British Eagle Touristique low rider rack attachments.

[Marshall55]

Could anyone advise on low rider rack attachment points for a mid 80's British Eagle Touristique (531st).

I have original mid 80's Blackburn low rider racks that need attaching to the forks at three points, one at the drop-out eye and the other two at mid-way up the fork.

The original fork only has an outside attachment point (threaded bolt) on each side....no inner attachment points. I'm wondering if it would be best to get inner fork attachments (threads) inserted or have a braze-on on the front of each fork, which would actually be right next to the original outer threaded set-up !

Just trying to keep the bike in the mid 80's theme, don't want clamp on or modern racks.

Any advice greatly appreciated....before I strip the bike down for rebuild.

 

[hamster]

The reason that people went to the third attachment point on the inside was to stop the rack from rotating around the fork under vibration. Any contact between the trailing edge of the pannier and the wheel had predictably dire results, usually folding up the forks as well as the rider's face...

Probably the simplest solution is to make a tie-bar for the front of the racks to go over the wheel (just like the Blackburn design for forks without braze-ons). Some 10mm alloy tube from B&Q should do the job.

 

[Marshall55]

Thanks for the information and suggestion, I had tried it out with the racks anchored at just two points....and within ten miles or so one of them did start to rotate towards the spokes !

I'll try and locate the Blackburn design for forks without braze-ons and have a think about it, I just don't want to use "modern" bulky ugly clamps on the forks.

 

[hamster]

Tubus Tara don't require the extra hole and have a front loop.

 

[Marshall55]

Thanks for that, I'm not an expert in this field....but will it "go" with a mid 80's theme ?

 

[hamster]

For touring stuff I prefer what works!

 

[barry2017]

If you want to an eighties look to your tourer, you probably wouldn't have a lowrider rack on the front.

 

[pigman]

If you want to an eighties look to your tourer, you probably wouldn't have a lowrider rack on the front.

I saw them in the freewheel (now Madison) catalogue early 80's - poss late 70's?

 

[Marshall55]

I don't have a catalogue....but I'm sure they've been around since at least the early 80's !

 

[barry2017]

Maybe they did exist, but the non-lowrider ones were more common.

Personally, I think they look nicer too. Not as stable, but still very useful.