Originally Posted by
Freud
I have scoured the internet looking for easy DIY panniers. All of them seem to require industrial sowing machines or then generally come out looking very cheap. I would like to find plans for panniers I could use for the same things the OP described.
Anyone know of any?
Freud, you probably would need some serious equipment to sew up a set of panniers. The classic formula is from Ken Kifer
http://www.kenkifer.com/bikepages/to...r%20Own%20Bags
However, seeing as backpacks are such a common item and so cheaply and readily available (even second hand...), you might want to look at re-purposing a backpack as I have above. It's pretty easy to put together. You need only these:
- electric drill
- one by 12 inch flat steel bar about 1/16 thick. Look for it at Lowe's $1
- 2 carabiners (key holders) $2
- two #8 screws about 3/4 to 1 inch long. hex nuts to accompany.
- two washers preferably about 2 inches radius.
Here are the instructions:
- drill two holes near the outside of the flat bar. Probably 3/8 inch bit needed for this. (To hold the carabiners)
- drill two smallers holes in the bar just inside the larger holes (probably 1/16 bit needed)
- fit the bar on the back of the backpack and mark where you want the screws to pierce the fabric.
- use a punch or screwdriver or something to pierce the fabic.
- screws go through the bar, then the fabric and then you use the washers and nuts to hold all of it tgoether.
If the washers are large enough, it should easily hold the bag.
In addition to the carabiners, I used an old tube to tie the bag to the rack, so that the bottom of the bag does not swing around.