DIY adding struts to stiffen a flexible rack

[Clark Fitzgerald]

With basic tools (hacksaw, file, drill) you can add clamp on struts to make a rack stiffer. I added two additional supports to stiffen up a Soma Demi Porteur Rack so that I could carry a larger load.

Background

I've been taking my Atlantis out on more overnights, and I want to go on some multi day backcountry trips where I need to pack a heavier load, so I installed a Wald basket. The big Wald basket makes it so easy to pack, and it's versatile enough that I can leave it on my bike all the time.

The problem was that my front rack was very flexible left to right, and I didn't feel comfortable using it off road with a larger load. I could twist it laterally with my hand up and down at least a half inch. This flexibility comes from the minimal design: two long thin aluminum tubes extend from the front of the rack to the mid fork blade eyelet. There's no triangulation to prevent this lateral movement.

The Soma rack claims it's rated to 10 kg, but it's much more flexible than a little Riv Mark's Rack, that has a conservatively low 2 kg rating. I also have a Pass and Stow rack and some Tubus racks, which are far stiffer.

[Clark Fitzgerald]

Solution

I cut down some Wald basket supports to attach to the low rider pannier mounts and clamp to the outermost part of the rack. Cut them to size, hammer them flat at the end, drill the holes, and clean them up with a file or grinder. I've also used flat aluminum from the hardware store.

This photo shows the triangulation that comes from the new outer struts. The original struts are just outside the brake arms.

Top view also shows the outward support.

In this view of the basket you can see where I cut out some of the wires to make space for the clamps, and the tombstone of the rack. My goal was to position the basket as close to the head tube as possible for better handling.

The result is rock solid, it's a night and day difference from the original. You could probably use a similar technique to repair a broken rack.

[Mathissu]

Clever!  Well done.