One Rack Fits All? Old Man Mountain Elkhorn Review

One rack to fit them all? Bike racks have been around for a while, but most of them have fit issues. The Old Man Mountain Elkhorn Rack seems to have solved most of those compatibility snafus and was cleverly engineered to work as either a rear rack or up front, on virtually any bike. In this video review, Neil shares his thoughts after trying it on multiple bikes...

Outline
Intro: 0:00
Specs: 1:08
Setting up: 2:14
How it rides: 5:21
Conclusion: 6:56

#bikepacking #pedalfurther
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[mazzky]

I just got back from my first bike packing trip, inspired mostly by watching this channel. As I unpacked/packed at camp I kept thinking “A micro-rack would make this so much easier”. And lo and behold, I get back into cell range and a notification for this video pops up. Thanks, BP!

[canica]

Thank you so much for this review. I am so glad that Youtube put this review on my suggestions. This rack I believe should fix my issue with my new Velo Orange Mini Velo bicycle that I am going to use for week to a month touring. Awesome stuff and thank you so much and the beer on top of the hill was right on....

[erikjohnson]

Trick you can do with the older Surly touring frames with trailer mounts to recess and lower racks. Cut off 10x1mm cantilever brake stud in the trailer mounts. Then can use a beefier M6 to mount the racks. Basically creating a thread reducer with spacers. Did this to my Troll. Now looks better and have more room for luggage or a chihuahua.

[nicholaslafferty]

Was out of my price range when looking for front rack just the other day. Seems like a real quality product that I would otherwise choose. For most, this may be the one.
I appreciate your mentioning the low center of gravity and the way it effects steering. New enough not to know but traveled enough to understand.
Now to find the right bags for riding backcountry with racks. Budget, again, may call for a MYOG approach!

[reeceholmes]

like it for front and the eyelets are a great idea, thanks Neil

[ericcochrane]

I appreciate you taste for Michigan craft brews!!!

[timnewland]

Absolutely defo in the market for one of these. Looks like the answer to all my problems (well not ALL of them but certainly the bikepacking ones!)

[jalapenoontrail]

Hi. It comes in two sizes. Short or Tall. I'm
Looking for a rack that fits all three of my bikes. Two gravel bikes with 700x50 tires and a MTB with 700x2.34. So will the tall fit both MTB and gravel bikes? I see the short will only fit my gravel bikes

[billingsfmx]

I have several vids on my page with my bikepacking set up and front rack. I love my Krampus and I run a surly 8 pack rack. The thing is sooo solid! I prefer it on the front, i run a seat bag with a dropper on the rear.

[KowalskiVanishing_Point]

Really like this rack from watching the video. No, I do not own one... yet. I really don't like the under seat sausage roll for bike touring and go with a rack on my salsa Fargo but mainly use dry bags. This would make an excellent rear rack. For the front I'm liking the Jack Rack and Salsa Anything Cages on the forks. Getting everything I need plus more on the bike for multi day on and off road trips. Great videos on this channel.

[harpo.marx]

Hello, my name is Luis and I live in an Atlantic city in Europe that "observes" NY in the same "parallel". As I have been using the bicycle for 60 years, I try to be 20 years old every day, so as not to lose my curiosity about everything that is evolution, and that "youth" that I maintain, does not enslave me as a consumer. I have saddlebags (I'm an old traveler), some bikepacking bags and of course, metal supports, some DIY (unpatented). Now I want to comment on your video, the support base/support of your "bags" can perfectly, behind the saddle and front on the handlebar, fix them with some tapes without all that metallic frame that seems excessive to me. I hope my comment is not from an "old curmudgeon".

[EndUser-yugg]

My bike packing bike is getting Old Man Mountain racks ... A Elkhorn in rear and the divide on the front as lowering things and the extra utility mounts are a win win.. if I cannot carry as much meh just makes it harder to over pack

[petertyliszczak]

I just got a ghost grappler and building it up over the next few weeks. Going with 27.5+, moloko bars, and probably one of these to round out the do it all feel. The bag you have tucked into the frame is nice, what is that one?

[adamnearing]

Thanks for touching on the rack appearing bent. I'm concerned that by bending the arms, I will be putting pressure on the thru axle. Could you comment on your thoughts of this?

[outtatrex]

Great review ! I am glad we are finally realizing that bike racks were a great idea after all...

However, most modern gravel bikes don't have suitable eyelets for mounting a rack.
Some have eyelets, but those look more like they were made for fender mounts,
and not to carry the weight of a racks and panniers.
Also putting a rear rack on a carbon bike is not advised as far as I know.
I still have to see a good solution to mount a rack directly to a thru axel.

[mikeaustin]

Cool rack, but I'm leaving my Karate Monkey rack-free: All Revelate and Ortlieb bags for my beloved Ape! For my Pugsley it's a different story: Surly racks front and rear, Ortlieb panniers and 3 x 29 tires. Had an Ogre once. I should have never sold it, alas. Leaving in a few weeks to bikepack solo from Oklahoma to Idaho, camping most of the way---New Mexico, Colorado GDMBR, Utah, Idaho, Oregon, Nevada and back to Oklahoma eventually. Taking the Pugs of course. I'll turn 69 in a tent somewhere in Utah or Nevada.

I heard that there were bicycle companies other than Surly, but I imagine that's just a Conspiracy Theory.

[TylerCampbellOutdoors]

I recently picked up a salsa cutthroat. It has 29 inch tires. I plan on using a rack for the back. Would the tall version of this work best?

[JohnFrStrong]

I could be miss understanding this, but shouldn't axel mounting drop the rack by about an inch? Not raise it by an inch like mentioned in the video?

[pedallinraw]

For front rack I’d go for origin 8 or the specialized pizza racks....more beer 😉👍🏻

[Check-it-out]

Cool ! Do you also have a video on the bags ?