Rack/decaleur and rando box for Rawland, lower fork eyelets only

[Rayne_in_Spokes]

I just picked up this prototype disc brake Rawland Nordavinden, and am trying narrow down what I should choose for a front rack and rando bag! I've got my eyes on an Acorn bag or a Swift, but I don't have any rack or decaleur in mind. My fork has lower eyelets, but not mid fork. What do y'all like for this type of frame?

[unterhausen]

I can't answer your question, but I'm about to make a rack for my All City Macho Man that only has eyelets at the bottom of the fork blades. I have to go search flickr for ideas.

[Rayne_in_Spokes]

That sounds like a super fun project!!

[charliedid]

SOMA or Nitto

How big a bag?

The Rawland folks make a couple racks but might be sold out.

[yetitotheheady]

https://rawlandcycles.com/collections/gear

I have the 1st gen demiporteur and it works great with the swift ozette medium even without a decaleur.

edit: just noticed you only have braze ons for mounting the rack at the fork dropouts. You could source long struts with the rawland rack or nitto marks rack.

[yetitotheheady]

If I were to buy a decaleur I would would take a good look into this one.

http://333fab.com/shop/air-land-sea-swift-industries-paloma-bar-bag-buffalo-plaid-ltd7e-8tf84

[ripvanrando]

Missing eyelets mid-fork adds a constraint to the big box bag. Velo Orange carries a rack the mounts at the fork dropouts and brake bridge. Compass has some nice decaleurs and of course, the ubiquitous Berthoud box.

An cheaper, lighter, and more aerodynamic alternative would be a Swift Paloma; however, it will not fit a whole chicken.

[R3awak3n]

I wouls not put a bag on that bike unless you need to carry a lot of stuff all the time. A burrito bag has enough space for daily trip and this doesnt seem like the sort of bike that you take out on over nights (you can but you can use aoft bags).

I used to always have a rando bag on one of my bikes but notied it was always half empty, now I just use a burrito bag and when I do want to go for an overnight trip I will put the rack/rando bag

Food for thought. Bike looks awesome, so this was a nordavinden with disc prototype? Pretty cool

[palincss]

I can't answer your question, but I'm about to make a rack for my All City Macho Man that only has eyelets at the bottom of the fork blades. I have to go search flickr for ideas.

A rack like this Velo Orange might do the trick:

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2196/9775/products/caa7de354238af662c940c7595019df6.jpg?v=1505391218

[unterhausen]

I built something like that for another bike, and it works fine. The VO itself would be somewhat awkward on my bike because of the location of the eyelets.

The OP asked this same question on facebook, and someone posted something like a Mark's rack with p clamps midway up the fork. I might do that. Or I have a fork that would work on this bike that I can put add braze ons to. Of course, that doesn't help the OP.

[Rayne_in_Spokes]

Those Rawland racks look pretty cool! I'm kinda leaning towards one of those or a Mark's rack.

[Rayne_in_Spokes]

I have a bikepacking friend who's trying to convince me to go with a weld 137 basket with a Swift Sugarloaf basket bag... It's not nearly as rad as a rando box, but setup sure is simpler and it's largely more practical with more options to carry more things. I'm not sold yet, but leaning that way! Or more likely, get that and a rando bag and see which I like more :p

[Rayne_in_Spokes]

And P-clamps for sure. I don't want to mount a rack to my dropouts. How much weight have y'all put on a p-clamp rack before?

[Pastashop]

A rack like this Velo Orange might do the trick:



https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2196/9775/products/caa7de354238af662c940c7595019df6.jpg?v=1505391218



I’ve one of those VO Constructeur front racks — ran it with P clamps, but not using bags on that bike anymore, so I can sell. LMK.

[unterhausen]

And P-clamps for sure. I don't want to mount a rack to my dropouts. How much weight have y'all put on a p-clamp rack before?

I'm really not sure about the p-clamp solution. The person that suggested it on facebook has apparently been using it for a while though. You don't really want to overload a rando front rack. If you do, a porteur style rack is a better idea.

[Rayne_in_Spokes]

I ended up setting it up basketpacking style for now! I used a Wald 139 basket mounted mid fork with p-clamps, with a Swift Sugarloaf basket bag, and a 1990's lumbar pack securely strapped to the front.

First ride was a 90 mile jaunt on northern colorado gravel/dirt roads, which are currently pretty rutted and washboarded. The rack didn't so much as creak the entire time, and the bag/lumbar pack combo along with the stash space between the basket and the Swift bag provided more easy to access pockets and organization than I could dream of.

Part of me wants to capture the romance of a traditional rando rack and bag, but for this type of riding it seems the basket setup might be more ideal.

I'll just have to get another bike, a more traditional randonneur to set up with a rando rack!