Rear racks for fullys - two full reviews and a request. Old Man Mountain & Ortlieb Quick Rack

Tim1023

Well-known member
Aug 25, 2020
659
579
Hamburg, Germany
(Lots of trouble posting this, so I'll try to add the pics in replies below)

As I use my Levo for commuting, I wanted a rear rack for a bag to carry my laptop, etc. to the office, but could also (relatively) easily remove for hitting the trails. Obviously, having full suspension makes this difficult.

The bag I decided on was the Ortlieb Vario because (a) it can also turn into a rucksack as needed and (b) it could be ordered with QL 3.1 fixing to keep the side of the bag free of sticky-out bits. Some Ortlieb racks come with mounting points for QL 3.1 bags. For other racks, there is the QL 3.1 adapter to attach to the rack:


The requirement of using QL 3.1 and the desire to stop the bag from flapping against the wheels limited the choice somewhat.

Old Man Mountain Divide
Expensive, but built like a brick shit house as they say in British polite society.
You need to order an appropriate axle replacement as this is where the rack mounts and give it it's load capacity without adding too many demands on the frame. Also adds to the cost. Current pricing for the rack is EUR 125 + 81 for the axle kit
Downsides:
  • There is a supporting bar that needs to be attached to the front part of the seat stay to stop movement front-back. Somewhat inconvenient should you also want to attach a mudguard there.

  • The rack was a bit small, making it difficult to get the QL3.1 adapter to fit, especially with the supporting bar in the way. It also ended up positioned further forward that I wanted.

There is another - sometimes well hidden - version of the Divide: The Divide MIA. Here that means Made in America, not Missing in Action! Costs another EUR 75(!!!!), coming in at EUR 200. So an eye-watering total of EUR 280 for a rear bike rack. Advantages of the MIA are that it is bigger and extends further back away from the bike, giving more space to keep the bag away from your heals.


Sorry, no pics on the bike as the bike was stolen just two days after I fitted the rack.

Ortlieb Quick Rack
Considerably cheaper at EUR 90
Has the advantage of being able to be attached and removed very quickly. Also has QL3.1 attachment lugs so that no adapter is needed.
Problems:
  • Due to the rear brake mounting on the Levo, the rack needed to be fitted much further forward than is ideal. When using the standard mounting points, the bag is far too far forward. I managed to fit the mounting lugs in an alternative position (a bit of a 3d puzzle!) The top of the bag is now pressing into the back of my leg when I peddle
  • It is supposed to be compatible with full suspension, but I disagree. There is a bar that extends forwards and attaches to the seat post. The bar can slide within the rubber bushing on the rack and can thus allow movement of the rear suspension. Problem is that (as far as I can see and please correct me if I'm wrong), it offers very little support forwards and backwards. This means that the only thing stopping the whole thing rotating around the bottom clamp is the tightness of that clamp. I tried tightening the bolts around the rubber bushing, but that just made the whole thing squeak like a very excited mouse.

See a bunch of pics at the bottom

New Rack?
The Ortlieb Quick Rack, just doesn't work for my needs (hello ebay!) and I'm not keen on getting out another mortgage for the Old Man Mountain Divide MIA plus axle kit.

Any ideas for my next attempt greatly appreciated!

Looking for a rear rack that:
  • Works with the rear suspension on the Levo
  • Can be installed along with the existing mud guard
  • Is not too difficult to remove for the weekend
  • I can install the QL 3.1 adapter on it
  • Stops the side of the panniers from hitting the wheels

Pics of bike with Ortlieb Quick Rack
Without bag. Standard QL3.1 lugs on left side, adjusted positions on right side (away form camera)

Standard position of lugs. No space for peddling:

Adjusted positioning. Just about fits
 

Tim1023

Well-known member
Aug 25, 2020
659
579
Hamburg, Germany
(Lots of trouble posting this, so I'll try to add the pics in replies below)

As I use my Levo for commuting, I wanted a rear rack for a bag to carry my laptop, etc. to the office, but could also (relatively) easily remove for hitting the trails. Obviously, having full suspension makes this difficult.

The bag I decided on was the Ortlieb Vario because (a) it can also turn into a rucksack as needed and (b) it could be ordered with QL 3.1 fixing to keep the side of the bag free of sticky-out bits. Some Ortlieb racks come with mounting points for QL 3.1 bags. For other racks, there is the QL 3.1 adapter to attach to the rack:


The requirement of using QL 3.1 and the desire to stop the bag from flapping against the wheels limited the choice somewhat.

Old Man Mountain Divide
Expensive, but built like a brick shit house as they say in British polite society.
You need to order an appropriate axle replacement as this is where the rack mounts and give it it's load capacity without adding too many demands on the frame. Also adds to the cost. Current pricing for the rack is EUR 125 + 81 for the axle kit
Downsides:
  • There is a supporting bar that needs to be attached to the front part of the seat stay to stop movement front-back. Somewhat inconvenient should you also want to attach a mudguard there.

