Ventura Rack Broken

Was riding up to Kulnura the other day, and was travelling along the
Gosford-Central Mangrove road. (Not sure what it's called.)

And the bloody Venture rack snapped clean off.

No provocation, just a slightly bumpy road. Bugger all load on it too!

I'm not going to buy another one of those shithouse things. I'll invest in a
pipe bender and make my own!!!

Fortunately, there wasn't much traffic, and the R-Jays bag held up to it's
tumble down the road at 100+ quite well. As did my IBM T30 laptop!!!
(Luckily!!!)

 

Not bad racks, really. But....seems that with age ( about 30-50.000km,
regular use) they seem to weaken/ get brittle/ whatever and I've seen quite
a few falling to pieces (usually the lugs fall off/welds separate).

Thick-wall hydraulic pipe from Pirtek is good for that, comes in about
Ventura-diameter, too.
Ain't cheap though.

cheers
pete

 

Define "ain't cheap"

Are we talking $100 for enough to make a rack, or $1000 for enough to make a
rack?

 

Bugger.

I know it wouldn't look that good ... but ....

a bit of trinagulation wouldn't go astray, and would definately strenghten
the hell out of the racks. Just a small piece of steel rod going from the
uprights to the support tubes down the side. I presume this is where they
are breaking?

Cam

 

Actually, no. Mine broke just above the joint between the L brackets and the
rack.

You know the bit where they have a little indent in them for some reason
(the indent ends up sitting _just_ above the top of the L bracket).

Strengthening probably would have helped, as it would have reduced the flex
in the whole thing.

That is something I will be looking to address in my design for a
replacement.

Anyone have a pipe bender they want to lend me? I already have the welder.
(Even if I do need to learn how to use it much better.)

 

Contact ventura, they replaced mine, even though it was out of warrantee...

Im accually looking at strengthening mine somehow, any idea's?

nat

 

Made a complete rack (except for using a modified Ventura top-piece) from
rear-footpeg-to-footpeg out of it, a 2. bar went from rear-grabhandle to
grabhandle, some bracing as well, total about $100 in material.
About $50 for enough material to make the L-brackets, plus about $10-15 for
some flat-strap, guessing here...
The rack itself is still ok, I guess... never seen one of those failing, so
we're talking L-brackets only.
cheers
pete

 

"James Mayfield"

So, it was the actual rack and not the L-bracket.
Strange...never seen that.
pete

 

Yep. If I can borrow a digital camera off someone in the next few days I'll
put up some pics on a site, and post the link.

 

he's just admitted it was carrying an RJays bag..


we'll dob him in

 

There was adead give a way to why it broke he was using a non veturer bag on
the rack DER!!!!!!
Lushy

 

Bastards! Always one step ahead!

 

Their spy satalites would have picked you up anyway...

but ill start applying for the warrents...

 

I'll supply you with a dictionary.

 

no such thing as that word

 

of course, the built in electronics didnt identify it to be a ventura
quality bag, so it ejected it self from the bike to try and destroy it...

 

LOL