This is the carrier that weight-weenies have been waiting for – yup, the Airy is the first titanium pannier rack.
Pre-production models at bike shows were listed as 197g and the finished article clocks in at 227g – not including the two titanium struts that fix the top of the rack to your seatstay eyelets. Add in both of those and it’s a slightly less svelte 304g.
It’s rated to carry 30kg and seemed stiff enough with that sort of weight aboard. That said, if you’ll be hauling that much on a regular basis, the 200-300g weight saving over a steel or aluminium rack is moot – minimalist touring is where the Airy’s really in its element.
Talking of elements, the Airy’s titanium frame won’t rust and you can buff out scratches with an emery cloth. It fits over 26in or 700C rear wheels and there are accessory kits for bikes without eyelets.
However, the struts that fix the rack to the seatstays are straight rather than dog-legged and only fit parallel(ish) to the top of the rack, so it won’t fit all bikes, such as the small Giant SCR we first tried it on, unless you substitute arms from another carrier.