Mounting a Pannier Rack
Workshop Wednesdays, Series 01, Episode 04
Frame Inserts - Mounting a Pannier Rack with James Marr
🔴 Recorded live on Wednesday, October 14th, 2020 at 5.30 pm (GMT) in London, U.K 🔴
With winter approaching and cyclists riding to work or planning a long ride, a pannier rack can make the journey a lot more comfortable. Therefore, our fourth #workshopwednesdays demonstrated a rear pannier rack being installed on a bamboo bicycle frame and discussed best practices during the installation.
▬ Contents of this video ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
0:00 - Intro
1:00 - Choosing the right pannier rack
2:19 - Removing the rear wheel
2:57 - Fitting the rear pannier rack to the drop outs
5:40 - Fitting the top of the rack on to the frame using an insert
8:29 - Workshop wednesday’s beer ritual - drink beer from a bamboo mug 🍻
8:56 - Preparing the insert for gluing
10:00 - Mixing the glue
10:59 - Putting the insert in to the frame
11:16 - Screwing in the insert
12:38 - Fitting, adjusting and tightening the top of the rack
15:17 - Summary of all steps
16:05 - Fitting back the rear wheel
16:49 - Final adjustment of the rack
17:29 - Questions from the live audience
17:51 - Tips on rack alignment before drilling
18:49 - Buying vs building bamboo bicycles
20:36 - Details of the insert used
21:26 - Building a bamboo rack
22:26 - Summary and overview of workshop
23:13 - Sign off
Recommended racks for bikepacking, Tubus :
https://www.tubus.com/en/products
--------
Our live #workshopwednedays videos will help you to learn more about bamboo bicycles, tips and tricks on how to fit components, maintain your bike and how to be creative with bamboo. Hosted by James Marr, a bicycle designer and an engineer, James goes live every other Wednesday to help you learn about building a bamboo bicycle and takes your questions and announces promotions and deals of the week!
🪡 James' workshop apron was made by Georgina Habgood https://www.instagram.com/geeorrrge/ from denim deadstock. She is hoping to make the sewing pattern available for free soon.
✏️ Graphic design and titles by Hasan Waliany https://www.instagram.com/herby_werby/
If you’re building a bamboo bicycle frame, need help or would like to learn more about our Home Build kits, have a look at this link: https://bamboobicycleclub.org/products/lugged-kit-frame
Best way to learn about us is by visiting our Club News for detailed build reviews by our community of bamboo bicycle builders: https://bamboobicycleclub.org/blogs/club-news
"The whole goal of Bamboo Bicycle Club is to make bike-building accessible to everyone."
Fitting a pannier rack to a bamboo bicycle opens up touring, commuting, and load-carrying capabilities that transform how you can use the bike. This tutorial covers the full pannier rack fitting process for BBC frames — from selecting the right rack to final installation and load testing.
Rack compatibility: BBC frames are built with rear dropout eyelets and seat stay mounts designed to accept standard Tubus, Ortlieb, and equivalent European-standard rear racks. Check that your rack's mounting points match your frame's eyelet spacing (typically 160mm rear dropout spacing with M5 eyelets, and seat stay mounts at the brake bridge or separate bosses).
Tools required: 4mm and 5mm Allen keys, torque wrench (ideally with a 4–8 Nm range), threadlock, small file for eyelet deburring.
Installation steps:
- Check all eyelet threads are clean and unobstructed. Run an M5 bolt through each to clear any debris from the frame build process.
- Dry fit the rack to check clearance from tyre (minimum 6mm), brake bridge, and mudguard mounts if fitted.
- Apply a small amount of threadlock to all M5 bolts before final installation — rack vibration over time will loosen dry threads.
- Tighten dropout eyelets first, then seat stay mounts, working to 4–5 Nm. Do not over-tighten — M5 bolts into bamboo-embedded inserts can strip if over-torqued.
- Check rack level (parallel to the ground when the bike is upright) by sighting from the rear.
- Load test with 5kg per side before riding — check for any movement or creak at the mount points.
"Founded in London in 2012 by James Marr, bamboo is said to have ideal properties for bike construction with its 'excellent vibration dampening effects', resistance to stress and durability."
The BBC tutorial video demonstrates rack installation on a completed frame, including how to set up a front rack on BBC frames with front dropout eyelets. Suitable for commuting loads up to 25kg combined front and rear.