Are bicycle rear racks and panniers suitable for cross-country riding?

Asked by: Tasha Davis

Should I use front or rear panniers?

Given that the majority of our body weight is over the rear wheel when we ride our bikes, adding additional weight to the back of the bike tends to strain the back wheel more than the front. That is why if you’re using a lightweight bike (or lightweight wheels) it’s best to keep your load to the front.

Should I put a rear rack on my bike?

Rear Rack. A rack provides a stable framework to hold gear on your bicycle. In good weather, items can be strapped directly to the rack without a cover. For foul weather or the ability to hold loose items together, bags such as rack trunks and panniers can be easily attached to the rear rack.

Can you put a rear rack on a road bike?

A rear rack can be mounted readily on a racing bicycle that has no rack eyelets. Old Man Mountain makes a rack that is attached to an extra long quick release skewer (included) that replaces the original one. The top of the rack is then attached to the seat stays with rubber-lined p-clamps.

Can you use rear panniers on the front?

You could run rear panniers at the front of your bike. But some factors come into play. And it will depend on the size of the pannier, your bikes front geometry and how much gear your plan to pack in the front.

Why do bike Packers not use panniers?

You won’t overpack when you use bikepacking bags



Most bicycle tourists overpack. Bikepacking bags solve that problem because they simply offer less volume than panniers. A typical bikepacking setup usually offers 45 liters of volume between the three main bags while a standard set of 4 panniers can hold 65 liters.

What is the difference between saddle bags and panniers?

Pannier bags can hold up to 50 pounds whereas saddlebags can hold up to 30-40 pounds. It can carry more than that but ideally, you should not exceed the given capacity, to prolong the bags’ life.

Is it better to have a bike basket in front or back?

Front wheels are inherently stronger than rear wheels and can handle more weight. Front loads will affect handling, but the learning curve is brief. Front baskets are great all over town from long commutes to quick errands. Pros – You can use any bag you want (messenger bags work great with baskets) or no bag at all.

How do I choose a rear bike rack?

Quote from video: Usually near the hub. Sometimes there's a mid fork eyelet which will also allow you to run low riders. This one has a one that is a little bit higher up designed for a rando rack.

What are rear bike racks for?

Rear bike racks attach to the back of your bike and feature rails that you can use to secure panniers, bags, baskets, and other items. They also accommodate bungees and netting for attaching items. Without a rack, hooking a basket, pannier, or trunk bag onto your bike is incredibly difficult.

Can you fit pannier rack on a road bike?

The short answer is yes, it is possible to turn your road bike into a touring bike. You can mount panniers on your road bike, regardless if the frame has no eyelets to attach a rack.

Can you mount a rack on a road bike?

You can put a pannier on a road bike if you attach a rack to it. Some road bikes have braze-ons for a rack. If your bike doesn’t have them, you can use P-Clamps or Tubus stay mounting clamps. Alternatively, you can also find special racks that attach to bikes without the need for braze-ons.

Can you use a road bike for touring?

The short answer is yes, you can absolutely go touring with a road bike. No matter if it’s made of carbon fiber or if it doesn’t have rear racks to attach the panniers if set up well it can go on a long adventure without any problems.

Do panniers slow you down?

Panniers definitely slow you down on hills, but this is mostly due to the amount of weight you have in them. Bikers often use only one pannier on one side of the rack at a time. You might think that it makes steering or balancing harder. A fully loaded pannier on the bike has very little effect on steering.

What is the difference between bikepacking and bike touring?

Bicycle touring typically involves long distances and longer stints of travel that can be supported by adventure travel companies or completed as solo, unsupported endeavors. On the other hand, “bikepacking” refers to mostly off-road adventuring.

Are panniers OK for bikepacking?

They’re easy to take off the bike, they’re waterproof and they offer a large, easy to access cavity. Panniers can also make a very useful contribution to an off-road bikepacking setup, especially if you’re cycling in remote areas and need to carry food for multiple days (or voluminous winter equipment).

Are front panniers good?

Front panniers are better with steep climbs because you don’t have to worry about your bike tilting backward. They’re also better for rougher roads, including dirt roads, because extra weight in the front actually improves the bike’s grip on the surface.

Do panniers slow you down?

Panniers definitely slow you down on hills, but this is mostly due to the amount of weight you have in them. Bikers often use only one pannier on one side of the rack at a time. You might think that it makes steering or balancing harder. A fully loaded pannier on the bike has very little effect on steering.

How do you pack a touring pannier?

Quote from video: Box just make sure to pad it then use something like bubble wrap or a foam pad to wrap your item when wrapping make sure that you have padding on both sides to minimize shock and shaky.

What size panniers do I need for touring?

In summary, I suggest you: 50-60l rear panniers and 15-30l front panniers for long distance travels. 30-40l rear panniers (and eventually 15-20l on the front) for short tours.

What do you carry in panniers?

Think About Weight



Otherwise, the heaviest items should go in the bottom of the front panniers, such as your first-aid kit, food, stove, utensils, toiletries, and bike tools, spare parts, tubes, and tire pump.