Sometimes there can be much confusion on what type of add-ons your bike can handle. When adding items like a bike rack, or attaching a bike trailer, it’s sometimes difficult to see which parts are going to be best suited for your bike. Here are some helpful hints to decipher what parts will fit when customizing your bike.
Nutted Axle/Solid Rear Axle
–This style axle is solid, so it requires nuts to tighten down the rear wheel. This style is less convenient when changing a tire, but gives you better insurance when you’re away from your bike so that your wheels won’t get snatched. Many bicycle trailers use hitch systems which attach to this part of the bike. BOB Trailers offer the BOB Nutz for nutted axles, and Burley trailers offers the Forged Hitch which is compatible with both quick release and nutted axle.
Quick Release
–Most bikes use the quick release system. This style axle is not solid, and allows a quick release to slide through for easy mounting and removal of your rear tire. The BOB trailers include the BOB quick release for trailer mounting. BOB also offers other quick releases for Tandem bikes with 145 mm spacing and with Santana spacing (160 mm). Burley, Chariot, and Croozer trailers all utilize a similar hitch system, and are compatible with both quick release and nutted axles.
Breezer Style Dropouts
–Most bikes have dropouts which are flat on each side. Breezer style dropouts are usually found on new, high-end bikes or custom bikes, and are purely for aesthetic purposes. These dropouts have a lip that protrudes out a little bit and shields the nuts or quick release. The standard Burley hitches are not compatible with the Breezer dropouts. Burley offers Alternative Hitches for either quick releases or nutted axles.
Front Mounting Eyelets
–You can use the front mounting eyelets to mount either a front rack or a front fender. For bikes without this feature, Old Man Mountain Racks offers front racks like the Cold Springs Front Rack, OMM Sherpa Front Rack and OMM Ultimate Lowrider Rack which utilize mounting at the quick release instead of at the front eyelets.
Mid-fork Mounting Eyelets
–Many bikes can utilize the front mid-fork mounting eyelets to mount a fender, a rack, or both. Tubus Ergo Front Rack and Tara racks utilize these holes for mounting. If you frame doesn’t have mid-fork eyelets, don’t fret, Tubus offers a Mid Fork Eyelet Mounting set for adapting these racks to your bike.
Rear Mounting Eyelets
–The rear mounting eyelets are useful in mounting rear racks or fenders. OMM rear racks like the White Rock and Red Rock use these eyelets for mounting. For frames without these mounting eyelets, OMM has rear racks like the Cold Springs Rear Rack and Sherpa Rear Rack which use a quick release for the lower mounting. Tubus also offers an alternative to lower mounting with a Quick Release Adapter Mounting Set.
Brake Mounting
-When attaching the upper portion of your rack to you bike, the brakes can be used as an attachment point. Many OMM racks use this style of attachment for mounting racks. Tubus tends to utilize mounting of rear racks to upper mounting eyelets near the rear brakes which are part of the frame. For bikes without these features, the Tubus Seat Stay Mounts can be used for securing the upper portion of the rear rack. Brake mounting can also be used for front racks. OMM has front racks which also use the brake mounting. Other front racks like Tubus racks and the OMM Lowrider racks use the Mid-Fork eyelets for the top attachment.
Seat Stay Eyelets/Braze-Ons
-The Seat Stay Eyelets or Braze-ons are used for mounting the upper stays for a rack. If you do not have the seat stay mounting location you can use either the Tubus Seat Stay Mounts or the Old Man Mountain Band Clamps.