Commuting - Is using only one pannier bad for your bike?

I commute about two hours a day on my bike. I usually only use one rear pannier because I don't bring that much with me (less than 15 pounds). I hang the pannier on the left and leave my right sided one at home.

Somebody told me once that hanging a pannier always on the left (or right) side can damage the wheel (or other components) over time, by having an unequal distribution of pressure and weight on the bike. I imagine to some extent and over a long period of time this may be possible, as it is logical, but I also imagine that the strength of materials would likely overcome any uneven weight distribution.

Is there any truth to this? Should I switch my pannier from side to side to avoid damaging my bike, or is this just a myth?

Don't worry about it. It's fine to use just one pannier.

I also only use one pannier in my commute...I put in on the right side. Also curious about any ill effects.

If there were any ill effects, couldn't you switch the pannier on a weekly or so basis?

If you are riding some kind of uber-lightweight type of roadie, then maybe yes. If you hit a bad spot in just the wrong way at exactly the wrong time on a cold and miserable morning.

Otherwise, don't sweat it.

I cant see it hurting the bike, unless it's REALLY heavy.

I do the same....most times ride in with one pannier........Never thought about the bike......I switch every other week, or so, more to keep the wear between the two panniers about equal...

Using one pannier is fine. Now as to which side, I use the left side. Why? Dunno, but Arkel suggested so for safety reasons...

No problems with one side. And I ride a folder. I hang it on the side that faces outwards when I fold my bike.

Only thing you might want to keep an eye on is the mounting bolts for your rack. Those would most likely bear the brunt of any unequal loading.

The only problem I can see is eventually having one worn out pannier with the other of the pair still new. I don't see running one pannier being damaging to the bike unless you're jumping curbs with a hundred pounds of weight in it.

Is there any truth to this?

no

Using one pannier is fine. Now as to which side, I use the left side. Why? Dunno, but Arkel suggested so for safety reasons...

I basically agree with this, as the wider and reflective part ends up on the side that faces traffic, however it also coincides with the side the kickstand is on, making it easier to get to the clips/straps/etc. to mount and demount.

Becase the single painner will cause the bike to flex differentially, your legs will end up exerting more force with the one leg, leading to the accumulation of muscle mass. It may not be noticable at first, but soon you'll have one tree trunk, and one sapling.

In all serriousness, you have to be a little more careful cornering, but only a little. However, if you want to run only a single heavy front painner, on a non-low trail bike, that can have serious consequences.

If you have a freewheel rather than a cassette rear hub and axle you could possibly be stressing the axle too much by carrying a lot of weight on the RIGHT side because the bearings are more inboard. But nothing you are doing would harm the bike because you're hanging it on the left and keeping it light.

Unless you fill the pannier with bowling balls and uranium pellets on a regular basis, I wouldn't worry about it.

I commute about two hours a day on my bike. I usually only use one rear pannier because I don't bring that much with me (less than 15 pounds). I hang the pannier on the left and leave my right sided one at home.

Somebody told me once that hanging a pannier always on the left (or right) side can damage the wheel (or other components) over time, by having an unequal distribution of pressure and weight on the bike. I imagine to some extent and over a long period of time this may be possible, as it is logical, but I also imagine that the strength of materials would likely overcome any uneven weight distribution.

Is there any truth to this? Should I switch my pannier from side to side to avoid damaging my bike, or is this just a myth?

Short answer; no problem whatsoever. But I find the story fascinating since it shows how one can put together an argument where each individual part may seem true, but where the conclusion is so far out that it may be described as false.

I have tried to construct similar tales below starting with an alarmist headline in bold.
Each sentence below the headline is to my knowledge true, but the conclusion from adding together these "truths" is bonkers.

Riding with a helmet is dangerous and may KILL you!!!!!!!
A helmet may weigh several 100 grams!!!
More weight on the bicycle means more tire wear!!!
Worn tires are more susceptible to rapid and explosive blow outs!!!
A sudden blow out on a mountain descent or in heavy traffic may be lethal!!!

Therefore avoid riding with a helmet since it may kill you!!!!


Too many right turns in a row may destroy your wheels and KILL you!!!!
Every time you turn you lean your bicycle!!!
When you lean your bicycle there is a sudden rise in lateral pressure on the wheels!!!
The lateral pressure is caused by the fact that the ENTIRE EARTH is exerting gravitational pressure on the bicycle and its wheels!!!
Bicycle wheels can't handle much lateral pressure (see Jobst Brandt "The Bicycle Wheel 3, ed) before they buckle!!!
A buckling wheel while turning may throw you under a huge truck so you die a horrible DEATH!!!

Therefore avoid turning all together or always alternate you turns so you distribute the gravitational pull on the wheels or you may risk DYING!!!

It is easy and fun to construct such nonsense arguments, and many people will have problem picking them apart even if the conclusion is outrageous since each individual step is true in some sense.

