Ortlieb Fast Rack Assessment – BIKEPACKING.com

It by no means actually occurred to me how a lot of a ache within the ass it’s to put in and uninstall a rear rack till I commonly did so on a current journey in Oaxaca, Mexico. We have been dwelling there for a month and constantly switching between bikepacking mode and a “as gentle as humanly doable” setup for notably climby afternoon rides simply north of town within the foothills of the Sierra Norte. Virginia had the Tumbleweed Mini-Pannier Rack, and I had the Tailfin Aeropack. Threading 4 bolts isn’t that large of a deal, but it surely’s notably annoying when you notice that each one you need to do is flick two levers on the dropouts and press a button on the quick-release seatpost clamp to unhook the Tailfin. Voila. Pop it on or off anytime. It’s equally as helpful for purchasing duties.

Ortlieb clearly got here to the identical conclusion after they created the Fast Rack, integrating a two-part quick-release system right into a minimal pannier rack. In line with Ortlieb, this happened when founder Hartmut Ortlieb wished an easier-to-change resolution for his each day work commute. For these unaware, this wasn’t Ortlieb’s first rack. In 2015, they collaborated with Tubus on a chromoly rack known as the Minimal. They later scrapped that and made their very own alloy racks known as the R1 and R3, which later in 2018 turned Rack 1 and Rack 3. Lately, they provide the Rack 3, Fast Rack, and Fast Rack Gentle, which is analogous to this rack however with out the highest platform—made for simply panniers.

Transferring Elements

The crux of the Fast Rack is the lever-actuated launch clamp on every foot. As an alternative of bolting in place, they hook onto specifically designed lower-mount rack pegs. These small, T-shaped cylindrical plastic pegs thread into the decrease rack mounts on the dropouts utilizing extra-long M5 bolts. They’re pretty minimal, to allow them to be left on the bike with out getting in the best way or imposing any form of weight penalty. For those who don’t have decrease rack mounts, you need to use the Seat Keep Adapter equipment to put in the pegs, though I haven’t tried it—the picture under is from Neil’s video evaluation, which yow will discover on the backside of the put up.

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The hook levers are created from what appears to be a sturdy injection-molded plastic or nylon composite materials. Every is fixed to an aluminum plate on the base of the rack with a metal riveted pin, permitting it to rotate and hook the rack peg to retain it inside the U-shaped cutout on the plate. There’s a small bump within the lever that aligns with one of many holes within the plate to offer a passable snap when it’s rotated in place.

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All informed, it feels fairly safe, and I haven’t had any points with rattling or loosening. I could be slightly nervous in regards to the integrity of the rivet on a rugged multi-month journey, however contemplating the sturdiness of different Ortlieb merchandise I’ve used through the years, I wouldn’t be overly involved. Plus, within the occasion that it did break, I might all the time simply bolt the rack on utilizing one of many holes within the decrease plate. That being stated, I would contemplate carrying a spare rack mount peg bolt on an extended journey; a crash might bend one in all them and a spare can be good to have readily available.

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The second a part of the attachment system is a bit more advanced and has just a few added elements. There’s a two-piece plastic meeting that’s molded from the identical sort of plastic because the rack peg levers. This encapsulates an inside bushing that clasps the entrance of the rack platform. The bushing is there to offer a versatile hinge and permit rotational motion, which Ortlieb claims can work with a full-squish bike. I haven’t tried that but, however Neil did, and he talks about it slightly bit within the video on the backside of this evaluation. There are two-nut-and bolt assemblies that maintain the 2 elements in place and in addition function a clamp for the only aluminum strut. It’s value including that Ortlieb contains two struts in case you need to reduce one to size, which I did.

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On the opposite finish of the strut is one other plastic meeting that includes an adjustable-length strap to wrap and tighten to the seatpost utilizing a rotating cam lever. This entire system appeared slightly clunky at first look, however after utilizing it, I discovered that it really works fairly nicely and appears equally as sturdy and dependable. It’s additionally dropper-post pleasant, which is a plus in my e-book. There’s nothing that looks like it might or would break within the seaport strap system, and it’s comparatively easy to put in and take away. That being stated, if a part of it did fail, it could be tough to restore on the highway, though doable with slightly MacGyver-esque considering.

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Fast Rack Set Up

The Ortlieb Fast Rack is fairly simple to arrange, though the seatpost strap mechanism feels slightly clunky at first and will take slightly trial and error to regulate the strap to the suitable size. I discovered that it’s fairly vital to have the suitable tightness so it doesn’t slide up the put up and needed to modify it slightly after the primary trip. Neil had the identical expertise along with his Fast Rack. The opposite trick is the strut. When it’s angled down, it’s greatest to chop it to the suitable size to keep away from it being too near the rear tire. Neil selected to bend his in a desk vice to keep away from having to chop it, however I reduce one in all them to size because it comes with two. Neil’s resolution is healthier if you wish to change between bikes, however take note of the situation of the bend so the flat space can freely slide within the clamp.

