Fitting rear racks to funky frames

There are a few bike frames that, for whatever reason, have their rack mounts in a slightly unusual location (often further forward and higher up). The Kona Unit X, the Surly Karate Monkey and Krampus (and the old Straggler), and the Salsa Fargo all fall into this category. Try to fit a regular rear rack, and you'll find that they sit higher and closer to the saddle than expected. What's the solution? Fit an unconventional rear rack!

Racks that have mounting struts towards the front

Surly Disc Rack

The Surly Disc Rack is specifically designed for Surly bikes that have the rack mounts up the seatstays. It has adjustable legs which help to fine-tune the height for different tyre and wheel sizes. It's made from super-strong cromoly steel, and it's rated to 30kg.

Salsa Alternator Rack

If you've got a Salsa Fargo (or any other Salsa that uses the Alternator dropout system), this is the rack for you. It's also made of cromoly steel, and it's rated to 27kg. It also works well on the Surly and Kona bikes mentioned above.

Racks that attach to the thru axle

The next two racks are able to attach to their own special thru axle, which means they're super strong, and positioned right where you want them - above the rear wheel.

Ortlieb Quick Rack

This is a rack that can easily be removed, which is a bonus, but it's also designed to fit onto a specific thru-axle.

Depending on your wheel and tyre size, you'll either want the Quick Rack L or the Quick Rack XL.

Old Man Mountain Divide Rack

Similar to the Ortlieb Quick Rack, this is an expedition-ready rear rack - when fitted to the thru axle with an Old Man Mountain Fit Kit, the weight rating jumps to 31.75kg!