Delta Cycle Megarack Super-Sherpa Rear Bike Rack - 2009 Closeout

Comments about Delta Cycle Megarack Super-Sherpa Rear Bike Rack - 2009 Closeout:

a fairly heavy-duty rack (haven't seen above an 80lb rating). handles heavy panniers well, and in a pinch, my 6 year old ("slowly in the driveway on Sundays")

Comments about Delta Cycle Megarack Super-Sherpa Rear Bike Rack - 2009 Closeout:

I was hesitant to purchase this bike rack after reading the previous comments but went ahead with it after hearing some versatility for mountain bikes. This bike rack works great for my bike. There is little clearance between the rack, and my tire and mud guards, but it is just enough to fit perfectly. The installation was a little tricky but it still only took 30 minutes. Doesn't require any extra tools which is great. Definitely would recommend again!

Comments about Delta Cycle Megarack Super-Sherpa Rear Bike Rack - 2009 Closeout:

On my MB mounted very close to tire, although this is an advantage if you are carrying large items of vertical height. Good, simply designed and rugged lightweight rack.

Comments about Delta Cycle Megarack Super-Sherpa Rear Bike Rack - 2009 Closeout:

I bought this rack for my 2001 Trek 7200 FX hybrid. I have 700x35c tires as well as Planet Bike Cascadia fenders. I feared fitment issues but ordered them anyways.

To my surprise, they almost fit right away. I had clearance issues with the fender and the little flange on the back of the rack, so I cut/grinded off what was necessary. After that, I had the rack installed in 5 minutes. If I didn't have the fenders, there would be no need for modification.

For mounting to the drop-out, I used the eyelets which the fenders were currently using; I just sandwiched the fender mount between the drop-out and the rack mount. Luckily one of the supplied screws was long enough for me to do this, otherwise I would have had to pick up more hardware. The upper mount used the braze-ons and was no problem.

So, with one minor modification I was able to fit this rack on my 700c tires WITH a fender underneath of it. Sweet! The rack is lightweight and looks like it is built very well. Looking forward to putting some miles on it.

Comments about Delta Cycle Megarack Super-Sherpa Rear Bike Rack - 2009 Closeout:

The rack mounted very easily to a Trek Portland (700c wheels). The Portland has dedicated rack mount holes which simplified the install.

I did have to "expand" the lower rack arms to fit around my frame near the axle. I also tweaked the upper rails with a crescent wrench to align the mount faces to the frame, but I consider these tweaks quite minor and required less then a minute.

I jump curbs on my commute. With laptop and clothes in my pannier, my racks take abuse. This is my 3rd rack and it replaces a less sturdy rack where the top welds broke after several thousand miles. Judging by the heavy frame and much beefier weld on this rack, I don't anticipate broken welds will be an issue with this rack. I will let you know after several thousand more miles. :)

My only complaint is the top shelf is a little wide-almost blocking access to my pannier "lock" lever. Fortunately, I have small hands and with un-gloved fingers I can just barely spin the lock.

Comments about Delta Cycle Megarack Super-Sherpa Rear Bike Rack - 2009 Closeout:

The rack itself is great. Well constructed, durable, light. However check your bike carefully before you buy, particularly if it is a cross / hybrid / commuter / road type bike.

Do you have a side pull or dual pull caliper brake?
Are you planning on using lugs on your frame at or below the level of your brake caliper?
Do you have a compact rear triangle?

If you answered yes to any or all of these then there is a high likelihood that the left mounting arm of this rack will not be able to get past the brake to reach the mounting point. Custom rigging will be required.

You will notice that there are 2 sets of holes at the bottom. The upper one is threaded for a standard 5mm bolt and is set at a height that WILL NOT FIT over a 700cc tire. The flat part of the rack will rest on your tire. You are then forced to use the unthreaded and much larger hole that will allow the rack to rattle around unless you torque it down and apply thread locking compound.

For a Kona Honky Tonk it was a no-go. A Surly Cross Check, no problem.

Comments about Delta Cycle Megarack Super-Sherpa Rear Bike Rack - 2009 Closeout:

I decided to get this item sight unseen after comparing the loading weight limits of similarly priced racks, and it has not disappointed. This rear rack has been mounted on my Surly Cross Check for over a year and a half, and for the price I honestly don't know how one might improve the functionality. I commute almost every day using this rack, and I've never had any problems. I've even loaded this rack with over 30lbs of stuff on just one side of it without any issue. It's strong, sturdy, and does the job.
Some might say that the rack itself is heavy, but weighing in at about 660 grams, it's probably at maximum .2 lbs heavier than anything else you'd use in this price range. If you're worried about that amount of weight, then you should probably just use the bathroom before you ride.
My only complaint is that it doesn't look quite as classy or sophisticated as other racks that carry as much weight, but I'd have to spend at least $50 more for a rack that I actually liked looking at.

Comments about Delta Cycle Megarack Super-Sherpa Rear Bike Rack - 2009 Closeout:

I asked for this specific bike rack as a Christmas gift after initially examining the Topeak racks that were carried at REI. I anticipated using this for an occasional trip to the farmer's market or grocery store, but the other racks had a very low weight limit (15 pounds, including the weight of any basket/panniers). I could easily imagine going over a 15-pound limit, especially if I had panniers, so I this rack seemed a much better idea. I didn't shop around extensively, but this seemed to have that crucial feature of a higher weight limit.

By the time I got around to installing it in the springtime, I had purchased a new bicycle. The new bike has silvery accents while the rack is black, so I changed the look before installing it. Some spray paint from the hardware store did the trick amazingly well - it's been over a month now with plenty of stormy weather and despite being parked outside the spray paint is as good as new.

I've never mounted a rack before, but I remembered reviews citing some difficulties so I was prepared for a challenge. I had to use a mallet to widen the side stays to fit, bend the metal piece in the very back to point more horizontally (creating almost a 60° angle from the vertical so it clears my fender), and bend the seat stays, but I made it work. It was worth it. And I have to say it looks great on my Novarra Fiona!

I use this with a Topeak basket - not the best fit (the basket actually mounts better "backwards"), but that's what I could find in a limited amount of time. Be prepared for a hunt for the right screws if you go this route - you'll need to find longer ones than supplied by Topeak for it to work.

I fill up my basket at least once a week and I've never had problems with the rack. It's very secure and I can ride easy knowing I'm not in danger of overburdening the rack when I decide to add two 5-lb bags of flour to a quick grocery run. :)

Comments about Delta Cycle Megarack Super-Sherpa Rear Bike Rack - 2009 Closeout:

Unlike others, this rack fits my bike. However, I ordered it with a set of Delta panniers that do not seem to work with the rack. The gap between the outer rail and the center portion is too small to accommodate the plastic pannier attachments. I was really excited not to have to wear a pack while riding all the time.

Comments about Delta Cycle Megarack Super-Sherpa Rear Bike Rack - 2009 Closeout:

It is correct that this rack is not height-adjustable, so take that into account. My rack measures 13.25" from mid-bolt hole to deck frame bottom, and there's a slight (<.25") carve-out mid-frame underside for the wheel. I have mine on a 17" Marin Mill Valley (compact frame) using a U-shaped converter that goes around the seat-post to hook the front stays onto. The rack deck is almost level, and left me with just enough space for Cascadia fenders. The plus side of this rack is it's burly! I'm impressed every time I weave home home from T-Joes with Ortlieb panniers stuffed to the gills with jarred sauces, 32 oz juice bottles, etc. Even when I have only one really heavy pannier the rack appears to handle it fine.