Did I just screw up ?
 

I finally pulled the trigger on a used touring bike this morning. It's a 1992 Bridgestone XO-2 hybrid that is supposedly the precursor of the Rivendell Atlantis, only to find out it has shorter than ideal chainstays,425. I was so excited to find a bike like that comes with 26" wheels in my size,in great shape, that I forgot to check the frame geo.
With size 12 1/2 shoes, I guess that's going to knock out rear panniers...
Anyway to work around this, or am I locked into using a trailer ?

Just get a longer rear rack. I use the Jandd expedition rack on my Bianchi Volpe, which has the same geometry on the chainstain, if I remember correctly. And I also wear size 12-13 shoes. I think Tubus and a few other rack builders also have longer rear racks that can help you to tour with bikes with shorter chainstays.

Yeah, Tubus Logo has a far-back mounting position, and there is some hardware available at thetouringstore.com that extends the rack mount points farther back. I would start with a tubus logo or a jannd expedition 2 rack, get the panniers, and experiment from there. Also, look for panniers with moveable hooks (Arkel is one) so you can tweak the bag's position even more.

I didn't know bridgestone & riv. were related, that's kind of interesting.

:)

So how does that affect the handling. The bottom bracket height might be a tad higher than ideal too.

Thanks.
Yea, Grant Peterson was the head guy in the US for Bridgestone pre-Rivendell.

Part of it depends on the shoes, good cycling shoes are cut very close to the heel to minimize chainstay interference. Sandals (even SPD ones) might not be an option, and flat pedals and sneakers are even less likely to be an option.

Ortlieb panniers have movable mounting points so you can shift the panniers front and back.

Smaller panniers or careful packing so that the panniers aren't bulging where your heels pass through might help. Shifting some of the load to a seat bag or rack top bag might help you use smaller panniers.

And the interference might be exacerbated by larger bags, so just buy smaller ones. That would help lessen the weight dist. from moving a big bag back further.

I used the Tubus Logo because one of my touring bikes had a short chainstay. I wear size 12 shoes and found my large panniers sat far enough rear that I did not strike them. I've not noticed any problems with handling after several years of use.

I'm quite happy with the handling, but the Volpe is the only touring bike that I've ever owned. So I don't have much perspective. I know conventional wisdom says that this setup is less than ideal. But it clearly works.

The Tubus logo does let you put the panniers a bit lower than most racks, which might help the handling a bit.

I wouldn't assume that it will be a problem, 425 isn't all that short.

Thanks. Hopefully it will work out. I'll definitely go with the Tubus Logo.
If not, well I already have a bob with suspension.
The interesting thing about this bike is that you can run 26" or 700 wheels.
It's coming with 26x1.5 tires. I think this will be a good bike for me cuz i have a hard time staying on paved roads.
I know I'll have to switch the crankset and maybe the rear cassette.
It's coming with shimanoCX:50x40x30 and has 130 in the rear with a 7 speed 13-28.
Any suggestions ?

I have an XO2 in the garage. It has long chainstays. I doubt you will have any problems hitting the panniers. But if you do, as others have pointed out, there are racks that can accomodate you.

You can just put on new rings that are smaller, might be a little cheaper.
If the drive train has some miles on it, might as well also get a new chain and cassette while you're at it.

You could also look at larger tires. Those tires are nice but you will want larger from time to time.

http://www.schwalbetires.com/marathon_supreme

No you didn't screw up, the XO-2 is a nice bike. If you are worried about clipping your heels use small
front panniers on the back.

The description was "hardly used" and the pics supported that, so the drivetrain should be in good shape.
It was suggested that I drop down to two rings, so that's an option.
The wheels are Ritchey Vantage Sport 32H.
By larger do you mean wider or moving up to 700s ?

Why would you do that on a touring bike?

Well, I hardly ever get into my big ring while touring, so I'm not sure I need it.
Don't doubles shift smoother than triples ?
I was thinking something like 36-38x22-24 would be adequate.

"...Don't doubles shift smoother than triples ?..."

No. Triples shift just fine in my experience. I think some people end up with mismatched front derailleur/chainring combinations in search of the perfect touring gear range but a good, compatible combination shifts as well as any double.

That's the buyer's guilt and paranoia talking, I think. I don't know half as much as most of the guys on this forum, but I think you scored. Most of us would kill for a Bridgestone touring bike.

I hope you are right. After considering virtually every bike under the sun for a year and a half, I can't believe I zoned out on the most critical geo measurement of all for a touring bike. I guess I was just mesmerized by the green color.