Originally Posted by
Vintage_Cyclist
I recently got a Surly LHT with 700C wheels and decided to go with the Jandd Expedition rear rack and Extreme front rack. They're both great racks and I'm happy with them so far. I like the fact that the rear rack is so long and keeps the panniers well back from my heel. although I'm happy with it, the front rack was a pain in the neck to install. In hindsight I should have gone with the Jandd tall front rack to get more clearance over the wheel, the regular rack I have is literally right on top of the fender with zero clearance and it can't go up any farther without the lower pannier rails interfering with the brakes.
The Jannd Expedition rear rack does indeed put the panniers a little further aft than most rear racks. The only complaint I have about mine is that the paint wore off pretty quickly where the panniers come in contact with it. I've never been able to travel light and this rack has always done well by me, even in heavily loaded, long, steep descents.
Someone brought up issues with the Surly Nice Rack, front rack, but couldn't remember what they were. When I was doing research looking for a front rack I found several reviews stating problems with failures of the rack itself. I ended up buying the Nitto Big Front Rack, but that isn't really pertinent here as it is double your budget.