I really wanted a tailfin but couldn't justify the expense. I bought the Ortlieb quick rack and Ortlieb Gravel panniers for a total of £165. I use them for my commute which is half off road / half on road. They have been brilliant. The equivalent tailfin set up would have been £360 with 5 litres less carrying capacity.
I'm thinking exactly the same thing. Tailwind looks great, and Aeroe packs are even series. But Ortleib gear has a great rep for quality, and won't break the bank.
Honestly I personally think it's overpriced and it has zero versatility. You can just get regular rack, like this one. And attach something like ortileb rack pack on it so you get same streamlined profile. Works exactly the same, it has even wide roll top opening. Or you could attach waterpoof backpack, which is even more versatile. I have panniers too, but I use them mostly just for grocery shopping ;D Using single larger bag on top of the rack is just better since it's less air resistance, and it's handy since you only need to handle one bag.
I have now the quick rack for nearly a year now and Im loving it. I use it for commuting and bikepacking and when I want to, do a normal ride where I can easily dismount it for. I have a couple of bags now, for bikepacking I use the Trunk-Bag , which goes one top like the tailfin, and two panniers if needed. For day to day commuting I have the Vario-Bag works fine for Work and pick up something from the Supermarket after work. I love it how versatile it is and how many stuff you can carry arround with it, never had a problem with it except of the Mudguard, sold seperatly, this slides sometimes down an rubs against the tyre
Have been using my Quick Rack since last year together with their 2x10L gravel panniers on my gravel bike, stable, easy to use and love it! They also sell separate sets of pegs+screws for about 8€, so you can easily switch the rack between two bikes without having to swap the pegs, good for my commuter 😊
I absolutely love this, especially since it doesn't actually take any time to install once it's dialed in. You can just decide on the spot if you want a rear rack or not. Add the fender, and you can turn your bike into a commuter in no time.
In case you've got a carbon bike without bike rack mounts, the ortlieb quick rack also works with the tailfin thru axles. At first it's a bit lose, but a bit of tape does its job. Can just recommend it to add some cargo capacity to any fast carbon bike :)
also, I went to my bikeshop and asked the owner what he thinks about it (knowing that he also does carbon repair jobs and has the education to back it up gave me the necessary peace of mind). He installed the seatstay adapters anyway and told me "its not gonna be a problem, just stick with the weight limits of the quick rack and you're good." I have used it for months to commute with a heavy ass laptop and some other stuff, but also once on a exceptionally gear-intensive bike packing trip, where I loaded ~15 kilos in my 2 back rollers - no problem.
I picked one up last week after wanting to stop using a backpack for overnighters and wanting an easy solution to accommodate about 20l of storage. Loving it so far. Super easy on/off once set, handling a 22l drybag well. I dont think id go bigger than that on the top rack. As you said, solid value.
@@DanceCommander I got an Ortlieb PS490 and PS10 Valve drybags, both are 22L. I tend to use the PS10 the most, very thin, waterproof and the valve lets me compress it easily. Excellent for soft goods. The PS490 is waaay tougher, I'd use that if durability is a concern on a rode, and use it if grabbing groceries or carrying hard/pointy objects. It's also a bit longer and slimmer in shape, but both bags are 22L. Hope that helps
@@djsaunter Thanks so much. Now I have a rough idea of the maximum dimensions when looking for a drybag. I realy like the Exped Fold Drybag Endura - but was afraid the 25L would be to big and the 15L has not enough volume for me. But if you can strap on the 26cm wide Ortlieb PS490 then the 25cm Exped bag should also fit.
Got mine 2weeks ago and took it for a 200km ride last weekend. Work super great with the ortlieb gravel panniers. Love it and best bang for the bucks than the tailfin
keep going back and forth on this, kinda wish they made a single upright version like the OMM Elkhorn. I would only need the top deck but sometimes some cage mounts for a bit extra gear or water would be very handy.
2:20 Just received mine and in the instructions manual it states that the maximum load is 20 kg so I’m not quite sure, anyway I bought it for light bikepacking rides, for overnighters or weekend rides 15 kg is above what I’m planning to carry. Nice review Neal, cheers!
