best compromise I've found so far is a Tubus lowrider and nitto adjustable rando rack whose weight similar to the Blackburn but made of steel and stiff enough for carrying but not enough to cause discomfort by making the fork too stiff like the Surly Nice rack.

I was thinking more of the rims wearing out. What with it being rim braked.

Correct, but having said that, the rims look pretty strong and still be easy to replace by strapping a new rims on the old and simply move the spokes.

I've had zero issues with the Surly rack and would question anyone who thought the strength and practicality made their bike worse

Probably just aesthetics in the ''constructeur" tradition.

They're more than enough actually, it's the strongest rack I've own insofar.

Perfect if you intend to embark to Mongolia with everything you need to be self-sufficient but in an everyday capacity it's pretty overkill.

I'm surprised you missed the from racks.

Anyone every come across anything like a mini ball joint type trailer hitch? I've had an idea stewing in my head for sometime of getting a sack barrow or shopping trolley, adding some width to the wheelbase for stability and putting on a small hitch so it can be easily decoupled from the rear rack and pulled around a supermarket. Something like the Burley Travoy, but with less of a clumsy mounting system and less stupidly expensive. I see Burly make this, but that's a hella shit design when most racks have a mounting plate for a light on the back that could be utilised.

Something like this?
http://www.bikehod.com/bike-hod/

Nice, but a bit pricey?

True that, but also just to give an idea of what's out there.
An alternative to a universal joint is steel reenforced rubber hose, like the stuff used at gas stations.

Yeah like that, but attaching to a rear rack instead. That's the bit I'm struggling with, finding just the right attachment that's quick release, not huge and sturdy enough to haul 30kg. there's this, which could do it, or I did find this solution, but I'm not sure it looks like it'd be up to the job.

edit: that's a decent idea with the rubber hose, I'd still need some kind of quick release though, but I guess that'd be easy enough

have a search for motorbike trailer joints, there is quite lot of adventure trailer action there e.g https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=37931

I saw that thread, and did wonder whether that kind of joint would be strong enough, but I guess if people are using them on motorbike then they must be. This one using a pneumatic connector might be more suitable.

yeah, saw that one too, would be good, maybe some rubber coating/bushing around the two loops just to make it a bit smoother. My dad is a lifelong adventurer motorbiker so will drop him a message to see if he has any ideas!

Nice one, seems I'll have to be inventive as I don't think any product exists.

For the rubber hose all you'd need to do would use a pipe that fit snuggly into the hose, have holes that line up in both and use a durable linchpin to keep it all together.

Jan Heine's apparently

Old 1950 Dawes frame fixed conversion

Someone needs a lesson on how to fit a Tubus Nova...