Originally Posted by
kajero
No it isn't handbuilt. It came with the Giant bike. I do use the trunk bag to transport library books but they aren't too heavy. I'm not really looking to haul big heavy groceries. Maybe some bread, bananas, salad mix, etc. The side bags don't hold all that much.
Hi kajero,
I have been using Shimano RS20 wheels (24 spoke count rear) to commute back and forth to work, round trip 25km, for the past 3 years. The bike is a mid-80s Raleigh steel frame road bike that I rebuilt (well, I hung modern parts off of it).
To date this has been trouble free. I carry at least 1 pannier on the back with my lunch, change of clothes, oftentimes a textbook (doing some university courses), and a thermos full of coffee. Weight is about 15-20 pounds with rack, pannier and items.
During Bike Week here, when I travel over to Halifax for demonstrations I have 2 panniers filled with binders, handouts, brochures, mini lights as giveaways and other items. Quite a bit of weight. In addition to this, 2-3 times per summer I have those panniers filled for one reason or another.
Although I would
never use these wheels (RS20) for touring, carrying a single rear pannier on a rear rack with a light(er) load, as you described, should be fine. However, you will be inceasing your chances of a spoke breaking. If it does, then these wheels will most likely be so out of true that you will have to
at least release the cable on your rear brake.
Just my experience, YMMV.
Digger