Surly 8 Pack Rack and Wald 137 Basket - The Installation Saga

I did it. I installed the Surly 8 Pack Rack and Wald 137 basket on my Pack Rat. I’m looking at this as a miracle of sorts, despite my lack of belief in divine intervention.

When I bought the Surly Pack Rat (from Redbeard Bikes - the bike was previously built and owned by one of their employees), I immediately began coming up with some grand plans (though, admittedly, I had grand plans the entire time I had been thinking about purchasing a second bike). I knew I wanted something that would be easy to ride around on when running errands, meeting friends, hanging out in the park, etc. I also have a great interest in trying out bike packing in the future. When Redbeard posted about this bike being available, I was so excited because I knew it would let me do all the things I wanted to accomplish with a second bike.

July 31, 2021 - New Bike Day outside Redbeard!

Right now, bikes and bike parts are very difficult to come by so I couldn’t immediately purchase a rack and basket, which basically killed me because I am the most impatient person in the world. I tried to use this opportunity as an exercise in patience and figured I could spend some time getting rack/basket recommendations based on my future plans for the bike. I made a post in a Surly subreddit but the first comment I received was made by someone expressing disbelief that anyone living could have a stature suitable for a 38 cm frame (the smallest size the Pack Rat was made in). I assured him that the bike worked with my 5’2” self and that Redbeard had used my fit numbers to set up the bike for me.

Eventually I starting receiving slightly more helpful comments and a user recommended the 8 pack rack with a Wald 137 basket (a 137, instead of a 139, was suggested based on the size of my bike), both of which were in stock at Modern Bike. I deliberated for awhile about whether or not to make this purchase but when I received a new customer gift card in the mail from Optimum, I pulled the trigger. Side note: the gift card does not make up for the terrible WiFi that Optimum provides me.

Delivery of the rack was delayed but I can’t complain about that. A few days after its arrival, too intimidated to make the first installation attempt alone, I had a friend try and assist me. He has no bike experience and we were drinking and smoking so it suffices to say, we were unable to install the rack. I figured if he and I couldn’t install it together, how the heck would I figure it out on my own?! At that point, I had resolved to go to the Mechanical Gardens Bike Co-op for assistance, but the days the co-op is open just haven’t been jiving with my schedule and varying levels of depression wooweeeeee.

Because I wasn’t sure when I could actually get to the Mechanical Gardens, and because all I want to do is ride around with beers in my basket, I made another half-hearted attempt at installation but still couldn’t seem to get the rack to sit right with the V brakes (this is my first experience with V brakes - my road bike has caliper brakes). Back to the Surly subreddit I went, where I explained my rack debacle. Within minutes, a user commented and provided a four paragraph reply, including pictures, information on modifications to the conical washers on the brakes and a suggestion to buy a flexible brake noodle to better accommodate the installation of the rack. This person and this Surly blog post were the resources I needed to get this rack installed!

It was 90 degrees out, with about 80% humidity, but I was determined to get this rack attached to my bike. After work, I went straight to my local hardware store (rescheduling my appointment with Apple to get my phone fixed - don’t call me, my phone doesn’t work) in search of zip ties to secure the basket to the rack and a 24 TPI hacksaw, in the event that the struts wound up protruding above the top of the rack. The hardware store didn’t have either of these items - zip ties wouldn’t be back in stock until next Tuesday. Is there a shortage of zip ties too?

Anyway, the less-than-enthusiastic employee at this first hardware store was able to tell me there was another store farther down the street. I looked it up and found that the address led me to a residential building, which was annoying because I was disappointed, but also, by this point, was drenched in sweat, walking around Brooklyn in my work clothes in a heat wave. I found a small park with some shade for solace and eventually found the ACTUAL address of this second hardware store. I dragged myself there in the oppressive heat, only to find the store had no air conditioning. The lack of suitable (in my opinion) HVAC was made up for by the fact that the store had both zip ties and the hacksaw I needed! I was curious as to what the employee might think, with me asking for a hacksaw and zip ties and he jokingly suggested the zip ties work well on wrists and ankles. I assured him I was only attempting to install a bike rack and basket but he didn’t seem to care either way. Good to know.

I got home, took a cold shower to try and recover, and then prepared myself for this endeavor.

It took about an hour or so for me to figure out the correct way to mount the rack - it may have been faster if I wasn’t drinking a glass of rosé while I did it - and I was almost in shock that I had managed to mount it in a way that accommodated my brakes. As I made the final rounds of tightening everything, I half expected the rack to suddenly break or detach from the bike; I was having trouble believing that I actually installed it! But good for me, I can do anything I put my mind to!

I’m a professional - look at me and my level.

Because I’m the asshole that I am, I immediately sent pictures to several friends, claiming to be amazing - amazing for installing a bike rack that probably should not have been as difficult to install as it was. Some friends agreed that I am in fact amazing, while others chose to not even reply to the text message. I can’t blame them.

My work station - the meditation pillow and litter box to the right really add to the vibe.

The flexible brake noodle that was recommended will definitely serve my setup so I have those on order and will replace the existing brake noodle once it arrives (I watched a short YouTube video on replacing the noodle since I’m learning all of this as I go). Attaching the basket with way too many zip ties was easy enough and while I was IMMENSELY proud of myself for finally figuring all of this out, I just didn’t have it in me to go back out in that heat for a celebratory ride. So, another glass of rosé it was.

The weather in the coming days is not really ideal for gallivanting around town and the TD Five Boro Bike Tour is set for this coming Sunday so I’ll just have to exercise a bit more patience before I can put my handy work to the test. I pretend that I could throw the cats in there and cruise around with Ben and Marty one day (the rack has a 30 lb. weight limit - it could handle them!) but for now, I’ll imagine a delightful six-pack resting in the basket.