I jumped on this rack as soon as it came out. It's fantastic. Easy way to increase the capacity is to voile strap the rack to the seatpost in the same way the top strut does. I've gone past the weight limit and the only thing that happened is the strut slipped out of the bushing and the rack swong back and hit the floor (I was going very slow), voile strap solves that so you can really push it's limits weight wise 👍
Great review with excellent camera work on rack details and riding. The Revelate Spinelock works well for my hardtail without dropper but this rack seems like great option for rear suspension/dropper post.
I am using it for commuting with my CX bike. 4-5 kg notebook bag just on one side - no issues at all. Great value for the money! only one point to blame: I had to make a cutout on the left bolt on because of the thru-axle clearance.
Are the panniers shown in the video (8:30) the Tailfin 10litter model? Maybe a dumb question but I have never used or even seen Tailfin gear I just kinda assumed proprietary connectors by looking at pics. Also can the Ortlieb fork bags (5.8 litter) be used on the Quick Rack? Looks like they connect with a different system. thank you
I have it and tested it on a weekend bikepacking trip that also had some rougher single track. I only had about 3-4kg on it but the thing was absolute bomb proof. No need to retighten for me. The only drawback is the narrow platform, makes attaching the drybag a little more fiddly. It probably is nice though when one uses panniers
about the narrow platform, in a rack similar to this (from a small local brand) i've ziptied a bit wider coroplast plank, about 8mm thick, with the veins oriented across the rack, and worked wonderful, even with pretty heavy panniers. no too pleasant to the view, though.
Do you know if you can still fit conventional mudguards to the same fixing point as the quick rack, I just don't want to buy a different set of guards ?
Im wondering if using neoprene washers rather than those supplied might be an option to avoid the paint damage at the mounting posts? I want to bike pack but want ro keep my bike looking new for as long as possible. Appreciate your thoughts, thanks Peter Ps: thanks for the explanation on the angled pannier mounting bar. Although from a point liad perspective it doesn’t stack up the additional clearance makes sense. I asked this question of Ortlieb however received a confused response
With tailfin getting a lot of traction, I wonder if the system we have used for long distance bikepacking in the late 2000s will get attention as well. We had custom-made rear panniers, one-piece construction hugging the rack from the sides and on the top. Imagine a slightly shorter tailfin fused with two shallow and narrow panniers. The bag had about 45 litres of volume, which allows stashing a lot of food and high volume items. Back then we didn't have dried food and down sleeping bags and equipment got a lot lighter now, but I think this approach is well suited for winter spring, fall and long-distance tours. It is easy to pack, the bag is light (600g) and is ok from an aerodynamics perspective. What do you think about this?
@@ucanskixc568 that is true. I like that they sell spares so I can do repairs. In my experience, everything breaks. I've been happy with the durability on tailfin for my own use.
Any chance those seat stay adapters would work with a tailfin? I really want to add my tailfin to my salsa spearfish but the axels aren't long enough and there aren't any braze ons for mounting.
I ordered one, haven't gotten it yet. I ride to work one day a week and want something easy to install and install so I'm not turning 4 bolts once a week
This makes me reconsider my front rack that has similar capacity but I rarely pack it to the limit. And when loaded more it makes bike more twitchy (around 62-63 mm of trail). Oh well, never ending setup metamorphosis 😅
I can’t see why not considering a seatpost is designed to support much more than your body weight. I would suggest a bit of duct tape to protect it though
Was going to put this on my custom steel road frame which doesn't have eyelets, but thankfully I can see here the size of the adapters, they're way to big and unsightly to my eyes.
Absolutely love the concept! but not sure if it will work whit my avid bb7 mechanical brakes, as they bulky, even whit off brand racks i struggled to fit them on my commencal El camino
Does anyone have thoughts or comments on the following: 3rd party or aftermarket racks when used on full suspension bikes. (This is quite common on Fat Tire E-Bikes) but I've seen even acoustic bikes have rear suspension's on them and what I've heard and trying to get further feedback on is this: Rear Racks when used in combination with the rear suspension design can injury the rider or damage the bike, or both, (at this moment I can't unpack that statement anymore, I'm trying to discern how common this opinion is held )
I’m looking at a Trek Checkpoint SL5, I’d love this to use when commuting but can remove as and when i need easily, the checkpoint has a flexi seat tube (flexes fore and aft) so I don’t think this will work without stressing both the rack and more importantly the bike. Annoying, not ortleibs fault though.
