RainmanP

Matadon,
I have a Blackburn Expedition 2 rack. VERY sturdy. Should handle anything you would ever need. It has 4 vertical supports. For a pannier I have an Arkel Utility Basket pannier. It is a large, VERY sturdy pannier. They are only sold individually. A simple large bag with no extra pockets for organization except one inner pocket for wallet, keys, etc. It is stricly designed for errands around town, not touring, though it would certainly work to carry a load of anything. Large enough for a single LARGE standard paper grocery bag filled to the brim and then some. Some people are concerned about balance with a single pannier. I assure you, your body automatically compensates and you never know the difference even with a heavy load. Believe me, I have loaded it up! The pannier has a carrying handle as well as D-loops for attaching a shoulder strap. I used mine every day for commuting for months and I love it. I still use it when I have extra stuff to carry. Technogirl has a UBP also. Are you out there, TG? The UBP is made of waterproof fabric but is not completely waterproof since the seams are not sealed. I may seal them someday, but for now I have a waterproof rain cover for it.

My regular daily bag is now a Carradice Seatpost Quick Release (SQR) Slim. I got it because I like to ride my road bike once a week or so but did not want to put a rack or anything extra. By purchasing an extra SQR block, I can now quickly move the whole bag from one bike to the other rather than run down a checklist of the individual items (wallet, keys, ID, ...) I used to transfer from my regular bag to a backpack. The SQR slim is about 1400-1500 cubic inches, about the size of a small backpack and rides very securely on its mount. Very stable, no sway or bounce, even when standing to accelerate and rocking the bike from side to side. You don't know it's there. It holds everything I need for daily commuting except changes of clothes, which I take about once a week in the big Arkel bag on my regular commuter. The Carradice bag is 100% waterproof heavy cotton canvas. I got caught in a long heavy downpour a few days after I got it so I can attest to that. It has a handle for easy carrying. A backpack accessory is available. I decided to hold off on that to see if I really needed it.

The Blackburn Expedition 2 is available from most bike shops and several online sources for about $50. The UBP, available from Arkel at arkel-od.com, is $55. The Carradice is available from Wallingford Bike at wallbike.com or Peter White Cycles at peterwhitecycles.com for $85.

Don't get inexpensive panniers. I can tell you from personal experience that they fail quickly. I had a pair of Performance panniers that appeared to be well made. The suspension bolts pulled through the plastic stiffener panel after about three months. The stiffener was made of a corrugated plastic like those mail tubs the post office uses. They are pretty tough but not tough enough for the bouncing and stress of hanging on a bike. The Arkel board is thick solid high density plastic, and Arkel panniers are designed to be repaired.

Hope this helps when you start researching.
Regards,
Raymond