Although Bill makes sensible suggestions (belt and suspenders), I don't predict the second calamity happening with a Nitto M12.
The lower mounts of the M12 end in thick horizontal plates that slide over your brake post (not likely to pivot) and the upper mount of the M12 is a solid steel bolt that goes into the brake hole on your fork (not very fragile). I really like the M12, and I feel that it should be more sturdy and load-capable than the other Nitto mini front racks, since it has no moveable parts. However, I've never loaded my M12 very heavily nor mounted a basket. So far, mine has only held a Small Trunksack with a load of tools and sundries. And I have heard of M12 failures on other forums, but I've never seen one to determine how/where the rack broke. Back to the thread topic (baskets on mini racks), I had a Mark's rack / small Wald basket combo on my Rivendell Road/650b (along with moustache bars), and I definitely overloaded it a couple times. I carried several beers (12 glass bottles, 16 pint cans) and also overloaded it with camping stuff. The basket never bent and the Mark's rack was secure. But, I didn't like how the bike handled with a loaded basket (wheel flop). Also, I didn't like the moustache bars for long touring days (can't get low/forward out of the wind). I actually traded the moustache bars, dirt drop stem, and brake levers toward a rando bag from David Banzer (Treetop designs). Now, I have that Treetop rando bag on my Mark's rack (with long stays to the dropout eyelets), and the handling is a bit better. There is still noticeable wheel flop, but I think this setup is more secure. Running the stays to the dropouts removed any side sway from the p-clamps, and the rando bag is attached in three places (VO decaleur, tombstone strap, and bottom strap). Plus, the rando bag is very easy to use. Now I know why that design is so favored by brevet riders. Eventually, I'd like to try the rando bag on a low trail fork, but I haven't yet. Cheers, Tim On Wed, Jun 15, 2016 at 3:33 PM, Bill Lindsay <tapebu...@gmail.com> wrote: > There are at least two reasons to add a strap. One is for load support. > I think Grant and Keven have both been fans of this. If you imagine an > arbitrarily heavy load in a basket you imagine the basket and rack bending > down and away from the handlebars. Run an Irish strap from the front edge > of the basket to the bars and pull it tight. However tight you pulled it, > that's the quantity of force you are unloading from the rack. It couldn't > hurt. > > The second reason is catastrophe prevention. Riv has seen a few different > events where the rack has worked loose, pivoted forward into the tire, and > caused the front wheel to lock up, throwing the rider down-on-ground, > headfirst and fast. So, run an Irish strap to the rack that will limit > it's ability to pivot forward if it becomes detached up top. For me, > that's through the tombstone. It couldn't hurt. > > In all cases try not to do dumb stuff. > > On Wednesday, June 15, 2016 at 12:56:18 PM UTC-7, David Banzer wrote: >> >> With the M12, I'd stick to the smaller basket, and even with that use >> straps to handlebar for full loads. >> David >> Chicago >> >> On Wednesday, June 15, 2016 at 1:58:40 PM UTC-5, Minh wrote: >>> >>> Hi all, thanks for the input, pretty much what i figured (mostly >>> intuition, common sense). i do have a platrack in the mix--and i never >>> thought of using the top without the struts, may try that. i should have >>> stated that my main question is around the canti-stud mount M12 (which is >>> not platrack compatible, otherwise i'd just do that). anyone want to >>> change their answer with this in mind? >>> >>> as far as the weight 'limits' i would be really surprised if people >>> stuck to these as they are quite low (4.4lbs for the mark's/mini front?), >>> i'm sure that i exceed this everytime i take it out. on my platrack >>> equiped rack i've done a car battery, a watermelon, but most times it's >>> just too much groceries. >>> >>> On Wednesday, June 15, 2016 at 9:26:54 AM UTC-4, Lungimsam wrote: >>>> >>>> And make sure you know the weight limit of your rack. >>> >>> -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "RBW Owners Bunch" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. > Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
