# Who makes Porteur style racks?



## chumbox (Jan 9, 2008)

I know of the Velo Orange model. Does anyone else make/sell something similar?


----------



## dfltroll (Nov 3, 2005)

this is what you want:

http://www.passstow.com/


----------



## rodar y rodar (Jul 21, 2006)

Nowhere near as pretty, but equally sturdy and much more affordable:
www.cetmaracks.com

Side note about porter packs- I built one for my commuter and I like it pretty well, but it does have some downsides. The corners stick way out and my daily comute involves comming to kind of a rolling trackstand and "wagging" myself through a narrow gate. Sometimes I hit the gate posts with those sticky outy corners. I also need to watch them carefully around parking lots, etc so I don`t accidentally key somebody`s paint. And although the rack itself is very stout, I can`t really carry more than about 15# easilly because the hadling goes to doodooland. When I first installed the rack, I rode home from the feed store with a 50# bag of rabbit pellets and decided to leave that kind of stuff for the BOB. 
Just so you know.


----------



## maelgwn (Dec 18, 2008)

Do you have a large trail touring or porteur fork, or just a normal one? Roadie/mtb?

How does it affect handling? How noticeable is it below 15 pounds and then how bad is it over that magic number?


----------



## rodar y rodar (Jul 21, 2006)

Maelgwn, you`re asking me? Mine is on a rigid mtb- just a plain ol` beefy unicrown fork that I stuck some lowrider mounts in. With my regular commuting load (say from five to ten pounds), I don`t notice anything. Two twelve packs is fine. Between that and the big bag of rabbit pellets, I really can`t say- I did it once when the setup was new, mostly as a trial, since then I haven`t had more than about ten pounds (really shouldn`t have said fifteen the first time- thinking more about it, ten would be a better estimate). With fifty pounds, I had terrible low speed (up to walking speed) "wandering" and a lot of wheelflop. It got considerably better at about 10 to 15 MPH, and that`s as fast as I got up to with the big load. My guess is that handling issues would start at whatever point and grow proportionately with the weight rather than start suddenly at X lb, but I never felt the urge to experiment since I have other methods of carrying big crap. My shelf sits 1 3/4 inches above the tire (26 x 1.5) and the center is about 7 1/2 inches in front of the steering axis. Here`s a side view to give you an idea how it`s arranged.


----------



## umarth (Dec 5, 2007)

I am going to second the idea of the cetma rack, even if I don't have one. For me they are made locally and they look to be great racks. If you are typically not carrying much or anything on them, get the three bar rack to avoid rodar y rodar's width problems. You can always zip tie a wire basket on it to accommodate something larger. I personally use a messenger bag- I've carried bicycles in that thing and then when I only have work clothes and lunch I'm not stuck with slow steering on my road bike. To each their own though- I don't have a utility bike yet.


----------



## rodar y rodar (Jul 21, 2006)

Probably way out of the range you`re looking to spend (serious Duckies), but anybody interrested in porteur racks might like looking here:
http://antbikemike.wordpress.com/cargo-bike/
http://www.bilenky.com/prod42.html
There were quite a few English and German bikes built along the same idea, if I`m not mistaken.


----------



## NormanF (Mar 15, 2007)

Dutch manufacturer Steco does. David Hembrow offers two front porteur racks. I have them installed on my Peugeot porteur bike and Pashley Guvnor roadster.


----------



## Fat Bob (Mar 5, 2004)

Small start up, not sure how his prices are compared to the big boys.


----------



## rodar y rodar (Jul 21, 2006)

Fat Bob said:


> Small start up, not sure how his prices are compared to the big boys.


Interresting ideas, but the website doesn`t look like he`s trying very hard to sell the stuff. How did you run into that site?


----------



## lancekagar (Jan 4, 2008)

Hey all. I've been away from the internets for a while and just discovered this thread. Thanks for the kind words, Umarth.


----------



## BrianMc (Jan 5, 2010)

I built my own rack patterned after the Cetma ones. I like the straight forward, no nonsense aspect. The Rack Lady's works of rack art at Banjo bikes also resonate and are something I wish I could afford.


----------



## lancekagar (Jan 4, 2008)

Just finished this one last week.


----------



## kapusta (Jan 17, 2004)

rodar y rodar said:


> Nowhere near as pretty, but equally sturdy and much more affordable:
> www.cetmaracks.com
> .


Nice looking racks, and I do really like running a front rack, but the "_Four Compelling Reasons to Use a Front Rack_" list on the Cetma Racks site is pure fail.


----------