  • The rack was a bit small, making it difficult to get the QL3.1 adapter to fit, especially with the supporting bar in the way. It also ended up positioned further forward that I wanted.

There is another - sometimes well hidden - version of the Divide: The Divide MIA. Here that means Made in America, not Missing in Action! Costs another EUR 75(!!!!), coming in at EUR 200. So an eye-watering total of EUR 280 for a rear bike rack. Advantages of the MIA are that it is bigger and extends further back away from the bike, giving more space to keep the bag away from your heals.


Sorry, no pics on the bike as the bike was stolen just two days after I fitted the rack.

Ortlieb Quick Rack
Considerably cheaper at EUR 90
Has the advantage of being able to be attached and removed very quickly. Also has QL3.1 attachment lugs so that no adapter is needed.
Problems:
  • Due to the rear brake mounting on the Levo, the rack needed to be fitted much further forward than is ideal. When using the standard mounting points, the bag is far too far forward. I managed to fit the mounting lugs in an alternative position (a bit of a 3d puzzle!) The top of the bag is now pressing into the back of my leg when I peddle
  • It is supposed to be compatible with full suspension, but I disagree. There is a bar that extends forwards and attaches to the seat post. The bar can slide within the rubber bushing on the rack and can thus allow movement of the rear suspension. Problem is that (as far as I can see and please correct me if I'm wrong), it offers very little support forwards and backwards. This means that the only thing stopping the whole thing rotating around the bottom clamp is the tightness of that clamp. I tried tightening the bolts around the rubber bushing, but that just made the whole thing squeak like a very excited mouse.

See a bunch of pics at the bottom

New Rack?
The Ortlieb Quick Rack, just doesn't work for my needs (hello ebay!) and I'm not keen on getting out another mortgage for the Old Man Mountain Divide MIA plus axle kit.

Any ideas for my next attempt greatly appreciated!

Looking for a rear rack that:
  • Works with the rear suspension on the Levo
  • Can be installed along with the existing mud guard
  • Is not too difficult to remove for the weekend
  • I can install the QL 3.1 adapter on it
  • Stops the side of the panniers from hitting the wheels

Pics of bike with Ortlieb Quick Rack
Without bag. Standard QL3.1 lugs on left side, adjusted positions on right side (away form camera)

Standard position of lugs. No space for peddling:

Adjusted positioning. Just about fits
Now the pics. Hope they still make sense without context...




1709915560507.png 1709915572700.png 1709915599134.png 1709915599136.png
 

Tim1023

Well-known member
Aug 25, 2020
659
579
Hamburg, Germany
(Lots of trouble posting this, so I'll try to add the pics in replies below)

As I use my Levo for commuting, I wanted a rear rack for a bag to carry my laptop, etc. to the office, but could also (relatively) easily remove for hitting the trails. Obviously, having full suspension makes this difficult.

The bag I decided on was the Ortlieb Vario because (a) it can also turn into a rucksack as needed and (b) it could be ordered with QL 3.1 fixing to keep the side of the bag free of sticky-out bits. Some Ortlieb racks come with mounting points for QL 3.1 bags. For other racks, there is the QL 3.1 adapter to attach to the rack:


The requirement of using QL 3.1 and the desire to stop the bag from flapping against the wheels limited the choice somewhat.

Old Man Mountain Divide
Expensive, but built like a brick shit house as they say in British polite society.
You need to order an appropriate axle replacement as this is where the rack mounts and give it it's load capacity without adding too many demands on the frame. Also adds to the cost. Current pricing for the rack is EUR 125 + 81 for the axle kit
Downsides:
  • There is a supporting bar that needs to be attached to the front part of the seat stay to stop movement front-back. Somewhat inconvenient should you also want to attach a mudguard there.

  • The rack was a bit small, making it difficult to get the QL3.1 adapter to fit, especially with the supporting bar in the way. It also ended up positioned further forward that I wanted.

There is another - sometimes well hidden - version of the Divide: The Divide MIA. Here that means Made in America, not Missing in Action! Costs another EUR 75(!!!!), coming in at EUR 200. So an eye-watering total of EUR 280 for a rear bike rack. Advantages of the MIA are that it is bigger and extends further back away from the bike, giving more space to keep the bag away from your heals.


Sorry, no pics on the bike as the bike was stolen just two days after I fitted the rack.

