How are you racking randonneur style bags?

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J Brown

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Jan 28, 2022, 7:02:35 PM1/28/22
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I've seen it done but could never see how decaleur/hardware bits. If you've ever run one a bike friday, how have you done it. 

Thanks,

Josh in NYC 

John Thurston

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Jan 28, 2022, 8:18:37 PM1/28/22
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On 1/28/2022 3:02 PM, J Brown wrote:
> I've seen it done but could never see how decaleur/hardware bits. If you've
> ever run one a bike friday, how have you done it.

On my Friday, I'm running with a KlickFix bracket connected to the
steering mast. It is positioned as low as it will go, which puts my 7.8l
bag just above the brake arms. No, this isn't the classic "front-rack
and bag" of the randonneur, but I don't want to deal with the front rack
sticking out and interfering with my fold.

I rode it for a couple of years, and noticed some bouncing and sagging
of the bag. To address that, and to support extra weight in the bag I
have, I have sewn to small loops to the front edge. I have two very
narrow webbing straps with which I can suspend the front of my bag from
my brake levers. The straps are narrow and soft enough they don't
interfere when I'm riding on the hood. If I had brifters, I think they
would interfere with shifting . . but I don't, so it's cool


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John Thurston
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Eric Daume

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Jan 28, 2022, 8:55:34 PM1/28/22
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I use the VO rack with an integrated decaleur:
IMG_3044.JPG

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John Thurston

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Jan 29, 2022, 12:59:11 PM1/29/22
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On 1/28/2022 4:55 PM, Eric Daume wrote:
> I use the VO rack with an integrated decaleur:

I have that rack on several other bikes, but haven't tried it yet on my
Friday. My hesitation has been its interaction with folding and packing.
I'm not crazy about having to pull the brake bolts (to get the rack off)
every time I "suitcase" the bike And I fear I'd no longer be able to
stuff it into the trunk of my car with it in place.

What kind of fold do you get with the rack installed?

Ken Preston

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Jan 29, 2022, 2:25:40 PM1/29/22
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On the topic of packing. I also have a Brompton S2L and love the front luggage block. I’d like to try a similar setup for my Crusoe and BF tandem.
Has anyone seen one that is adapted to fit a BF bike?

Ken

> On Jan 29, 2022, at 11:59 AM, John Thurston <y...@thurstons.us> wrote:
>
> 
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robert clark

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Jan 29, 2022, 10:10:34 PM1/29/22
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Stubby threadless stem (mounted low, if that is your wish)
short piece of 1" tubing in place of a whole handle bar , 
and a handle bar bag mount  on that bit of tubing
and a big handlebar bag.

robert clark

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Jan 29, 2022, 10:23:53 PM1/29/22
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Ken, you need to hire a fabricator,  since Bike Friday wont put the brazed on piece  on their  bikes, 
a bit up on the base end of the handle bar mast , perhaps?
& you have a brazed in bottle boss option , (riv nuts?)

since unlike Brompton,  you wont have  the fork steerer right behind it.
but of course it will turn with the handlebars not being on the frame headtube..

Personally I have their front pannier rack on my Bike Friday Llama
though I also have a Brompton too.. 

Wolfgang Ketterle

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Jan 29, 2022, 10:26:49 PM1/29/22
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I am planning to put a Brompton carrier block on my Tikit clamped onto the steering mast (right above the hinge).
I will use a chopped off seat post rack as an adapter:
http://mybikesite.org/BullhornKineticsBrompton_files/image178.jpg
For details, see
http://mybikesite.org/#CarrierBlockMount

Ken Preston

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Jan 30, 2022, 1:05:12 AM1/30/22
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That’s a good idea. Thanks Robert 

Ken

On Jan 29, 2022, at 9:23 PM, robert clark <ro3ert...@gmail.com> wrote:

Ken, you need to hire a fabricator,  since Bike Friday wont put the brazed on piece  on their  bikes, 

John Thurston

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Jan 30, 2022, 1:56:36 PM1/30/22
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On 1/29/2022 2:41 PM, Squire Black wrote:
> I'm not. I don't think that a large rando-style front bag will work well
> without a low-trail fork.

Have you measured your Friday? The smaller the wheel, the smaller the
trail*. I think you may find the trail to be much smaller than you expect.


