Quick-release rear basket/milk crate?
I'm trying to figure out a way to either mount a basket to my rear rack without interfering with my panniers, or add a quick release to the basket to speed up the switch. My current setup is axiom hydracore panniers, whose quick release hardware extends above the top of the rack, and a milk crate. I need to either find a way to mount the milk crate a) securely and b) in such a way that I can get the pannier on and off without removing the milk crate, or to add a quick release to the milk crate (or buy a basket with this feature built in) so that I can at least swap one for the other without spending 10 minutes #!%^ing around with straps and bungees.
The traditional advice is to get a front rack. I've tried and I'm pretty sure I'm not doing it right, because every time I look at the bars, it feels like somebody kicking my front tire to the side as hard as they can. It's like riding a bull. In traffic.
Posted Feb 24, 2018, 5:30 PM UTC
I have a quick release basket from topeak, but it requires their rack to work. (https://m.imgur.com/gallery/cJktQVE).
https://www.topeak.com/global/de/products/basket/323-trolleytote-folding-mtx-rear-basket
Trolleytote. It fits on several of their rack models. If anything, it's a bit clumsy. And I would buy the cargo net in the same order - otherwise things keep jumping out.
I had this same basket and rack for about a year (cargo net definitely recommended) before the basket started to fall apart at the bottom corners. The quick-release mechanism on the basket also felt slowly and surely less steady over that time. The rack is still in decent shape but the poles that extend downwards from the rack to the back wheel have started to show significant dents and bends.
OP, if you’re considering this system, I’d say it’s a nice enough rack and basket for the money, but they didn’t last long enough for my liking, and they didn’t fit my needs as well as my rear panniers and front basket do.
I’ve got a topeak one as well, with the sidebags. It’s great! Well worth the money.
The topeak quick release rack is pretty great. Used it with a trunkbag to much success.