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  Topeak Explorer Bike Rack By: Topeak Average Rating: 4.5 Total Reviews: 73 More Information Just what I needed  On: 2010-03-20This fit my Cypress DX Womens bike with 700c wheels well. It is light and easy to install. The forward extensions are easy to bend to fit the bikes frame. I have not purchased a bag to fit the slide-in and clip feature yet, but the grocery panniers I purchased fit well.Sunlite C-Sport Grocery Getter Bicycle Pannier Bag Great commuting rack On: 2010-03-19I got this rack over the holidays and have not been disappointed. I have it mounted on my hybrid, which I use as a daily commuter. I paired the rack with the MTX-compatible Topeak DXP rack trunk w/ fold-out panniers, and dont have any regrets. It allows me to carry everything I need for work (change of clothes, lunch, etc.) w/o all the sweat and weight on my back from a backpack. I hope to do some overnight/weekend camping touring with this rack this summer as well. Suggestion: If you dont have braze-ons on your seat stays or the geometry of your bike doesnt allow the rack to attach properly to the seat stays (like mine), you can get a seat post collar/adapter to connect the rack with. Bike Rack  On: 2010-03-06I purchased this item an was very satsfied with the quality it was very well built. It was what I expected. The only problem I encountered was that all of the hardware was metric which was not compatable with my bicycle. Great slide in and click design On: 2010-01-29This Topeak Rear Bike Rack uses their patented slide and click design. Match this up with a Topeak rear bike trunk, and youll be delighted at how easy it is to attach and remove your trunk. This rack also works well with side panniers that are both seperate or integrated into the Topeak trunk. A real sturdy rack... works great on a TREK On: 2009-12-02This rack is used in conjuction with a TOPEAK bag and works as advertised. The installation on a TREK 7200 was relatively glitch free. It is very sturdy & we are pleased. nice rack! On: 2009-11-27I purchased two of these racks for our Motebecane "comfort" bikes. They installed very easily and look great! Also, bought the Topeak bags that slide and lock on. They are a great addition to our bikes and will allow us to take stuff with us on our rides, bring more home too! Recommend getting bike fenders if you like to ride year round. Excellent quality, easy install On: 2009-11-01Ive had this item installed on my Trek 7.5 FX for about a month now and havent put too many miles on the bike, maybe 50-60 but all over tough broken concrete in an urban environment. The rack has held up great. I also bought one of the Topeak bags that slide onto this rack and its really high quality, a great value for the price! Easy to install, works perfectly On: 2009-11-01I had never installed a bike rack and wasnt sure if this would fit on the bike. The rack easily installed on my girlfriends female mountain bike. It feels very sturdy and well built and is as good looking as can be expected for a rack. Ive seen cheaper ones on here but id say this one is a good value for the quality. A good rack, but I didn't appreciate having to buy more hardware. On: 2009-10-26Like another reviewer I had to deal with the situation of having to drill out the holes in the rack for 6mm screws (which I had to buy myself) in order to mount it on my bike. So this must be a fairly common occurence, which prevents me from giving the rack 5 stars -- as it does seem to be a very solid and durable rack. Anyway I came up with this scale regarding the installation process based on ones mechanical inclination. For someone whos very handy with tools and not intimidated by having to customize an installation -- no sweat whatsover. For someone like me who knows how to use tools but doesnt like unforeseen problems -- doable with a fair amount of cussing and swearing and maybe a beer or two along the way. For someone who doesnt know the difference between a straight slot and phillips head screw driver -- put back in the box and arrange for a return before even trying. decent bike rack On: 2009-10-05relatively easy to install but would be better if it came with straps or other bungie type cord for carrying items Exactly what I wanted On: 2009-09-24I was looking for a rack for my road bike and though this rack is a "mountain" series, it works just fine. Not the least bit worried about it giving out or any future problems. The bag that its designed to work with has a snug fit, yet is very easy to take on and off. Excellent Rack On: 2009-09-18I purchased this rack for a Giant Cypress DX. I already had a Topeak QR V-type beam rack, but it would not fit the seat stem of the Cypress. This rack fit perfectly with minor adjustments to the stainless attach brackets. The rack seems very well built considering it weighs very little. I already had the MTX bag from the old rack. I am completely satisfied with