I copied Grant's Uber-Mark-mod

[William]

I saw Grants 58cm Hilsen on my last visit to RBWHQ.  His Marks rack sported double struts.  It was such a simple and obvious enhancement to the one and in my opinion only glaring weakness of the Mark's rack.  I rummaged around, and found the perfect bits.  I didn't even have to trim the extra struts.  Total win.  The second pair of strut mounting bolts and carriage washers came with the Marks Rack.  The struts I used came with my Nitto Big Rear rack. 

Pictures prove its mo' betta. 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/45758191@N04/7274105900/in/photostream
http://www.flickr.com/photos/45758191@N04/7274106730/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/45758191@N04/7274105004/in/photostream/

[Aaron Thomas]

Just curious: why does 2 make it mo' betta than with one? I have a Mark's rack on my Bleriot and I've never felt that one set of struts was insufficient. What can two sets accomplish that one cannot? Please help me understand, because to me it seems like a solution in search of a problem. 

[William]

Two is a ton stiffer if you lug real weight on it. Push down hard on the platform and you'll see the steel diving board flex. Mine has bent from riding a few thousand miles with a medium sized handlebar bag. The second strut makes it a real triangle.

[Aaron Thomas]

Interesting. I guess I've never loaded it heavy enough to have any adverse effect. I'll keep your/Grant's trick in mind in the event that I do.

[Jeffrey]

This is very cool! I have a Mark's rack with the smaller Wald basket
that Riv offers that holds my small Sackville bag. I don't have a boss
on the fork and use the crimps on the fork. When I load the bag with
heavy groceries that basket moves quite a bit an upsets the steering.
I was thinking of getting a longer strut to attach to the front fork
axle stays for stability, and this tells me that may solve the problem
if I keep the other strut in place. So I don't think this is a
"problem looking for a solution" but maybe others have had a similar
issue.

[William]

I'm telling you the difference in stiffness is substantial.  

[ted]

If you want to avoid the p clamps you could also use all long struts
and do basically the same thing Grant did but using the dropout
eyelets instead of the mid fork fitting.

[Peter Morgano]

Must not make stiffness joke, must restrain myself.....must not be italian from brooklyn......argh

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