New front rack for ST600

[marknutzman]

It’s a Racktime Topit 2.0. Great fit and finish, feels like a real quality piece of gear.
I wasn’t sure how it would work with my cantis, but they clear the bracket just enough to not be an issue.

I haven’t tried it loaded yet, so we’ll have to wait for the results on that. My next overnighter is in 2 weeks. A rack with a higher load like this is not how this bike was designed, but I never use it fully loaded. I’m a pretty minimalist camper, and 1 or 2 nights out is the most this bike gets used for. I’m usually on gravel or dirt roads, or crushed limestone. No paved road touring for me. As it is, this bike tracks straight all day long with a light load, or unloaded. You can take both hands off the bars and it stays straight as can be. I’ve had other touring bikes that definitely were not the same. My 1984 Trek 620 being a good example. Great bike in great condition, but you could not take your hands off the bars, they would turn immediately. I never rode it fully loaded, so not sure if that would have changed things.

 

[black lightning 1987]

I'm wondering what was so different about the Trek. It only has 57 mm of trail compared to the Cannondale's 55 mm. Both are low enough that low speed flop shouldn't be a problem.

 

[marknutzman]

I'm wondering what was so different about the Trek. It only has 57 mm of trail compared to the Cannondale's 55 mm. Both are low enough that low speed flop shouldn't be a problem.

Yeah it’s a mystery to me too. I could never figure out the problem. The bike rode and handled great otherwise, but the bars were “insta-flop” when you let go. You could lift the bike off the ground, and the bars would flop right away also. I wondered if it had something to do with the Stronglight needle bearing headset. I rebuilt everything on the bike and getting the tension right on the headset was difficult. To get the flop out, the tension was too much.

 

[black lightning 1987]

I've never used front low racks and panniers. Perhaps the low mounted weight would help. I know I've used the Stronglight headsets on a couple of bikes but never noticed a problem with them.