Renaissance of the Rear Rack: Restrap Switch Rack and Tailfin Journey Pannier Rack Reviewed

Note: Restrap and Tailfin provided both the racks and bags for this review.

In my Bikeanalytics breakdown of the Trans Balkan Race 2026, I came across a number I didn’t expect: 41 percent of participants are riding with a rear rack. Of those, 23 percent alone are on a Tailfin system.

The trend is even more pronounced at the Tour Divide 2026: while in 2023 roughly two thirds of starters were still using a seat pack, the picture has since completely flipped. Last year, according to Bikepacking.com, already two thirds were riding with a rack – and in 2026, 77 out of a sample of 100 bikes were using racks or rack-top systems.

Neither the Trans Balkan Race nor the Tour Divide are relaxed cycling holidays – they’re genuine tests of endurance. Anyone lining up there with a rack has made a deliberate choice.

And I find that interesting, because not long ago a rear rack in bikepacking was almost unthinkable. It stood for the “old” era of traditional cycle touring and clearly had no place in the modern, minimalist world of new bikepacking.

That meant: frame bags, seat pack at the rear, handlebar roll up front, everything strapped close to the bike, no racks.

Yet the rear rack never really went away – it just wasn’t fashionable and carried the reputation of being too bulky and not performance-oriented.

What sets the new racks apart from the old ones

And for traditional rear racks, that reputation isn’t entirely unfair – they do have a few drawbacks:

1. Mounting without frame eyelets: Classic racks like Tubus require M5/M6 threaded eyelets on the frame. Gravel bikes, modern hardtails and road bikes simply don’t have these – or only in a rudimentary form. The new systems mount via the thru axle and work with almost any modern bike.
2. Quick on and off: A Tubus stays on the bike because mounting and dismounting is cumbersome. Tailfin, Restrap and the Ortlieb Quick Rack are off in seconds. That makes them practical for people who want to ride the same bike loaded one day and clean the next.
3. Weight distribution and stability: Axle mounting transfers the load directly through the rear axle into the frame – more evenly and securely than through two small threaded eyelets. You notice this especially off-road and with heavier loads.
4. Modularity and ecosystem: Not necessarily an advantage in itself, but Tubus is a rack. Tailfin, Restrap and co. are platforms – with coordinated bags, cages and mounts. You build your system to suit the trip.

Tailfin: The beginning of the renaissance

The renaissance of the rear rack in bikepacking began in 2017 with Tailfin. Nick Broadbent from Bristol was fed up with the swaying of seat packs and developed a rack that mounts via the thru axle, is aerodynamic and can be fitted or removed in seconds. In 2017 he launched a Kickstarter campaign that was oversubscribed 300 times.

The interest in such a solution was obviously enormous. The result was the Tailfin AeroPack, which I tested in 2023 and was impressed by its stability and modularity. What Tailfin changed: a rack doesn’t have to be permanently on the bike, doesn’t have to be heavy and doesn’t have to look like it belongs on a touring or trekking bike. It can be fast, aerodynamic, modular and race-ready.

Old Man Mountain & Ortlieb: The other approaches

But the idea of mounting a rack via the axle rather than frame eyelets is older than most people think: in 1996, 21 years before Tailfin, Channing Hammond developed a rack that worked on his full-suspension bike. He went on to found Old Man Mountain and developed the concept over the years – first for QR axles, later together with the Robert Axle Project for thru axles as well. In the bikepacking world, OMM racks have remained a (enduring) insider tip to this day. At the Tour Divide 2026, according to Bikepacking.com, 13 out of 100 participants were riding OMM.

In parallel with Tailfin, Ortlieb was also working on a new rack solution: the QR-Rack. I still consider this one of the best racks you can get. But Ortlieb didn’t approach the topic from the performance-oriented angle like Tailfin – instead they were guided more by the practical question of how a rack would need to be built to clip on and off as easily as an Ortlieb bag.

I tested the QR-Rack thoroughly at the time and am still a user of it. It’s not a race tool like Tailfin, but more of a pragmatic all-rounder: affordable, versatile, quick. And for many people, exactly the right choice.

It works very intuitively and simply. The connection to the frame originally relied solely on screwed-in bolts. A thru axle fitting is now also available, which shifts the load from the eyelets to the axle. Complementing this, Ortlieb developed the Gravel-Packs as matching bags, which sit very securely on the rack and therefore have little lateral movement.

Why so many riders are using racks right now

But what are the reasons why more and more people are returning to the rear rack?

One is simply that the minimalism often preached in connection with bikepacking doesn’t always work – or make sense. Longer trips sometimes need more volume. Anyone out there self-supported for several days will eventually hit the limits of classic bikepacking bags – or end up with improvised solutions and bag constructions that are no longer practical. A rack, on the other hand, provides the necessary volume without turning the bike into a pack animal. And modern racks preserve the necessary agility off-road while offering race-tested aerodynamics.

