More versatile, more durable, more compatible. The rack system built for the way modern bikes are made. – Tailfin Cycling
Tailfin today announces the launch of the Journey Rack, its most versatile pannier rack to date and the successor to the company’s long standing and best-selling Alloy Rack.
The Journey Rack is a modular rear rack system that combines our patented quick-release technology with cargo-carrying utility and everyday durability. Available in two versions: With Pannier Mounts and Without, i.e. Fully Featured or Minimal.
Designed to work across a complete range of bikes including full suspension MTBs. The rack can be installed or removed in seconds, folds flat for storage or travel, and supports panniers, top bags, cargo cages or almost anything that can be strapped down.
Unlike minimalist seatpacks or basic bolt-on racks, the Journey Rack is built for riders who want one rack system that works for every ride. from daily commuting to weekend overnighters and long-distance bikepacking adventures.
The new rack replaces Tailfin’s eight-year-old Alloy Rack. While the original system proved the concept of a quick release axle-mounted cargo rack, the Journey Rack represents a complete redesign informed by nearly a decade of rider feedback and real-world testing.
Every major component has been re-engineered, including a stronger top deck, redesigned quick-release dropouts, more versatile mounting options and an updated anodised finish.
“It’s not simply an update,” says Tailfin. “The Journey Rack is a full evolution of the system based on everything we’ve learned about what riders actually need from a cargo rack.”
The Tailfin Journey Rack Need To Know:
- Available in two versions – with pannier mounts & without
- Features robust, functional top deck – 33 x 10 cm in size
- Fully compatible with all existing Tailfin rack top and side pannier bags
- Triple ‘bosses’ on each side for cages (quad on non-pannier arch)
- Compatible with other brand bags – panniers or boss mounted
- Features a completely redesigned Fast Release Dropouts and Seatpost Connector (stronger and easier to use)
- Angle adjustable Fit Link front connector for best fit on all bikes (two versions supplied) – adjust top deck
- Position relative to saddle height
- Compatible with all styles of bike, including full-suspension mountain bikes
- Foldable for easier storage and travel
- Optional Light mount system
- Optional available mudguard (Tyre clearance reduces to 29 x 2.25”)
- Constructed from durable and light 6061-T6 aluminium alloy
- Anodised finish for durability
- Pannier version rated up to 32kg of load (10kg per pannier + 12kg rack top bag)
- Non-pannier version rated up to 22kg of load (6kg per quad bosses + 12kg rack top bag)
- Weights: 580g for non-pannier version, 740g for pannier version
- 29 x 2.6” Tyre Clearance – New dropouts incoming to increase clearance to 29 x 3.25”
Pricing:
- £150 / $205 / €180 for non-pannier version (includes axle)
- £190 / $260 / €230 for pannier version (includes axle)
- Add-ons:
- £15 / $25 / €20 Mudguard
- £15 / $25 / €20 Light Mounts
- £25 / $35 / €30 Garmin Varia / Wahoo Trackr Radar Mount
A rack designed for Modern Bikes
Tailfin has been disrupting the rack category for over a decade since the launch of the T1 in 2016 and over this time we have become the defining brand for bringing versatility and ease of use to the category. Rapid attachment and removal plus universal compatibility are the key challenges that our designs seek to provide solutions for.
The Journey Rack addresses these challenges through Tailfin’s patented concentric axle mounting system, which transfers load directly through the rear wheel rather than the bike frame. By distributing forces through the wheel, the system reduces fatigue on frame mounts and enables the rack to be used on a much wider variety of bikes.
The rack’s tri-pivot architecture allows it to move with the bike as suspension compresses, making it fully compatible with full-suspension mountain bikes as well as gravel, road and touring bikes.
The rack can also be removed in seconds using Tailfin’s quick-release mechanism, allowing riders to switch between a fully loaded setup and a clean bike configuration without tools.
A Real Quick Release Rack
The Journey Rack was designed not just for convenience but also for durability and ease of use on long rides.
One of the most practical benefits is fast wheel removal. Many axle-mounted racks require partial disassembly when removing the rear wheel, but the Journey Rack allows the axle to be removed independently, enabling quick tyre changes without detaching rack components.
This makes it one of the fastest rack systems available for puncture repairs or wheel swaps; a small but meaningful advantage during long tours or remote bikepacking trips.
Stronger
The Journey Rack’s signature arch uses a new manufacturing technique that welds a crown directly onto the formed hoop, creating a significantly stronger and more versatile structure than the existing Tailfin Alloy Rack.
Standard ISO luggage carrier testing (ISO11243) requires 100,000 vertical fatigue cycles, but unlike the main bicycle standard (ISO4210), it makes no distinction between road and off-road use. In our experience, that’s not enough for the demands of off-road riding, so we test to three times that figure. The Journey Rack passed at 10kg per side plus 12kg on top: 32kg/70 lbs total, a substantial step up from its predecessor.