Ortlieb Quick Rack
Considerably cheaper at EUR 90
Has the advantage of being able to be attached and removed very quickly. Also has QL3.1 attachment lugs so that no adapter is needed.
Problems:
  • Due to the rear brake mounting on the Levo, the rack needed to be fitted much further forward than is ideal. When using the standard mounting points, the bag is far too far forward. I managed to fit the mounting lugs in an alternative position (a bit of a 3d puzzle!) The top of the bag is now pressing into the back of my leg when I peddle
  • It is supposed to be compatible with full suspension, but I disagree. There is a bar that extends forwards and attaches to the seat post. The bar can slide within the rubber bushing on the rack and can thus allow movement of the rear suspension. Problem is that (as far as I can see and please correct me if I'm wrong), it offers very little support forwards and backwards. This means that the only thing stopping the whole thing rotating around the bottom clamp is the tightness of that clamp. I tried tightening the bolts around the rubber bushing, but that just made the whole thing squeak like a very excited mouse.

See a bunch of pics at the bottom

New Rack?
The Ortlieb Quick Rack, just doesn't work for my needs (hello ebay!) and I'm not keen on getting out another mortgage for the Old Man Mountain Divide MIA plus axle kit.

Any ideas for my next attempt greatly appreciated!

Looking for a rear rack that:
  • Works with the rear suspension on the Levo
  • Can be installed along with the existing mud guard
  • Is not too difficult to remove for the weekend
  • I can install the QL 3.1 adapter on it
  • Stops the side of the panniers from hitting the wheels

Pics of bike with Ortlieb Quick Rack
Without bag. Standard QL3.1 lugs on left side, adjusted positions on right side (away form camera)

Standard position of lugs. No space for peddling:

Adjusted positioning. Just about fits
...and now the pics of the Ortlieb Quick Rack on the bike...


1709915783764.png 1709915817728.png 1709915831915.png
 

Tim1023

Well-known member
Aug 25, 2020
659
579
Hamburg, Germany
I've had feedback from SKS that their Infinity Universal rack would be compatible with QL 3.1, but they don't recommend putting all the weight on one side (I've got a heavy laptop).

I'm waiting on feedback from Topeak re their TetraRack M2 and have just pinged Aero re their Spider Pannier Rack.

Also, it looks like Old Man Mountain isn't supplying the MIA version of their Divide to the EU, had I wanted to go for the eye-wateringly expensive option.

Definitely wishing I hadn't gone for QL 3.1. Looks like a neat system and minimises the sticky-out bits on the bag, but it's fiddly to mount the bag and compatibility with racks seems to be a big problem.
 

papillon-bleu

New Member
Apr 13, 2024
2
3
France
Hello, had the same question one year ago. I have to add a rack on my fully-suspended mtb to carry my QL3.1 paniers for my commute.
I had already another 'comute' bike with QL3.1 integrated and wanted to use my mtb sometimes for more fun.

After some researches, i found 2 solutions : the topeak M2L and the Old Man Mountain Rack. The topeak was availlable in a shop nearby so i chossed this one. After one year of use (about 30 journeys). I decided to try the old man montain (done one month ago, i used it about 5 times).

The M2L has 3 main problems : it allows to carry only 13 kg which is the weight of my package. The rack seems to be weak, on rought trail, i can hear my wheel touching the rack. And the worst part : the QL3.1 adaptator does not fit well.

Also, the chain of my bike remove one velcro band and sometime i can touch my bags with my heels.

On the good side, this rack is easy to setup and to remove.

The old mountain rack cost twice the price. I had to buy the parts in 2 differents online shops. Is a little more tricky to install.
But can carry 30kg, doesnt move at all and let more space for the heels (about 5 cm).

My bike with the M2L and the panier (yes this is not an emtb, but it makes no difference here)

20240413_171220.jpg

Without the bag :
20240413_171246.jpg

close up on the chain problem :
20240413_171333.jpg


To attach the QL3.1 adaptor, i had to reverse the rings and add some velcro band to strenght it.
20240413_171721.jpg


To compare, picture with the old man mountain rack :
20240413_184415.jpg
20240413_184449.jpg


For my usage, the old mountain rack is the best option. Too bad it was so difficult to buy it in europe.

And it could be wonderfull if old man mountain made a native QL3.1 rack.

Ps, i also have the ortlieb quick rack. And it is clearly not made for a full suspended bike.
 

Tim1023

Well-known member
Aug 25, 2020
659
579
Hamburg, Germany
Hello, had the same question one year ago. I have to add a rack on my fully-suspended mtb to carry my QL3.1 paniers for my commute.
I had already another 'comute' bike with QL3.1 integrated and wanted to use my mtb sometimes for more fun.

After some researches, i found 2 solutions : the topeak M2L and the Old Man Mountain Rack. The topeak was availlable in a shop nearby so i chossed this one. After one year of use (about 30 journeys). I decided to try the old man montain (done one month ago, i used it about 5 times).

