GT ZUM 4.0 + Topeak Super Tourist "universal" Rack

randomspam
randomspam Posts: 17
edited September 2008 in Commuting chat
Hello,

I'm after some advive and hopefully a solution with any luck.

I have a GT ZUM 4.0 and a have bought not only a topeak MTX trunk bag but also a Topeak Super Tourist DXP "one size fits all" rear rack. I wen to fit it today to find

a) i'm very stupid
b) it won't fit

One of the above is a certainty, can you help disprove the other?

I have the eyelets on the frame near where the fram crosses the seatpost that will hold the rack on the horizontal plane but I can't find 2 in a suitable place on the frame near the gears. I can see one on the right side of the bike that would possibly fit but even then there is no corresponding one on the other side.

I bought them both online, over the last 6 weeks from 2 different retailers so sending them back is not going to be to easy, I'd rather get it to work.

I shall attempt to upload some pics that may help depict it.

Cheers
Rs

Comments

  • randomspam
    randomspam Posts: 17
    Hopefully this will help, and yes I know the bike is incredibly grimey :oops:

    Right Side
    P1020464_resize.JPG

    Left Side
    P1020467_resize.JPG

    Rack
    P1020468_resize.JPG
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    will not fit as you do not have rack eyelets. you may be able to bodge something with some P clips.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • lost_in_thought
    lost_in_thought Posts: 10,563
    I would go for the p-clip option, they make life easier :)

    I use them, well, used them and will use them again, and they don't affect the load-bearing or anything. Make sure you get the ones with plastic sleeves, otherwise they'll damage your paint.
    FCN 7/1
    Viner Maxima, Tifosi CK7, Giant Bowery, Old commuter.
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    The eyelet you do have is part of the disc brake mount. Probably the best rack mount in your situation is the Tubus Quick Release Skewer set, with a Tubus Logo rack - it makes for a very solid fixing.

    Adapter%20for%20QR%20mounting.jpg

    Good quality rubber sleeved p-clips can be bought from Stagonset
  • Aidanw
    Aidanw Posts: 449
    I would use p-clip rather than the skewers, They look like they would make changing a puncture (even more of) a pain.

    evenses does em for a couple of quid

    http://www.evanscycles.com/products/tor ... paign=awin
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    Aidanw wrote:
    I would use p-clip rather than the skewers, They look like they would make changing a puncture (even more of) a pain.

    evenses does em for a couple of quid

    http://www.evanscycles.com/products/tor ... paign=awin
    Yes it is a little more effort (but not much) to get the wheel off, but they offer a much more secure fixing than p-clips. This may not be relevant if only light loads are used, but I have had p-clips fail on tour.
  • lost_in_thought
    lost_in_thought Posts: 10,563
    alfablue wrote:
    Aidanw wrote:
    I would use p-clip rather than the skewers, They look like they would make changing a puncture (even more of) a pain.

    evenses does em for a couple of quid

    http://www.evanscycles.com/products/tor ... paign=awin
    Yes it is a little more effort (but not much) to get the wheel off, but they offer a much more secure fixing than p-clips. This may not be relevant if only light loads are used, but I have had p-clips fail on tour.

    Not wanting to be rude or imply that I don't believe you for one second alfa, but just wanted to say that I've used p-clipped pannier racks for years, carrying large loads (cases of beer in my student days:)) and never had them fail on me.
    FCN 7/1
    Viner Maxima, Tifosi CK7, Giant Bowery, Old commuter.
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    lost_in_thought wrote:
    alfablue wrote:
    Aidanw wrote:
    I would use p-clip rather than the skewers, They look like they would make changing a puncture (even more of) a pain.

    evenses does em for a couple of quid

    http://www.evanscycles.com/products/tor ... paign=awin
    Yes it is a little more effort (but not much) to get the wheel off, but they offer a much more secure fixing than p-clips. This may not be relevant if only light loads are used, but I have had p-clips fail on tour.

    Not wanting to be rude or imply that I don't believe you for one second alfa, but just wanted to say that I've used p-clipped pannier racks for years, carrying large loads (cases of beer in my student days:)) and never had them fail on me.
    No, I don't take that as rudeness, luck of the draw I guess. I am very cautious by nature, and I had one fail on a particularly bumpy, fast descent whilst touring in Ireland, I managed not to lose the bike from under me (just) but the pannier came off. I managed a fix with zip ties till I got to civilisation. A freak occurrence maybe, but now I take a more cautious approach. I guess most of the time p-clips will be fine.
  • randomspam
    randomspam Posts: 17
    thank you all for your help, it seems there might be a solution afterall which is great to know!

