U-Aluminum racks for your commuter / work bike to carry back packs, attach stuff, inspired many adventures including pull trailers.
Using school style back packs on a bike rack, you can make with hand tools, is a boy scout project to enable their bikes for camping and adventure. Each bike was unique in the rack attachment points. Card board was cut and trimmed duct taped as a fit up tool measuring how to compensate each design change. Hack saw, hand file and hand drill made for a safe Aluminum construction project for young teenagers. Metal was purchased at the local hardware store. Aluminum U shape was ideal as Aluminum corner gussets and supports fit into the U to strengthened the corners of the box on which the packs are attached.
Fully loaded for camping this adult rider + bike weight can approach ~ 250 lb. Adding a front wheel rack reduced high speed vibrations. Gum rubber tires will not last and have blown out. Continental Gator Skins are the best so far. One rear back pack hold my sleeping bag the other tent. Sleeping pad and poles tied to top of rear rack. Front packs are smaller hold rain gear, cloths, first aid kit, ten essentials, stove, food... Map and water are last tied to opportunistic easy to get at on the trip. Unloaded on a christmass shopping event I have broken a rear ball bearing and axle twice, squire held it together till repaired, now using stainless steel rear axle. Rear wheel spokes originally broke and were replace with a gauge 2x the original.
Three different bike rack systems were made and used on camping trips. Pictures, embedded comments show and tell how the racks were made and attached to the bikes.
Every day used for commuting work, errands and school adds up to ~ 3-4 thousand miles per year . The first step shows construction steps, remaining steps show some unusual occasional adventure ideas.
Viewing picture comments, for me, is best presented by double left clicking on the pictures as this will print the embedded text below that one picture.
Using school style back packs on a bike rack, you can make with hand tools, is a boy scout project to enable their bikes for camping and adventure. Each bike was unique in the rack attachment points. Card board was cut and trimmed duct taped as a fit up tool measuring how to compensate each design change. Hack saw, hand file and hand drill made for a safe Aluminum construction project for young teenagers. Metal was purchased at the local hardware store. Aluminum U shape was ideal as Aluminum corner gussets and supports fit into the U to strengthened the corners of the box on which the packs are attached.
Fully loaded for camping this adult rider + bike weight can approach ~ 250 lb. Adding a front wheel rack reduced high speed vibrations. Gum rubber tires will not last and have blown out. Continental Gator Skins are the best so far. One rear back pack hold my sleeping bag the other tent. Sleeping pad and poles tied to top of rear rack. Front packs are smaller hold rain gear, cloths, first aid kit, ten essentials, stove, food... Map and water are last tied to opportunistic easy to get at on the trip. Unloaded on a christmass shopping event I have broken a rear ball bearing and axle twice, squire held it together till repaired, now using stainless steel rear axle. Rear wheel spokes originally broke and were replace with a gauge 2x the original.
Three different bike rack systems were made and used on camping trips. Pictures, embedded comments show and tell how the racks were made and attached to the bikes.
Every day used for commuting work, errands and school adds up to ~ 3-4 thousand miles per year . The first step shows construction steps, remaining steps show some unusual occasional adventure ideas.
Viewing picture comments, for me, is best presented by double left clicking on the pictures as this will print the embedded text below that one picture.
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Signing UpStep 1: Making the Frame attaching the packs
Using imagination, cardboard for designing for planning cuts, hand tools, electric drill you build a very versatile frame for your bike that will inspire many adventures. The pictures with embedded comments tell the issues shown.
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5
wavey davey
says:
Nov 25, 2012. 3:24 PMReplyReally good instructable. I fancy having a go at a front pannier rack but you havent shown much of the front construction.id probably construct mine from 15 mm copper pipe as it can be soldered with plumbing fittings very cheaply. I imagine it will bolt on to mudguard fixing holes and behind front brake fixings?
2
mikerushford (author)
in reply to Nov 25, 2012. 6:08 PMReplyI used an electrical Rubber Insulated Clamp as a second tie point high on the fork. The first point could be the same clamp low on the fork but my fork has a screw lug that I used most likely intended for the fender. I will ad a picture or two to this instruct able to help with this issue.
1
wire-nut
says:
Aug 3, 2012. 2:04 PMReply
Very cool and good imagination to real life. :)
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