I put an old rack on my new bike and I'm now getting a heel strike on my bag no matter how I adjust my bag or rack. My shop suggested getting a new rack or adaptor like this that would move the rack back: https://surlybikes.com/products/front-rack-sliding-plate-kits?variant=42178445246487
Does anyone have experience with this or any suggestions to make the clearance better?
Thanks!
by adizz
11 Comments
You’ll need a new rack, an adapter or a longer bike.
How is the backpack hung on the rack? None of your photos show that.
I’m relatively new to pannier. I just bought this pannier. https://ortliebusa.com/product/25421/
There is a hook at the bottom of the bag. https://downloads.ortlieb.com/datasheet/en/back_roller_core.pdf This can be used to latch onto the 3 vertical frame of the bike rack. And pannier can be angled away from heel strike. You probably can DIY some solution, depending on how the bag is attached to the rack.
Whatever it takes to move the bag further back. Or mount it to the top of your rack.
Rack needs to move back. It’s meant to attach at the dropout, but you don’t have a hole for it there. You either need something that mounts it via the through axle, or fab up some way to mount it to the slot behind the screws for the sliding dropout.
Actually, replacing one of those screws on each side with a longer screw plus a nut might do it, although the screw will be slightly in bending.
Would some basic mending plates do the deed? Most hardware stores sell them in lengths as short as 2″ for <$4, but I won’t speak to compatibility of screw holes, stress resistance on your commute, etc.
How much weight are you toting in that bag? How shifty the contents?
Which bike is this? I have a feeling the manufacturer imagined a frame more like the surly disc rack being used. [https://surlybikes.com/products/rear-disc-rack](https://surlybikes.com/products/rear-disc-rack)
You can get racks that mount to the thru axle, otherwise some p-clips. You can also get racks that have a horizontal extension of the mounting point but they’re still going to wind up sitting rather high.
Edit: https://www.reddit.com/r/bikewrench/s/WGbOV9qEVd
Is the bag not backwards? The other side has a more dramatic angle like panniers usually do.
https://preview.redd.it/ozku0v5wnreg1.jpeg?width=2048&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4aaeb7c35f02d17ec951ce600e6f2437be46ef96
I suggest the kind of rack that uses a setback plate. Lots of clearance.
Axiom makes some racks (e.g., Streamliner) that sit on the skewer and move the rack’s feet back about 1.5-2″. Those are meant for road bikes with tight clearances, but you can order the spacer “feet” separately, and that might let you make things work. But with a rectangular pannier (as opposed to one with a heel cutaway) (and/or big feet–mine are 13/48) it can be hard to avoid heel strikes.
I think you need something more like this rack:
[https://www.aventon.com/products/aventon-rear-rack-pace-350-500-v2](https://www.aventon.com/products/aventon-rear-rack-pace-350-500-v2)?