Pannier heel room

[njdaniel]

I'm new to touring and am planning a cross country tour this summer. Right now trying to pick between panniers, BOB, or the nomad.  I'm leaning towards panniers, but am worried about heel clearance.  Is there generally a big problem with the heel hitting the pannier?  Will it matter that I am tall and have large feet?  Thanks

[FredHiltz]

Yes, it can happen. Although it is not hard to avoid, you are smart to consider it. Heel clearance is affected by the rear triangle of the frame, the rack, and of course the panniers.

Touring bikes with their built-in fender clearance provide about an inch more distance between the bottom bracket and the rear axle than racing bikes. Mountain bikes with 26" wheels provide less.

Buying the rack and panniers at your LBS is money well spent. You can test combinations and perhaps get the rack mount extended rearward if necessary. I do not know any way to tell by looking at pictures or measurements whether heels will clear.

Resist the temptation to buy too large a rear pannier. We just end up filling them! I did fine with mid-size rear panniers, front panniers, and the bag and pad on top of the rear rack.

Fred

[njdaniel]

Thanks for the input, i'll see if I can test a couple out at the shop. I was just curious, what brand of panniers did you use?

[FredHiltz]

I chose Ortleib's roll-tops in the back for the items that I wanted to keep absolutely dry. Their seamless design precludes zippers, pockets, and external compartments. I chose JandD in front, a more conventional design with zippers and pockets for the things I wanted to reach during the day, adding plastic bags inside for the rain. A small handlebar bag for wallet, sunscreen, and ACA maps finished the job.

Because I was camping in bear country, I always put food, toothpaste, and such attractive items in the same front pannier, keeping the others odor-free. Then just one bag had to go into the bear box overnight.

Fred

[njdaniel]

Thanks a lot, thats excellent advice