Kertrek, These days
most wheel sets on factory builds are machine made so no matter which bicycle you choose, you'll be best served by stress relieving and re-truing the wheels yourself or by a pro at a LBS. Touring bike wheels are under a lot of stress, in particular the rear wheel, so a tune-up prior to a trip is a good idea anyways.
There are some work-arounds if you need heel clearance. In the pictures are the two possible rear rack mounting locations available on most touring bicycles. One mounts the rack higher and the other moves it rearward, but lower. Also pannier size can be reduced for more heel clearance.
The Fuji is a good choice, IMHO.
Brad
