Nitto R14 bent, bummer, warranty?

[Brent Eastman]

Hey y'all,

I bought a brand new R14 rack for $175 from my local shop almost three years ago. I use it exclusively to support a Sackville Saddlebag, or my skateboard, never both at the same time. I've never had an issue in three years, which makes the following really frustrating/annoying.

Last week I strapped my skateboard and added my Kryptonite U Lock to the top of the R14, rode around town, rode home in the dark, and found it bent in the morning. The long struts have a slight bend, the rack itself has a droopy bend, and the tabs at the frontmost strut mounting point are also bent, so the short struts that were once level with the top platform are now pointed down.

I weighed my lock, skateboard, and two voile straps at 8lbs exactly. This rack is rated to 9KG on BlueLug and Crust's site. That's just under 20lbs.

TWO QUESTIONS: 

Has anyone ever tried to get a warranty replacement of a nitto product? My shop kinda said, not after a year, would they offer to ask for one from their distro. :-/

Has anyone successfully realigned a bent rack/struts and had it hold strong without going back to it's bent/saggy state? I have a bike camp planned in 2 weeks and don't wanna risk it relapsing on that ride, though my saddlebag is just the right height to barely float atop the r14.

[Nick Payne]

You can buy the rack struts as spare parts. I did that a while ago when I moved one of those racks from a bike with 26" wheels to an Appaloosa with 622 wheels, and as I'd shortened the struts on the 26" bike so that they didn't protrude past the rack top, they were no longer long enough to clear the rear wheel on the Appaloosa.

But I've never considered that rack as one that should have much weight on it, particularly not if you have the weight towards the front of the rack. I just use it under saddlebags to stabilise them and prevent them sagging onto the wheel.

Nick Payne

[Brenton Eastman]

I straightened everything out and will try using it again. I get what Nick is saying, that the front is the weak spot. I can keep my skateboard strapped further towards the back, and I’ll find a better spot for my lock. I’ll report back after I take the bike+board out again. 

On Jul 29, 2024, at 7:05 PM, Nick Payne <njh...@gmail.com> wrote:



You can buy the rack struts as spare parts. I did that a while ago when I moved one of those racks from a bike with 26" wheels to an Appaloosa with 622 wheels, and as I'd shortened the struts on the 26" bike so that they didn't protrude past the rack top, they were no longer long enough to clear the rear wheel on the Appaloosa.

But I've never considered that rack as one that should have much weight on it, particularly not if you have the weight towards the front of the rack. I just use it under saddlebags to stabilise them and prevent them sagging onto the wheel.

Nick Payne

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[Mackenzy Albright]

One time I hit a bit of sagging telecom line on a bike path that was obscured in the sun. It had detached partially from a garage. 
I got clothes-lined off my bike and the bike slid into a curve bending my custom stainless porteur rack with a wald basket. I was able to cold set the struts and straighten the platform within an acceptable margin. It held up fine - it was never quite as *square*. I also had my fav local shop check over the bike post crash for any structural issues which fortunately everything was A Ok. (Me too minus a slight concussion and black eye) 

Replacement struts aren't that expensive either, if you have a shop that deals with nitto or a reason to order from riv/bluelug. I think it'd be fine as a bag support. Given it's steel it shouldn't catastrophically fail. I do regularly inspect my bikes though. 

[Bill Lindsay]

The subject line asks: Warranty or Bummer?

I think this is in the "bummer" category.  It's not defective, you just bent it.  Bend it back and keep using it.  Use your judgement on how to load it moving forward.  Things that bend long before they break are a good thing.  

Bill Lindsay

El Cerrito, CA