the quality and price of this product and would recommend it to anyone looking for a quality product at a great price. Chuck Turner 5mm Screws, 6mm Sockets On: 2009-09-16I bought this to add to a brand-new Currie Traliz Enlightened electric bike. When I tried to install it in the ready-made threaded sockets on the bike frame, I discovered that the 5mm screws were too small. The sockets are 6mm. So I got some 6mm screws, but then had to drill out two holes on the frame of the rack to accommodate the larger screws. This worked, but Im a bit worried that the rack might be weakened. I dont know how many bikes are using 6mm threaded sockets, but I know theres at least one. Other than this wrinkle, the rack works fine and Im pleased with it. EXCELLENT! On: 2009-09-14This rack is awesome! It installed in just a few minutes and is very sturdy. I also purchased the Wald 582 baskets for my bike and they mounted perfectly on this rack and bike. It is very strong and looks great! I put this on a cruiser bike that I got from Walmart and I also put a 2 stroke engine on it and it looks fantastic. Dont worry about any negative reviews that you may see about this rack, just order it and I promise you that you will love it. If you can screw in a light bulb you can install this. A good rack, but I had to grapple with two issues On: 2009-09-13The rack is well made, light, and the MTX system makes it very easy to slide MTX compatible attachments (baskets, bags) on and off. I ran into two issues, though I suspect they are specific to my Jamis Aurora Elite. 1. There is too much metal around the holes at the bottom through which the mounting bolts pass, and it consequently interferes with the frame - I had to file it down till it fit snugly. This may make it a bit weaker, but not enough to make it dangerous. On a bicycle with larger clearances, this would not be an issue. 2. The arms that attach the top of the rack to the bicycle front had to be bent to align them with the mounting holes on the bicycle. All said and done, though, its a good rack at a reasonable price. Great rack! On: 2009-09-12I love this rack! The only downside was that it was very difficult to attach to my bike because those two metal pieces in the front need to be bent (or at least did for my bike.) It is very sturdy and fits all Topeak products very well. I would recommend this rack over any others. Good and sturdy On: 2009-09-03This rack, with a little bending and an extra pair of hands, was easy to install and is very sturdy. good rack, MTX is cool, but there are better if you don't need MTX  On: 2009-09-01If you need a rack for your bike, this appears to be a decent rack. However, I honestly have to say that its not quite as nice as my old Bontrager "Back Rack 2" that this one is replacing. Lets start with the good: - STURDY. My old rack only had two vertical supports, this one has three. Feels much more substantial. Thats bad if youre a weight weenie, but good if you want to carry stuff and feel secure that its not going anywhere. - MTX track system is awesome. This is the whole reason that I got this rack, so that I could use a Topeak trunk bag. This is also one of those good/bad things however, as the Topeak trunk bag forces you to use the Topeak rack - there are no attachments on the Topeak trunk bag at all other than the MTX rail (if they still included velcro tie-downs, you could strap it to *any* rack, which would be nice if you had more than one bike, wanted to loan it to a friend, etc.) I havent actually used it yet (so Im holding off on reviewing the bag) but it was highly recommended by someone who uses it every day and I was so impressed with his that I had to get my own - both because it looked sturdy and useful and also because you can literally remove it in seconds and just carry it with you, rather than leave your tools, spare tube, pump, etc. out on your bike when you lock it up somewhere. Trek/Bontrager has their own similar system, and I was tempted to go that route and keep my old rack, but reviews of the security of the attachment were not as good as of the Topeak, and just the bag alone cost as much as buying the Topeak bag and rack together. Also I was unable to find a store that sold the Trek bags, while several stores near me sell Topeak. - a nice byproduct of the MTX dovetail mount is that it covers your rear tire somewhat, so if you dont have fenders, itll still catch some of the road debris that would otherwise be flung onto your back even without a trunk bag. But then theres the bad: - no height adjustment, which my old Bontrager rack had. This would be nice to be able to "tune out" slight heel strike if you happen to have panniers that are a little too long/far forward for your particular bike/rack/pannier setup. If you have a touring frame this is probably not going to be an issue for you, but if you have a road bike that you just want to put a rack on, it may be a problem. - screws and washers provided