I recently bought a 56cm Specialized TriCross Comp and I'v been slowly adding the things to it I need to make it my main commuter. This week, I bought the Axiom Transit rack for it. I have two Ortlieb Civia Panniers, but I usually use just one for my commute, except on the days I take my clothes in. The problem is that I'm getting occasional heel strikes on the pannier. Currently, I'm not using clip-less pedals, but I'm moving to them soon and my LBS guy said that the heel strikes will only get worse when I go to clip-less.

Can anyone suggest a rack that will get the pannier up and back a bit more so I can stop having the heel strikes I'm having and not have the problem get worse when I go clip-less?

Thanks,

NoSho

Contact Wayne at the Touring Store. https://www.thetouringstore.com/ - Tell him your specs. He knows all with regards to bikes + racks + panniers + heel strike issues and he's super helpful. He is on vacation for a couple weeks but if you can wait, you will get accurate and helpful advice from him. It's all he does. You don't have to buy a rack from him, but you might as well. I have a tubus fly and it's just amazing but it may not be right for you.

If you want to be safe, you can get an adapter for any of the Tubus racks -
https://www.tubus.com/en/spares-and-accessories

The Tubus Disco comes with them built in -
https://www.rei.com/product/768567

Problem with Tubus is mostly that while their racks have a good reputation, they also tend to be expensive.

The rear rack from Civia was also designed to be farther back than a regular rack:
https://civiacycles.com/components/hyland_rear_rack/

This is an excellent rack: https://www.therandonneeshop.com/products/show/61-addit

I have one. It works really well and has held up to some abuse.

The lower rails let you mount the panniers a few inches farther back, making heel strikes less likely. Mounting the bags lower down like that will also increase your bike's stability under load.

RackTime is Tubus' aluminum commuter and entry-level touring brand, so it's good quality while still being cheaper than their serious touring racks. The RackTime bags and such are pretty nice as well.

The biggest down side is that RackTime stuff can be hard to find in the US, especially in brick-and-mortar stores.

I don't necessarily agree with the bike shop guy that the heel strikes will be worse with clipless - it depends on where your cleat ends up (which, by the way, should be decided by proper fit on the bike, NOT by whether you're getting heel strike!).

I'd at least try it before I bought a new rack.

FWIW, I just did a 1600 mile on and offroad tour with Racktime racks. They performed perfectly.

Thanks for all the suggestions! I've seen the Tubus racks and they look great, but I really don't want to break the bank on this one. I've still got a lot of stuff I want to add to the bike. RackTime might be exactly what I'm looking for.

Not that I would want to pay Tubus prices for a rack either, but if a $100 rack was going to "break the bank" I would highly suggest getting yourself a higher paying job. :-P

@PaulRivers maybe I should have said "break the cycling budget"

lol, fair enough. Did you see the thread "Has anyone else spent twice as much on accessories and gear than they spent on their bike?" haha. :-)

I have the Axiom Odyssee on my LHT. You might to check it out.

Just as an update, and for anyone else looking for a great rack, I ordered and received the RackTime AddIt rack last week. I'm really pleased with where my panniers mount. The further back position has resulted in no more heel strikes and I can tell a different on the lower center of gravity too! After using the rack for a few days, it seems to be an excellent rack and I would certainly recommend it to anyone looking to get a decent commuter rack for under $100.

Shyly raises hand.

:d :d :d