The new Nitto struts have arrived and I've got some updates, a question, and a conundrum...
Here is the rack installed, I haven't cut the struts yet.
Does it sit lower than the VO rack did? Yeah, it does. Is it enough to warrant the purchase? Probably not, but aesthetically I'm glad to now have the bag sitting below the flat of the handlebar, as this is a "compact bag" and I wanted it to appear as such.
Is it level? Yep, the struts make it very easy to level it exactly the way you want it. However, as
noglider mentioned above, I probably
could get the VO rack more level eventually, but it still sits higher than I like.
How do I feel about struts attached to the forks rather than small ones attached to the brakes? I'm not sure yet. Obviously canti post mounting is cleaner and less cumbersome, but I don't currently use low ride panniers and it is nice to get some use out of the fork eyelets, although it is clearly a bit more cluttered, but I also like the somewhat utilitarian look.
Forward positioning: This is as far back as the rack can be pushed with the hardware available. The VO rack sat a little closer to the head tube, which I definitely preferred, especially since the Nitto rack almost passes the fender. That being said, the fender is currently mounted with an L bracket. If I mounted it with a daruma underneath the fork crown, which I prefer anyways, it would push the fender forward a bit and solve this problem
My question: I mounted the struts to the forks using the hardware that is already pre-installed on the forks, and I left the mounts on (I hate the idea of losing these so I don't take them off). Assuming I stick with this installation, would you recommend washers be used at the fork eyelets with this setup?
Ultimately either setup will work. It's a small bag up front that won't be carrying a heavy load. This is mostly a question of aesthetics. Any comments or opinions welcome!