Pannier Rack

Tried & Tested

Awards and Reviews from the people you trust the most.

Top tip: Try searching for your bike make/model below to find others using this product on your bike.

Bike: Santa Cruz Highball (L)

Riding Style: Bikepacking

Aluminium pannier rack on Large Santa Cruz Highball

Tailfin aero pannier rack aluminium without pannier mounts / cargo cages / dry bags: Fantastic rack which works perfectly with my Santa Cruz Highball (L) (though note original UDH hanger needs changed to SRAM, my Burgtec one worked fine). Just returned from a very wet and windy trip in Scottish Highlands, it was rock solid and "forgettable" in the best way possible, with a dry back strapped to it and 2 tailfin 5litre dry bags strapped to cargo cages either side. I like modular storage so that I have a tent, sleeping set up, and food, clothes separated as far as possible. Everything bone dry in tailfin bags and rack rock solid, would highly recommend

Bike: Custom Single speed

Riding Style: Commuting

Replacement for the Kickstarter T1

Loved the original but sadly the carbon was breaking (my heavy usage!). very happy with the replacement that even better.

Bike: Trek procaliber 9.6

Riding Style: Bikepacking, MTB

Good rack but not ideal on all third party panniers

I purchased the Tailfin carbon rack with the third party adaptors to ride the Chalk way bike packing and to use my Ortlieb QL2.2 panniers. They appeared to fit and we successfully completed the trip, however, I was disappointed when I took the rack off as there has been significant grooves worn in the uprights of the rack.
Clearly there has been movement, I would have put some pictures up but there doesn't appear to that function.
I would say that a friend of mine on the trip had the proper tailfin bags and there was no issue or ware on his rack. So perhaps the solution is to use the proper tailfin bags but that is expensive if you already have a good set of panniers.

Thanks for completing a review for us Colin, sorry to hear about these marks though. I’ve sent a separate email to check this with you. We’ve tried to make the Third-Party Pannier Adaptors compatible with as many different types of bags as possible but some will have a better fit than other. All the best, Dan

Bike: 3T Exploro Racemax

Riding Style: Road / Ultra-endurance, Bikepacking

Very good, but not 'great'

Quality, stability, simplicity... tick, tick, tick. It's everything you could hope for in those terms. Several flaws that need to be ironed out - maybe they have done this in the subsequent AeroPack/Cargo models?
(i) They say you need 100mm of exposed seat post to fit the Short Top Stay... you need a LOT more than that. I have 150mm and even when rolling the pack down 4 times, it still fouls on my saddle. You need to DOUBLE that to 200mm in my view, to fit the Short Top Stay
(ii) The pack itself should have some form of stiffening along its closure edges, to make rolling down easier
(iii) The side pocket on the pack is almost useless - too shallow to fit a phone and not enough 'depth' for more than a credit card, with the bag full.
(iv) There is no 'vent' to release air when rolling down the pack, so need to open the side pocket when rolling down the pack, and remember to re-close
(v) The over-straps foul on the zip openers for both side pocket and pack access opening. Daft design

Hi Philip,

Thank you for taking the time to leave a review for our Pannier Rack. We are glad to hear that you found the product to be satisfactory. However, we apologise for the flaws that you have encountered and understand your frustration.

Rest assured, your feedback regarding the Top Stay, closures, side pocket, and over-straps has been passed on to our product team for further review. We are constantly striving to improve our products and your feedback is highly valuable in that process.

We would also like to mention that our new Cargo model does address many of these issues, but we are continuously working towards making all of our products as great as possible.

Thank you for being a loyal customer.

All the best,

Amy

Fitting FAQs

How do I assemble it?

Click here for Rack setups or here for AeroPacks
Assembly requires a Torx T25 key (found on most multi-tools)

Will it fit my bike?

We’ve designed our products to fit the majority of bikes, from road to full-suspension. You can search our Reviews to see if another customer with the same bike is already using this product too. If you’re still unsure, contact our team for help and advice.

What are the max tyre dimensions?

26″ Maximum Tyre Width – 4″ / 100mm
27.5″/650B Maximum Tyre Width – 3.5″ / 90mm
29″/700C Maximum Tyre Width – 2.9″ / 75mm

Which axle do I need for my bike?

For help choosing your axle, see this page.

I have a small frame, will it fit my bike?

For the AeroPack – For riders with small frames or less than 100mm of exposed seatpost, we recommend using the AeroPack Extended Seat Post Connector. This replaces the standard connector and pushes the AeroPack back a further 50mm.
For Racks – We recommend selecting the ‘Long’ Top Stay when ordering your Rack. It offers the same extension as the AeroPack equivalent. For more information and images, click here.
For additional tips see this blog post

Does it work with suspension systems?

Yes! We genuinely believe “the best bike packing bike is the bike you already own” therefore it was important that all our rack / AeroPack systems could be used with full suspension bikes. For the best experience, we recommend the AeroPack setup for full suspension bikes though. Using a unique articulated design each pivot contains replaceable plain bushings which allow it to adjust position as the suspension compresses. They will also work with road and gravel bike suspension systems such as Trek’s IsoSpeed and Cannondale’s Kingpin Suspension.
See this blog for further tips on fitting Tailfin products to full suspension bikes.

