This is my first post I hope everything is okay with it!
I bought a new Raleigh Royal in March, 22" frame with the intention of touring between May and September. It's the first bike I've ever bought new and for a cheap tourer I think it's of a decent quality.
The problems arose mid-April. I have a rear rack carrying a lot of weight and I thought it would be best to get a front rack and panniers to even out the weight a little. With a brand new touring bike I assumed everything would be fine but I was mistaken.
I've tried a Blackburn lowrider and a Blackburn platform rack and neither fit; the bosses are too low by quite a bit! If any rack should fit a Raleigh bike I assumed an Avenir rack would as they supply Raleigh with a lot of accessories and it's the only one that Raleigh sell. However, the front forks are too wide so they didn't fit.
I tried to get some p-clips so I could fit the Blackburn rack but the shop I use most of the time couldn't get hold of anything bigger than 19mm and I discovered that 22m p-clips have been discontinued. I managed to find some online anyway, and it took a while but I got them, and they're too small.
I've contacted Raleigh and they've seemed a bit clueless. I spoke to someone today who said that they do not sell a front rack which fits and they do not know anywhere I can find one. The Avenir lowrider fitted every road bike in the CycleLife store I got my bike from, yet not my tourer and it's all a bit frustrating! I don't know if this is a common problem or not, I can't find anything. In retrospect I wouldn't go with Raleigh again.
I was supposed to leave at the beginning of the month but this is getting in the way! Does anyone have any information or suggestions that might help me?