appear to be plated steel, not stainless. Theyre stamped "9.8" which means that theyre high strength - this is good, but I hope the plating is good too. Rust = bad. - Only comes with one pair of straps to mount to your seat stay braze ons. And theyre LONG. Im either going to have to whack these down or just make my own out of some thick stainless sheet. I dont really need that long bit of steel hanging out over my rear tire not doing anything useful. - Lower mounting points are really chunky - good for strength, but they interfere with the heads of the screws that mount the derailleur hanger to the dropout, so I am going to have to get some more 5mm washers to space them out slightly so that they can be fully tightened down. Obviously I have not yet mounted the rack on my bike, only test fit it to see what Im going to have to buy/make to make it work. If you dont have a bolt-on derailleur hanger this wont be of concern to you. - because of the lack of height adjustment, Im going to have to put a really interesting bend in the straps to clear the straddle wire for my rear cantilevers (or again, just make my own) If it were height adjustable, I could just raise it another half inch, but... - taillight mount for a standard two bolt taillight is nice, which my old rack didnt have - it just used a single bolt for a reflector. However, you can get an adapter from Peter White for less than four bucks to convert the single bolt reflector mount to a taillight mount, and the Bontrager rack has tubing that overhangs the taillight to keep it from getting beat up. The Topeak rack on the other hand hangs the taillight mount way out in back with no protection, and in fact when the rack arrived the taillight mount was already slightly bent. It bent back OK and the powdercoat held so no real worries, but Ill have to be more careful not to knock it into things. So in short - if you want to use the MTX system, you need to get this rack (or other Topeak rack.) However, if you arent mechanically inclined, you may want to just buy it from your local bike store instead and have them deal with fiddling with it. If you arent buying MTX bags and dont think you will in the future, and just want a light duty rack, Id actually recommend the Bontrager Back Rack 2 instead. Thats the only rack Ive seen with adjustable height and it can really solve some problems. Im hoping that Ill like the MTX feature enough that I wont regret not keeping my old rack and buying a universal trunk bag instead. Good rack On: 2009-08-29Fairly easy to install. Only buy it if you plan to buy a Topeak bag as well. Great Rack On: 2009-08-27Easy to install. Very durable. Works marvelous withTopeak MTX Trunk Bag DX. Good value. Not for bikes with disc brakes  On: 2009-07-17The only reason I am giving this a 1 is so hopefully people see that this only fits bike frames that do NOT have disc brakes. Unfortunately, this is not listed in the description of the product, it only states "fits all bike frames." However, amazon does sell the disc brake version of this bike rack, and I did a simple return through amazon to get the disc brake version, which fit perfectly onto my Cannondale. Great product, amazon just needs to update the product description. Not for all bike types On: 2009-07-13I wish I had noticed I needed a certain type of bicycle. I have a Trek mountain bike, and I am going to have to go to a bike shop to get something to mount this to my seat - otherwise it will not work. Sturdy and easy to use! On: 2009-07-12I looked for quite a little bit at the various bike racks available before finally deciding on this one. I had wanted a seat post mounted rack at first, so that I knew it would fit properly without frame modification or much trouble. After looking around for a while, I came to the conclusion that all the available seat post racks were much more susceptible to being stolen and load shifting. I eventually reluctantly made the purchase, and hoped for the best. After I got the rack, I was pleased - and somewhat amazed - to learn my bike (Trek 4700 Mountain Bike) had pre-threaded holes to which I could attach a rack such as this. After that, installation was virtually a snap. Only one thing took more than an allen wrench and a little time to install. One of the curved support tubes near the bottom of the rack was preventing installation because of a mount used for optional disc brakes. It was a simple fix, however. If you simply remove the rubber end cap and remove about half of an inch of the tubing from the problem spot with a hacksaw, you can put the cap back on and it will fit perfectly. It does look a bit odd if you know to look for it, but I found it a small price to pay for such an excellent rack. For anyone who may be interested, I bought this with a Topeak MTX Trunk Bag EXP Bicycle Trunk Bag with Rigid Molded Panels, and they work perfectly together. And excellent trunk bag (and panniers!) for an excellent rack. The