The Gran-Compe ENE racks arrived today. These are much like the Mafac mini-racks and are designed to support a handlebar bag. (More info about the Mafac racks can be found here.) ENE racks mount directly to Gran-Compe 610 and Dia-Compe 750 centerpull brakes. There is no direct attachment to the frame so they can be used on any bike so long as the brakes fit.
They are chrome plated steel and the platform is about 140mm x 70mm. The upright is about 75mm high. So they are the right size for an average handlebar bag, but too small for anything larger. There are four 5mm light mounts under the platform, two on each side. The rack sits level on most frames. At 160g these have to be among the lightest racks ever made. Cost is $50.
The tag on the rack reads, "Designed only for GC610 & DC 750 brakes". Of course we tried it on several other centerpull brakes and managed to mount it on various Mafac (including Racers and Raids), Weinmann, and older Dia-Compe models. The mounting tangs are 68mm c-t-c, but can be flexed to spread or narrow a little.
On another subject, we just received more Montmarte, Left Bank, and Porteur handlebars. A lot of you have been asking about these, so they'll probably sell fast.
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Will they fit on cantilever brakes?
Can you post some pics showing a fuller crop of the rack on a bike? I'm particularly interested in how level the rack sits.
They will not work with cantilever brakes.
Chris, you noted that the rack was successfully installed on older Dia-compe center pulls. Do you know if that would necessarily include the old Gran Compe centerpulls? I believe the model number was NGC 450. Should work on Mafac Competitions too, no? If someone in the VO community had checked this, I'd be quite interested to know.
I'd love to have the ability to try it out on the NGC 450 brakes but they are few and far between, nobody in the shop has ever actually seen a set in person. If the center to center measurement of the bolts is somewhere close to 68mm they will probably work, same goes for the Mafac competition.
Does anyone know if these will work with the post-mount Paul's Racer brakes as well?
CK, why is the upright vertical vs. classic canted? thanks, cool piece!
SUPER COOL!!!
I sure wish this stuff was around a couple years ago when I had my custom frame made. I don't know if we're on the cusp of a broadening market for really cool practical bikes, or if VO is just doing very well serving a little niche. Hopefully it's the former...
Yeah...I'd like to know if it will work on post-mnounted Paul Racer's?
Been waiting for the answer to Simon's, now Doug's, question with a finger over the "add to cart" button.
Paul Racers have recessed mounting bolts. No rack will fit unless you use longer bolts with spacers. Paul sells a kit to do that for M-12 racks, but I used hardware store bolts and washers. That might work for these racks. Who'll try it first?
That is just about the coolest new/old thing I've seen. I'm going to order a set of brakes and rack and begin looking for a frame to fit them. So slick!
Now that someone has brought up the NGC450 brakes - will the rack fit the old Zeus centerpulls ?
Howzabout Balilla ?
Will it fit the U-brake on my BMX bike - and will it sit level ???
Re: fit
The product page states "The mounting tangs are 68mm c-t-c, but can be flexed to spread or narrow a little." The flat bar extending out the back looks like it can be bent as do the tabs with the screw holes.
Why not use a ruler to see if it's wide enough, and massage the rest into place?
Short answer: no, it will not fit paul racers.
Long answer: Paul Racers have a pivot distance of 80mm on center. The rack pivot distance is 68mm on center. I guess you could bend the rack lowers into place and fit them to the Paul rack adaptors, but its going to be a kludge fit.
Paul racer should be about 78mm center to center. THus it would need to flex out 5mm each side.
Does anybody besides me wonder if it is a good idea to cantilever your front load off of the single bolt that also holds your primary stopping gear, and in many cases your front fender? not that these are intended to cary a stack of news papers, and would likely be used in conjunction with a decaleur. But still it seems like a large emotional burden for one bolt to shoulder
I'm 200lbs dry. Add clothes, water bottle, seat pack, and the bike, and we're talking more like 240lbs that my brakes have to stop. All considered, I don't think adding a front rack and bag really asks that much more of the brake bolt than what it already does.
It probably would be a good idea to combine use of the rack with a decaleur to take the majority of the weight of a front bag off the rack and leave the rack to simply providing stability for the bottom of the bag.
Rack like this have been used for 50 years. If there was an issue with the brake bolt it would have shown up by now. But it's meant for normal day loads (phone, tools, jacket, camera, etc) not for cases of beer.
Not even one case of Beer :)
Chris, can you please respond to the question about the upright? Why is it vertical instead of angled back?
The upright is vertical because the designer at Dia-Compe liked it that way (this is not my design). Vertical is probably marginally more functional since the bag is square, but sloping looks better, at least to my eye. It's of no real importance.
I think you meant to write, "At 160g these have to be among the smallest racks ever made." :-p
I received my rack yesterday. Today I checked it out with a set of the NGC450 brakes from the 1980s. The c-c on the pivot bolts is more like 62 or 63 mm, not 68mm. I think there is enough flex to allow that to fit. The real problem is the reach on the tab that mounts on the mounting bolt. The NGC450s seem to have a much smaller front to back profile. As it is, the bend in the tab puts those prongs way far back from the back of the cross arm (sorry if I don't know the exact terms for each piece of a center pull brake). I don't think there is anywhere near enough flex to make up that. Same thing on a set of Mafac competitions, but that isn't a surprise as the NGC450 was modeled after that brake. I think spaces on the front bolts is what is needed.
That's a sweet looking rack, Chris! I'm curious what sort of bag would generally be used with it. At 140mm long, is it appropriate for a big Ostrich boxy bag, or better suited just to strap down a jacket or something similar?
I would use it with an average size handlebar bag, like the VO bag.
Here's my install. Same problem as Rob Hawks above, but "there, I fixed it". It took more than mere flex.
Got my rack, installed it on Loose Change, my long-suffering '71 Super Course workhorse. It's riding on a NGC 510 centerpull, a Dia-Compe variant that marries the best of the MAFAC Competition and the Weinmann Vainqueur. Not only can I stop on a dime, I can see what I'm doing at night; the rack lets me put two standard battery headlights right where they can do the most good.
I have plans that involve an old Soubitez headlamp, my Borg rechargable 18V flashlight like you get with a drill, and some time with a soldering iron. The rack is *just* the right size to comfortably hold an 18V Li-ion battery, though tragically it's just a tick too small to carry a sixer home. Happily, a four-pack of Surly tallboys fits just fine.
Very nice rack, very well made. Glad I have it.
BRING THESE RACKS BACK!!!
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