My only complaint with this Quick Rack is that the maximum tyre size is 29x2.35" which is way too narrow for many modern MTBs which use 29x2.4-2.6" tyres.
Looks good, I'm an XC rider that does an occasional bit of bikepacking. Would like a Tailfin to allow for the dropper and my bike has no mounts. If I got this I would have to get the optional mounts. (150quid) I currently use a Thule rack'n'go with optional mounts. (120quid) Would have been cheaper to have just shelled out for the Tailfin! 😂
At 5:30 you mention that you expect it to fit larger tires: It doesn't. The rack is great if you (still) have eyelets on your bike, but is too short for thru axle mounts. These are far more reliable on rough terrain as they eliminate weight on the frame. I measured 36 cm (14.2") distance between mount to underside of this Ortlieb Quick Rack. This leaves only 5 cm (2") for tire plus mud clearance on a 28"/29" gravel bike. This distance should at least be 39 cm (15.35") for a 2" tire plus 1" mud clearance. I shipped mine back to seller. Pity that it didn't fit, because the quick mounting option avoids the mounting/dismounting hassle.
@@hakimh4182 this rack transfers the weight to the back wheel. A general guideline for suspension is to keep the unsprung mass as low as possible so the suspension can work best. The higher the unsprung mass compared the rest of the vehicle is the higher the reaction forces on the bike frame will be. This will not damage anything but the rear suspension will work way less efficient.
What's not to love? 1- The rack mounts to the seat post right where my Garmin tail light is mounted. 2- The rack don't have a mounting plate on the back to mount a tail light. WTF?? These are the reasons why I haven't purchased one🤙🏼
I'll tell you what's not to love. The seat stay adapter is the most asinine design I've ever witnessed. It is seriously impossible to mount and costs $30.
What's not to love is the ridiculous price. Unless you are a brand ambassador why would I pay high end bike money so I can stuff a few clothes into the back of my bike?
I don't think I would use this for a super long epic as I don't trust plastic long term. But I also want another option aside from my beefcake rack for weekend use and such. This might be entering my shopping cart next payday.
I really wanted a tailfin but couldn't justify the expense. I bought the Ortlieb quick rack and Ortlieb Gravel panniers for a total of £165. I use them for my commute which is half off road / half on road. They have been brilliant. The equivalent tailfin set up would have been £360 with 5 litres less carrying capacity.
I'm thinking exactly the same thing.
Tailwind looks great, and Aeroe packs are even series.
But Ortleib gear has a great rep for quality, and won't break the bank.
Same situation here... really want tailfin, but these weigh less... I'm likely going to choose looks over price
Honestly I personally think it's overpriced and it has zero versatility. You can just get regular rack, like this one. And attach something like ortileb rack pack on it so you get same streamlined profile. Works exactly the same, it has even wide roll top opening. Or you could attach waterpoof backpack, which is even more versatile. I have panniers too, but I use them mostly just for grocery shopping ;D Using single larger bag on top of the rack is just better since it's less air resistance, and it's handy since you only need to handle one bag.
I have now the quick rack for nearly a year now and Im loving it. I use it for commuting and bikepacking and when I want to, do a normal ride where I can easily dismount it for. I have a couple of bags now, for bikepacking I use the Trunk-Bag , which goes one top like the tailfin, and two panniers if needed. For day to day commuting I have the Vario-Bag works fine for Work and pick up something from the Supermarket after work. I love it how versatile it is and how many stuff you can carry arround with it, never had a problem with it except of the Mudguard, sold seperatly, this slides sometimes down an rubs against the tyre
Have been using my Quick Rack since last year together with their 2x10L gravel panniers on my gravel bike, stable, easy to use and love it!
They also sell separate sets of pegs+screws for about 8€, so you can easily switch the rack between two bikes without having to swap the pegs, good for my commuter 😊
I absolutely love this, especially since it doesn't actually take any time to install once it's dialed in. You can just decide on the spot if you want a rear rack or not. Add the fender, and you can turn your bike into a commuter in no time.
