DIY bike front rack under $25 (2023 new version) 

I'll never buy a rack again. Its so easy to build your own and you get it exactly what you require. I must say of all the RU-vidrs you do the best job with your bike without having all the high end and expendive tools for the job. Your ability to improvise is truely inspiring.

Gaz, you're the best!! I didn't't know about the marvels of 3mm aluminium flat bar, my life has changed!! I just made some braces for my rear rack and was able to put that cute twist in the bottom of the bar so it can attach to the frame of the bike. Thanks for the inspo mate 😍

Looks good. Only thing I would change is te middle strut that goes to the fork crown. Make it steel, now it's going to bend when loaded and riding on rougher surfaces. The steel strut can be easy found and pre bend and drilled.

One of my first tasks when I started at job back in 98 was making brackets from 3mm flat bar. I soon learnt about having twists in flat for rigidity.

This is brilliant! I've been wanting a rack for my bike, and this is basically exactly what I need.

I'm inspired, thanks man, your D.I.Y. racks are giving me so many ideas, keep up the good work

I saved this one. Amazing video. Thank-you

Nice - When I see the price for this stuff in bike shops, there is quite the incentive to make your own.

Great design and easy to replicate. Thank you!

Great project! Thanks for sharing

Creativity and inventiveness at work. Great stuff, @garys.projects!

Really great video I'm gonna try 👍

Well done Gary! Simple and effective for small stuff.

Yes thk u

Dang Bro, that looks awesome. Great Job.

Hats off! Love tinkering as well. Good job 👌

Nice project Gary, I love how accessible this is ! As you pointed out the only real weakness is the bracket, but if this one piece were substituted for steel, I'm sure this would be resolved ! It may be worth getting a Pop riveter for projects like this as Rivets would leave a smoother join than the bolts !

Ill try this one❗️✌️ thanks for the great idea

Solid and BADASS. Nice build.

I just build a similar rack, i was aiming for a quick prototype but it took pretty long so i ended up keeping it how it is. Definitely building it again. Making pretty front and back pairs.

Compact and solid. Great job.

Another great video Gary. Thanks!

Turned out so nice man! I think I need to do this now. I love working with al to make brackets and whatnot too, so cool. Cheers.

Love your work Gary. Cheers

just made it today. solid design, thanks foir sharing this idea! hope it will hold my stuff when i ride to demnark in august :)

Yeah! I love the design! Bolts have some brutal diy charm, but need to be replaced, agreed =) May be use some rivets for a sleeker look and couple allen screws where they’re really need to be? I gotta make it! Thanks for inspiration! Peace!

Great job, anything that you can build yourself is fantastic as you can tailor it to your specs and makes it unique in lots of ways and also doing stuff like this is wonderful for the mind , i will also agree with what was previously said that rivets would be a cleaner build but if you stick to nuts and bolts, I'd go the socket headed cap screws with nyloc nuts so that they don't shake loose. I'm building a recumbent trike from scrap bikes , steel tube and it's almost finished , I'm really eager to get that first test ride in ...I'm even helping my boss build his own aircraft ! .... there's something about taking a bunch of materials and turning it into something useful that just doesn't compare 😊

Holy crap Gary, your channel is so underrated. I had no idea this exited before but I love your content. I never thought about using aluminum strips like this before and it's also so simple that just about anyone could make this. In the future you might wanna invest in a bench vise too btw, that would make the bending a lot easier.

Awesome!! You are a natural at fabrication, Gary.. You should see about getting a used Workmate, which acts as a pair of sawhorses and a vice all in one compact unit. Cheers!!

Nice video and project as always! I don’t even want a front rack but I watched the whole thing 😂 Cheers from Canada

Looks good and really handy

Definitely gonna try this one! I got a steel front rack that's so heavy I never ended up using it. I would love seeing that rack mimic the frame art job!

love this ... very creative. amazing work! 🇨🇦🤙

nice shot !!!

I built one very similar, so easy to do. Plus cheaper than a manufacturer price.

Thank you

Great job!

Good Job !

Very nice

The aluminium flat bar is great stuff I used some to make mudguards and they work really well, I just bent them over my knee. Tubes may be stiffer for the stays but I'm not sure what that does to your budget. Thanks for sharing 👍

That's awesome! If you add a second set of pillars in a V shape it'd double+ the weight capabilities

Amazing abilities..❤👍

Inspired, Gary!

Outstanding solution, front racks are ridiculously expensive and rare these days. Also, proper punches for metal are pretty cheap and youll save drill bits

Nice job! You could have use some rivets for some parts

Looks better than factory ones. I'm planning on making one😊

We need more DIY mod builds. If you need ideas I have a few. 1. Handle bar / front wheel lock. So when you park with your bike the rack it won't turn on you and make the bike fall over. (So the wheel stays strait) 2. 😂 that's all I really would like to see

Looks very nice, but the flexibility of the struts may be its downfall, flexibility means weakness over time

GARY!

Are racks super expensive there? I think Planet Bike is $29 often. Good Racks.

seems with this I can make a saddle rack support, I just need something where I can bend it 😅

Good idea, but your connection by drilling the holes weaken the rack. Think a heavy chain with a weak link. The max chain can hold is drpend on the weakest link

Yooooo Gary(ota), whats your board setup look like? I know your vids mainly involve vintage MTB, but I'm curious what kinda relationship you have with skateboarding and if you'd ever include anything skating related on your channel. Those Indys(?) look like they've been around the block! Currently running a 8.7 Polar surf Jr. deck with wheel wells; Spitfire F4 Conicals that were 54mm at one distant point in time; old Ace 44s; Quantum ceramic bearings. Have a nice weekend, brotha 💪🏽👽✨

I keep reaching for the thumbs up having already pressed it.

needs thread loc or nylon lock nuts... but great work

I don't suppose you could do one for a skateboard holder? I once saw one mounted to the rear of a bike where you slotted the truck in. I've always wanted to get around to making one myself

This truely is awesome. I've been looking for a simple rear rack to mount some bottle cages and 1L water bottles for my bike packing adventures. The only options I've found are from Tumbleweed or Old Man Mountain both costing about 150€. Do you think a similar rack like you built will be sturdy enough to hold the cages and bottles (around 3kg maybe?)

Industrial vibes

Yo what bars are those?! Awesome build btw

Hi Gary, i've a question, the hole in the crown of the fork is threaded or not ? I've an old mtb rigid fork on my commuter and i would love to add a front rack but this hole is non threaded, im afraid the screw will turn endlessly. Anyway you craftsmanship is a great form of inspiration, cheers !

Are you going to polish the aluminum?

man, those bolts are expensive in your area. Here in Czech, it is much much cheaper

Also, what is up with those maxxis mud tires, you commute on those😊

In reality if you learn little bit about bike mechanics you can build your own bike for cheap!

Actually, you should NOT wear gloves while operating a drill press. 💀