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If you're going to put a basket on it, you might as well go for the bontrager rack. What i like about proper lowrider racks is that you can put an extra kickstand on the front rack. That would make it a lot easier to park your bike and save you a lot of stress in hectic moments.
Föhn-
Regarding the basket - I already have a Wald and no bags specific for strapping to a platform, but I am not really decided how will I use it, for now just a flexibility of having a platform is welcome.
The kickstand point is actually a good one, as the frame lacks a kickstand mount in the back and trailer is axle-mounted so a Giant kickstand designed for this model that also mounts there is not an option. Towing a trailer it is also harder to find a suitable spot to lean the bike against like I have always been doing. -
Actually I have never seen such lowrider kickstands in practice - can they hold an entire bike or only together with a back kickstand?
Prz
What is your opinion on Specialized Pizza Rack vs Bontrager Carry Forward rack?
I have a Giant Toughroad (carbon fork with no triple bosses, has lowrider eyelets but only outside + hole at the fork crown), going to tour with my kid in trailer, so need some extra packing space. Was thinking about Tubus Tara first but the Big Apple version is impossible to get anywhere sooner than next August. These two I am considering to add small (Vaude or Ortlieb) panniers for longer tours and also carry something on the platform (I already have Wald 139 from previous bike that I could reuse here) instead of a handlebar harness. I am going to add dynamo lighting at some point, so that would go on the rack and I wouldn't remove it outside of touring then.
@Föhn has praised the Pizza Rack that the higher panniers position help on trails, but on the other hand I feel Bontrager would give me more stable steering with low rider position and make less forces on fork (5 mounting points including fork eyelets vs 3 on Specialized). I am not going to do any crazy trails with panniers as I will be towing a double Thule Chariot at the same time, whenever riding solo I would probably only use platform for cargo carrying.