What Have You Fettled Today?

[ColinJ]

Two other issues...

1. I had seen a review of the rack saying that the owner found that sometimes the panniers could contact the spokes of their rear wheel when riding over bumpy roads. I checked and that is definitely a potential issue with the cheap panniers and heavy loads. Better panniers probably would twist about so much? The fundamental problem is that the minimalist rack doesn't offer as much support as a chunkier one. I will find a way round the problem. I don't think I would have a problem when only carrying a light load such as my tools, spares, phone, wallet and a spare water bottle.
2. I haven't actually ridden the bike with a pannier on but I can see that I would definitely get heel strikes on the front of each pannier unless they are pushed back as far as they will go on the rack. I just hope that will be far enough back.

I have sorted out issue #1 by the usual method... a bungee cord! I attached a cord to the front of the pannier and looped it round the seatpost and back to the rack. That keeps the pannier nicely in place.

I would go out and test issue #2 but we are getting lots of much-needed rain here this evening. If it dries up I will nip out with the test load on the bike. If not, the test will have to wait until tomorrow.

I am not feeling confident about carrying 7 kg in that cheapo Lidl pannier. It is good value for money but not something that is TOP quality. I will do my test but after that limit myself to (say) 4 kg loads. I'll keep my eyes open for some quality panniers at a bargain price!

 

[Juan Kog]

Remember it the way that I do...?

'The R side is RIGHT; the L side is WRONG!'

Or tighten towards the front on both sides .

 

[HLaB]

Notmuch, I moved my rear bottle cage to the front as the front had become broken and topped up the tyres.

 

[buzz22]

My Clamont got a new set of Goodyear Eagle Sport's today (in 700 x 25), I think the tan walls set it off nicely.
After searching for ages for tan wall tyres it seems everyone is making them now.
I'll test them tomorrow on a ride with a mate.

This Topeak handlebar bag that I ordered also arrived and I popped it on.
It was one of the only ones I could find that still allowed me to use the top of the bars.
It's only small but it's exactly what I was after, my light touring setup is now ready to go for an overnighter.

 

[Low Gear Guy]

A mate has just been round. He spotted the rack straight away and said that it looks really good, except for the fact that...





... IT ISN'T LEVEL!!!!!!

I have loosened and retightened a couple of bolts because I spotted in the photos that something wasn't quite right. (I had tightened them in the wrong sequence so one part was fixed slightly out of position.)

I have a calculation to do. I have taken some measurements and the rear of the rack is about 1.4 cm lower than the front. I could drill some new mounting holes in the top of the rack about 1 cm nearer the rear of the rack. Using the new holes would pull the top of the rack forward 1 cm. I need to work out how much that would level the rack by to see if it is worth doing.

I just attached one pannier and put about 7 kg of weight in it. (11 approx. 400 g cans of food plus a 2.3 L bottle of water.) That is definitely too much to put on just one side of the bike because it kept trying to topple over in my kitchen. I will use both panniers for trips to the shops if I am buying a lot of shopping. TBH though, I think I will just start shopping more frequently and buying less on each trip.

I don't know how touring cyclists carry as much as they do!

Two other issues...

1. I had seen a review of the rack saying that the owner found that sometimes the panniers could contact the spokes of their rear wheel when riding over bumpy roads. I checked and that is definitely a potential issue with the cheap panniers and heavy loads. Better panniers probably wouldn't twist about so much? The fundamental problem is that the minimalist rack doesn't offer as much support as a chunkier one. I will find a way round the problem. I don't think I would have a problem when only carrying a light load such as my tools, spares, phone, wallet and a spare water bottle.
2. I haven't actually ridden the bike with a pannier on but I can see that I would definitely get heel strikes on the front of each pannier unless they are pushed back as far as they will go on the rack. I just hope that will be far enough back.

It is possible to prevent the inner face of the Lidl pannier flexing by cutting a piece of plywood to the correct size and inserting it within the bag.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Remember it the way that I do...?

'The R side is RIGHT; the L side is WRONG!'

What does that mean?

 

[Deleted member 1258]

What does that mean?

Oposite threads, ones normal clockwise and the other is an anticlockwise opposite thread.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Oposite threads, ones normal clockwise and the other is an anticlockwise opposite thread.

Which means, you do what with which pedal?

I’m aware they have different threads but could not see how Colin’s phrase helps you work out which way to tighten / loosen each pedal.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Which means, you do what with which pedal?

I’m aware they have different threads but could not see how Colin’s phrase helps you work out which way to tighten / loosen each pedal.

They undo in different directions.

 

[buzz22]

They undo in different directions.

I remember it as both pedals undo to the back of the bike and do up to the front

 

[Ming the Merciless]

They undo in different directions.

Correct they do, well done! But how does Colin’s phrase help you know which way to turn each pedal when undoing them?

 

[ColinJ]

Correct they do, well done! But how does Colin’s phrase help you know which way to turn each pedal when undoing them?

I do assume that people know the usual direction in which screws/bolts/nuts are turned to tighten or loosen them.

Usual = normal = 'right'

So the right (-hand side pedal) has the 'right' (normal type of) thread.

The pedal on the left-hand side has the 'wrong' (opposite type of) thread.

Well, it works for me!

 

[ColinJ]

And that (obviously) is looking from the back of the bike towards the front!

 

[ColinJ]

It is possible to prevent the inner face of the Lidl pannier flexing by cutting a piece of plywood to the correct size and inserting it within the bag.

Last night, I cut up the big box that the rack came in and made a stiff cardboard liner for each pannier. Reusing is better than recycling! (Well, the cardboard will get recycled eventually when it starts to fall apart but I reckon it will last a year or two before that.)

 

[fossyant]

Pannier bag hook fitting bolt fell out - managed to find it in the bottom of the bag when at work, and tighten it up !