Thorn Racks?

[Istanbul_Tea]

Reading the descriptions on the SJS site I am bit confused about which front rack to look into...

I think I want something that is mid-height and offers a platform between the 2 sides... does Thorn make anything like that?

PS... 200th post, mainly to myself in here.  It's a lonely thing some days being a Thorn forumboard member!!  [8D][][^]

[Polar Bear]

Tell you what, I'll talk to you about front racks if you'll talk to me about pannier anti sway hooks!

[Chris Land]

Not sure what you mean about a 'platform between the 2 sides' but the lo-riders are excellent. I have the heavy duty version and they are rock solid with any amount of weight on them and fit very easily.  Keep the weight nice and low too so now handling issues (though you get that with any lo-rider I guess).  Much more robust than the other blackburn loriders I have.

[tom w]

If I understand correctly, you're looking for something like the Nitto front 20-050
(http://rivendellbicycles.com/webalog/baggage_racks/). US$128, so not cheap, but indestructible as racks go. You're also the right side of the pond to get one. Took me a long time to find this, after cobbling alloy low-riders and front platform racks together (which still broke with heavy loads and bad 'roads'). The only issue I found with my combinations, which is probably also true for the Nitto, is juggling the front wheel out obliquely for tyre- or tube-changes - a bit of a knack.

[hereandnow]

This could be the sort of thing your looking for: http://www.coinet.com/~beckman/rackframes.html
I haven't used it, but at the least the above or a hooped mid-rise rack (such as made by Bruce Gordon, California) appears more stable than separate low-risers on each side of the fork.

[sardar]

I have a surly "Nice" front rack which has a top rack and can have panniers mounted low or high.This is very rigid, but also very heavy

[vik]

I have a surly "Nice" front rack which has a top rack and can have panniers mounted low or high.This is very rigid, but also very heavy

I have a Surly Nice Rack on my Sherpa as well ...

[spoon boy]

I would say two schools of thought

If you have smaller front bags and your ride is mostly even surfaces then the low rider is fine

If however your ride is crossing streams and off road then consider the height issue of the bags

I have 40 litre ortliebs on the front..with thorns low rider  this is coming off to raise the hieght with a surly nice rack