Can it be fitted to all seat posts? (Including dropper, aero, carbon posts)

Yes, the quick-release seatpost connector is compatible with all seat posts- including dropper, carbon, and aero. An extra-long seat post strap is included with all shipments for deep-aero seatposts.

Mounting options – which is right for me?

All our racks come with 3 choices of mounting option:
Axle + Fast Release Dropouts – we ship you a rear axle to swap out on your bike, the rack then affixes to this axle in seconds, allowing it to be mounted or removed in seconds.
Frame Mounts + Fast-Release Dropouts – we ship you mounts which screw into the frame eyelets on your frame, the rack then affixes to this mount in seconds, allowing it to be mounted or removed in seconds.
Direct Mount – with this option, you screw the rack directly to your frame via the frame eyelets on your bike. This option is not fast-release, and will need to be unscrewed from frame when mounting or removing.

We have a comprehensive guide to the different options here.

Can it be securely locked to the bike?

Yes, all Tailfin Racks and AeroPacks come with security screws that allow you to lock to your axle, or frame mounts, depending on your chosen mounting option.

Can I use the panniers I already own with the Rack / AeroPack?

Yes, but you will need to add the 3rd party pannier adaptors to your order

Product FAQs

What is the difference between Tailfin Racks and AeroPacks?

The AeroPack is an integrated seat pack, meaning that the top bag and arch are connected together. With the Carbon and Alloy Racks, the top bag is detachable. For some riders this is an important difference, for others, it is not. The AeroPack is lighter for the weight-conscious rider and has a more simplistic design – which is sometimes preferential on longer trips. For more info, read this.

Which is stronger, the Carbon or Alloy Rack?

Both alloy and carbon racks have been tested to the same standards and are capable of carrying a maximum of 27kg. The Carbon Rack has been designed to be strong, and we have historically seen close-to-zero failures due to impact. The main differences between the Alloy and Carbon versions of the Rack are weight, price, and aesthetics.

Can I mount my rear light to the Rack?

It is possible to mount a seat-post strip light to the Rack, just as you would your regular seat post, but may rub the Rack finish after heavy use. The AP20 top bag has loops made for certain clip-on lights, or we offer Seatpost mounted light mounts, and regular rack mounted light mounts, which affixes to the AP20 to allow you to mount your rear light directly to the pack.

Can I fit a laptop in the AP Rack Top Bag?

Yes, the Top Bag can carry up to a 13″ laptop, with the only limiting factor being the amount of available seatpost space. If your saddle is low then you will have less space available to fit the laptop and in this case, it may be best to use a side pannier instead. You can pack it vertically (providing there is space as mentioned), or horizontally. If packing vertically you’ll want some items on either side of the laptop to keep it stable over any rough terrain.

For the best fit we recommend using the 16L Mini Pannier and Laptop Holster.

Should I choose a Rack with pannier mounts?

This depends on the type of riding you’re doing now and your plans for the future. If the majority of your trips are short overnighters then you probably won’t need side panniers, likewise if you’re riding mainly singletrack. If you’re planning some big adventures, commute often, or want the option to carry up to 27kg in the future, then we recommend the pannier mounted model as you can attach Tailfin Panniers to increase capacity. With our Pannier Adaptors, you can also carry other brands of panniers.

More questions? See the Complete Product Guide.

Specification

Carbon Rack with pannier mounts

Carbon Rack without pannier mounts

Alloy Rack with pannier mounts

Alloy Rack without pannier mounts

Model
Model Carbon Rack	Model Alloy Rack
Weight (for fast-release mounting) 317g (395g with pannier mounts)	Weight (for fast-release mounting) 542g (643g with pannier mounts)
Weight (for Direct Mount) 257g (335g with pannier mounts)	Weight (for Direct Mount) 487g (591g with pannier mounts)
Top Bag Dimensions (width) 160mm (rear) / 128mm (front)	Top Bag Dimensions (width) 160mm (rear) / 128mm (front)
Top Bag Dimensions (length) 430mm	Top Bag Dimensions (length) 430mm
Top Bag Dimensions (height, unrolled) 420mm (rear) / 380mm (front)	Top Bag Dimensions (height, unrolled) 420mm (rear) / 380mm (front)
Maximum Load 27kg	Maximum Load 27kg
Maximum Capacity 64L	Maximum Capacity 64L
Maximum Top Load (AP18 only) 9kg	Maximum Top Load (AP18 only) 9kg
Maximum Side Load 9kg (each side)	Maximum Side Load 9kg (pannier each side. 4.5kg if using Cargo Cages)
Top Bag Capacity 18L	Top Bag Capacity 18L
Maximum Side Bag Capacity 22L (each side)	Maximum Side Bag Capacity 22L (each side)

* Maximum loads listed for on-road riding. Off-road loads will be lower depending on the severity of the terrain, etc.

Media Reviews

“It strikes a sweet spot between weight, space, and usability…the Aeropack’s execution is so much better than anything I’ve ever seen.”

Read Bikepacking.com’s full review

“Beautifully made, fully waterproof, mounts in seconds, more capacity than a seatpack, AERO… it’s a lovely thing that’s a joy to use.”

Read Road.cc’s full review

“Tailfin’s AeroPack is one of the best rear luggage options for serious bikepacking (and commuting) ever tested. It is expensive but its simplicity, ease of use and pleasing design make you forget the price within the first ride.”

Read Cycling Weekly’s full review