bag slides and locks into place on the rack, and doesnt move or vibrate like other mount types can. Bad Fit for Trek 4300 MTB On: 2009-07-11This rack was a pain to install on my Trek 4300 mountain bike. I needed to go to the hardware store and find a metal piece that wrapped around my bike seat post that the metal bars (on the left most part of the picture) could screw into and hold the rack in place. Otherwise once its installed, its a sturdy rack and works well with Topeak bags that slide into a locked position. Good fit for a Schwinn On: 2009-07-08Installed this rack on my old Schwinn. My Schwinn has two bottom mounting options, and the lower option allowed the top brackets to align perfectly with the bolts on the center tube. I did not have to bend any brackets to install. Installation took about 15-20 minutes. Planet Bike tail light mount (purchased seperately) aligned perfectly with bracket on rack. I had two options here as well and chose the lower position to keep the tail light out of the way when using the rack. The rack appears quite sturdy and good for my moderate needs as I do not plan on exceeding 20lbs of weight. Ive attached photos at "Customer Images". This is a great product, with one reservation On: 2009-07-06I now have two racks, one on my bike, one on the wifes. We use these with the bag with fold out panniers. The only proble is that the silver seat stay supports have to be bent to fit the bike. Both of my bikes have a seat stay spread that is too wide, so I just use one support that has been bent a bit to fit my frame. Not a big deal as that support doesnt carry the main load. Great Bike Rack On: 2009-07-04Durable, strrong, and a graet companion with the TOPEAK bags. A must have for bringing goodies along the ride. good On: 2009-06-25Its good, not heavy. You might have to spend some time to assemble it, but its not that much. motorcycle use On: 2009-06-12This is wonderful as a motorcycle rack. I had to adjust some things, but it works great and is much cheaper than the racks made for motorcycles. Great sturdy rack On: 2009-05-27I ordered 2...one for my bike and one for my husband. My Schwinn had pre-drilled holes for this rack and installed in minutes. My husbands bike did not, so he bent and attached it to the seat post. Very sturdy. Very good; not perfect On: 2009-05-17I received the rack scratched in 3 places, with the rear reflector hanger thingy a little bent. It came in an oversized box, which had some punctures, with a bunch of plastic air bubble thingys. Amazon refunded me 20%, which was 5% less than what would have made me happy, but it was a reasonable accommodation and saved both of us the hassle and expense of a return and replacement. Some days later, I found the same rack at REI with the reflector thingy bent just about the same way. As for the rack itself, it BARELY fits horizontally on my 700C-wheeled hybrid, even with the rather long attachment thingys in front extended to the max. I like the double pigtails at the bottom of the supports, because they comfortably accommodate plenty of bungee hooks. I carry four bungees on the rack at all times for whatever I may need to haul, and single piggys are inadequate for the task. I also like the 50-55 pound load rating. I have previously bent another rack with a heavy load. I would like to have the rack length increased or extendable by 3-6", to about the rear edge of the rear tire, to allow for larger loads. Also, having the front lip flattenable and extendable would provide a more stable platform for longer loads. I have carried everything from an 8 foot Christmas tree to a folded massage table on my racks, so I need optimal rack flexibility. A rack and panniers can help turn a bike into a station wagon, and I wouldnt be without one. I also wouldnt be without the solid middle platform, which acts as a fairly good water fender for rain and puddles and doubtless adds structural strength. Again, longer would be better for fending. I agonized over the spring-top version, because I like the idea of being able to pin something down easily. I decided against, due to added weight, limited size of pinnable objects, and duplication of function by bungees. And somebody said they rattle, though the bungees might prevent that. A more durable paint job would be nice; bikes and their accessories can take a beating. Decent price; lightweight; took quite a while to install without much previous practice, so allow plenty of time. Didnt buy the slide-on rack bag, so cant comment, except to say it would be good to have a selection of sizes. Thats about it. easy install On: 2009-05-12I had this installed on my bike in 2 minutes. Very sturdy, and fits my MTX trunkbag perfectly! Installed easily on a Trek 7200 hybrid On: 2009-05-02Topeak Explorer Bike Rack installed without any problems on my Trek 7200 - I used the bolts on the bike wherever possible. The rack has a mount for rear tail light - which worked well with my