A fully functional aluminium top deck adds a stronger, more stable platform for cargo and top-mounted bags, while a redesigned internal structure keeps weight to approximately 740g. Competitive with other brands modern quick-release racks, but with a significantly higher load capacity.
We’ve also been at pains to tweak the geometry of the new Journey Rack to allow it to sit further back from the saddle, increasing storage space even with low saddle heights. A further key feature of the geometry change sees a shift in the pannier mounts, bringing them further forward to improve weight distribution and handling when fully loaded.
The result is a rack rated up to 32 kg of total load carrying: capable enough for fully loaded touring, yet light enough for bikepacking.
Fully Modular and Repairable
Unlike many competing quick-release racks that rely on permanently riveted plastic components, the Journey Rack uses a fully modular, metal construction.
Individual components can be replaced or adjusted, making the rack easier to repair and maintain over time.
The rack is also designed to work with a wide range of luggage systems, not just Tailfin products.
Riders can mount:
- Tailfin’s CargoPack and SpeedPack top bags
- Standard panniers from brands such as Ortlieb, Altura and Vaude etc.
- Standard dry bags and cargo cage mounted storage.
This open compatibility allows riders to build setups around their existing gear rather than committing to a single ecosystem.
Designed for Versatility
The Journey Rack supports tyres up to 29 × 2.6 inches and includes triple-boss mounting points for flexible accessory placement.
Additional features include:
- Adjustable top deck height and angle for saddle clearance
- Integrated light mounting options
- Compatibility with Tailfin’s new mudguard system
- Improved seatpost connector with enhanced grip – utilising our trusted V Mount system
The rack can be mounted directly to frames with rack eyelets or installed using Tailfin’s adapter system on bikes without mounting points.
How Journey Rack Compares
Axle-mounted racks have come a long way, but not all of them have kept pace. Here’s how the Tailfin Journey Rack stacks up against the best alternatives on the market – and why the gap is bigger than you might think.
More Load. Less Weight.
The Journey Rack without pannier mounts weighs just 580g, lighter than every competitor in this comparison. Add pannier mounts and it tips the scales at 740g, still undercutting the OMM Divide (960g) by a significant margin. Yet despite its lower weight, the Journey Rack (with pannier mounts) matches the Divide and OMM Elkhorn on load capacity, and betters most of the field. The Ortlieb Quick Rack L tops out at 20kg. The OMM Elkhorn manages just 11.5kg – barely half that even the non-pannier Journey Rack can carry.
Quick Release, When It Matters
Wheel removal shouldn’t require a toolkit. The Journey Rack is one of only three racks here with a true quick-release system alongside the two Ortlieb options. The Restrap Switch, OMM Elkhorn, and OMM Divide all require tools to remove, which becomes a real inconvenience when you’re fixing a flat in the rain at the side of a road.
The Journey Rack goes further: it’s also foldable, making it easy to stow when not in use. The Ortlieb racks offer neither folding nor the same breadth of compatibility.
The Only Rack That Folds and Quick-Releases
This is where the Journey Rack stands alone. Every other quick-release rack in this group (both Ortliebs) are fixed in place. The other foldable rack, the Restrap Switch, requires a very slow tyre change process and lacks quick release. The Journey Rack is the only option that does both, making it uniquely practical for riders who switch between setups.
Built for the Real World
Suspension compatibility matters more than most rack manufacturers admit. The Journey Rack is the only semi unsprung option, meaning it moves with the rear end of the bike rather than acting as a rigid anchor point. Every other rack in this comparison works against the suspension rather than with it.
For off-road use, that’s a meaningful difference in both ride quality and long-term durability.
Ecosystem and Compatibility
Only the Journey Rack works with Tailfin’s own bag system, a significant advantage if you’re already in the ecosystem or planning to be. It also supports traditional panniers (most models), mudguards, rear light mounts, and can be fitted directly to the frame or with rack mount adapters. The Restrap Switch and OMM Elkhorn can’t make the same claim across the board, with notable gaps in pannier, mudguard, and mounting compatibility and options.
The Price Makes Sense
At £150 without pannier mounts and £190 with, the Journey Rack is priced competitively at the lower end of this group. The OMM options cost £200–£230 and offer less versatility, no quick release, no folding, and a fraction of the compatibility. The Restrap Switch comes in at £165 but without quick release, without folding capability, and with a tyre change process described as very slow.
The Bottom Line
If you want a rack that’s light, strong, quick to remove, foldable, suspension-aware, and compatible with the widest range of bags and accessories, there’s only one answer. The Journey Rack doesn’t win on one or two metrics – it leads across almost every category that matters to a real-world rider.
Learn more at the Tailfin Cycling Website