    Is this a pretty everyday item, I could just walk in to Evans in Liverpool Street and buy them?
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    randomspam
    the P clips? any plumbers merchant or bike shop that deals with panniers. It is a common fix.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • randomspam
    randomspam Posts: 17
    well I got 2 sets of p-clips, some 16mm and some 22m but i'm not the wiser I can find any possible way to attach it. I assume I'm supposed to bind a leg of the rack to a support on the bike using the p-clip? Is that right?

    There isn't anything remotely close on either side for me to do that with, i'm getting really narked with it now, and i'm worried i've wasted £60 for a bag and rack that just won't work with my bike.

    I know you suggested the Tubus Skewer Set as well alfablue, I'm just worried about waisting even more cash and not getting it sorted.
  • Aidanw
    Aidanw Posts: 449
    The p-clip goes around your frame, and the rack is held through the bolt hole on the rack and p-clip.

    The p-clip simulates the braze on which usually has the hole you bolt a rack too.

    Same thing up by the brakes, you may find you can only fit an arm on one side, depending on where the brakes go. This is fine, but does reduce the maximum you should carry on the rack.

    Is that a bit clearer?

    Nil desperandum :D
  • lost_in_thought
    lost_in_thought Posts: 10,563
    It's not too hard, exactly as Aidanw says... You also need bolts, most bike shops should sell the bolts with the clips...

    Just put the clips around your forks, 2 near the cassette, and 2 at the top of the fork, then you need to line up the holes in the rack with the holes in the clip, and bolt the rack to the clip.

    I have attached the rack to my bike with the clips now, the ones I got were too small so had to bodge it a bit but will try to take a photo and see if I can upload it onto here so you can see exactly what we're on about!
    FCN 7/1
    Viner Maxima, Tifosi CK7, Giant Bowery, Old commuter.
  • randomspam
    randomspam Posts: 17
    Thanks aidanw, that's pretty much how i understood it, the trouple is where the rack eyelets would sit is around the quick release for the cassette and there is nothing close enough on the frame that I can see close enough to bind the p-clips too.

    Lost_in_thought, that sounds a bit more possible, providing that putting the clips furtehr up the forks doesn't mean the rack is then to close to my seat? If you could post a pic that would be very helpful I think.

    Cheers
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    randomspam wrote:
    Thanks aidanw, that's pretty much how i understood it, the trouple is where the rack eyelets would sit is around the quick release for the cassette and there is nothing close enough on the frame that I can see close enough to bind the p-clips too.Cheers
    This is why the quick-release skewer should work, given the design and angle of your seat stay I can see a p-clip solution is going to be difficult if not impossible.
  • lost_in_thought
    lost_in_thought Posts: 10,563
    Unfortunately I can't post from work...

    I don't quite understand the problem you're having - maybe post a pic of the rack in relation to the rear forks and where it would end up so we can see what you're talking about!

    The lower 2 clips should be placed as close to the bottom of the forks as possible...
    FCN 7/1
    Viner Maxima, Tifosi CK7, Giant Bowery, Old commuter.
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    I think the problem is on his right-side seat stay, the picture shows a complex design to the lower seatstay, possibly the only place for a p-clip is immediately below the gear cable stop (and it might interfere too much) or above the gear cable stop (too high up and too near the seat tube?).


    zum.jpg
  • lost_in_thought
    lost_in_thought Posts: 10,563
    OK, that bit's called a seat-stay, is it? :) :oops:

    If you put the clip below the gear cable stop, and do it so the hole is below the seat-stay with the thinnest part on the upper side beneath the gear cable you should be OK, I wouldn't imagine it will interfere too much.

    I think it will interfere more if you put it above the cable stop...
    FCN 7/1
    Viner Maxima, Tifosi CK7, Giant Bowery, Old commuter.
  • randomspam
    randomspam Posts: 17
    sorry for the delay, just wanted to say thanks for all the help I managed to attach it with P clips in the end, 1 hour of wrangling in the fading light paid off. If you see the small triangle shaped hole towards the apex in that pic then that's where I managed to fit it, i've checked and there is no chance of interference with the chainset.

    What a relief to have the weight of my back!

    Thank you all :)
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    Hey, well done random - perseverance!

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