While the time-honoured tradition of travelling by bike hasn’t changed, the past decade has brought a real shift in how we ride and what we carry.
Where cycle touring once meant fully loaded panniers and kitchen-sink packing, the pendulum has swung, at least for some, toward bikepacking, gravel riding, and packing just the “bare minimum”.
For riders with the luxury of space, it has been easy to embrace the fabled N+1 rule. A lugged steel tourer with for the weekend audax and week-long holiday - pannier bags front and rear. Sitting quietly aside something much more modern - a gravel bike with suspension (heaven forbid!), tyre clearance for days and a simple set of strap-on bags.
But for many riders, one bike has to do it all. The daily commute. The Wednesday evening chaingang. The weekend escape in search of new roads and new sensations.
Bagman Racks have long been an alternative luggage carrying option - a halfway house if you will, between a full-blown pannier rack and cruder, if not as effective, bikepacking setup. With the new Utility Rack Range, we have taken that concept a step further. Designed with the one-bike rider in mind, these three new racks deliver adaptable, lightweight carrying solutions without the need for frame mounts.
Let’s take a closer look.
Three New Additions to the Bagman Rack Range
Traditional pannier racks most definitely have their benefits, they rely on fixed mounting points on the frame of the bike. But as modern bike design evolved, most notably in the sphere of endurance road bikes, but also on folding bikes and zippy hybrid commuters, eyelets have sometimes been conspicuous by their absence.
The Utility Rack builds on the existing Bagman luggage system for large saddlebags and handlebar bags.
Image: Markus Stitz
Designed as a lightweight and easily transferable, universal rack platform, it allows riders to carry luggage using simple straps, without the need for dedicated rack mounts.
Whether you’re heading out on a multi-day ride or just carrying daily essentials, the system is built to adapt, with eight additional strap loops for extra versatility.
All told there are three racks in the range, one front and two rear. The two rear racks offer the same capacity but simply have a different mounting specification.
Bagman Utility Front Rack
Even the best handlebar bags aren’t immune to sway, especially on rough terrain. That’s where this lightweight, minimal frame comes in. It keeps the load low and centred, eliminating sway whether you're sashaying up a gravelly incline or bumping along poorly surfaced tarmac on the way to work. This front rack requires no fork eyelets and no complex fitting. A quick turn on the simple, two-screw setup and in a matter of moments a regular bike is transformed to something far more exploratory.
Image: Markus Stitz
With the eight additional lugs offering extra carrying possibilities for bulky lightweight items - think jackets, tents and sleeping bags, or perhaps something for a campsite cook-up, wraps, bananas and biscuits. Secure using straps, bungee cords or cargo nets for a quick, fuss-free and stable ‘bar setup.
Image: Markus Stitz
Mounting other handlebar bags, or even just regular drybags or carrier bags with the Bagman Utility Front Rack is super easy too. With the position of each lug on the frame, it’s easy to secure items of almost any size to the rack. The addition of the lugs have added around 20 grams to the weight of the regular Bagman Bar Rack.
- Capacity: 6kg
- Weight: 0.45kg
- Loops (lugs): 8
- Material: 7mm 304 Grade Stainless Steel
- Width: 190mm
- Drop: 187.5mm
- Compatibility: Fits 25.4 mm and 31.8 mm handlebars (can be mounted under or on top of handlebars)
Bagman Utility Rear Rack - Standard
Out back, the Bagman Utility Rear Rack is the ideal carrying solution for riders who don’t weight the heft and bulk of a pannier rack. This is a versatile carrying platform for bikepacking bags, saddle bags and luggage and ideal for almost any type of bike from gravel to touring to commuting bikes and e-bikes.
Image: Markus Stitz
The welded strap lugs provide secure fixing points to help prevent bag slippage and keep loads stable. But it’s not just traditional rear saddlebags that the Utility Rear Rack can be used for. Those same lugs make it possible to lob on a sleeping bag, throw on a yoga mat or lash on a bag of potatoes.
In size, the Utility Rear Rack is roughly similar to the Bagman Expedition, although the 6kg capacity is roughly half of the Expedition.
- Capacity: 6kg
- Weight: 0.42kg
- Loops (lugs): 8
- Material: 7mm 304 Grade Stainless Steel
- Width: 190mm
- Drop: 187.5mm
- Compatibility: Fits most saddles. Compatible with Carradice and other brand bags, plus most strap mounted bag
Bagman Utility Rear Rack - Quick Release
Almost identical in specification to the Standard Bagman Utility Rear Rack, the quick-release variant enables secure mounting of Carradice bags and quick removal in seconds. The change to the mount adds 800g to the overall weight of the bike rack. For safe mounting, we recommend a minimum tyre clearance of 85mm.
Image: Markus Stitz
- Capacity: 6kg
- Weight: 0.5kg
- Loops (lugs): 8
- Material: 7mm 304 Grade Stainless Steel
- Width: 190mm
- Drop: 187.5mm
- Compatibility: Fits most saddles. Compatible with Carradice Quick Release bags and most strap mounted bags
That brings our assessment of the Bagman Utility Rack collection to a close.
