Add a Rear Rack to the Back of a Recumbent Sun Speedster

This is an Instructable about how I adapted a rear rack to a recumbent Sun Speedster bike.  Actually I took the rack off this bike and than added it to a different bike, but that is a different insturctable. 

I already had the rack on the Sun Speedster and before I sold it I decided to take some good pics of how I secured it to that bike before I removed it and added it to my (new to me) Easyracers.com Tour Easy LE.

You will need basic tools:
Some screws and matching nuts (some are supplied with the bike and/or the rack)
Some 1/8 thick x 3/4 wide x about 36" long aluminum strap from the hardware store
A Hack Saw
A Vise
Hammer to bend with
Drill and drill bits that the screws fit into
Philips or Slotted (flat head) Screwdrivers
Cresent wrench or open/closed end wrench that fits your nuts

Step 1: Cutting, Bending and Attaching the Straps

After you purchase or find your strapping (I bought mine for this project).  Attach the Rack to the provided threaded hole on the rear dropouts on the bike (where the rear and get it level with a Level or just by eyesight.

Then measure out the distance between the mount screws behind the seat and the underside of the rack adding for the bend and attachment of the screws on the frame at the back of the seat.  Also adding for the length to secure the straps to the underside of the rear.

Cut to length.  Then bend for the Bike mounts and then measure, mark and bend for the rack mounts.  Cut excess off straps.  I did one and then copied it for the second one.  Drill the holes for the straps.

This rack came with the screws for the bottom mounts to the dropouts and the screws and nuts for the four holes on the rack itself.  It also came with some short straps but they were thrown away after this project was completed.  Rack was purchased at Wally World but you can get one anywhere.

This is a short instructable since I did not see one anywhere on the web on adding a rack to my Sun Speedster after I bought it and I thought it might help someone else to figure out how to add one to there recumbent bike. 

This bike is no longer in production but there are several brands of recumbents in this same short wheelbase configuration so I did this for all you owners out there.

Step 2:

I use the rack with a bag to hold bike tools and my lock and cable.

I hope you found this instructable helpful and please feel free to leave comments, Thanks.