Thorn racks and Ortlieb

[spoon boy]

My sherpa is lovely and with the Thorn expedition racks it looks ready for business

The (Red) Ortliebs have turned up today.. (my bikes red so colour coding was a must...according to my daughter)

Anyway I noticed the size clibs that fit inside the ortlied clips allow a non snug fit

Sure adjusting the position of the clips makes it a bit more secure but I wonder

has anyone used ortliebs on the thorn expedition racks and to ensure a tight close and fit did you put anything on the rack to help?

also what if you did went well and didn't

[freddered]

I have a Blackburn Rack and had to use the inserts. The inserts ake such a snug fit that I have to press the latches closed when I hang the Ortleibs on the rack (ie.  they don't snap shut themselves).

In your case I'd be tempted to wrap some black insulation tape around the rack unless you can get even smaller inserts.

[julk]

Fasten your tent along the top of the rear rack.
It will help stop the rear pannier clips from rattling.

Put small heavy items in the front panniers to better hold them in place and make the bike handle nicer under load.

If you want 8 Tubus black adhesive patches to stick around your racks to pad out the tubes/clips a bit then PM me and include your postal address.

[bobs]

If you use the correct size inserts and adjust the clips so they are hard upagainst the cross bars on the top of the rack there should be no movement.

Bob

[jags]

bob's that's exactly what i done,also on the adjusting clip on the bottom, i made sure it was tight up to the rack so as there was no movement.

[PH]

I find the clip inserts are a real pain, they never seem to be a perfect fit and I've lost a couple.  The older versions didn't have them, you had to change the clips to match the rack, an extra expense but better once done.
What I’ve done is remove the inserts and wrap a bit of insulation tape round the rack tube to get a good fit.  It needs redoing now and then, but it's a quick job.  It has a couple of other advantages - it'll protect the finish on the rack (or the rack itself over 6 years) and it'll always be quiet.

[spoon boy]

Certianly the clips do not make a snug fit with the clips being either a size 8 or 11

I suspect on the thorn expedition racks they would have to be a 9.5

So taking advice from your goodselves the 11's have gone in followed by insulating tape on the rack has made a snuggle fit

along with positioning the clip mechanism as bob has said has seen them a very lovely fit

[vik]

I've ditched the clips on my Ortliebs and used black electrical tape on my racks to get the correct fit.  This has three benefits:

- you'll never loose the tape on tour like you will those pesky clips
- you can swap your Ortliebs to different sized racks without swapping clips
- stops the panniers from wearing the powder coat off your racks and allowing corrosion to start

Is insulation tape in the UK the same as electrical tape in Canada/US?

safe riding,

Vik
www.thelazyrando.com

[spoon boy]

Vik hi

yes the tapes are the same just different names

and agreed the clips work when they do but I have a greater confidennce in the tape

[jags]

spoon boy what about some pic's,

[spoon boy]

Hi Jags...

The weather should be okay tommorow so I will take some pics

Been laid up with the side effects of the yellow fever jabs.. yuk

Although not having posted a photo in here before I'm not sure how to do it

[jags]

ah good stuff spoonboy i'll forward to seeing them ,oh just ask your daughter how to post pic's,well that's what i do when i can nail them down.
so when are you heading off on your epic tour.

[spoon boy]

jags, just posted some pictures on the members gallery section... my camera skills sure need improving