Big feet & panniers

[MontyVeda]

The backs of my feet annoyingly knock my back panniers when my foot is in what i assume to be the proper position on the pedal (ball of foot over axle)... shifting my foot forwards doesn't feel right, but at least it stops me from hiting the panier each revolution.

Anybody else find this? If so, what do you do? Compromise and move foot forward or buy a smaller pannier?

 

[andym]

At risk of asking the obvious: what rack are you using? have you moved the panniers back to the max and moved the rack back to the max? And are you riding a bike with a short chainstay length?

 

[MontyVeda]

not sure what the rack is, it could go back a little more but not much. panniers are as far back as they'll go, they're BikeBins, so quite percussive... no idea if the chain stay is short, long or standard. It's an Orange P7 MTB (a proper one, made in yorkshire!)

I could try kiddy cranks?

 

[samid]

Kiddy cranks might not be very comfortable to push I'm afraid. I had that same problem - I had a Nitto rack (which is supposed to be very good) and Carradice panniers - and whatever I did, I could not move the panniers back enough not to hit them with the heels (FWIW, I have size 10 feet). So I got a Tubus Cargo rack - and it solved the problem. Not only the rack can be moved back due to its excellent mounting system, but the rack itself was significantly longer so that the panniers' position on the rack can be adjusted quite a bit - very different from the Nitto, which was significantly smaller - so it looked very cute but did not allow the panniers to be moved enough. So my advice would be to try a different - "longer" - rack (it'd be best of course to go to a bike shop with your bike and panniers, and try different racks there).

 

[ufkacbln]

I use Tubus Racks for this reason.

The lower extended bar allows the panniers to be further back

 

[MontyVeda]

found my rack...

...it extends back 7inches from the centre of my axle, and extends back more or less the same as this Tubus....

so maybe the Bikebins' rigid shape is the issue?

I'm only size 10 too... so lord knows how it is for size 11+

 

[andym]

Yep it looks like it must be the bikebins - they're either big or don't offer enough ability to move them back. Your feet aren't particularly big and looking at your bike and rack I don't think you'd have problems with normal panniers.

If you only needed a couple of millimetres going from 175mm cranks to 170mms might be an option.

You could always try asking for advice from bikebins themselves (or himself).

 

[HJ]

I have had that problem, and spent a lot of time fiddling with the panniers back on the rack, take care don't move them too far back as it can make the bike unstable.

 

[steve52]

i had the same prob
solved it by useing cable ties to pulland hold the paniers back as far as poss

 

[samid]

Looking at the photo of your rack on your bike it looks like you could move the top of the rack further back an inch or two - did you try that?

 

[HLaB]

I don't know if applies to all panniers but with my Ortliebs you can rotate the mounting bracket so this can be avoided.

 

[P.H]

 Bikebins are not particularly big and are shaped to avoid heel strike, the R&K fixings should let you get them back as far as any other pannier.  I think the problem is the length of stays on the MTB.  It looks like your rack could go back a bit, then make sure you really have got the bins as far back as possible.  Post a photo with the bins on, someone might spot a solution.  Your rack isn't the one in the first photo.  You'll notice that has a second lower rail, putting panniers on this moves them a little further back.  It might be worth working out how much you need to gain, attach a shoe to the pedal and see. 

 

[andym]

<br />Looking at the photo of your rack on your bike it looks like you could move the top of the rack further back an inch or two - did you try that?<br />

<br /><br /><br />

It's not actually his bike.

Monte some pictures of your setup would be a help.

 

[MontyVeda]

Looking at the photo of your rack on your bike it looks like you could move the top of the rack further back an inch or two - did you try that?

That's not my bike... just an example photo of a similar set up. The top picture of the backrack is my rack though.

this is my bike...

have just noticed I can move the hooks on the bikebins giving me an extra half an inch... and the other slightly annoying issue is the lower clip on the bikebins is at exactly the height of where the 3 bars are welded down towards the bottom, meaning I'll have to redrill those too! (or ditch the bike bins)

 

[MontyVeda]

fixed it!

shifting the top clips on the bike bin off centre has given me a roomy half inch clearence...

... not sure them being off centre when laden will have an adverse affect, will have to wait and see.

And the bottom retaining clip needs to go up an inch too.


Thanks for all replies and advice... much appreciated as ever