CatEye tail safety light using the belt clip. Installation was easy and the results look sharp. Good rack, fair instructions, poor support! On: 2009-04-29All in all, the rack seems sturdy although I havent tested it with any significant weight yet. I bought this rack for a Trek 7200 which was outfitted with pre-tapped seat post screw holes. Other reviewers were correct about having to bend the supports that attach to the frame by the seat post. You will need a 5MM allen wrench, a 5/16 closed end wrench, and probably a 4MM allen wrench depending on your bike frame. I did experience problems, mostly because I have fenders/mud guards also mounted on my bike. The bottom hole, where my fenders were also attached near the rear wheel, needed a longer socket head cap screw than what was supplied. When I tried to contact Topeak about the problem, I was redirected to a website called Todson. This was a huge pain because you have to create an account with a user name and password. Unfortunately, this site never recognizes your password no matter how many times you attempt to fix or change it. So, try to contact Topeak by phone. Good luck on trying to do that because their website has no address or phone information. I scoured the Internet and finally found someone that posted it (800-213-4561, M-F 9-5 EST). I also found that the light brackets they include to mount your light on the back of the rack do not have hardware to install them with. I called Topeak and asked about some additional hardware but was told that I should talk with my local bike shop or Home Depot. I found socket head cap screws to mount the rack but have not found the right length screw for the rear light bracket. I also bought an MTX bag to use with this rack and it fits very well. Time will tell whether the effort has been a good investment. Normal installations should take about 15 minutes. Mine took about 20 after I found the right hardware. Perfect! On: 2009-04-21This rack fit perfectly on my 09 Kona Honky Tonk in about 15 minutes. This rack is very sturdy and looks nice too! Good value On: 2009-04-19For the money, this is a good rack that adds very little weight to the bike. I only just installed mine, so cant comment yet on the usability. The installation wasnt as foolproof as indicated - the description says it fits all bikes which I guess is true. Unfortunately, I had to do more than making a simple bend in the aluminum straps. The installation holes on my bike were much farther apart than they come out from on the rack, so I had to make several additional bends to make them work. Good solid product On: 2009-04-01This rack is light and solid in construction. Have been using it to commute for 6 month now. Very happy with it. Good quallity rack On: 2009-03-28Ive purchased two racks from Amazon. This one, and the Sunlite Bicycle Welded Spring Rear Rack, Black. They are both the same price to within just a few cents. For the money, I think I would rather have ordered the Sunlite rack again. The Sunlite rack has an adjustable height to accommodate different size wheels, has a nice spring clamp for holding down small items, and a longer rack length by about 2.5 inches. It also has sturdier attachment arms, although the directions for attaching those arms are not very clear and taking some figuring out.... once they are secured properly, they are fine. So that is my comparison. The good points about this Topeak is very lightweight, simple mounting instructions, and good quality hardware. I did not like that I had to physically bend the arms to make it line up with frames mounting area. Topeak Explorer Bike Rack On: 2009-03-10My Topeak Bike Rack arrived in a timely fashion and was quick and easy to install. It appears to be extremely versatile with all the available attachments. I added the Topeak Basket to carry our elderly dog along on bike rides. I would recommend it to anyone. Solid Rack On: 2009-02-18I commute 2-3 times a week, 24 miles round trip. I have two of these racks (one for each bike) and I love em. Very solid rack, easy to install and remove and has a solid flat area that acts as a mud flap even when youre not carrying a bag. I havent purchased a compatiable Topeak bag yet (I just use a Rigid toolbag with bungees) but can imagine that it would be the ideal setup. Even without a topeak bag, its a great rack and works much better than my former technique (backpack). Back light attachment On: 2009-02-08The thing I like best about this rack -- I have one I have been using daily for 2 years -- is the back light attachment. I bent one side of the attachment back and was able to screw on the attachment part that comes standard with most back lights now -- Without, of course, the part that is supposed to go around the seat post. Nice Rack On: 2009-01-30Nice Rack, easy to mount, looks good and is sturdy and light. Im very happy with it Great rack On: 2009-01-27Rack is extreamly stable. I mounted 2 Wald grocery