Bike racks are a popular way to mount bags or carry additional gear for commuting or running errands. While bike racks provide a lot of utility, they can be heavy or time consuming to install or remove from a bike which make people less likely to use them. The Ortlieb Quick-Rack is a clever solution to this that offers quick release mounts that are claimed to allow you to remove the rack within 5 seconds and install it in as little as 15 seconds. In this review, we’ll be looking at the Light version which is a lightweight and minimal variation of the Quick-Rack. Retail price on the rack is an affordable $110 which includes adapters for the QL3.1 bags. The rack is constructed from 10mm aluminum struts and has a 20 kg / 44 lb capacity.
The Ortlieb Quick-Rack Light combines a lightweight and minimalist design with clever quick release mounts for easy installation and removal.
| Retail Price | $110 |
| Rating | 9.4 / 10 |
| Weight (kg) | 431 |
| Likes | + Minimalist design with aluminum struct construction + Simple installation and removal from bike + Compatible with a wide range of geometries |
| Dislikes | – Quick-release design can rub against rear derailleur cables |
| Where to Buy (US) | Ortlieb |
UNBOXING
The Ortlieb Quick-Rack Light comes with minimalist packaging with cardboard covers over the sides of the rack exterior. It’s a simple design that lets you interact with the rack without bulky or unnecessary packaging. A small box on the top of the rack stores the small parts: instruction manual, 6x QL3.1 mounting tabs, M5 tabs, M6 tabs, rear light bracket and a short and long rear attachment strut.
INSTALLATION
Ortlieb has designed the Quick-Rack Light to have a universal fit by incorporating a 190mm adjustment to the seat post attachment. That means you can set the rack up on nearly any geometry. Out of the box, the rack requires rack attachments on the rear axle which can be found on most commuter or gravel bike setups. However, Ortlieb does offer seat stay adapters which can be used on non-carbon frames to accommodate bikes without those attachment points. The first step for the installation is to attach either the M5 or M6 tabs onto the bike which provide a raised peg for the quick release mechanism to attach to at the bottom of the rack.
The next step is to attach the rack to the bike and then adjust the seatpost strut attachment. Per the instructions, the rear struct can be attached to the actual seatpost or lower on the frame. The angle of the strut should not exceed 30 degrees and the length of the strut should be adjusted to ensure it does not contact the tires and achieves a slightly downward 10 degree angle with the top bars. If necessary, the strut can be cut with a handsaw or power tool to achieve the correct positioning. The final optional step is to add the QL3/3.1 mounting tabs if you have a compatible QL3.1 bag that you want to attach to the rack.
FIT & FINISH
The Ortlieb Quick-Rack Light is designed for cyclists looking for a minimal and lightweight rear rack. Constructed from aluminum and only available in a black finish, the Quick-Rack Light eliminates the upper tray portion of the standard Quick-Rack and only leaves the pannier load rails and a simple triangle structure. The rack is designed with a quick release lower and upper connection point which has a claimed 5 second removal and 15 second installation. The rack is designed to work with pannier bags that can easily be attached to hold books, boxes or other gear along the top two rails for running errands. Ortlieb also includes QL3/3.1 mounting tabs which can be placed along the struts to secure pannier bags in place.
What separates this rack from most on the market is the quick-release styling mounts. To achieve the 20 kg / 44 lb weight capacity, the Quick-Rack uses a hybrid mounting design that consists of a rubber upper strap and a hook-on bottom mount. This uses a rack mounting eyelet, or optional adapters for bikes without rack eyelets, along with tabs. The tabs are screwed onto the bike and a rotating hook is placed over the tab to secure the rack in place. To achieve the fast installation time, the tabs are left attached to the bike between uses. The upper mount uses a simple rubber hook with adjustable length to attach the rack to a seat post or seat stay. It’s an adjustable design that allows the rack to be used on a variety of bike geometries including full suspension bikes. The upper fastener uses a combination of the rubber strap and a twist-to-lock plastic handle to secure the rack in place.
ON THE BIKE
We installed the Ortlieb Quick-Rack Light onto our Decathlon Triban RC520 to provide additional storage options for longer rides or errands. Installation was straight forward with only a bit of adjustment to get the angle of the rack correct. However, we ran into an immediate issue with the quick release levers rubbing against our rear derailleur cable. That meant the non-drive side would release with a quick pull while the drive side was more of a struggle. We suspect this is a bike-specific issue that depends on the position of the quick release and the rear cable routing. Aside from that, the quick release mechanisms are a clever design with the seat post design being a simple rotation to remove.
The minimalist design of the Quick-Rack Light means the rack is designed to only be used with panniers as there is no upper surface to place items. Our Ortlieb Vario with the QL2.1 mounting design was easy to install on the rack and offered a hybrid design that could also be worn as a backpack. With the bag attached, Ortlieb’s installation instructions of having a downward 10 degree angle on the top rail made much more sense. The angled top rail helps prevent the pannier from sliding around even during fast acceleration or deceleration. Even with a bag attached only on one side, the bike still handled well and felt stable.
THE VERDICT
Overall, we found the Ortlieb Quick-Rack Light to be a clever minimalist bike rack solution. Ortlieb has combined a simple quick-release design with simple 10mm aluminum strut construction to create a lightweight and versatile rack for carrying panniers. A simple rubber quick release lever on the seat post releases the top of the rack while locking levers wrap around pegs on the rack eyelets at the bottom of the rack. It’s a smart design that only leaves plastic subtle pegs on the eyelets when the rack is off the bike. Our main issue with the rack was that the quick release levers on the eyelets would rub against the rear derailleur cable making removal more difficult on our bike. That said, the Ortlieb Quick-Rack Light is a well built and versatile bike rack that can be quickly installed or removed from nearly any bike.
Disclaimer: The product for this review was provided by Ortlieb. The views expressed on this website are solely those of the authors and are here to help people make an informed choice before a purchase. The authors or the blog itself does not get any monetary compensation from the product manufacturer or third-party websites/vendor links that are posted here.