Tubing and Tire Clearance

The rack itself is pretty easy and is product of 11mm aluminum tubing (10.7 to be actual) and has a comparatively small 10 x 28cm (4 x 11”) platform. The platform is sufficient for lashing on a dry bag, however while you begin including in a number of objects just like the medley proven in a number of of those images (a camp chair, tent poles, and a Tenkara rod), it will get slightly cramped. By comparability, the Tumbleweed Mini-Pannier Rack has a 14.0 x 31.8cm (5.5 x 12.5”) platform.

The Ortlieb Fast Rack has a intelligent design that options two units of pannier rails: the highest platform rail and angled decrease rails. When mounted within the decrease place, it tilts the pannier rearward to permit further heel clearance. This can be a good contact not just for the sake of area, but additionally as a result of it strikes the load decrease. I used the Fast Rack on a number of events and switched from having the panniers mounted to the highest rail to the decrease one, and it features nicely both manner.

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Ortlieb claims the Fast Rack has clearance for tires as much as 29 x 2.35”. I don’t actually get this declare, nonetheless. In line with my measurements, it could possibly simply match tires as much as 29 x 2.6”, with room to spare. I’d additionally wager that it could have loads of area for a 29 x 3.0” tire. There are two caveats. One could possibly be pannier clamps affixed to the decrease rail. They might encumber the clearance, relying on how giant and hulking they’re. Second, vertical clearance might fluctuate relying on the situation of your bike’s rack mounts. Observe in the principle picture that the strut and plastic clamp aren’t too distant from the highest of the tire. This shall be completely different with all bikes and must be thought of. For reference, the vertical measurement between the middle of the rack peg clamp and the underside of the platform rails is 35.6 cm (14”).

Ortlieb Fast Rack vs. Different Racks

Though the Ortlieb Fast Rack is totally completely different from the Tailfin Aeropack (or Tailfin Alloy Rack), it’s arduous to keep away from drawing a comparability between the 2. They each use a lever-release mechanism for the rack ft and a strap mechanism on the seatpost. The 2 QR mechanisms on the Taifin Aeropack are a bit extra subtle, in my view. The decrease levers have a locking pin and are far more intricate. It additionally requires a specially-designed axle that has pegs protruding outward. This has one benefit in that it forgoes the necessity for rack mounts or an adapter equipment. The Tailfin’s seatpost clamp can also be a bit extra elaborate because it has a spring-loaded locking button.

Nonetheless, the Fast Rack system appears very sturdy and easy, and at 100 bucks, it’s one-third the value of the bottom mannequin Tailfin rack. And even then you definately’re locked into the Tailfin vary of baggage and equipment, whereas the Ortlieb Fast-Rack can work with any drybag, straps, and panniers. Disclaimer: these are the Tailfin 10-liter Mini Panniers utilized in these images.

It’s value including that the Tailfin is about the identical weight because the Fast Rack, which you’ll be able to see under within the comparability chart of weights, costs, and cargo limits (taken from our Index of Rear Bike Racks). Observe that the Fast Rack is the least costly of those comparable racks, and virtually the lightest—bested solely by the Tubus Vega.

Load, Limits, and Sturdiness

The Ortlieb Fast Rack has a most payload of 15 kilograms (33 kilos). I loaded it up with fairly a little bit of stuff on a few events and bounced down loads of tough trails on a inflexible bike. It by no means felt unfastened or wobbly and doesn’t really feel any completely different from most different racks. On one overnighter, I rigged it with about 9 kilos (4.1 kilograms) value of substances, together with two 10-liter panniers filled with fly fishing gear, wading booties, spare clothes, greens, tortillas, and a tallboy can of beer, plus a camp chair, tent poles, and a Tenkara rod strapped to the platform. This was so much for me, and I didn’t have any points with motion.

I can’t think about hauling 33 kilos of substances on any rack, ever, so I can’t declare to have examined the Fast Rack to its full capability. I additionally haven’t put 1000’s of miles on it but. Nonetheless, my impression to date is that it’s fairly sturdy, even for extra rugged off-road use. Nonetheless, like most racks, I’d conclude that it’s in all probability greatest suited to comparatively gentle masses as much as half its restrict on the chunky tough stuff.

• Mannequin/Dimension Examined: Ortlieb Fast Rack
• Precise Weight: 569 grams
• Place of Manufacture: Germany
• Worth: $100 at Ortlieb
• Producer’s Particulars: Ortlieb.com

Ortlieb Fast Rack Assessment Video

Neil Beltchenko was concurrently testing the Ortlieb Fast Rack and put collectively a 10-minute video evaluation on our YouTube channel:

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