baskets on the sides and also purchased a Topeak bag that slides and locks on the track of the rack. What a great system. Ken V Not exactly one-size-fits-all On: 2009-01-25The rack itself is high quality and works well with the MTX quick release trunk bag. The 2 extension arms werent quite long enough to give a level fit, so the rack has about a 10° tilt towards the seat. great rear rack On: 2009-01-14This is a great rack and works well with with Topeak bags that just slide on & off. The rack is well made and looks good Very sturdy good looking rack On: 2009-01-06I bought this for my 1990 Trek 970 and it mounts so perfectly its like it was made for that particular bike. The rack is very well constructed from thick walled aluminum tubing and seems to have a very tough finish on it, most likely a powder coat. Making it strong, lightweight and good looking. It comes complete with all the screws needed to mount it to the bike as well as additional brackets for after market reflectors and lights. I also bought the Topeak MTX Trunk Bag EX to go with this rack since it attaches directly to the rack with Topeaks rail mounting system. A sweet system that is very convenient. Considering this rack was about 30% less expensive than similar racks at my LBS, I consider this quality item a very good deal. quality and fit On: 2008-12-02Pros:solidly made and quality finish. fits well and looks great on bike. easy to install. Cons: mounting brackets too short for wifes Tek Navigator. Had to mount onto seating post. Added to new bike On: 2008-11-19I was looking for something to put on a new hybrid bike I had purchased and this carrier worked well. Since it is winter where I live have not been out much on the bike but it was easy to install and seems quite functional. I would recommend it as a low cost and functional addition to any bike used for pleasure riding. Probably not so good for the Tour de France. Easy to install, works great! On: 2008-10-27This rack is great! It was easy to install on mine and the wifes Trek bikes. The bending of the metal arms that hold the upper portion of the rack to the bike was not that hard. The Topeak sliding system for trunks and other carring options, baskets etc. is by far the best Ive ever seen for varity. The price at Amazon was the lowest Ive found too. The racks are going to be used with the Topeaks trunk with the fold down panniers for short motel touring in N Texas. Already they have been very handy. The rack is solid and quiet on the bike. Lightweight too. Dont get the one with the spring clamp, its heavier and noiser from what Ive read. One of the tube supports broke on it On: 2008-10-20I use my rack to hold about 30 pounds of lead acid batteries and after about a year the one of the rear support posts broke in half. So much for the weight limit. Got it! On: 2008-10-09I bought this rack from REI at a better price. They mailed it via USPS, arrived very quickly. You need this first for the function of a rear fender/mud gaurd. Afterwards, you can think how to lash all your stuff to it or, fashion some kind of crate on it. Rack Review On: 2008-10-06Excellent rack. Came with all hardware required and good instructions. Was also delivered in a timely fashion. Great Pack Rack On: 2008-08-19This is my 4th rack I carry 2 planners and a trunk bag on top. When I go to the food stores they ask me are you going to carry all this on your bike ? I carry a lot of weight on this rack. Some times I take trips 45 miles about 4hrs. Up and down hills I have had not one squeak or rattle! It is truly made to carry what ever I have put on it! (My cad.bike I purchased on this site, great bike Also because it has double wall rims so I can carry more than most bikes) For me I would give this Rack 5 Wheels out of 5 Great Bike Rack On: 2008-08-10This rack fits and looks great on my bike. It doesnt rattle or get in the way, and is light enough so that I hardly know its there. The instructions were a bit basic, but then its only a bike rack. I think it took me about 20 minutes to install. Works great on my bike On: 2008-08-01I was very worried about the rack not fitting my mountain bike, cuz i imagined I had a larger bike than other people writing reviews. Im 510 and my bike fits me fine, and the rack fits the bike. i needed a few basic tools that i already had, and it was easy. 15 min installation. Tools that I used to install On: 2008-07-04The other reviewers really cover the quality of this product. The installation was a snap. The hardest part was bending the support arms to exactly the right angle, but even that wasnt difficult at all. Im glad that I had 5MM allen wrench, a 5/16 crescent wrench, and two pair of pliers (to bend the support arms). If your bike already has the threaded holes on the arms below the seat post and on the fork by the back tire you shouldnt have any problem at all. Topeak Explorer Bike Rack On: 2008-06-16I recently purchased an entry-level Schwinn bike to ride