How to fit a rear rack on my bike

[Chris456345234]

I am probably going to buy this battery: http://www.hallomotor.com/2015-latest-48v-20ah-samsung-icr18650-22p-cell-rear-carrier-li-ion-battery-with-flat-aluminium-case-charger-and-bms.html

But I need a rear mount rack. Not sure how this would work. If you look at the image I posted, the holes circled in blue do not go anywhere or even seem threaded. The holes circled in red, are ONLY at the left side of the bike.... Leaving me with only the bolt the holds the wheel to the frame.

And I cannot use one of those types that 'attaches' to the frame, as I got a cable on the right of the back controlling the rear chain shifter.

Seems like the only possible way this would work is if I put on some sort of adapter on the bolt in the yellow circle to reach a rear rack?

Anyone got any suggestion for adapter and rear rack that work good for big batteries like the one I listed?

 

[AussieRider]

G'day Chris. The small holes are breather holes to drain any water / condensation from the frame tubes. The ones on the left side only are mounts for a disk brake caliper. The frame in the pics look like a swing arm to me. You don't want to bolt a rack to a swing arm. If you want a rear rack, you'd have to use one that clamps to the seat post but, with the weight, seat posts have been known to fail. I'm looking forward to what you come up with. Keep us posted mate.

AussieRider

 

[d8veh]

Could you show a picture of the whole of the rear of the frame right up to the seat?

It should be easy to fit a rack, which you can make yourself. You need to drill a hole in the top of each plate at the back of your frame. This should give some idea of how to do it. Basically, you cut some aliminium tube, smash the ends flat, bolt them to the subframe and bolt on a piece of plywood:

 

[dogman dan]

Yes, it's a rear suspension bike, so it needs some kind of special rack, or rack mount. That's one reason they didn't include rack mount points on the frame.

Here is how I do a very strong seat post rack, for a FS bike.

A sturdy seatpost rack to start with, this axiom is very stout, made for panniers. But it can still break or bend the seatpost, so I put on a diagonal brace back to the bottom of the seat post, seat tube.

 

[TotalConfusion]

Many different ways to fit a rack on a full Suspension bike but it depends on your rear triangle set up. Here is a Photo of my full Suspension bike and the link to all my photos for my rack.
Hope this helps as i used a modded Topeak Rear Disk Rack


http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=59067&start=50#p960402

 

[Chris456345234]

Yes this is a full suspension mountain bike: http://endless-sphere.com/forums/download/file.php?id=142855&mode=view

Honestly, sounds like trouble. Would probably be better to just buy a new bike, and use this old one for short distances, winter, or when its raining...

So that being said, any good cheap bike recommendation?

 

[Drunkskunk]

Yes. Craigslist. A Trek 800 series would be nearly ideal for a conversion, and cheap used. Specialized Rockhoppers are another good bike to convert.

No point paying good money for a bike you will be replacing a large part of when you convert, and no point buying a walmart BSO when a real bike can be had for the same money used.

 

[Chris456345234]

edit: Maybe I should just get something like this: http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/ccm-orion-mens-700c-hybrid-bike-0711255p.html#.VRC8SeHW5yg

 

[999zip999]

2nd a older comoly fame is the way to go. Just look at the derailleur, as they don't put good components on a cheap bike.
Comoly steel.

 

[dogman dan]

Yes, if you don't use the Kawasaki bike, make the bike a real upgrade, rather than just another cheap bike without suspension.

It's really easy to do the seatpost rack modification. I'd say just do that first unless you want to really invest in a good bike.

 

[Drunkskunk]

edit: Maybe I should just get something like this: http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/ccm-orion-mens-700c-hybrid-bike-0711255p.html#.VRC8SeHW5yg

Anything you find at a department store or "tire" store isn't going to be a real bicycle. We call those BSO. Bike Shaped Objects. They are primarily designed to separate customers from cash, and look good under the Christmas tree, or next to a kid's birthday cake, then rust away in the back of a garage, never used again.

There are a very few exceptions, but as a general rule, if you find a bike at a department store, it's total junk.

 

[MadRhino]

You can fix a rear rack on a good Alu fender and supported on the dropouts. It is not suspended but very solid. This one does carry my GF once in a while, and it did save a lot of repair protecting the rear in a crash.

 

[cal3thousand]

I had originally wanted a rear rack for my DH bike, but was having issue coming up with a solution I liked and quickly moved on to other projects. I like the shares we got here, so I'm going to put the rack back on the todo list.

Thanks guys!

 

[Chalo]

This conversation makes me remember the Tout Terrain Panamericana. Although that bike is way too expensive for the likes of this crowd, building one like it might suit some of us.

If it weren't for the whole 5000 Euro thing, that would be a pretty worthy base for an e-bike.

 

[rider95]

Just use a seat post rack its cheap very easy to take on or off and you can put the battery in a bike bag along ,with the speed controller then nobody can tell you have a elec bike .

 

[dogman dan]

Plain seatpost rack can work fine if the battery is light enough. I carry an 8 pound battery on an unreinforced rack, but that bike has a much thicker, stronger seat post.

The rig I showed earlier could carry 50 pounds, in the panniers.

 

[Chris456345234]

I do not really have any tools/knowledge/patience to make any advance alternations.

All my life I have purchased 'cheap' ~$200 full suspension 21 speed mountain bikes. They have worked out really well for me. They tend to last me about two years, and this includes lots of usages, using it in the rain, and often using it in the winter with snow. All that for about $100 a year. So with my past good luck with cheap bikes I am tempted to buy the cheapest 26" bike with front shocks and disc break.

like this: http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/schwinn-suspend-mens-26-hardtail-mountain-bike-0711381p.html#.VRdNj-HW5yg

Like Drunkskunk said, not really worth paying lots of money if I will replace several parts.

I also looked at buying a cheaper smaller lighter battery so I can just use a seat post rack, but I find those smaller/weaker battery are way too expensive (when you factor bigger batteries give you better dollar to power ratio + this ratio only gets better when you factor the shipping)

 

[dogman dan]

Not sure how to help you, if drilling a few holes in two short piece of pipe, then drilling two more in the frame is too advanced for you. That cheap bike, it's seat post is not going to support a battery if you use a seatpost rack. Then you'll get to enjoy the experience I had, riding home with no seat, steering with one hand, with the seat, rack, and battery in the other hand.

Enjoy!

What might possibly work, is a steel seat post. Possibly your bike is so cheap it already has one. If not, you might be able to use a steel post, and some beer can shims, and make that work out.