--
Regards

Too many right turns in a row may destroy your wheels and KILL you!!!!
Every time you turn you lean your bicycle!!!
When you lean your bicycle there is a sudden rise in lateral pressure on the wheels!!!
The lateral pressure is caused by the fact that the ENTIRE EARTH is exerting gravitational pressure on the bicycle and its wheels!!!
Bicycle wheels can't handle much lateral pressure (see Jobst Brandt "The Bicycle Wheel 3, ed) before they buckle!!!
A buckling wheel while turning may throw you under a huge truck so you die a horrible DEATH!!!

Therefore avoid turning all together or always alternate you turns so you distribute the gravitational pull on the wheels or you may risk DYING!!!

It is easy and fun to construct such nonsense arguments, and many people will have problem picking them apart even if the conclusion is outrageous since each individual step is true in some sense.

--
Regards

:eek:

Well the converse would also be true, that too many left turns in a row will also be dangerous.

Somebody really outta worn the trackies.

:D

Everybody breathes
Death is inevitable

Therefore, breathing will kill you.

In all serriousness, you have to be a little more careful cornering

I've noticed this but nothing more. I ride with no hands a lot and if I don't balance the load to within a few pounds, the bike handles asymmetrically. Load biased to the right means it doesn't pull out of right turns near as easily.

I would think derating the rack's capacity rating by a little more than half would be a good idea though.

Somebody's yanking your chain. The difference between having 10 pounds of stuff 18 inches off the ground and 10 inches to one side, versus 5 pounds on both sides, on a bike weighing 200 pounds with you and your stuff, doesn't make enough difference to even bother thinking about.

I often ride as much as 7 miles out of the 10 mile ride home with no hands.

I'll admit it's subtle but I can tell when I've put all six tall boys on same side.

It's not enough of a difference to prevent me from riding with no hands, but it's just enough that I always split them three to a side.

I often ride as much as 7 miles out of the 10 mile ride home with no hands.

I'll admit it's subtle but I can tell when I've put all six tall boys on same side.

It's not enough of a difference to prevent me from riding with no hands, but it's just enough that I always split them three to a side.

There is, however, an important safety advantage to carrying all your beers in one pannier.

Using both panniers for the beers causes confusion when refueling, particularly if you don't like to stop whilst changing beers.

When riding, it is one thing to pull a fresh beer from your right pannier, drink it, and put the empty in your left pannier, before pulling another fresh one from the right pannier.

However, if you start your trip with 3 fresh beers in each pannier to balance the weight, after several beers you may have problems distinguishing the full beer bottles from the empties.

This inevitably leads to you twisting around on your seat and possibly removing both hands from the handlebars, whilst you fish around in one pannier or the other for a fresh beer. Depending on your speed, quantity of beers drunk, and prevailing traffic conditions, there may be adverse safety issues.

It is a much better idea to tolerate the minor adverse consequences of slightly imbalanced panniers, and enjoy the efficiencies arising from putting your full beer bottles in one pannier, and the empties in the other.

It might have an effect. On my folding bicycle I take a large single pannier on the left side. It usually weighs around 18 pounds in the morning and a few pounds less in the evenings.

Although I can't be sure it's entirely the fault of the single pannier, I'm replacing front wheel bearings every 400 miles or less. Not the back wheel, just the front. Lots of people tell me that's not normal wear life for cartridge bearings, so sometimes I wonder. There has to be a compensating force to keep it balanced.

Still, the bearings themselves are really cheap, like less than $1.50 apiece. It's more the inconvenience that gets to me.

If this were really a serious issue we'd probably be seeing bikes exploding left, right, and centre at all times.

Mine hangs to the left as well... schwing!

If this were really a serious issue we'd probably be seeing bikes exploding left, right, and centre at all times.

Bicycles are twitchy. The slightest little thing done wrong and blamo half a city block up in smoke.

Bicycles are twitchy. The slightest little thing done wrong and blamo half a city block up in smoke.

If you position the single pannier correctly, though, it can protect you from the blast.

My bright red Ortlieb hangs on the traffic side. Makes me more visible, and I found cars give me a slightly wider berth (as do women).

Using one pannier is fine. Now as to which side, I use the left side. Why? Dunno, but Arkel suggested so for safety reasons...

i can't believe you're the only one with this CORRECT advice. you put it on the left side because your drive train is all on the right side. it balances out the bike.

as for the poster that puts his on the right side...i would recommend switching.

your bike without any rack or panniers is always heavier on the right side for obvious reasons.

A carry a ton of stuff in my Arkel commuter pannier, and always wear it on the left side.

Once I am moving I don't even know it is there.

I abuse my commuting bike in so many different ways it does not even think to add this to the list of things to complain to me about.

It's bad for the bike because it makes it feel unbalanced; the bike feels unbalanced because it knows that it is visually unbalanced.