Then there’s the “gravel bike problem”: modern gravel bikes, and hardtails too, often don’t have classic rack eyelets – but they do have thru axles. The new axle-mount systems are made for exactly these bikes and open up new possibilities.

And then there’s physics: a large, heavy seat pack hangs at the back and high up on the saddle and seatpost. You notice it off-road, and the uncontrolled swaying of an “ass rocket” is simply annoying. A rack fixes the load rigidly via axle and seatpost, eliminating lateral movement regardless of how heavy the load is or how rough the terrain gets. The extra weight of a rack is therefore readily accepted.

A market on the move

That this has become a significant trend is also reflected in who is now entering the market:

Tailfin is replacing the 8-year-old AeroPack with three new models: the light and fast SpeedPack System, the CargoPack System for longer tours, and the new Journey Pannier Rack, which suits everyday use and touring.

Restrap from Leeds was previously known only for their bags. With the Switch Rack they have launched their first rack system, which immediately won the Design & Innovation Award 2026.

Both – Tailfin and Restrap – I’ll be looking at in detail shortly.

Old Man Mountain has also broadened its range and with the Elkhorn Rack offers a solution from fork to rear for all bike types.

And now that Topeak has introduced its own (affordable) rack with the Zi:Rak, compatible with the Topeak MTX bag ecosystem, it’s clear that this trend is no longer a niche phenomenon.

In review: Restrap Switch Rack

Shortly after testing the Restrap bikepacking bags, I got word that the British brand was now offering a rear rack with the Switch Rack.

It’s made from aluminium, looks very delicate but is nonetheless stable, and is attached via a thru axle supplied with the rack and via the seatpost.

Unlike Ortlieb and Tailfin, the Restrap rack is screwed onto the thru axle on both the left and right sides. This type of attachment isn’t quite as quick and straightforward as with competitors, but in practice it’s still simple.

And the mounting screws stay tight when things get rough. I had expected them to loosen during off-road riding or on cobblestones. That wasn’t the case.

The rack is then secured at the top via a velcro strap to the seatpost. This sits firmly too, and the only thing that bothers me is that the strap end sticks out slightly to the side. The distance from seatpost to the rear end of the rack is stated as 33cm.

Restrap offers two orientations for the strut leading to the saddle, to allow the rack to be adapted to different frames: either bent downward or – when rotated – upward.

The Switch Rack weighs 402g “bare” – with thru axle including spacers 485g (self-weighed).

It has been tested for all frame sizes, can be used with tyre widths up to 3 inches on 29-inch wheels, and works with Non-Boost and Boost standards, but not Super-Boost. It is not suitable for bikes with rear suspension and requires a thru axle.

On the upper side there are two eyelets onto which a platform – the so-called Switch Rack Cage – can be screwed. This weighs 233g (self-weighed) and is intended for carrying dry bags or using the Switch Top Pack.

I transported my tent up there, for example, strapped down with a buckle. The eyelets on the platform also lend themselves to Voile straps.

The platform is rated to 5kg and at just under 14cm wide and 29cm long is large enough to carry more volume when needed. Two rubber feet are fitted to position the Cage on the Switch Rack arch. It is then secured with two screws, sitting securely and firmly.

On the sides of the Switch Rack there are also four eyelets (64mm spacing). These are suitable for mounting bottle cages or Anything Cages, or you can screw on the Restrap adapters to mount bags or standard bottle cages.

You can therefore travel light using only the top platform, or use only the sides with cages. And equally you can go fully loaded and carry luggage both on top and on the sides.

The total load capacity of the Switch Rack is 30kg, distributed as 10kg per side and 10kg on top.

For the review I had the Switch Pannier in 5L and 10L sent along. These bags are very solid and are attached to the rack using a Restrap-specific adapter (Switch Multi-Mount). This adapter is a kind of sliding mechanism – one part is fixed to the bag, the other is screwed to the rack.

The two are slid together. Once that’s done, it holds. However, it can sometimes be fiddly to slide the two parts together. I’d say Restrap needs to revisit this and make it simpler.

Fully loaded, the waterproof bags move around a little internally, but you don’t notice this while riding. And generally the Restrap Switch Rack is unobtrusive while riding. I had expected to feel it more off-road, but that wasn’t the case.

The Restrap Switch Pannier in 5L weighs 316g including mount (self-weighed) and the 10L comes in at 520g (self-weighed).