The M2L has 3 main problems : it allows to carry only 13 kg which is the weight of my package. The rack seems to be weak, on rought trail, i can hear my wheel touching the rack. And the worst part : the QL3.1 adaptator does not fit well.

Also, the chain of my bike remove one velcro band and sometime i can touch my bags with my heels.

On the good side, this rack is easy to setup and to remove.

The old mountain rack cost twice the price. I had to buy the parts in 2 differents online shops. Is a little more tricky to install.
But can carry 30kg, doesnt move at all and let more space for the heels (about 5 cm).

My bike with the M2L and the panier (yes this is not an emtb, but it makes no difference here)

View attachment 139782
Without the bag :
View attachment 139784
close up on the chain problem :
View attachment 139785

To attach the QL3.1 adaptor, i had to reverse the rings and add some velcro band to strenght it.
View attachment 139786

To compare, picture with the old man mountain rack :
View attachment 139787 View attachment 139788

For my usage, the old mountain rack is the best option. Too bad it was so difficult to buy it in europe.

And it could be wonderfull if old man mountain made a native QL3.1 rack.

Ps, i also have the ortlieb quick rack. And it is clearly not made for a full suspended bike.

Hello, had the same question one year ago. I have to add a rack on my fully-suspended mtb to carry my QL3.1 paniers for my commute.
I had already another 'comute' bike with QL3.1 integrated and wanted to use my mtb sometimes for more fun.

After some researches, i found 2 solutions : the topeak M2L and the Old Man Mountain Rack. The topeak was availlable in a shop nearby so i chossed this one. After one year of use (about 30 journeys). I decided to try the old man montain (done one month ago, i used it about 5 times).

The M2L has 3 main problems : it allows to carry only 13 kg which is the weight of my package. The rack seems to be weak, on rought trail, i can hear my wheel touching the rack. And the worst part : the QL3.1 adaptator does not fit well.

Also, the chain of my bike remove one velcro band and sometime i can touch my bags with my heels.

On the good side, this rack is easy to setup and to remove.

The old mountain rack cost twice the price. I had to buy the parts in 2 differents online shops. Is a little more tricky to install.
But can carry 30kg, doesnt move at all and let more space for the heels (about 5 cm).

My bike with the M2L and the panier (yes this is not an emtb, but it makes no difference here)

View attachment 139782
Without the bag :
View attachment 139784
close up on the chain problem :
View attachment 139785

To attach the QL3.1 adaptor, i had to reverse the rings and add some velcro band to strenght it.
View attachment 139786

To compare, picture with the old man mountain rack :
View attachment 139787 View attachment 139788

For my usage, the old mountain rack is the best option. Too bad it was so difficult to buy it in europe.

And it could be wonderfull if old man mountain made a native QL3.1 rack.

Ps, i also have the ortlieb quick rack. And it is clearly not made for a full suspended bike.
Excellent! Thank you also for the pics.
Is that the standard Divide or the MIA version?
That always reads to me as Missing in Action, not Made in America!
 

Tim1023

Well-known member
Aug 25, 2020
659
579
Hamburg, Germany
Further feedback re Ortlieb.

Definitely not a fan of the QL3.1 mounting system. It twice slipped out and as a result, two holes were rubbed in the corners of the bag.

In addition, the levers on the quickrack were so tight, that I managed to break one of them trying the get the bag off.

BUT!!

Top service from Ortlieb!

I sent the rack and bag back to them to see if they could repair them.
1. They replaced the broken lever on the rack (definitely not user repairable)
2. They replaced the bag with a new one. I had mentioned that should they decide to replace instead of repair the back (not expected), a bag with QL 2.1 would be appreciated. This is what they sent me.

All no charge, no quibble. Fantastic service.
 

Tim1023

Well-known member
Aug 25, 2020
659
579
Hamburg, Germany
I've finally reached a workable solution.

The Ortlieb 2.1 mechanism enabled the bag to be set much further back than the QL 3 mechanism. But not quite enough as my heel was still sometimes rubbing against the bag. The problem is that the mounting posts for the Ortlieb QuickRack need to be installed so far forward due to the rear brake mount on the seat stay:
1727437542191.png

Thus I've gone back to the Old Man Mountain Divide:
  • Plus:
    • Built like a brick shit house. That thing ain't gonna break. More comfortable with my heavy bag (bog PC) on it.
    • Fixed via a replacement axel, therefore much further back
  • Minus:
    • Expensive
    • Mounting assumes you don't use a mudguard, so I had to cut shapes out of mine to get it to fit
    • 1727438141050.png
    • Makes removing the rear wheel (for swapping between my mtb and commuting wheels, fixing punctures...) a much bigger pain. Here the Ortlieb QuickRack was very good.
Final commuting setup:
1727438039227.png

It's a bit tail heavy, but fine for commuting.
 

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