Before there were low riders there were just "front racks," and they carried weight higher. Starting in the early '80s, low-riders sort of gobbled them up and spat them out, and now it's rare to see a high front rackwhich is a shame, because sometimes it's the rack of choice.

The front rack offers a tent, sleeping bag, or sleeping pad that doesn't fit or make sense inside a bag. It's accessible while riding, if you pile stuff high enough on it. In severe mud or rocks, it's clearly the winner, since the higher bags clear the ground so much better.

Does the weight carry so much worse up high? Slam dunk NO! on that one. Low-riders have a slight edge, but slight it is, and if you don't look for the difference, if you just pack up and ride, you won't find anything to complain about.

Then there's the general, all-around accessibility and usefulness of having a rack up here, as opposed to down there. Ever lashed a jacket or something to a low-rider? How about a basket full of books, or a watermelon?

That's the point. High-rider racks have their  place, and many sane people prefer them.

This one is made for us by Nitto. You attach it to the fork dropout eyelet and to the cantilever brake bosses (it's cleanest and safest but not necessary to use the special but not included Nitto domed two-way bolts ; otherwise use your existing brake bolts to hold the canti rack rods). Secure, four-point attachment.

Fillet brazed tubular CrMo steel, nickel-plated for durability.  A fine example of a high-rider rack.

Weighs a little under  2 lbs, depending on the hardware you use.


It is also possible to mount the rack to a fork that does not have canti brake bosses if you use Nitto big fork clamps and 15cm rack struts; or if your fork has lowrider braze-ons than all you need are the 15cm rack struts.  And you can mount the rack  on the rear as well with the help of rack struts.  Fork clamps and rack struts not included with the Hirighder.