Utility Cycling - Interested in Making Panniers

Hey all.

I'm interested in making rear panniers out of 20mm ammo cans. Such a set-up would be around 20 pounds each can, equally 40 pounds for the panniers alone, I believe.
My dilemma is that the only rack I can find are only rated to 30 pounds, max. Anyone know of a heavier-duty one?

I realize that such a setup would be rather far back, to make it so my feet don't hit it. This could possibly make the bike unbalanced to the point of falling backwards when going uphill, which doesn't sound too pleasant. I'd also assume that it'd be less stable as the farther away from the mounting points, the less mounting points, obviously.

I hope this makes sense to someone/anyone.

Any thoughts?

Hey all.

I'm interested in making rear panniers out of 20mm ammo cans. Such a set-up would be around 20 pounds each can, equally 40 pounds for the panniers alone, I believe.
My dilemma is that the only rack I can find are only rated to 30 pounds, max. Anyone know of a heavier-duty one?

I realize that such a setup would be rather far back, to make it so my feet don't hit it. This could possibly make the bike unbalanced to the point of falling backwards when going uphill, which doesn't sound too pleasant. I'd also assume that it'd be less stable as the farther away from the mounting points, the less mounting points, obviously.

I hope this makes sense to someone/anyone.

Any thoughts?

There are some heavy duty racks out there Old Man Mountain (http://www.oldmanmountain.com/), Jandd (http://www.jandd.com/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=FREXP), and Tubus (http://www.tubus.com/index/lang/en/) are the ones that come to mind. Why the ammo cans? If you are looking for weather proof, durable and solid the Cobbworks (http://www.cobbworks.com/) Oyster buckets work pretty well. There are also several good brands of weather proof panniers out there too.

Aaron:)

If you put anything of any significant weight in pannier cans that already weigh 40 lb., your bike will be very unwieldy.

See this thread: http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=482223&highlight=can+ammo

I've seen another on the same subject, but the same basic information is here.

Wahoonc: Thanks, pretty impressive links. Especially the 40 kilo racks. I'll look into the other panniers.

Doohickie: Hoe much weight? I'm fairly new to Bicycling in general, so I don't really know. Just wingin' it as I go along. I was mainly choosing the ammo cans because they're available, and cheap.

StephenH: Pretty interesting link, thanks.

= ]

I think the kityy litter panniers are the most talked about on the forums.

Can't help with the heavier duty racks, but when I did a pannier project like this, here's what I did:

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=457884&highlight=

Hope you see something in that project that you can use.

Teacherbill: Unfortunately, I don't have cats. = (

CommuterRun: Do you have a view from the side, by chance? Looks like they'd work, and they'd fit the bill, being waterproof and reasonably cheap, and all.

Teacherbill: Unfortunately, I don't have cats. = (

CommuterRun: Do you have a view from the side, by chance? Looks like they'd work, and they'd fit the bill, being waterproof and reasonably cheap, and all.

Don't need cats...I have containers like that from screws from a commercial roofing project. You can buy the buckets brand new online.
(http://www.uline.com/BL_8172/Square-Pails?keywords=Buckets) they also come in round and colors (http://www.uline.com/BL_8150/Plastic-Pails-And-Lids?keywords=Buckets), I have also found them at restaurants, feed stores and the local landfill.

Aaron:)

From the side like this?
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3064/3262915767_21e6bf3910.jpg

Or like this?
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3492/3263743040_995fb6baef.jpg

Uh, no sorry I'm afraid I don't.;)

Wahoonc: Hmm; pretty interested. How much weight/abuse can they hold?
A typically bucket appears to be fairly solid.
What about grocery runs? Wouldn't, the softer stuff be crushed by the heavier stuff? Sure, I could put the soft stuff on top, but I buy a lot of produce. I'd worry about crushing them.

CommuterRun: Yes, like that. ; Þ

Wahoonc: Hmm; pretty interested. How much weight/abuse can they hold?
A typically bucket appears to be fairly solid.
What about grocery runs? Wouldn't, the softer stuff be crushed by the heavier stuff? Sure, I could put the soft stuff on top, but I buy a lot of produce. I'd worry about crushing them.

CommuterRun: Yes, like that. ; Þ

The weak link will be the hooks, not the buckets themselves, the ones we get weigh 25# plus and are full of sharp screws.
Just gotta load the soft stuff on top...I make regular grocery runs with one of several bikes, one has folding baskets, one has some nice Basil panniers on it, the other get the soft folding panniers on it. Regardless you will have to use common sense in putting things in the bags, barrels and boxes. I should have taken pictures of my grocery run today. I had 43 items ranging from a 1/2 gallon of OJ, to a big bag of chips with plenty of produce. It fit in the Basil panniers with the TP strapped on the rack.:D

Aaron:)

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_rXxvQDmFvso/SWu0D1eGY8I/AAAAAAAAAIo/ItBgziIQX_A/s640/CIMG0143.JPG

I was mainly choosing the ammo cans because they're available, and cheap.

Well, it's tough to get much cheaper than "free". That's how much I paid for my 4gal buckets. Check at your local big grocery store with an on-site bakery department. They probably get their frosting in those same buckets (that's where I got mine.)

The hardware to finish them was around $10 at Home Depot.
4x J-hook rope cleats
1 pack of nylock nuts
8 fender washers

To secure them at the bottom of the rack, I use bungee cords I had laying around. I hook the cord through the handle attachment point on the bucket, and stretch the center down and hook it like any other pannier.

I've never had a problem with things getting crushed; it's just a matter of creative load management sometimes. I had a carton of eggs in mine yesterday. I stood it up on end in a corner, and braced it with a couple heads of leaf lettuce before piling other things around it.