It’s ‘Bike to Work Day’ so I’m pulling out new alternate commuter bits to share. The Otek Aerocarrier fits the bill – providing lockable storage for small items as part of a platform rear rack that can also haul panniers. The Aerocarrier has a few more tricks up its sleeve and more refined solutions on the way, but its designers are giving its development a Kickstart to get it into backers’ hands as soon as possible.
Otek Aerocarrier lockable bicycle trunk, rack & more!
When I run errands around the city, I always end up pulling a bunch of things off my bike & stuffing them in my pockets when I lock up to a pole, lest my lights, pump & toolkit go missing while I pops into a shop. Otek’s solution is why can’t commuter bikes get a small secure box where you can stash these small items, plus maybe a packable shell jacket.
Their Aerocarrier is then a lightweight, universal-fit rear rack that incorporates a narrow, lockable 3L box to store your semi-valuables for short periods of time. The layout of the whole thing is made to clamp to a wide range of seatposts, then feature adjustable struts down to fit onto a wide range of seatstay shapes & sizes. The idea is that it should work on the majority of bikes people ride around town, no rack mounts required.
Tech details & where it goes next
It is aerodynamic, and that’s where it gets its name, but it is meant more to be sleek than to really make you go faster. In fact due to its shape it serves more as a something of a fender than making you more aero.
Up top the Aerocarrier has a pretty standard rack platform with a retractable strap to secure larger items while riding. And the main upper support rails have space cutout around them so typical rail mount pannier bags can be hung on each side as well.
This version of the Aerocarrier is really a proof of concept prototype. Otek Bicycles designer Romain Duez tells us the final ~150€ retail rack will include a secure attachment system (either connecting the separate elements from inside the locked compartment, or including Hexlox protected hardware.) The universal fit design will also include adaptable profile mounts to fit non-round seatstays as well.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1572904469/aerocarrier
At the back, a vertical post provides a spot to strap a rear blinkie taillight. This prototype used a steeply sloping light mount, but production Aerocarrier will feature a mount that mimics the seatpost size & angle to provide universal fit for most rear lights.
The entire setup is said to weigh just 700g combining aluminum & ABS plastic constructions. But Duez thinks they’ll be able to even trim that down further by the time the ship later this year.
Kickstarter tiers & availability
If the ability to haul up to 25kg (55lb) and lock 3 liters worth of gear on your city bike sounds good, you can back the Aerocarrier on Kickstarter, starting at 98€. Based in Berlin, Otek plans to start production in August, and expects to deliver to the first backers a few months later in November 2019.
