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  Topic Name: Freeload/Revelate Bar bag help on: October 26, 2014, 08:35:30 AM
Big Jim Mac


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« on: October 26, 2014, 08:35:30 AM »

Freeload and Revelate handlebar harness owners, can you help? Please post photos of your rack/bag attached to your bike. I'm trying to set mine up on a Yeti ARC with disc brakes and SRAM X.9 shifters. All of the manufacturer photos show the bikes with no cables in place. I think I have it figured out but I'm especially concerned with the rack interfering with the shifting. Seems like it works best on FS bikes?

My harness is the older design, I really like the looks of the new ones. There are so many straps and clips I spent an hour just getting the thing oriented. I also have the pocket.

I have a really long stem on my bike, the bottom strap is way too short. Not sure how necessary it is however.

I did one shakedown trip 2 years ago, pretty much forgot how I had things set up. Now I have a week of vacation and am planning a multi-day ride on the Ozark Trail. Thanks in advance.
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  Topic Name: Freeload/Revelate Bar bag help Reply #1 on: October 27, 2014, 09:06:20 AM
wahday


Location: New Mexico
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« Reply #1 on: October 27, 2014, 09:06:20 AM »

I don’t have a handy pic of my rack mounted up unfortunately. I have a Salsa El Mariachi (hard tail) and I only have to contend with the brake hydro line on one of the seat stays. My shifter cable runs along the chain stay and so is not impacted.

To mount, I have to remove (just to pull away from the frame – I’m not removing the entire line or anything) the hydro cable from the braze-ons on the seat stay to get the rack to mount far enough back on the stays. I then re-attach the line with zip-ties where I can so it stays snug against the frame. I have run it both inside and outside the rack.

My challenge with this bike is that Salsa’s Alternator Dropout prevents you from mounting the rack too far back. As a result, the rack sits a bit higher than I would like. But I have not had issues.

Hope that is helpful. This rack should fit most any bike. You just need to find a way to work around the cables and sometimes this means cutting their attachment to the braze-ons while running the rack (and as I did, possibly reattaching where convenient). Unless you are really bending the cables significantly, you shouldn’t have any performance issues.
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  Topic Name: Freeload/Revelate Bar bag help Reply #2 on: October 29, 2014, 05:15:59 PM
Big Jim Mac


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« Reply #2 on: October 29, 2014, 05:15:59 PM »

Thanks for the info. I just got done with my trip and had no issues with either item. The rack didn't interfere with anything and stayed on so I guess I did it right. Only issue was one of the end caps came loose. The Revelate is awesome, really like the pocket bag. Think I will invest in a Sweetroll so I can carry more on the front. I ended up having a lot more weight on the rear and sometimes that was an issue. Great trip, I ended up renting a canoe, loaded my bike in it and floated back to my car after camping out on the river.


* bike trip.jpg (301.11 KB, 800x600 - viewed 266 times.)
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  Topic Name: Freeload/Revelate Bar bag help Reply #3 on: October 30, 2014, 10:18:59 AM
bakerjw


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« Reply #3 on: October 30, 2014, 10:18:59 AM »

I like the clamp on device for the rack. I am clueless enough that I have to ask.
 What is it?
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  Topic Name: Freeload/Revelate Bar bag help Reply #4 on: October 30, 2014, 08:40:28 PM
Big Jim Mac


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« Reply #4 on: October 30, 2014, 08:40:28 PM »

Not certain what you mean, but the rack attaches to the bike with 4 straps that you tighten with a special key. There's a buggy cord that holds the load down to the rack. Here's a closeup.


* rack.jpg (255.74 KB, 800x600 - viewed 238 times.)
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  Topic Name: Freeload/Revelate Bar bag help Reply #5 on: October 31, 2014, 08:42:25 AM
bakerjw


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« Reply #5 on: October 31, 2014, 08:42:25 AM »

Ah. A Freeload. Google searching found it for me. Excellent concept.
« Last Edit: October 31, 2014, 08:54:40 AM by bakerjw » Logged

  Topic Name: Freeload/Revelate Bar bag help Reply #6 on: October 31, 2014, 12:30:56 PM
MPS


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« Reply #6 on: October 31, 2014, 12:30:56 PM »

That looks like a Thule Pack and Pedal Tour Rack.
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  Topic Name: Freeload/Revelate Bar bag help Reply #7 on: October 31, 2014, 12:58:13 PM
Big Jim Mac


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« Reply #7 on: October 31, 2014, 12:58:13 PM »

I bought that several years ago. Pretty sure FreeLoad has sold out to Thule. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.
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  Topic Name: Freeload/Revelate Bar bag help Reply #8 on: October 31, 2014, 12:59:07 PM
wahday


Location: New Mexico
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« Reply #8 on: October 31, 2014, 12:59:07 PM »

Freeload and Pack n Pedal are the same product. It was originally designed by a New Zealand company (called Freeload) who operated for a number of years. Then Thule bought it and incorporated it into their line. The version I have is a Thule, but I think they are identical and parts should work with either.

Big Jim Mac, it looks like you mounted that right over your shifter cable. Is that correct? I guess it didn't impact anything negatively from your report. What I was trying to describe in my earlier post (which was hard without a picture) was cutting the attachment points for that cable (and the brake cable or hydro line on the other side) and routing it around the rack after securing it to the frame. But glad this did not cause problems. I tend to cinch mine down pretty hard and I worry about it causing issues, so I have been reroutiong it around the rack.
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  Topic Name: Freeload/Revelate Bar bag help Reply #9 on: October 31, 2014, 01:28:18 PM
Big Jim Mac


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« Reply #9 on: October 31, 2014, 01:28:18 PM »

Nope, no issues. It's really a great design, locks down really secure.
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