Who would want a rear rack on a full-suspension e-mountainbike? Nobody, some of you will say immediately. Me, others might answer. The pros and cons of this solution invite heated debates with various arguments. The industry doesn’t really care. It has long since created facts. On the one hand with the so-called SUV ebikes, which often include a rear rack as standard with full suspension. And secondly, with special rear racks that can be retrofitted to ebikes with rear suspension. The latter solution has long been suitable for everyday use – if you can make compromises and pay attention to a few important details.
1. What material is the frame of my E-MTB Fully made of?
2. Where is a rear rack attached to an E-MTB Fully?
3. How much luggage can I carry on a rear rack on a full-suspension e-mountainbike?
4. How does the cargo area remain horizontal?
5. Can dropper seat posts become a problem?
6. Are there any useful accessories for such carriers?
1. What material is the frame of my E-MTB Fully made of?
Aluminium, carbon, steel, titanium, wood, bamboo. The list of materials used by bicycle manufacturers to make ebikes is constantly growing. With plastic, the next candidate is already in the starting blocks. Aluminium and carbon are certainly the most commonly used materials at the moment. There are corresponding rear racks for both variants. For example, the carrier from ElBurro, which has been available since 2013, has allowed mounting on an ebike with a carbon frame right from the start. Meanwhile, with the Ortlieb Quick Rack, there is a second available option. However, this requires the presence of the necessary M5 or M6 mounts directly on the frame.
Without such forethought on the part of bike manufacturers, there is still the option of mounting on aluminium frames with the help of adapters. These are usually approved for this type of rear racks. Steel is usually never explicitly mentioned in the operating instructions for the carriers. However, this is only because they can be used without any problems. If the frame of your ebike is made of any other material, it is best to ask the manufacturer directly which rear racks are approved for it.
2. Where is a rear rack attached to an E-MTB Fully?
There are three most common mounting options. In addition to the aforementioned mounts in the frame, these are mounting on adapters on the rear wheel axle and on the seat stays. Prepared mounting points on the frame as well as the inclusion of the rear wheel axle have decisive advantages. In this way, large forces can be absorbed. This generally promotes the stability of the rear rack and of course ensures that you can ultimately transport as much weight as possible. In addition, such concepts are usually characterised by easier installation.
Mounting on the seat stay places certain requirements on the respective rear triangle. These include points such as the frame material of the ebike, the diameter and length of the seat stays and the angle between the seat stays and chain stays. However, if all conditions are met, a model of this type is suitable as an accessory on an E-MTB Fully.
3. How much luggage can I carry on a rear rack on a full-suspension e-mountainbike?
The maximum permitted load actually depends directly on the mounting concept. Correspondingly resilient fixed points increase the weight that you can carry on the rear rack with the help of panniers and other accessories. For example, the ElBurro model is approved for 25 kilograms. The Quick Rack from Ortlieb can carry 20 kilograms. In the case of the SKS Infinity Universal, a carrier that can be mounted on the seat stays, it is twelve kilograms. The Thule Tour Rack uses the same approach. It comes with a maximum weight of ten kilograms per se. With an additionally available stabilising side frame called Thule Pack ‘n Pedal, it can even reach 25 kilograms. By comparison, the rear rack that comes as standard on the Flyer Goroc TR:X can carry 15 kilograms.
4. How does the cargo area remain horizontal?
How much the load is actually worth at the end of the day depends, among other things, on the question of whether the luggage really stays where you have attached it. This may sound trivial to some of you. However, the suspension system of a mountain bike works actively during the ride, moves, is shaken and is subject to high forces. A rear rack should not restrict this functionality. Rather, it must be able to adapt to the behaviour. And this includes ensuring that your cargo remains securely on the carrier.
To ensure this, the patented solution from ElBurro and Ortlieb’s Quick Rack, for example, feature two pivot points between the rack and the attachment point on the seat post. Thanks to them, the racks can follow the movement of the rear triangle and at the same time keep their own cargo area horizontal at all times. The design of rear racks that can be mounted on the seat stays is usually not this clever. They move with the stays – and thus in line with the reaction of the shock. If the shock reaches compression, the cargo area of the carrier tilts towards the bottom bracket. How much depends on the travel of the shock, for example. This should not be a major problem for the contents of panniers. If there is something on the cargo area, it should be pinned, lashed down or secured in some other way.
However, some carriers even provide suitable accessories for this situation. For example, the Ortlieb Quick Rack comes with individual stops. These are screwed onto the struts where the bags are clicked into place. The stops prevent the bags from sliding back and forth. As soon as the cargo area is compatible with Racktime, MIK, MIK HD or other systems, this additionally opens up the option of securely clicking bags, baskets, etc. into place.
5. Can dropper seat posts become a problem?
These days, dropper seat posts are often part of full-suspension E-MTBs. Their construction is so stable that you can use them as a mounting point for rear racks mounts. As long as you don’t use the slider tube of the seat post, everything should work smoothly 😉.
6. Are there any useful accessories for such carriers?
Manufacturers such as Ortlieb and SKS provide additional accessories for their rear racks. These primarily include mudguards in various widths. SKS also offers a tail light that can be attached to the carrier. You will also find the necessary components in the accessories section, which you can use to adapt the respective manufacturer’s solutions to different rear triangle widths and axle standards.
Finally, the maximum permitted total weight of an E-MTB Fully should be mentioned once again. This is sometimes quite low, especially for bikes with carbon frames. It is best to find out the value first and then estimate whether it is still worth fitting a rear rack and, if so, how much load it should ideally carry.
Pictures: Elektrofahrrad24 GmbH; ELBURRO BIKING; ORTLIEB Sportartikel GmbH; SKS metaplast Scheffer-Klute GmbH