In case you've got a carbon bike without bike rack mounts, the ortlieb quick rack also works with the tailfin thru axles. At first it's a bit lose, but a bit of tape does its job. Can just recommend it to add some cargo capacity to any fast carbon bike :)
So, ok to mount to a carbon seatpost?
also, I went to my bikeshop and asked the owner what he thinks about it (knowing that he also does carbon repair jobs and has the education to back it up gave me the necessary peace of mind). He installed the seatstay adapters anyway and told me "its not gonna be a problem, just stick with the weight limits of the quick rack and you're good."
I have used it for months to commute with a heavy ass laptop and some other stuff, but also once on a exceptionally gear-intensive bike packing trip, where I loaded ~15 kilos in my 2 back rollers - no problem.
@@traceyjenkins196 I did it, a year later I have not noticed any damage and have not had any incidents whatsoever.
If not using tailfin, it looks like you would need a longer axle.
Been wanting to get this, your link is the first I have been able to find it available and actually let me purchase it.
I picked one up last week after wanting to stop using a backpack for overnighters and wanting an easy solution to accommodate about 20l of storage. Loving it so far. Super easy on/off once set, handling a 22l drybag well. I dont think id go bigger than that on the top rack. As you said, solid value.
Do you know the brand/modell of your drybag?
@@DanceCommander I got an Ortlieb PS490 and PS10 Valve drybags, both are 22L.
I tend to use the PS10 the most, very thin, waterproof and the valve lets me compress it easily. Excellent for soft goods. The PS490 is waaay tougher, I'd use that if durability is a concern on a rode, and use it if grabbing groceries or carrying hard/pointy objects. It's also a bit longer and slimmer in shape, but both bags are 22L.
Hope that helps
@@djsaunter Thanks so much. Now I have a rough idea of the maximum dimensions when looking for a drybag.
I realy like the Exped Fold Drybag Endura - but was afraid the 25L would be to big and the 15L has not enough volume for me.
But if you can strap on the 26cm wide Ortlieb PS490 then the 25cm Exped bag should also fit.
Got mine 2weeks ago and took it for a 200km ride last weekend. Work super great with the ortlieb gravel panniers. Love it and best bang for the bucks than the tailfin
keep going back and forth on this, kinda wish they made a single upright version like the OMM Elkhorn. I would only need the top deck but sometimes some cage mounts for a bit extra gear or water would be very handy.
2:20 Just received mine and in the instructions manual it states that the maximum load is 20 kg so I’m not quite sure, anyway I bought it for light bikepacking rides, for overnighters or weekend rides 15 kg is above what I’m planning to carry.
Nice review Neal, cheers!
I jumped on this rack as soon as it came out. It's fantastic.
Easy way to increase the capacity is to voile strap the rack to the seatpost in the same way the top strut does.
I've gone past the weight limit and the only thing that happened is the strut slipped out of the bushing and the rack swong back and hit the floor (I was going very slow), voile strap solves that so you can really push it's limits weight wise 👍
Voile straps stretch in the heat.
Great review of a very well thought out rack. Well done!
Great review with excellent camera work on rack details and riding. The Revelate Spinelock works well for my hardtail without dropper but this rack seems like great option for rear suspension/dropper post.
Ortlieb continues to impress
Ortlieb Quick Rack - Very useful and entertaining video. Thanks! I bought one on the strength of it.
I'm using the even lighter quick rack light for my Roadbike, works like a charm and is even pretty affordable 👌
I am using it for commuting with my CX bike. 4-5 kg notebook bag just on one side - no issues at all. Great value for the money!
only one point to blame: I had to make a cutout on the left bolt on because of the thru-axle clearance.
Are the panniers shown in the video (8:30) the Tailfin 10litter model? Maybe a dumb question but I have never used or even seen Tailfin gear I just kinda assumed proprietary connectors by looking at pics. Also can the Ortlieb fork bags (5.8 litter) be used on the Quick Rack? Looks like they connect with a different system. thank you
I have it and tested it on a weekend bikepacking trip that also had some rougher single track. I only had about 3-4kg on it but the thing was absolute bomb proof. No need to retighten for me. The only drawback is the narrow platform, makes attaching the drybag a little more fiddly. It probably is nice though when one uses panniers
about the narrow platform, in a rack similar to this (from a small local brand) i've ziptied a bit wider coroplast plank, about 8mm thick, with the veins oriented across the rack, and worked wonderful, even with pretty heavy panniers. no too pleasant to the view, though.
