Touring - Do I need special panniers for a front rack?

All the panniers I have mount to the rear rack, If i install a new front rack (on the fork), will I need to buy new panniers; or will the ones I have mount on the front rack?

Basically, are there front specific panniers, or will my rear ones work fine?

normally front panniers are smaller, but rear panniers will work just fine.

All the panniers I have mount to the rear rack, If i install a new front rack (on the fork), will I need to buy new panniers; or will the ones I have mount on the front rack?

Basically, are there front specific panniers, or will my rear ones work fine?

You just want to make sure that the mounting system will work with the rack. 8mm vs 10mm clips and tubing, yada yada. Going with the same brand rack as you already have will probably eliminate the problem, but I'd always want to confirm it. It always seems to be the little details that will get you.

Hope this Helps,

Steve W

Awesome. Thanks for the info. It looks like my panniers will work.

I just wanted to have this option if my rear panniers can't hold all my junk. I don't yet have a front rack, but it's good to know that this could work if need be.

As for the rear rack, I have the original jim blackburn rack that was mounted in 1980, atop my early fuji touring series III bike, now converted to fixed gear. Sweet.

As for tubing size, I figure I can just bend the clips or jerry rig something to work. I reallydon;t want to spend the cash on set of front panniers. Alas, the touring fashion police might heckle me for my old bike, and rear panniers mounted on the front, and the lack of gears and coasting ability.

Alas, the touring fashion police might heckle me for my old bike, and rear panniers mounted on the front, and the lack of gears and coasting ability.

No we won't; you have every right to make a fool of yourself. You are from Boston. :D

No we won't; you have every right to make a fool of yourself. You are from Boston. :D
Ouch dude.

Sorry, I couldn't resist. Now I am ashamed. :cry:

Props to you for wanting to tour FG. No-one's going to laugh at you... the touring crowd is a pretty enlightened and supportive lot compared with some others I know (of).

Even with compatibility problems, a little Yankee ingenuity can get you far. When I installed my fenders, I found that the hardware that they came with didn't fit the eyelets on my bike (Miyata 210, 1986). So I went out to the hardware store and picked up on 6mm bolts. Then, when I got my Jandd front rack, I had the same problem. Another trip out to the store, and I had rack and fenders screwed into the same eyelets (same arrangement in back, actually, with only one set of eyelets on the dropouts). After that, I wanted to use my Jandd economy panniers for front panniers, in order to save on dough. Only problem was, the bungee and hook mounting system wouldn't work with the rack design - the panniers are only really intended to mount on a rear rack. Another trip to the hardware store to get some 3/8" rubber-coated hose clamps, and I was all set.

It seems that setting up a bike for touring is all about solving lots of little problems ;).

Props to you for wanting to tour FG. No-one's going to laugh at you..
Well, here's the story. I originally had the bike setup with gears, as a touring bike, but then it was converted to SS and then to fixed gear, and I don't really want to pout gears back on it, and the only shifty bike I have is an old crappy mtb I found in the trash, which will soon become yet another fixed gear.


the touring crowd is a pretty enlightened and supportive lot compared with some others I know (of).
Is this a jab at the FG crowd?

Well, here's the story. I originally had the bike setup with gears, as a touring bike, but then it was converted to SS and then to fixed gear, and I don't really want to pout gears back on it, and the only shifty bike I have is an old crappy mtb I found in the trash, which will soon become yet another fixed gear.


Is this a jab at the FG crowd?

Hang on... I've just given you props for touring fixed gear. No it was at the road-racers.