# pannier fitting



## blazingsaddles (2 Nov 2008)

I'm fitting pannier rack and panniers to my cycle and would really appreciate some opinions on the following photos as to what fits best. 

I have to slide the panniers a fair way back to gain heel clearance and I would like a more uniform fit but what I have is in the following photos.


----------



## blazingsaddles (2 Nov 2008)

Perhaps I should have mentioned that the first photo has good support at the bottom but the top right holder is quite over to the centre. I can easily make a bracket to stop the panniers sliding on the rail.

The second photo has better top support but not much down below and I don't know if this is a problem.

I've not toured before so this is the first set I've fitted!

Thanks,
Blazing saddles


----------



## psmiffy (2 Nov 2008)

The first seems to the best - why do you need a bracket to stop sliding - why not just move the front hook


----------



## psmiffy (2 Nov 2008)

Just going out to do my Tescos shopping 30kg in panniers probably - as long as panniers are clipped on to rack all the weight is on rack - I like the first becauce there is less chance of the rear of the pannier wandering into the tyre if panniers are not full or start to become distorted with age


----------



## blazingsaddles (2 Nov 2008)

psmiffy said:


> Just going out to do my Tescos shopping 30kg in panniers probably - as long as panniers are clipped on to rack all the weight is on rack - I like the first becauce there is less chance of the rear of the pannier wandering into the tyre if panniers are not full or start to become distorted with age




That was my frame of thought really. I didn't want to move the front hook as it will only move nearer the centre, although when there it will allow me to ditch the bracket idea!


----------



## psmiffy (2 Nov 2008)

No problem about the hooks being relatively central (in fact if they are at third points the bending moments will be least) -ive never found that the location of the centre of gravity really matters as long as the rack is a good one and not subject to sway - the bottom stabiliser not that importent - fallen off one of mine - taken spare to be fitted on last two tours but never got round to it - never noticed


----------



## Bigtallfatbloke (2 Nov 2008)

On my panniers the lower 'clip' faces forwards so that the bag doesnt slide forwards when I brake suddenly...I my be wrong but yours seem to go the other way?


----------



## ufkacbln (2 Nov 2008)

1. Fit the 2 top clips as far apart as is compatible with the rack, with one, or both close to a cross spar

2. Now look at the way that the pannier isable to slide

3. Now place the hook to prevent movement in this direction

Sorted


----------



## Brains (2 Nov 2008)

It looks to me like you have the right idea in photo 2, however the top rail clips need to be as far apart as you can make them, and should be on the extremes of the rack.


----------



## ufkacbln (2 Nov 2008)

PS - the rack is a "Thorn" one and is incomplete It has a further "crosspiece" and light plate that bolts on the back.


----------



## HLaB (2 Nov 2008)

Bigtallfatbloke said:


> On my panniers the lower 'clip' faces forwards so that the bag doesnt slide forwards when I brake suddenly...I my be wrong but yours seem to go the other way?


+1 That's what I do too


----------



## blazingsaddles (2 Nov 2008)

Thanks for the info and tips. Just to reiterate, I can't centralise the panniers or open up both top rails wide as this would pull them forward and I'd have no heel clearance.

I'm not really satisfied with the fit on either, perhaps the 1st photo (tubus cargo) offers the best support, but the thorn rack offers better spacing of the pannier top rails.

Blazing saddles


----------



## andym (3 Nov 2008)

Ortlieb and its fixing standard are the industry standard. If you find it doesn't fit then the chances are you are doing something wrong and its time to stop, and take a deep breath and take a different approach.

Move the two top hooks as far forward as they will go.

The open end of the hook at the bottom (I think Ortleib call it a q-hook) should face _forward_ and hook onto the diagonal stay.This stops the pannier sliding forward, together with the top hooks if gives you a secure three-point fix. Move the hook up and around to get the most suitable fixing point on the diagonal.


----------



## jay clock (5 Nov 2008)

> The open end of the hook at the bottom (I think Ortleib call it a q-hook) should face _forward_ and hook onto the diagonal stay.This stops the pannier sliding forward, together with the top hooks if gives you a secure three-point fix. Move the hook up and around to get the most suitable fixing point on the diagonal.


I was taught the opposite! The logic being that if you bash the pannier into something as you go past (car, small child, bollard, dwarf etc) the pannier cannot be knocked off backwards


----------



## Brains (5 Nov 2008)

Cunobelin said:


> PS - the rack is a "Thorn" one and is incomplete It has a further "crosspiece" and light plate that bolts on the back.



The Thorn racks were designed for Ortlieb panniers, so if you are still having trouble, contact Thorn.

As for the hooks facing forwards or backwards, I'm in the facing backwards group


----------



## andym (5 Nov 2008)

jay clock said:


> I was taught the opposite! The logic being that if you bash the pannier into something as you go past (car, small child, bollard, dwarf etc) the pannier cannot be knocked off backwards



That's just weird.

When you think about it if your pannier was hit by a car surely you'd want the pannier to come off , rather than dragging you and the bike with it? (OK the risk is tiny but it's your example and in any event there's probably no risk of the pannier being knocked-off in the first place actually given how well the Rixen-Kaul system works).


BlazingSaddles - I'd take the pragmatic view - if facing downwards doesn't work, and facing backwards doesn't work, then there are only two options left to try!


----------



## blazingsaddles (19 Nov 2008)

Just thought I'd add that eventually I opted for Carradice Super C Panniers with the Tubus Cargo rack. This is a good fit, and due to more of a taper on the Carradice than the others, there is adequate heel clearance. 

May be a bit of good info for those with huge clod hoppers like myself!


----------