@@juanaqcan you send me a picture please ?
@@hakimh4182 sorry, it was something temporary and didn't took pics
Do you know if you can still fit conventional mudguards to the same fixing point as the quick rack, I just don't want to buy a different set of guards ?
if not recommended on carbon frame, what can i use as a rack?
can't get how many guys don't like to use panniers, must be due to fashion trends, things are changing and no surprise
What is located below the frame bag? Water? Special tool bag? Where could I learn more? Always enjoy your videos!
What about the light version?
Thanks
Im wondering if using neoprene washers rather than those supplied might be an option to avoid the paint damage at the mounting posts? I want to bike pack but want ro keep my bike looking new for as long as possible. Appreciate your thoughts, thanks Peter
Ps: thanks for the explanation on the angled pannier mounting bar. Although from a point liad perspective it doesn’t stack up the additional clearance makes sense. I asked this question of Ortlieb however received a confused response
A question: Can you combine the quick rack with the SKS S-Blade mudguard which both have to be attached to the seat post?
I picked up mine on sale a month ago, for $50 it really was a steal!
no. aluminium
Just ordered one. Hope it is as cool as i think. 😊❤
With tailfin getting a lot of traction, I wonder if the system we have used for long distance bikepacking in the late 2000s will get attention as well. We had custom-made rear panniers, one-piece construction hugging the rack from the sides and on the top. Imagine a slightly shorter tailfin fused with two shallow and narrow panniers. The bag had about 45 litres of volume, which allows stashing a lot of food and high volume items. Back then we didn't have dried food and down sleeping bags and equipment got a lot lighter now, but I think this approach is well suited for winter spring, fall and long-distance tours. It is easy to pack, the bag is light (600g) and is ok from an aerodynamics perspective. What do you think about this?
Good video! What is the diameter of the pegs? I'm trying to find out if this rack can be used with the Tailfin thru-axle.
Can I please ask what straps you're using in this video? Love your content (and definitely getting a rack!)
nice rack it is, i have used it with pretty heavy panniers, great videos
What is the max weight you can carry on?
Sweet design. I'm a tailfin boy myself but great to see a competitor and a better price point! Also, looking fresh in that Icon shirt, rip Kitsbow.
Tailfins do break. :(
@@ucanskixc568 that is true. I like that they sell spares so I can do repairs. In my experience, everything breaks. I've been happy with the durability on tailfin for my own use.
Any chance those seat stay adapters would work with a tailfin? I really want to add my tailfin to my salsa spearfish but the axels aren't long enough and there aren't any braze ons for mounting.
Nope, different diameter clamps
@@pedalingnowhere darn, well I'll just keep hoping for something to adapt it in the future. Thanks for the reply!
Good review. What kind of panniers do you suggest?
I ordered one, haven't gotten it yet. I ride to work one day a week and want something easy to install and install so I'm not turning 4 bolts once a week
This makes me reconsider my front rack that has similar capacity but I rarely pack it to the limit. And when loaded more it makes bike more twitchy (around 62-63 mm of trail).
Oh well, never ending setup metamorphosis 😅
Hi! Thanks for the review. What size frame and tires are on the cutthroat? Looks like it fits nicely!
Can you use this rack with a carbon seatpost? I'm guessing not, but I'm just double-checking Thx
I can’t see why not considering a seatpost is designed to support much more than your body weight. I would suggest a bit of duct tape to protect it though
It says that you can’t attach to a carbon post. The system is so adjustable that I attach it to the seat tube
Was going to put this on my custom steel road frame which doesn't have eyelets, but thankfully I can see here the size of the adapters, they're way to big and unsightly to my eyes.
Anyone have insight on the durability of this rack over rougher terrain?
