New commuter bike advice

barry_kellett99

I have a trek 1200 road bike which I use for a 35mile round trip commute. I have a choice of routes from smooth main roads to nice (but often dirty and muddy) country roads. Apart from the dirt, the trek copes brilliantly with all my routes.

The missus got me a topeak rack and luggage bag (The one that sits on top of the rack on the MTX system) and its a great job. Better than a bag on my back

However, it makes the handling of the bike feel like your riding a big heavy lorry! Bike feels heavy when you stand up and feels like it won't corner as well (havent tried really lying it over yet - being so frosty of late and all :oops: )

I know wider tires would help (I am on 23c's at the minute) but if I put larger tires on I will have to take the mudguards off.

The 1200 is not really meant for commuting with luggage, I know, so what sort of bike will handle well with the weight over the back wheel on this rack?

I've been looking at the Planet-X Uncle John and it looks versatile and could be the ticket? Any other suggestions and experiences?

Cheers.

Headhuunter

I tried using pannier racks on my commuter bike a couple of years ago, which at the time was an MTB and I couldn't stand them, I removed them after about 2 days. the bike's handling completely changed, I felt I was going to keel over at every corner! Absoutely awful, heavy handling. I returned to the trusty rucksack and have never looked back

biondino

I have a suspicion most bikes will feel much less nimble when loaded and the difference probably won't be as great as you imagine. I'm also not sure why wider tyres would help - wouldn't they increase your weight and rolling resistance? Unless you just mean for the country roads?

barry_kellett99

Well the bike feels like its starting to produce a little wobble or vibration or something at greater speeds - I assumed (maybe wrongly) that a slightly more stable tire would help it.

biondino

Unless the tyre is actually slipping on the road surface then I imagine it's stable - that's the thing about (properly inflated) tyres, they're either stable or they're catastrophically not!

Is it possible that the wobble or vibration is caused by something not fitting or tightened correctly, whether it's the rack or the cargo or some other part of the bike?

Colzer1

i started using panniers for my commute and then removed them after about a month and went back to a pac. buy one of the edinburgh cycles VauDu pacs. they are really good and you can get everything in for your commute. I also use the train for part of my journy in the winter and the panniers were just a pain to use.

N0bodyOfTheGoat

How aboutr the Specialized Tricross? The single speed '08 version can be had for £275 at Pearsons.

barry_kellett99

NitrousOxide wrote:

How aboutr the Specialized Tricross? The single speed '08 version can be had for £275 at Pearsons.

Its one I've been looking at as a lot seem to have them built up with racks.
I should point out that I use a Trunk bag with optional fold out panniers but it would mainly just be the trunk bag on most of the time


Not many luggage on the bike lovers here then?

Everything is done up fine on the bike.

Its more of a barely noticable tremble and is definitely due to the weight moving off the centre of the bike on my back to the back wheel

lost_in_thought

I'm wondering whether I've got this right, please do feel free to correct me, but if you're carrying a reasonable amount of weight on top of the rack as opposed to on the sides of it, the higher position of the weight could be making the feel of instability worse.

Have you tried normal pannier bags? I really don't find them a problem, unless my tyres are a bit flat then the squirmy feeling is not great! I have carried a lot of weight in the bags too.

The lower position of the weight might help you.

alfablue

I'm with LiT, lower centre of gravity will be better. I would not have considered a rack pack for these reasons. I have noticed some effect on my steel audax bike when using heavily loaded panniers, as the rear triangle flexes, but I would have thought the alu frame of the Trek would be more rigid. My gf has a Trek 1.2 and even toured with it with fairly heavy panniers and it handled brilliantly.