* I'm not suggesting a Friday has the same geometry as my Big Wheel
bike. I'm just hedging my statements because I can't find the notes from
when I measured my Friday, and I don't feel like pulling it off the rack
and re-doing them right now. If I can clear the decks of my other
projects, I may do so this week.

robert clark

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Jan 30, 2022, 2:40:23 PM1/30/22
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Myself I use bike Fridays pannier rack  & some Ortlieb sport packers that have 2 D rings on the lids.

I used some webbing under the top rail , to pair them 
& interlaced the hook release pull handles  to all come off as one.
Used a stretch net across the top, so often across    the bags , 
that at some point I dispatched with the hooks & just zip tied the stretch net corners to the D rings  
a useful combined Pizza, etc.  carrying  scheme. 

On Sun, Jan 30, 2022 at 11:28 AM robert clark <ro3ert...@gmail.com> wrote:
Saw mentioned  Brompton @ something like 35mm trail  but have not measured it , personally. 

Their  frame head tube is physically longer @ 10.5 cm  than my Llama's head tube,
 so brazing on that sort of threaded block on the BF headtube seems a no-go.
 

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Eric Daume

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Jan 30, 2022, 2:45:44 PM1/30/22
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Hi John,

I can't say much useful about the folded size with the VO rack. I've never put my Crusoe into a suit case... I only occasionally fold it to toss it into the trunk. And I just leave the bag on when I do this, because space isn't that tight.

Eric

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Hugh L

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Jan 31, 2022, 11:03:53 AM1/31/22
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BF makes a clamp-on “T” for the steering riser that one can attach bags, lights, etc, to it. I have on on my PL for my Ortlieb handlebar bag, and it is set about halfway between the ahead stem and the clamp.  I can also move it to my PRP and use it with my aerobars attached.

Hugh Larkin
AF, PRP, PL
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David Dillard

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Jan 31, 2022, 1:11:34 PM1/31/22
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PXL_20210729_163423969.jpg


This is how I had mine set up last summer.  I had big 2.15 tires, close fender clearance, Velo Orange Rando Rack and Velogical rim dynamo.  While it looked sharp and worked really well, it was very hard to break down the front end and get it into the suitcase.

David Dillard
Louisville

Eric Daume

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Feb 1, 2022, 2:41:26 PM2/1/22
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I find the boxy bag on the front of my Crusoe helps calm down the front end twitchiness. Riding without the bag feels strange to me. 

Eric


On Saturday, January 29, 2022, Squire Black <apb...@ownmail.net> wrote:
I'm not.  I don't think that a large rando-style front bag will work well without a low-trail fork.  

What I use with my Friday is the Arkel handlebar bag, which is smaller than a typical rando bag, and mounts with a beautiful pair of brackets right on the handlebar.  These brackets are alloy, and a lot stronger and more elegant than the KlickFix bracket.  They let me put my hands on the tops.  Also, because there are two brackets, one of each half of the handlebar, they don't interfere with taking the split 'bars apart for packing.

I like having the bag on the handlebar, since it gives me easy access to food, gloves, and cue-sheet.   There is plenty of space underneath for a good headlight, mounted on the stem riser.  For longer brevets, where I want more clothing, extra water, etc, I add a small tail bag or seat bag.  For touring, I add a rack and rear panniers.

The Arkel bag comes in two sizes, "small" and "large".  What you see in the pictures is a "small", which is pretty large.  I also have a "large", but find that with 40cm handlebars, it is too large, and rubs my hands when on the hoods, so I don't use the large.  (Let me know off-list if you want to try it.)

Google wouldn't let me insert photos, but here are some links to photos.




If you are determined to have a normal rando-style rack, you could get one custom made.

Andrew Black
Portland, Oregon

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onyv...@gmail.com

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Feb 1, 2022, 11:59:59 PM2/1/22
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Good to know Hugh!  How would one order one?  I looked in the BF online store and didn't find anything like that.

Hugh Larkin

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Feb 2, 2022, 12:16:37 AM2/2/22
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Contact the service/parts dept. Or email Todd at to...@bikefriday.com and ask him. It's not a common item, but they usually keep a couple on hand. 

Perpetually wandering and pondering. 

On Feb 1, 2022, at 10:00 PM, onyv...@gmail.com <onyv...@gmail.com> wrote:

Good to know Hugh!  How would one order one?  I looked in the BF online store and didn't find anything like that.

Josh Brown

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Feb 2, 2022, 10:16:14 AM2/2/22
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Thanks for all the great ideas all, and also for showing me your setups! 

Seems like Hugh's suggestion would work well (not quite as elegant as the VO racks I must say)


I'll have to ask for the clamp sized for adjustable stem...

Josh in slushy NYC

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