Audax Mk3 brakes and pannier rack attachments

[jrclimber]

Thanks for replies. Looks to be plenty of room on my large frame to fix on the inside if I get some hex head bolts.

John

[leftpoole]

John, I've just done some empirical testing on my Mk3.

M5x12 hex head screws drop in this way with ease. Allen heads would require a short reach key, but otherwise straight forward.

Jags has done it too, and Macspud's way would also work.

How does it help the OP to say a practical, low cost and neat suggestion is impossible?  

As for design, Andy has given us double ended bosses that will work with the OP's caliper if the second most obvious assembly method is adopted. Hardly a fair criticism to call that a flaw, surely? Should I complain about rack fitment issues and lack of a cable stop  if I chose to fit centre pulls?

Curious
Ian

Hello!
You should read carefully what I wrote.
I wrote that the design has a flaw.........The frame bolt on will work 'correctly' with Shimano brakes ONLY!
By the way I rode a 550 size which accomodated the rack easily.
The Audax 853 which I sold to 'jags' was too small for me. I did not fit a rack.
John

[rualexander]

Here's a photo of my mk3, size 600, the largest they make.
With the brakes I have fitted, the outside of the rack boss is obscured, but I have had a rack on the bike when I did lejog a few years ago, but that was an older Blackburn Expedition rack with the flat stays with the twist towards the end, and it was just possible to fit the rack ok on the outside of the boss without affecting the brake.
It does seem strange to design the boss location as it is, but maybe there's a reason for it.
In any case fitting the stays to the inside faces of the bosses is a perfectly adequate solution to the issue, i would use the long bolt from the outside with a nyloc nut to hold the stays method.

[jags]

lets face it lads  they made a booboo eight of an inch higher and it would be spot on


jags.

[mickeg]

Thanks for replies. Looks to be plenty of room on my large frame to fix on the inside if I get some hex head bolts.

John

Photo is not of a Thorn.  I have mounted racks on several bikes from the inside.  I believe I also ran the rack bolts on my Sherpa for a Tubus Logo EVO on the inside.  Not quick to install when you use Locktite (I use blue Locktite on all rack bolts), but it works.  The bolts from the outsides are spare bolts that I carry, the countersunk one is for shoe cleats.

[Andre Jute]

Photo is not of a Thorn.  I have mounted racks on several bikes from the inside.  I believe I also ran the rack bolts on my Sherpa for a Tubus Logo EVO on the inside.  Not quick to install when you use Locktite (I use blue Locktite on all rack bolts), but it works.  The bolts from the outsides are spare bolts that I carry, the countersunk one is for shoe cleats.

Mick, is that tidy twist in the rack strut your work or OEM? I'm thinking that not everyone would have the tools/knack for doing metalwork like that, and it's in a place where crude work would be seen daily and niggle constantly.

[mickeg]

Mick, is that tidy twist in the rack strut your work or OEM? I'm thinking that not everyone would have the tools/knack for doing metalwork like that, and it's in a place where crude work would be seen daily and niggle constantly.

OEM.  Some racks instead of having a rod attached to the seat stays have used sheet stainless steel.

[doug]

Ian i had the problem side  bolted on the inside ofthe boss and outside on the right side but it looked terrible ,so i found too bolts that fitted perfect on the inside but a lot of fiddling to tighten them up stil i got it done ok.saying that i would much prefair to bolt rack on the outside
btw my brakes are tectro 720 obviously the shimano is better fit.

I've had exactly the same problem and this is the same way I solved it - attaching the rack on the inside, rather than the outside.  Meant I couldn't use an allen key bolt.  Does the job but not ideal having to bend the rack to get a nice fit.  Such is life!