to work and to run errands in the face of $4 a gallon gas. I bought this rack because I liked the idea of the bags that slide and lock into place. It took about half an hour to install this rack on my bike. My seat post was pre-tapped but at an odd angle, so I had to bend the silver brackets slightly. Once attached it is solid, I have been riding about ten miles a day for the past week with it and I harldy notice it is there. I have not tested the 55 pound weight limit yet but I bought one of the smaller bags with no panniers. This is a great everyday rack, especially for this novice. incomplete? On: 2008-06-11My rating is not of Topeak - their products are fine. But I did not receive from Amazon what I expected. See the photo, with the silver hardware pictured at the front - that hardware attaches the rack to your cycle. Not included in the parcel from Amazon. The same holds for machine screws and washers. The only thing in the box - see the photo, what is in black is what you get. If you need to use it the next day, get yourself some extenders to connect it to your seat, and four machine screws. Topeak Explorer Bike Rack On: 2008-06-08The bike rack is excellent and fits very nicely with my bike. The rack arrived within promised ship date, in a good box and no damage. Would purchase from store again. TOPEAK EXPLORER RACK On: 2008-05-17I RECEIVED THIS RACK VERY QUICKLY. THE MOUNTING HOLES ON MY FRAME, NEAR THE REAR SPROCKET WERE ONE METRIC SIZE LARGER. AFTER GETTING 2 SIZE 6 METRIC BOLTS, THE RACK WAS EASY TO INSTALL. IT WAS NECESSARY TO DRILL OUT THE HOLES ON THE RACK FOR THE LARGER BOLTS. THE FRONT SUPPORTS FIT PERFECTLY. THE RACK FITS VERY SOLIDLY. Topeak Explorere Rear Rack On: 2008-05-16A great value! Detailed directions. No extra parts - dont drop any of those tiny washers. I was lucky - my bicycle has threaded attachment points. If yours does not, be prepared to make a trip or 2 to the hardware store. Also, the rack does not come with an Allen Wrench. Hopefully you have a set of Allen Wrenches on hand. Best Rack On: 2008-05-15I bought this rack along with the MTX basket and RX Trunk Bag EX. I love the versatility. You can change attachments with a quick slide and snap. Sturdy, Perfect Fit On: 2008-04-25This rack fit right on to my Trek 4500 frame with existing bolt locations. Rack is sturdy and works great. I typically use it with the Topeak MTX Trunk Bag DXP -- clicks right into place. Although I havent yet used the rack with standard rear panniers (non-Topeak products that hook or clip along the top and bottom), the rack is designed in such a way that it should theoretically support these. Very happy with the rack, will probably pick up a second for a second bike (a Trek 3700 -- will fit directly on this bike as well). back rack On: 2008-04-21I give 5 stars for the usability of this product, it comes in very handy and goes well with the bike rack I got. However it took a little longer than 3 minutes to install, you have to make sure to have the right tools. Great rack but check your bike first On: 2008-02-19I love this rack. Sturdy as all heck once installed properly. Unfortunately I didnt realize the rack was made for bikes with seat stays which my Trek didnt have. After a couple of trips to the local outdoor store, I finally stopped by a proper bike shop and picked up a Blackburn Monostay Rack Adapter. It took me nearly an hour to get everything properly installed but once installed the rack didnt move. I use this rack with a Topeak DX bag (with panniers). The bag has QuickTrack and is super-sturdy on this rack. Highly recommended. Fantastic Rack! On: 2007-11-12Use this in conjunction with MTX bags. It has lips on either side of the center platform to accept and hold the plastic bottoms of the MTX Bags. Compared to other racks by other manufacturers, this is a dream to use. Just slide on your bag and snap it into place. It is very sturdy and strong, not to mention it is priced like other bike racks. You cant use panniers with this rack. Becareful with the included braze-on screws, one broke easily when I installed it. Im sure it was just a dud. Good rack for the money On: 2007-10-29The best feature of this rack is the integrated top plate that accepts Topeak MTX or RX series bags. My bag installs in seconds and is ready to go. Install was easy; 8 bolts. I highly recommend this one! good On: 2007-10-08Great product, I bought 2 of them with racks and baskets in the sets they offer.The only suggestion I have is to use thread lock when you fasten it to your bike. after retightening them several times I went to a car parts dealer and bought a tube and have had no problems with the screws and bolts losening and falling off. good On: 2007-10-07Great product, I bought 2 of them with racks and baskets in the sets they offer.The only suggestion I have is to use thread lock when you fasten it to your bike. after retightening them several times I went to a car parts dealer and