Originally Posted by
positron
And the right rack and pannier combo can make the heelstrike issue go away,
what bags do you use? can you move them back? if you move them back too much behind the rear axle, youll want to have weight upfront to balance the bike - front pans.
That reminds me... Front only panniers can be a pretty good option if not going too heavy. Maybe carry the tent on top of a rear rack if you want a bit of weight in the back or are short on capacity in the front panniers. I did that on my Pacific Coast tour and was very happy with the setup.