https://www.rei.com/product/798552

Anyone know anything about this bike? It sounds like a pretty solid bike and I like the disc brakes. I shouldn't be worried about the frame ever breaking, right? It's aluminum and I like the ride of aluminum but I also like having a bike. I also LOVE the price tag. The review on REI talked about some difficulty in getting a rear rack on there, which is troubling. And I have size 14 shoes, so heel strike is a worry of mine...

Yay? Nay?

Can't see why installing a rack would be a problem, the bike has eyelets just for that purpose and nearly all the racks I have installed have long enough top brackets to bend then anyway you need to. If not maybe your LBS would have some extra long mounting arms laying about. The chainstays look as though they should be long enough and some of the better racks are made so the panniers will mount rearward pretty far. Good luck let us know what you get.

Have you considered a trailer instead of panniers so that you will never have heal strike problems?

I got a second hand Burley Nomad that was as new but half price of new. In August 2010 I toured 14 days and 1000 kms with it, and found no problems.

I have, but the $400 pricetag for a BOB Ibex is a turnoff. :/ However, a good set of Ortliebs will run me about $300 for fronts and backs anyways...I dunno, it's a possibility.

The bigger consideration might be that it isn't geared low enough @ 30 x 25 for most if they intend to cover many hills or steep terrain and changing out to lower gearing can get expensive. I say this thinking that at a 14 size shoe, you probably aren't a fly weight at 140 lbs.

I can't find specs for this bike (as far as geometry), but I have a Marin Belvedere (aluminum frame flat-bar commuter) and I could never get my size 12 heels to clear using Performance Transport Pro panniers in back. I could have experimented with more adjustable bags (like the Ortliebs I currently have) but used that as an excuse to build a new LHT and buy Ortliebs. (By the way, I bought a used Bob Yak for $125, but only because someone I remotely know was selling it. I don't like riding with it as much as I like 4 panniers, and I'd hate to deal with getting it out west or to Europe, along with the bike.)

Anyway, my point in all this rambling is this: with a 14 shoe I would not assume that ANY bike will fit without strike. REI is a great store that carries this bike, lots of racks, and several lines of panniers, including Ortlieb -- get into a store, have a mechanic at least cobble a rack onto the bike with zip ties (if they don't want to mess up thread paint by really installing one), and hang some Ortliebs off of it. You should be able to tell immediately whether it's something you can work with.

Other than heelstrike, though, I love my Marin. Great bike value in my opinion. My daughter has taken mine off to school for awhile, but it is great to have around as a loaner bike for people who have bikes but not touring bikes.

Might try a rack like this one that has a built in set-back for those of you with longer feet or shorter chain stays. Axiom Steamliner. I can't vouch for how it would hold up but if someone has had one for a while, maybe they could chime in and give us a review.

32 spoke wheels would be a deal breaker for me. It's also geared to high as has been stated before, looks like the only feature that is good is price. Since there are no geometry specs can't tell about clearance for panniers.

Just my 2 cents but one of the biggest failures on tours are wheels.

Allen