Absolutely love the concept! but not sure if it will work whit my avid bb7 mechanical brakes, as they bulky, even whit off brand racks i struggled to fit them on my commencal El camino
Does anyone have thoughts or comments on the following: 3rd party or aftermarket racks when used on full suspension bikes. (This is quite common on Fat Tire E-Bikes) but I've seen
even acoustic bikes have rear suspension's on them and what I've heard and trying to get further feedback on is this: Rear Racks when used in combination with the rear suspension design
can injury the rider or damage the bike, or both, (at this moment I can't unpack that statement anymore, I'm trying to discern how common this opinion is held )
Looks like Tubus & Tailfin had a baby!
I’m looking at a Trek Checkpoint SL5, I’d love this to use when commuting but can remove as and when i need easily, the checkpoint has a flexi seat tube (flexes fore and aft) so I don’t think this will work without stressing both the rack and more importantly the bike. Annoying, not ortleibs fault though.
My only complaint with this Quick Rack is that the maximum tyre size is 29x2.35" which is way too narrow for many modern MTBs which use 29x2.4-2.6" tyres.
Awesome looking rack!
Does anybody know if this rack will fit over a 27.5x3" tyre?
I wonder if there is a dry bag with a rolltop in the other direction, like the one offered by Tailfin.
Ortlieb RC Trunk Bag is what you are looking for. ortliebusa.com/product/trunk-bag-rc/
Anyone have any experience using this with an ass savers win wing fender on 27.5" wheels? :)
Is that shirt a Kitsbow Icon? If so, it's a shame they went out of business. The Icon is amazing to wear in any weather.
Looks good, I'm an XC rider that does an occasional bit of bikepacking. Would like a Tailfin to allow for the dropper and my bike has no mounts. If I got this I would have to get the optional mounts. (150quid) I currently use a Thule rack'n'go with optional mounts. (120quid) Would have been cheaper to have just shelled out for the Tailfin! 😂
I am using the Thule pack n pedal racks. And they are also great. But these look also pretty goed
I have them now for about 5 years and I have put them through 2000 km and they no problem staying on my bike
Wow, love it!!!
At 5:30 you mention that you expect it to fit larger tires: It doesn't. The rack is great if you (still) have eyelets on your bike, but is too short for thru axle mounts. These are far more reliable on rough terrain as they eliminate weight on the frame. I measured 36 cm (14.2") distance between mount to underside of this Ortlieb Quick Rack. This leaves only 5 cm (2") for tire plus mud clearance on a 28"/29" gravel bike. This distance should at least be 39 cm (15.35") for a 2" tire plus 1" mud clearance. I shipped mine back to seller. Pity that it didn't fit, because the quick mounting option avoids the mounting/dismounting hassle.
Thanks
Are you sure it’s not ok for carbon bikes
On the high-side price. And then 30 more dollars for modified locks.
One day, we will think of putting 4 eyelets on a frame to put a rack there. Until then, the engineers are working hard... 😂
Using it with a fully is not wise. The whole mass of the rack plus cargo will add to the unsprung mass. So you will be better off by locking the back.
To better understand, you not recommend it for a fully carbon mtb ?? Can you please explain more in détail? Thanks
@@hakimh4182 this rack transfers the weight to the back wheel. A general guideline for suspension is to keep the unsprung mass as low as possible so the suspension can work best. The higher the unsprung mass compared the rest of the vehicle is the higher the reaction forces on the bike frame will be. This will not damage anything but the rear suspension will work way less efficient.
2010 was 30 years ago, sir.
30 is the new 13.
Toured with racks - adds a whole lot more bolts to sheer, parts to break, and weight. Never again.
Expensive 😮
What's not to love?
1- The rack mounts to the seat post right where my Garmin tail light is mounted.
2- The rack don't have a mounting plate on the back to mount a tail light. WTF??
These are the reasons why I haven't purchased one🤙🏼
I'll tell you what's not to love. The seat stay adapter is the most asinine design I've ever witnessed. It is seriously impossible to mount and costs $30.
Dude... clean your chain, or better, replace it.
What's not to love is the ridiculous price. Unless you are a brand ambassador why would I pay high end bike money so I can stuff a few clothes into the back of my bike?
I don't think I would use this for a super long epic as I don't trust plastic long term. But I also want another option aside from my beefcake rack for weekend use and such. This might be entering my shopping cart next payday.