The Restrap Switch Rack (Direct Mount) is priced at 130 Euro. The Switch Rack Cage platform costs 54 Euro. The Switch Pannier side bags are 78 Euro for the 5L version and 96 Euro for the 10L (per bag including adapter).

Verdict: Restrap Switch Rack

Restrap is a well-regarded and experienced manufacturer of bikepacking bags and equipment. With the Switch Rack they have introduced a very interesting system that in my view currently appeals more to bikepacking tourers. These riders get a highly modular system of bags and mounting options that leaves little to be desired.

The attachment to the thru axle uses a screw connection. Loosening and tightening it takes marginally more time than the click systems of other manufacturers. The bags are waterproof and very robust. The attachment via the adapter could be made somewhat easier, and that might also reduce the slight movement of the bags.

The Switch Rack is also interesting for performance-oriented riders: for that use case you can simply use just the top platform, or leave it off entirely and work only with the side eyelets and appropriate cages.

Pricewise the system isn’t cheap. My test setup – rack, cage, 5L and 10L bag – comes to 358 Euro plus the Full Mount Adapter at 20 Euro.

In review: Tailfin Journey Pannier Rack

With the Journey Rack – which I’m testing here – Tailfin hasn’t just launched a new rack, but has fundamentally restructured its line-up. The old AeroPack has now been retired and the new line-up consists of four rack variants:

• The CargoPack System, which is effectively the successor to the AeroPack and offers a generous 18L of space. The new Cargo bag is genuinely better than the old AeroPack. The roll-top closure has been retained, but the ends now click together rather than being clipped in on each underside left and right. The two cross straps have been replaced by a single central strap that cinches everything down and aids compression. Also new are small mesh pockets on left and right for additional bits and pieces. A valve has also been added through which air can escape while packing. On the AeroPack, a side zip served this purpose.
• The SpeedPack System, with the 10+3L bag. This is a new development from Tailfin and features a main compartment with a mesh secondary pocket above it. The SpeedPack is loaded from the rear only. The main compartment closes with a roll-top and the secondary pocket with a clip closure. It’s aimed at performance-oriented riders who don’t need much space and want to do away with a traditional seat pack and all its drawbacks.
• The Carbon Pannier Rack, which represents the bare-bones version of the Tailfin rack. However, this is intended for road and gravel bikes and lighter terrain. Depending on the configuration, the SpeedPack Bag or Cargo Bag can be fitted to it, as can side panniers ranging from the 5L variants up to the 22L versions. Maximum load capacity is 27kg.
• The Journey Pannier Rack in aluminium, presented here, which is a new option for everyday use or longer tours where you want to carry more.

The weight limit for the Journey Pannier Rack with Pannier Mounts is 32kg in total, which is very generous. That’s 10kg per side with 12kg on top.

Attachment to the thru axle (a Tailfin thru axle is required) uses the familiar click system, which has also been revised.

The seatpost connection has also been updated and improved – though I thought the old version was perfectly fine.

Also included in the test setup is the mudguard (sold separately; 20 Euro), which screws onto the rear of the Journey Pannier Rack. Tailfin thus offers an optional weather shield that genuinely works well. I rode through Hamburg’s muddy and wet summer conditions and stayed dry and clean.

There’s more: Tailfin also offers mounts for a rear light, and with the Cateye Nano (mount and light for 60 Euro) has a straightforward option ready to go. That makes you well equipped for city riding or touring.

The Journey Pannier Rack in my test has pannier mounts (Pannier Mounts) on left and right for Tailfin bags, plus eyelets on each side for bottle cages or Anything Cages. You can also buy it without Pannier Mounts and use only top bags with cages on the sides – though the maximum load limit then drops to 22kg.

The rack itself weighs 740g according to Tailfin – I measured 815g including mudguard and rear light adapter.

The top deck already provides a surface to which you can strap a dry bag. If you’d rather not, you can simply clip on the Cargo Bag or SpeedPack Bag via the Tailfin click system.

To do this, the bag is hooked into the rack at the seatpost end via a plastic hook, and at the rear the metal Tailfin pins click into the corresponding screws on left and right. Done.

The Journey Rack can also be mounted on full-suspension bikes, as it pivots with the rear suspension.

And as the name suggests, the Journey Pannier Rack naturally also takes side bags. In addition to Mini Panniers in 5L and 10L, Tailfin offers Pannier Bags in 16L and 22L.

I ordered the 16L versions for the test, though Tailfin sent the bag for the right side twice, meaning I wasn’t able to do a test ride with panniers on both sides.

The 22L bag weighs 780g according to Tailfin, the 16L variant 564g. I measured the 16L at 600g.

And while we’re at it:

• The 18L CargoPack Rack Top Bag weighs 688g (self-weighed).
• The 10+3L SpeedPack Rack Top Bag weighs 470g (self-weighed).

