Revisiting the Nitto 52f Basket Rack

[Bicycle Belle Ding Ding!]

Hi Friends,

I’ve had a Nitto Basket Rack from Rivendell for a few years. I think it looks awesome, it’s dead useful, but it annoyed me that it was heavy and made my bars swing around on my mermaid Platy. But as I plan the build for my 50 cm purple Platy (which is taking a million years) I am considering putting the basket rack back into service. It pains me to see it sitting, and it’s so pretty and unique that I just want to give it another try. Maybe the 650b wheels will be less floppy with this rack? Maybe the smaller, lighter bike won’t seem as penalized by the heft of this rack? It would be such an easy experiment if it wasn’t for the dyno light/wiring that is affected by the decision. It’s not a matter of simply pulling the rack, because wire length, light mount, etc are affected and will not be an easy switch. My shop hates soldering and I certainly can’t do it. 

I had started a thread long ago about this and a lot of people reported similar experiences. Now that some more years have gone by, I’m curious if opinions have changed, or if more people have these racks and would offer their opinions. There isn’t much in the way of reviews to read online. Maybe some here would offer theirs. If more folks are trying and loving their Nitto Basket Racks, I’ll be likely to install mine. 

Meanwhile, this beautiful Platypus sits in my living room on the shelf, waiting for its parts to return from the anodizer. And, there’s fresh snow on the ground. But talking bikes will get me through!

Leah

[lucky...@gmail.com]

Aesthetically meh but how about a wheel stabilizer such as:

On Mar 10, 2024, at 09:34, Bicycle Belle Ding Ding! <jonasa...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Julian Westerhout]

Leah, 

Assuming that the issue is wheel flop when parking or loading the bike, consider the Steerstopper. https://steerstopper.com   Not cheap, but works great for its intended purpose. I have one on my Clem with a large front basket (used for commuting and everyday riding) and we have one on our Bilenky touring tandem. 

Julian Westerhout

Bloomington, IL 

[John Hawrylak, Woodstown NJ]

Leah

You asked:  " Maybe the 650b wheels will be less floppy with this rack? Maybe the smaller, lighter bike won’t seem as penalized by the heft of this rack?"

The 650B wheel have a minimal effect on Wheel Flop, since the wider tire results in a tire radius close to a 700C x 32 tire (650x48 radius = 344mm vs a 700C x 32 radius = 347mm).   Using Jim Youngs on line trial/flop calculator Bicycle Trail Calculator | yojimg.net with the following frame geometries from RBW for a 50cm Platy with 650B wheels:

HTA,  69.5°, from RBW geo charts

Fork Rake,   assumed to be 55mm.   RBW does NOT publish fork rake and the 55mm is from a 50 Cheviot with 650B wheels.

Wheel/Tire,   assumed to be 650B x 48,  RBW states 50mm as the largest tire.

Trial and Flop are solely determined by Wheel Radius, HTA, and fork rake:

Flop = Trail x sin(HTA) x cos (HTA),     and Trial = (Wheel Radius x cos(HTA) - Fork Rake) / sin (HTA)

Here are the results for a 650x48 and a 700x32 tire for the 69.5° HTA and 55mm Rake

               650x48       700x32

Trail         70mm          71mm           No surprise, RBW models are known to have high trail, due to slack HTA and a nominal 2" fork rake

Flop         23mm          23mm           High Flop is direct result of the high trial

So the Trail and Flop are essentially the same for a 650x48 and a 700x32. 

If you use 650x42, Trial and Flop are slightly reduced

Trail = 68mm   &    Flop = 22mm

Frame weight or bike weight does not affect trail or flop per the above equations.  Your lighter custom will handle the same with the basket as your other Platy.    IF you reduce the weight carried in the basket, you will notice less side to side motion at low speeds, due to the downward force produced by the lower weight (mass). 

I hope this helps

John Hawrylak

Woodstown NJ

[Paul Donald]

I use a steerstopper on my Soma Saga that's fitted with a Crust Clydesdale fork. That fork can be loaded up quite heavily, which is what I do with the giant basket I have on it. Even with the frame up on a double leg stand the fork will still swing if the ground is not level. So I lock the steerer with the steerstop which makes loading and unloading much nicer. It has a 1 1/8th steerer admittedly, but they do have shims for quill stems. And whatever you do, don't forget to unhitch the lock before riding off. I've done this twice, and learnt my lesson.

