I have a Cannondale Quick4 extra small size. This is truly extra small and wears 26 inch wheels. I got this rack on it:




I use the rack a lot to carry birding equipment, often using these panniers:



What I don't like is that the rack is up very high, really more suitable for a bike with larger wheels, and so the center of gravity is high. I asked one bike shop when I was passing through town whether there were smaller rack options and they said no. I am not sure that they really gave it any thought. Anyone here have any thoughts on the issue? Are there different size racks, one that would sit a little lower on my bike?

Hi Goldfinch, I just put a Bontrager rack on my mountain bike with 26" wheels. It sits a lot lower than that. I got it at a bike shop that sells a lot of Trek bikes. It's dark now, so this is the best I could get for a picture. Hope this helps.

Weird. The shop I asked at was a Trek shop. Maybe it is worth asking at another shop.

One other irritant with the high rack is that the rack almost interfers with the seat and if I use a trunk bag it is awkward.

Ah, but if you lower the rack height like you want, you might start experiencing heel strike. Maybe try one that has height adjustment?

Your rack is defiantly a mismatch for your bike. I have modified a lot of racks to lower them and every one I have on my bikes is barely off the tire. All the space below the rack is wasted IMO. Besides that the lower you place weight the more stable it is. If heel strike is an issue then move the rack back a little. The simple solution would be to get a rack with an adjustable leg as posted above. I have used these and they are ridged. I have bent and tweaked a few also to get them lower. Yours may be able to be bent at the bottom where the two rods become one. Bending that single rod forward will lower the rack and also move it back. I can post a photo of one I did that to, but in your case that might still not be enough. Depending on how handy you are you could cut both rods apart above the weld and flatten them and drill new mounting holes and attach them lapped with a single bolt, or something like that.

Below are photos of how a low rack is better for a taller load.

I like the height adjustable rack idea. Bud, I love your rack.

I am not at all handy so I am going to have to find something off the shelf that would work. I looks like there are multiple possibilities. I can't figure out why the LBS said that there were no better possibilities than what I have now. That still is nagging at me. Is one quirk on my bike the fact that the seat post is so far down lower than the height of the wheel?

I looked at your photo.
My wife and I have a pair of Trek Navigators with 26 inch tires. Also two Trek Multitracks with 700 tires.
The frame size means nothing when it comes to the mismatch seen in your rack. Look at the distance from the wheel axle to the top of the tire.

The first rack I mounted on my Navigator sat way to high. It had an adjustable lug at the bottom of the rack legs. Noticed that they were threaded well up into the tube. Took a saw to them to drop the rack down closer to the tire. The rack was one of those seen in the Amazon link.

Then we needed bigger bags. Went with Topeak racks and bags. The same rack fits either my 26 inch wheel Navigator or the 700 C Multitrack bikes. Just a bit more distance between the tire on the 26 inch wheel.

The lower eyelets of the Quick4 are located quite high up compared to the rear axle. I have this on my Dahon Cadenza, another 26" wheel style. You need a rack compatible with 24" wheels.
My solution was an adjustable rack. I dont like adjustable racks, they are not as strong or stiff as the fixed kind but I had no choice. In practice, mine had been OK even with occasional heavy loads.
Ventura do one for 24" wheels which may be short enough.

Your upper stays are very long and bendy. Look for a model with very solid tubular or rod stays.

Thanks.

I went to another bike shop. They had both adjustable racks and racks meant for bikes with 24 inch wheels, like Michael suggested. This non-adjustable rack could carry more weight. Plus, it was cheaper. Put it on and it fits perfect. No heel strike problems to speak of, provided I have the bags as far back on the rack as I can.

Thanks again MichaelW!