Just fitted my first ever pannier rack and can’t get the damn thing level:

The bits that connect to the seatstays are joined in a horseshoe and I’ve got it as far back on the slider as it’ll go:

I’ve tried bending the bars, but they’re rock solid. (I don’t have a vice.)

Any ideas?

Looks like it needs to rotate up close to the seat stays to be level…thats a lot of bending!

Replace rack or bike unless you can get a shorter bracket

That.

Many combinations don’t play well together.

That bike appears to have quite short chainstays. Traditional tourers tend to be longer, so many racks assume that.

Looks like it needs one of those brackets that i’ve got on an axiom pannier rack, takes the mounting up and back and helps clear the brakes I think.

I would drill a second hole in the flat section close to where it transitions to round to attach to the seat stays. It will knacker your warranty though.
Alternatively remove the rear bolt and slide the rack until it’s level and drill a single hole through the horizontal flat section to make a secure fixing.

I think Tubus sell them as an accessory.

turn the bracket from the rack to the seat stays upside down try again.

If needs be apply heat and put more of a bend in.

Can i suggest obvious (possibly stupid) solution?… Just use it like that?

Surely anything you want to use will clip on, and it only looks a few degree’s out. Saves buying a new rack or bike..

Or the possibly less stupid solution –

A couple of the straight extension pieces with holes in to raise the bolts near the axle?

I would drill a second hole in the flat section close to where it transitions to round to attach to the seat stays. It will knacker your warranty though.
Alternatively remove the rear bolt and slide the rack until it’s level and drill a single hole through the horizontal flat section to make a secure fixing.

Yeah, I did consider both of those options. Would obviously rather avoid drilling if possible, but not entirely against the idea.

Looks like it needs one of those brackets that i’ve got on an axiom pannier rack, takes the mounting up and back and helps clear the brakes I think.

Do you have a link to the sort of thing you’re talking about?

Stupid question: other than looking strange, does it matter massively if the rack isn’t perfectly level?

turn the bracket from the rack to the seat stays upside down try again.

Do you mean just flip the horseshoe so that the bars bend up, rather than down? Or do you mean attaching the sliding bracket above the rack, rather than below?

Or shorten the bars? Heat them up and hammer a section flat then drill it. about an inch from the existing mounting hole.

Stupid question: other than looking strange, does it matter massively if the rack isn’t perfectly level?

This is the best bet! I’d have no issues using it like that. Saves you making irreversible changes to something, that may need to go back one day.

It’s supposed to have two lengths of mounts, is this the shorter one?

Supplied with long and short seat stay mounts to cover the maximum bike frame size range.

It’s supposed to have two lengths of mounts, is this the shorter one?

Yes, that is the shorter one. The other one is significantly longer.

Many combinations don’t play well together.

I’ve yet to find one I can’t get level.

This one is easy, normally I use this fix on small frames where the rack leans too far forwards, but it’ll do the opposite. All you need is a seat clamp rack mount.
Like so:

That’ll effectively move the rack mounts further away and give room for the stays. Simple. 🙂

EDIT
Just had another look, you’ll probably need to invert the longer mounting bracket and bend it a bit too, I didn’t notice the size of the gate frame 😉

All you need is a seat clamp rack mount.

That might do it. Will pop into my LBS tomorrow and see if they have anything in stock that will work.

Do you reckon I’ll be okay using it as is tomorrow? The panniers aren’t going to be carrying anything too heavy – clothes, laptop and charger, lock, etc.

Just had another look, you’ll probably need to invert the longer mounting bracket and bend it a bit too, I didn’t notice the size of the gate frame

It’s ‘only’ a 61. I have bigger.

That might do it. Will pop into my LBS tomorrow and see if they have anything in stock that will work.

That’s an M-Part one, available from Madison in 28.6, 29.8 (Will fit 30.0) 31.8 & 34.9.
All are in stock and £7.99 RRP

The biggest faff with racks is when the stays foul vee brake noodles. That can be a right nightmare getting it all working at times. Some racks are easier than others though, some stays are just not adjustable enough. Tortec are normally pretty good, I like their racks, but I’ve not seen that type before. The easiest are Tubus, you just cut the stays to length.

link

This is the one I was talking about, doesn’t look like it would work for you but there must be something similar out there

The rack did come with a disc brake adaptor, although no instructions as to how it works. Would this move the rack back at all?

yes it would move it back an inch or so

yes it would move it back an inch or so

Awesome. Any idea how to fit it? I assume the hole at the top of the bend (the one not below the slot) is for the existing mount, then I’d attach the rack to the other hole (the one below the slot)?

If so, what is the slot for?

(Sorry for all these questions, btw.)

You have 6 bolts and 4 nuts.

Two of the bolts will go through the adapters and into the frame.

The other four must go through the rack, through the adapter and be bolted at the back (nearest the wheel).

The slot allows the mount to rotate slightly (before being tightened) to accommodate the angle of the rack.

Can’t you just take the rack back?

Thanks!