[Kim H.]

@Julian,

The Steerstomper, a very interesting piece of ingenuity. However, you mention that you have a Clem that you use this Steerstomper. Do you own a Clem "H" and not a "L" CLem ?  I fall short of how the Steerstomper would work on a Clem "L" frame.

Kim Hetzel.

[Kim H.]

... less even how it would work on Leah's Platypus frame.

Kim.

[Tom Horton]

kim, re the steerstopper on a clem L, I've had one on a clem L 64 for a few years and works fine....I don't load the front basket with bricks or anything ultra heavy, but load of groceries, books, etc...no problems....the steerstopper guy wasn't sure it would work and even offered to make a custom, longer version of the steerstopper; but the regular one has been fine for me. you need to snug the receiver part up tight (but beware, you can strip the threads if you get too exuberant).  I'd recommend it for a clem L; also have them on a few other front basketed rivs, all good.

On Sunday, March 10, 2024 at 12:34:26 PM UTC-4 Bicycle Belle Ding Ding! wrote:

[Kim H.]

@Tom,

Thank-you for your information. I appreciate it. 

Kim Hetzel.

[Michael Morrissey]

Hi Leah,

Your Platypus is going to be amazing. I advocate that you get the Velo Orange steering damper.

However, to install it you are going to need to reroute your cables on the downtube. Here's what you need for that, which allows you to run full length outer housing. I have these for my rear brake on my Rivendell and they work great. As a bonus, you can get cool cable outers in a contrasting color (try Sim Works or Velo Orange for these): 

https://www.amazon.com/ZYAMY-Bicycle-Hydraulic-Housing-Clamps/dp/B095P4GPQZ

The steerstopper is a cool farkle (fancy accessory really kewl likely expensive), but it's a $100 solution to a $10 problem. Try one of these on your front brake lever first as a parking brake:

https://www.amazon.com/Nite-Ize-Original-Reusable-Assorted/dp/B00SHBNE8E/ref=asc_df_B00SHBNE8E/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=198066667628&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15513276014631186794&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9067609&hvtargid=pla-318105899700&psc=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw17qvBhBrEiwA1rU9w2QBemfat-bZ6llmXU4aAVZxoNtAa1OXdctlHdbXqGK7DcyUwTEkvxoC9MkQAvD_BwE

Michael

[John Bokman]

Yeah, but surely this isn't going to solve the problem of the front wheel flopping? Seems like the Steerstopper does solve a legitimate problem. I have no doubt that there are others (maybe less expensive). but how is a rubber band around a brake lever going to stop the wheel from flopping when on a workstand, for example? Or when packing panniers? Or when loading the bike onto a bike rack? Etc.

Respectfully,

John

Portland, OR

[Tom Horton]

I think band on brake levers are just so yr bike won t roll  not to stop flop

I ve also used a few kinds of steering dampers incl velo orange  they do help

But not so well as steer stopper

Peter white has something too but as i recall it s specific to a frame he sells

Sent from my iPhone

On Mar 11, 2024, at 7:01 PM, John Bokman <jpbc...@gmail.com> wrote:

Yeah, but surely this isn't going to solve the problem of the front wheel flopping? Seems like the Steerstopper does solve a legitimate problem. I have no doubt that there are others (maybe less expensive). but how is a rubber band around a brake lever going to stop the wheel from flopping when on a workstand, for example? Or when packing panniers? Or when loading the bike onto a bike rack? Etc.

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[Bill Lindsay]

The best parking brake, in my opinion, is the sturdy velcro leg band off my pants leg.  I have it, and don't need it on my leg, since I'm parking my bike.  When I take off the parking brake it reminds me to put my leg band back on :). 

