Fix for bent panniers
Are your panniers bending in towards your spokes. To save changing the backing boards (I am naturally lazy), when I was fitting some mudguards I came up with this idea. Instead of cutting the struts to the correct length I bent them instead. Most bike shops will cut them to the correct length.
This usually leaves you with minimal length for adjustment if fitting larger tyres, especially on a mountain bike. Whilst I was doing the bending, I made sure that the bend was in the right place to match where the pannier corner was bending in towards the spokes. The first image shows the treatment applied to the front mudguard. The bend in the mudguard support strut is right where the pannier was starting to bend in towards the spokes.
Front Bent Pannier Fix.
The next image shows the treatment applied to the rear mudguard which has two struts. I had to bend the top one to get it around the rack leg. The lower strut was bent so as to position it where the pannier was bending in towards the spokes. So if you are fitting traditional mudguards to your next bike, and you intend using panniers that are likely to distort, don't cut the support struts.
Bent Pannier Fix for the rear.
