In the past I have often been asked if I can supply front racks for bicycles, either to take a basket that I have made or for other purposes. I have also been asked if I can supply butcher's / delivery bicycles because I supply the baskets.

I am pleased to be able to offer two types of front rack, made locally here in Holland, which convert a conventional bicycle into a serious load carrying machine. If attached to a black frame bicycle with a basket on top you will have something very similar in appearance to a traditional UK butcher's bicycle. However, you can also use them with modern bicycles and have a lighter bike with more modern gearing and brakes.

Both racks ship with all the fixings you are likely to need to attach to most bicycles.

Click photos to make them larger

A great choice to convert a traditional bike such
as an English "3 speed" or a "Dutch Bike" into a
delivery bike. Fitted to a traditional black frame
instead of this white frame, the rack will appear
as part of the frame.

Frame fixing front rack

This rack connects to the frame of the bicycle so can carry a higher weight than the other option without the handling of the bike being affected. For this reason, it more closely resembles most traditional butcher's bikes than the other rack that I offer.

The drawback with this design is that the handlebars don't rotate with the rack, so the basket (or other load) on the rack must not be high enough to conflict with the handlebars or cables.

The load area of this rack is 40 cm wide x 27 cm front to back. The height of goods or a basket that can be carried will depend on how it fits on your bike.

As delivered, the fixing requires a downtube frame diameter of around 32 mm, or 1 and a quarter inch. There is also a spacer provided for frames down to 29 mm, or 1 and an eighth inch. This should work with most traditional design bicycles including Dutch bikes and English "3 speed" bicycles. Fitting to an oval tube will require at the very least a different pair of clamps from those supplied.

This rack as fitted can easily be removed from the frame, but a hole is provided for either a padlock or a bolt to secure it permanently.

It may be possible to fit this rack to some bicycles with front suspension, though I wouldn't recommend suspension forks for carrying heavy loads on a bike.

Please click here to buy this rack.

Click photos to make them larger.

To attach to mountain bike handlebars I had to use
two longer bolts at the top (handlebar) connection
than were provided with the rack.

Handlebar mounting front rack

This rack connects to the handlebars as well as to the forks. This gives greater flexibility with regards to the size of an object that can be carried on the front of your bike, but with the drawback that weight carried will have a greater effect on the handling of your bike.

Because this rack does not fit to the down tube, it will fit a wider variety of bicycle frames - including the mountain bike frame shown in the photos. If your bike has relatively "fat" handlebars, then you may need two slightly longer bolts for fixing to the handlebars.

The load area of this rack is 30 cm wide by 29 cm front to back. The back of the rack has a height of 33 cm. It requires a distance between front wheel axle and handlebars of between 65 cm and 95 cm.

This rack permanently mounts to the bicycle. It would require several steps to disconnect it.

Note that this rack will definitely not work on a bicycle with front suspension as while the distance between the front wheel centre and handlebars can be varied a lot at installation to fit most bikes, it must not change as you ride along.

Please click here to buy this rack.

Can these racks really be used to carry large loads ?

A number of people have asked me how strong the racks are. The manufacturer rates them for a mere 15 kg and I have to tell you the same, but seeing how the racks are used it is clear that they are being very conservative with this figure. I've had some huge loads on mine, and it doesn't give at all. Quite a lot of people here have such racks on their bikes and you see all sorts of things loaded on them. They're not intended for carrying passengers, and I'd recommend that you don't. However, it's not all that uncommon to see someone riding on a front rack in the Netherlands. They're strong enough to carry any reasonable load on the front of your bike.

We now sell these exact same racks, as well as several other models from the same manufacturer as well as other manufacturers, to fit an even wider variety of bikes, all at the same high quality as before in our webshop, Dutch Bike Bits. Please click through to see the expanded selection of racks.

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