How do I install a cargo rack on a kids bike
September 21, 2013 6:40 PM Subscribe
My daughter bikes to school on a 24" kids mountain bike. She needs a cargo rack for her bike to carry her backpack. The only cargo racks I can find are for adults. They attach to the frame in pre-drilled holes beneath the seat. Kids racks do not have these holes. Anyone figured out how to attach the front supports of a bike cargo rack on a kids bike?
This video shows the answer. He first shows how to install using mounting holes in the frame, then how to use a seatpost adapter and/or clamp adapter to mount directly to the frame in case your frame doesn't have those handy built-in bolt holes.
I must confess I've never seen the seat post adapter in person, but the simpler clamp adapter is available at any hardware store, very inexpensive. They have different sizes for different size tubing. You can use the clamp adapter for both the upper mounting points and the lower mounting points.
I don't think they are called clamp adapters at the hardware store, but I'm not sure exactly what they are called. But any decently stocked hardware store will have them--your local bike shop will have them as well.
posted by flug at 6:59 PM on September 21, 2013 [2 favorites]
I must confess I've never seen the seat post adapter in person, but the simpler clamp adapter is available at any hardware store, very inexpensive. They have different sizes for different size tubing. You can use the clamp adapter for both the upper mounting points and the lower mounting points.
I don't think they are called clamp adapters at the hardware store, but I'm not sure exactly what they are called. But any decently stocked hardware store will have them--your local bike shop will have them as well.
posted by flug at 6:59 PM on September 21, 2013 [2 favorites]
I bought my bike basket from a locally owned bike store and they installed it for free. I paid just a tiny bit more than Internet prices and it was so worth it.
posted by raisingsand at 7:32 PM on September 21, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by raisingsand at 7:32 PM on September 21, 2013 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thank you all. It does look like p-clamps are my friend indeed.
posted by alcahofa at 8:32 PM on September 21, 2013
posted by alcahofa at 8:32 PM on September 21, 2013
Another possible option is this clamp with rack mounts from Problem Solvers.
In the event that this bike doesn't use a seatpost clamp (there are a lot of bikes that still use traditional binder bolts, and a kid's bike strikes me as one of them...), you might be able to get a size that will clamp strongly onto the seatpost, without actually keeping the post in place.
That said, I've used p-clamps in the past, and they work just fine.
posted by god hates math at 4:35 PM on September 22, 2013
In the event that this bike doesn't use a seatpost clamp (there are a lot of bikes that still use traditional binder bolts, and a kid's bike strikes me as one of them...), you might be able to get a size that will clamp strongly onto the seatpost, without actually keeping the post in place.
That said, I've used p-clamps in the past, and they work just fine.
posted by god hates math at 4:35 PM on September 22, 2013
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by jalexei at 6:57 PM on September 21, 2013