Also new with the Journey Rack is compatibility with bags from other manufacturers, such as Ortlieb.

Verdict: Tailfin Journey Pannier Rack

In practice, Tailfin is as usual on another level. The build quality of the rack and bags, the attachment system and the design are in my view the current benchmark.

When loaded, the rack and bags are imperceptible. Completely. I’ve been cycle touring with rear racks for over 20 years and have developed a strong feel for racks and bags. I can feel the Ortlieb rack with bags and the Restrap rack – if only slightly. But Tailfin is almost unnoticeable.

I had my laptop and clothes on the side and further office items loaded in the Cargo Bag on top. And then it was off through the forest and on tarmac – and you feel nothing.

I’ll say it again: anyone who rides bikepacking more seriously, perhaps enters races and is willing to spend a little more, should look at Tailfin. The British brand is firmly in the premium segment. Prices are higher than the competition and sometimes the weight is too, which comes down to material quality and finish.

Many ultra-race participants nonetheless choose Tailfin because the rigid attachment allows no movement of the luggage whatsoever, which is an advantage especially off-road. The aerodynamics shouldn’t be underestimated either, and alongside the high-quality finish, the quick attachment and removal is also valued. As is the overall system, which modularly allows the switch from ultralight racing to fully loaded bike touring – at the same level of performance.

Maximum tyre clearance for the Journey Pannier Rack is 2.6 inches on 29-inch wheels. That applies to Standard and Boost thru axles. With new dropouts that Tailfin intends to offer shortly, tyre clearance on 29-inch wheels is set to increase to 3.25 inches. With the mudguard fitted, maximum tyre width on 29-inch wheels is limited to 2.25 inches.

The Journey Pannier Rack is listed on the Tailfin website from 155 Euro. That’s the rack with Frame Mount. With Pannier Mounts and thru axle as in the test setup, I’m already at 240 Euro. With mudguard and Cateye light and mount, 320 Euro.

The 16L Pannier Bag costs 125 Euro per piece, the CargoBag 240 Euro and the SpeedPack Bag 200 Euro.

That puts my test setup at between 770 and 810 Euro.

Restrap or Tailfin – which is right for you?

Both racks are high quality, solve the same problem in different ways and in my view appeal to slightly different audiences.

The Restrap Switch Rack is more affordable to get into, clearly thought through and made for people looking for a modular system for multi-day tours. Anyone who just needs the rack with the top cage can get by for under 200 Euro. The screw connection on the thru axle isn’t a real disadvantage – it sits firm and holds. What Restrap still needs to improve is the pannier attachment via the sliding adapter. And: the Switch ecosystem is still young. Anyone relying on bags from other manufacturers has fewer options.

The Tailfin Journey Pannier Rack costs more and weighs a little more, but offers the more refined overall system. The click connection on the thru axle is faster than Restrap’s screw connection, the rack folds flat, and it’s compatible with bags from other manufacturers such as Ortlieb. Anyone with racing ambitions or who mounts and removes the rack daily will notice the difference. And anyone riding a full-suspension bike will find Tailfin is the compatible option.

My verdict: Restrap more for touring, Tailfin for everything – if the budget allows.

Perhaps Restrap will soon release Switch Rack race bags and perhaps also a revised adapter – that would certainly be worth another look from a racing perspective.

Bikepacking Racks Comparison Table

Brand/Model	Weight	Material	Gross maximum weight	Pannier Ecosystem	Price
Ortlieb Quick Rack Light	440g	Aluminium	20kg	Ortlieb pannier & 3rd party	100 Euro
Ortlieb Quick Rack	580g	Aluminium	20kg	Ortlieb pannier & 3rd party	105 Euro
Ortlieb Quick Rack L	605g	Aluminium	20kg	Ortlieb pannier & 3rd party	115 Euro
Restrap Switch Rack	402g	Aluminium	30kg	Restrap Switch Pannier	130 Euro
Tailfin Journey Pannier Rack with Pannier Mounts	740g	Aluminium	32kg	Tailfin Mini Pannier & Pannier bags; 3rd party bags like Ortlieb	240 Euro
Tailfin Journey Pannier Rack without Pannier Mounts	580g	Aluminium	22kg	Tailfin CargoPack Bag, SpeedPack Bag	155 Euro (Frame Mount only)
Tailfin Carbon Pannier Rack with Pannier mounts/ with Fast Release Dropouts	395g	Carbon	27kg	Tailfin Mini Pannier & Pannier bags	470 Euro
Tailfin Carbon Pannier Rack without Pannier mounts/ with Fast Release Dropouts	317g	Carbon	27kg	Tailfin CargoPack Bag, SpeedPack Bag	395 Euro