bought a tube and have had no problems with the screws and bolts losening and falling off. Sturdy Rack On: 2007-08-28I have a Hybrid bike and I wanted to be able to carry purchases I make during my rides. This manufacturer offers a bag that slides on the racks designed track. The bag is a bit expensive. I gave this rack 4 stars because, 1- I had a hard time figuring out how to mount it to the bike post. Which the instructions only show mounting installation on bikes having pre-tapped seat posts. My bike did not have that. My choices were to return the rack, or drill and tap the seat posts. . BUT, I tried to figure out if the seats quick release bolt, could be used instead. Luckily, the angle/height of the seats bolt was proper and the seat-bolt long enough to accommodate for the front mounting brackets to be attached. 2- I am starting to see some rust spots on areas that I could not have scrapped/scratched the plastic coating. In general, it is sturdy and helpful rack. I would buy again. Nice rack! On: 2007-08-10I bought this rack to put on my wifes beach cruiser with the Topeak rear basket. It is adaptable to all bicycles as advertised, but is designed to fit bicycles with threaded seat-stay bosses. If youre bicycle does not have threaded rack mounts, installation will require some type of adaptor. My wifes bike is an Electra and Electra sells a seat clamp with rack mounts which installs easily; other companies might sell a similar item. Installation was easy. Rack is very sturdy. The rear basket goes on easily with the MTX track system.Topeak MTX Rear Bicycle Basket Gerard F. On: 2007-08-10I bought this rack to put on my wifes beach cruiser with the Topeak rear basket. It is adaptable to all bicycles as advertised, but is designed to fit bicycles with threaded seat-stay bosses. If youre bicycle does not have threaded rack mounts, installation will require some type of adaptor. My wifes bike is an Electra and Electra sells a seat clamp with rack mounts which installs easily; other companies might sell a similar item. Installation was easy. The rear basket goes on easy with the MTX tack system.Topeak MTX Rear Bicycle Basket Top Rack On: 2007-02-20Well built. Easy to install. Looks good on expensive bikes too. Im buying my second one now. Slow shipping! On: 2006-10-21I also ordered the Topeak Explorer bikerack in August, 2006 and three months later, Im still waiting for it! Slow shipping! On: 2006-10-20I also ordered the Topeak Explorer bikerack in August, 2006 and three months later, Im still waiting for it! Confusion with delivery estimate On: 2006-10-19It tells for this item that delivery estimate is 3-5 weeks. It has been 6 weeks since I ordered and now I got an email that it will be delayed 3 more weeks. So, if you are in a hurry, do not bother... I will review this item again when and if it arrives. Confusion with delivery estimate On: 2006-10-18It tells for this item that delivery estimate is 3-5 weeks. It has been 6 weeks since I ordered and now I got an email that it will be delayed 3 more weeks. So, if you are in a hurry, do not bother... I will review this item again when and if it arrives. Very good product by: Anonymous On: 2006-07-30 It seems to me a very good choice, Hard, good paint. You can atach the painners at the sides of the rack, and in the top, the sleeping bag, a mattress or something else It also hace a special atach point for your RED BACK LIGHT A very very helpfull accesory for your bike when you travel PAY ATENTION if you need it For DISC BRAKES BIKE or NOT, there is a diference in the way you atach it to the bike and also in the PRICE There are two models, almost exactly the same Be carefull!!! Does NOT fit all bikes On: 2005-07-25Be warned that this rack MAY NOT fit on your mountain bike if you have rear disk brakes! I tried to put it on a Giant CypressLX and the disc brake mount wont let me bolt the left-hand side to the bike frame. You could, however, modify it, but that would entail some cutting and fabrication of an additional bracket and.... Who wants to do that? Im sure that there is a rack out there that is made to fit over the disc brake mount, but this one isnt it. But you might not have the new-fangled disc brakes. On that note: - this rack is made from aluminum, so you wont have to worry about it rusting away on you - it feels solid and well built - comes with mounting hardware and instructions (see picture) - made in Taiwan (incase thats a problem for you.) - cardboard placard says "1 size fits all of 26[inch] or 700cc frames" Instructions say, "One Fits All" and "[fits] most size of bicycle frames from 26" x 14.5 up to 700C x 63cm." Their website says "One size fits all frames" Which is it? From the website: Size (LxWxH): 13.4" x 5.6" x 16.3" Weight: 590 grams / 980 grams (w/spring) Im adding a scan of the instructions, and then returning this to the store - it just doesnt fit my bike. |
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