For steer-stopping, I keep a longer velcro strap connected to each of my two tandems (one HubbuHubbuH, one beater tandem).  When I park the tandem, I route the velcro strap around the down tube and the front wheel and pull it tight.  Now I can lean the machine against the wall or pole or fence and it stays a single rigid object, and prevents the front wheel turning.  It's a good system for that task.  If "parking flop" is the entirety of the problem, that's a $10 solution to "parking flop".  If "riding flop" or "steering flop" is part/all of the problem, a strap won't help you.  

I bought some Stout 650B tires, and strangely each tire came with this curiously nice long velcro strap.  It was too nice to toss, so I looked for a good reason to use it.  It's ~twice as long as a leg band.  

Bill Lindsay

El Cerrito, CA

On Monday, March 11, 2024 at 12:10:56 PM UTC-7 Michael Morrissey wrote:

[Leah Peterson]

Do did anyone get this rack and love it? I got a lot of suggestions about how to stop wheel flop but I didn’t read a lot of reviews of this rack. Anyone else?



I like the Velcro strap idea because it’s easy to take it off me and slap it on the bike. I also think I just have to suffer the annoyance of the front rack one *one* bike. I used to love my Nitto Big Front Rack from my dog carrying days seen here: 

I’m sure I had wheel flop. Did I not notice? Anyway, could one GET a bigger basket? No. And I only had that giant rack so I could take that dog along because he was such a nag. 

Ok, I’ll just put the rack on because I have it and it’s pretty and it’s useful. And then I’ll change my mind all over again and mess up my dyno wiring and come here crying about it. This is the way.

Leah

On Mar 12, 2024, at 4:19 PM, Bill Lindsay <tape...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Johnny Alien]

More dog photos please.

[ian m]

Maybe it will lessen your dyno wiring worries but depending on the light you're running it's really easy to DIY a solution. The Busch and Muller wires are just like speaker wires and you can splice them together with very little effort. The wiring and connectors are available from a few spots like Analog Cycles and you just need to crimp a connector onto a wire. No soldering needed, I don't know how to either. Then you have a quick disconnect and when you decide you have an end result you're happy with you can put a heat shrink tube over the connection and hit it with a lighter to weatherproof the connection. Easy Peasy, really

[lconley]

Like this - includes the optional (free) extension:

Laing

[Jason Fuller]

I think the front end will feel a little less unwieldy with the smaller wheels, even if the technical wheel flop doesn't reflect this. but if it's a concern, my vote is to sell the rack and buy something that is only as big and heavy as you need it to be!  The Simworks Obento is a wonderful option, beautiful and perfect platform size for a 137 basket. 

[Kim H.]

@Laing,

I thank you very for the picture.  I fully understand. 

Kim Hetzel. 

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[Corwin Zechar]

Hi Leah -

Sorry to be late to the party. I did get the Nitto 52f Basket Rack. In fact, I bought two. One is mounted on my Hubbuhubbuh. I have a Wald Racer basket zip tied to the rack. The other is mounted on the Cunningham Hubbuhubbuh. I really love the rack. It swallows massive loads without complaint. I also have a the cargo nets which I use to secure any load I put in the basket rack.

I was somewhat confused looking at your post, since the Nitto 52f is not the rack mounted to your Betty Foy as shown in the photo.

I do not have much of a problem with wheel flop. But this could be because I do not have a kick stand on my Hubbuhubbuh and I never used the kick stand on the Cunningham Hubbuhubbuh. I do not find kick stands helpful and do not mount them on any of my bikes.

Hope this helps,

Regards,

Corwin

[Leah Peterson]

Hi Corwin! Yes, I had a different rack on the Betty, but my point was that I used to have a front rack and it must not have bothered me, so what’s different about the basket rack? I do think the basket rack causes the bars to swing more.  I’ve decided to put it on the purple bike for now, and if I can’t stand the wheel flop or the awkwardness it bestows on the front end, then I’ll pull it. The dyno wires complicate matters and make me handwring. If it weren’t for that, I could merrily go about with my rack experimenting. Maybe I’ll hold off on my dyno until I know for sure.

It’s good to hear a favorable review - I haven’t come across many for this rack.

L

On Mar 22, 2024, at 3:37 PM, Corwin Zechar <cz...@sonic.net> wrote:

Hi Leah -

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