On my commute this morning, I found a Pletscher "Model RS" rear rack on the side of the road. I think with a little cleaning, it's gonna make a lovely addition to my DiBartolomei 'townie' (A 1X7 Nuovo Record-equipped on-topic roadie with Cinelli 'priest' bars and a front basket). The mounting hardware was present, however the bracket looks different from those found on other Pletshers I have seen. The rear plate that wraps around the seat stay is typically bent/curved in such a way that it will 'cradle' the seat stays while clamping on to them. The bracket that I found attached to this rack is straight. If I were to use it, do I run the risk of crimping the seat stays during install? Or is it more likely to slip when under a (light) load? Anybody ever put a strip of rubber or tape around the stays to protect 'em? Also, I plan to use p-claps on the lower mount, as there are no eyelets on my frame. Am I destined to have a rack that'll go slip-slidin' away? Should I be looking for replacement hardware? Or should I return it to the curb where it was found? Please share your creative rack mounting experiences...
Many thanks,
Matthew Bowne
Brooklyn, New York