Adventure Cyclist - Adventure Cycling Association: "Pannier racks are a bit like septic tanks. We tend to ignore them unless they mess up, at which point their deficiencies rule our lives. Most of us use our racks without any problem, and we take them for granted. But some
cyclotourists have had racks that fail, racks that wobble under normal loads, or racks that weren’t made to hold the stuff we want, where we want it. It’s easy to avoid these problems, so I’ll explain how."
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RACKS YOU CAN BUY
Axiom - Canada’s Axiom offers front racks, rear racks, $30 racks, $200 racks, suspension-compatible, no-rackmounts- needed, aluminum, stainless steel, and, yes, carbon fiber! Lifetime guarantee.
Blackburn (800-456-2355) Five models of aluminum rear racks with lifetime warranties. The Blackburn Lowrider is no longer offered.
Bruce Gordon (707-762-5601) Exceptionally sturdy chromoly steel tubing front and rear racks from $165 to $209.
Delta (800-474-6615) Front racks, $45 to $50, mount on suspension or non-suspension forks. Rear racks for light-duty use, for hardtail bikes with disc brakes, and for loaded touring, $20 to $35.
Headland Cycling Equipment (800-683-2925). Racks made for Headland by Old Man Mountain, $90 (front) and $95 (rear). Conventional rear rack, $50.
Jandd (760-597-9030) Aluminum rear racks, $40 to $73; front racks $53 to $73. Lifetime warranty.
Nitto (sold through Rivendell at www.rivbike.com, 800-345-3918) Different
styles of durable chromoly front ($60 to $135) and rear racks ($80 to $135) that can handle both light and expedition touring.
Old Man Mountain (888-439-6445) Disc-brake- and suspension-compatible front and rear racks made from aircraft-grade aluminum. From $45 to $145. Lifetime warranty.
Performance (800-727-2433) Aluminum front and rear TransIt racks, $30 each.
Robert Beckman Designs ( 541-388-5146) Very high quality, handbuilt, adjustable chromoly steel front and rear racks.
Surly - Offers height-adjustable, extremely sturdy chromoly front and rear racks.
Topeak - Ten models of heavy-duty aluminum rear racks, including models compatible with disc brakes.
Tubus (800-649-1763) Everything from front suspension compatible racks, to low-mount front racks, to rear racks ranging from the minimalist 11-ounce, $110 Fly to the heavy-duty $121, 22-ounce Cargo with its eye-popping 88-pound weight capacity
