I picked up this Racktime Top-it rack last year. I needed a front rack for a quick trip and it was the first one I found in town (at REI). Thought it'd be a good spot to hold a sleeping bag, tent or other overnight gear.
The Top-it attaches to the mid-fork eyelets, and I was surprised by how high above the tire it sits. Have maybe a little bit of wheel flop, but the Vaya handles well with the rack on. The rack is sturdy, not very heavy and fairly easy to attach. The deck is maybe 10" long.
It sits way too high on me Pugsley N/R:
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| could be some camping in the near future... |
I'm still able to fit a sleeping bag and tent on it, could lash some small stuff sacks on the sides.
I've been looking for a bag to go on top for town/commuting rides, and discovered there aren't a whole lot of top bags for front racks out there. Tons of trunk bags and handlebar bags, but not much specifically for front racks. RackTime sells the
Qubeit to go with the Top-it. They both use their Snap-it attachment system.
It looks huge and has a capacity of 18L or more, should carry a lot of beer or other refreshments. But I'd still like the whole set-up more if it sat a little lower. I think my handlebar light would have trouble peaking over the Qubeit, so I would need to find a different spot for the light.
It could be a good bag for commuting/shopping/day tripping, but I don't know if I'll spend the dough for the Qubeit, or if I'd use it much. Another option is the Ortleib
Trunk Bag that can use the same Snap-It system of the Racktime and has a smaller 8 liter capacity.
The Top-it will work for now, but I'm doing a little research for my next front rack, instead of buying the first one I found at the last minute.
for front bags, check out swift industries. made in seattle by a small crew of really cool people. the bags are spendy, but they're lifers.
ReplyDeletefor front rack that sits lower, you might consider a nitto mini or similar -- and using clamps to get the right spot. did salsa have a rack in mind for those drilled holes on the fork?
thanks, I'll check out swift. looks like the Nitto Mini would fit, and look better. salsa used to make the Minimalist rack that fit those holes - it was recalled in 2012, then they had an improved version, now it's not available. it might've worked with the moonlander fork on the neck romancer.
ReplyDeleteRackTime front racks have become my favorite goto rack. I have 3 I think on different bikes. I did a small custom modification to mount them on the forks using some "L" brackets and hose clamps. That enables you to adjust the height. For a basket I stumbled on the Roto molded cooler tray. Smaller in size and just a few inches in height make for a low profile look. The coated metal frame is about the same diameter of the cable housings on the bike making the look very complimentary overall to the bike. I have a few different cooler trays and change them on occasion.
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