Touring - TransIt panniers by Performance?

I'm looking for some my first set of panniers. I'm leaning heavily toward the TransIt Panniers from Performance Bike. http://www.performancebike.com/shop...e.cfm?sku=16436

If you add some knick-knack to kick the price over $75 (a tube or some socks) you can use the $20-off coupon and make them even more affordable. 2,800 cubic inches for $50 ain't bad.

LanceRushing (an excellent site!) has some very short reviews on this model at: http://www.lancerushing.com/bicycling/panniers.cfm#14

Has anyone had experience with the TransIt line, and with the Epic panniers in particular?

-john

They're ok. I prefer a higher end pannier like the Arkel's, but for light touring, the Transits are ok. The thing is, 2800 cubic inches includes all the pockets and stuff, not the main compartment. It is a bit smaller than you may think. For my first tour, I ended up using them on my front rack. That's just how small they were.

Koffee

Thanks Koffee.

RainmanP posted his thoughts on these, confirming one of LanceRushing's reviews that the backing was corrugated plastic (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=4686). However, Rainman also noted in a different post that the size was 2800 cubic inches each! (http://www.bikeforums.net/showpost.php?p=3629&postcount=8) If Rainman is correct on that second point, then Koffee, you just outed yourself as a bring-the-kitchen-sink packer. :)

The Performance site does say that it's 2860 per *pair* can anyone confirm one way or the other?

-john

Performance has a 1-800 tech info line that is really helpful. Call and ask.

I don't just bring the kitchen sink, I bring the kitchen!

Still, it wasn't a big main compartment. I like having more in the main compartment and not a lot in the side zips and such. I like to be able to secure my stuff in the event I need to park and go inside for a bathroom break or for a meal.

I just know it's small enough for me to put them on my front racks with no problems.

Koffee

I have the older large panniers from performance and they are great EXCEPT for the closures.. the closures SUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The lid doesn't come down on the sides of the pannier at all.... and that is their fault. The new ones look like they drop down around the pannier quite aways so they may be OK.. in fact I'm looking at them right now :-)
D

I bought a pair last year but haven't been able to use them yet. My next trip is planned for the end of April. They are definitely 2860 cu. in. per PAIR (I stuffed them and did some quick measurements), but that is definitely big enough for me combined with some smaller front panniers. I guess the backing is corrugated plastic, but it's a very heavy duty corrugated plastic and really feels strong and durable to me. One of those posts mentioned difficulty with velcro straps and getting the panniers on and off easily. Those must have been different than the ones I bought because mine don't have any velcro. It looks like the setup will be easy to put on and get off but I haven't actually used them yet other than just putting them on to see how they fit. Each pannier only has one side zip and one top compartment in addition to the main compartment. I actually wish it had more side pockets because I like to separate as much gear as possible. But for the price, like you're saying, they are hard to beat. I will be able to tell you more after my trip at the end of April.

I don't know if they have improved them or not, but I would not buy another pair, especially not for real touring. Here's why:
1. The corrugated plastic stiffener board failed after about 6 months, ie, the mounting points pulled right through the plastice. Unlike better panniers, some of the fasteners were rivets that I could not figure out a way to remove without doing further damage. Luckily, Performance has an amazing return policy and refunded my money.

2. The mounting system was, IMHO, awful. It consisted of nylon straps with cinch-type adjusters to take up slack. Because the adjusters were in back, it was extremely difficult to get themtight enough. Then if they weren't tight enough or developed a little slack they could just jump right off! There was no backup to the open hooks. I suppose this could be solved with velcro straps or even a couple of strips of inner tube.

All in all, I suppose you get what you pay for, and the Epics are inexpensive. As far as size, I do seem to remember the specs saying 2800 cubic inches each. They are pretty roomy, but as Koffee says, they probably are not big enough for serious touring.
FWIW,
Raymond

I worked at performance, and even though I sold a lot of those when I was there, it seemed that a few too many got returned with rips in the cloth. Not cool, but they are cheap panniers, and they are performance brand.. a lot of their stuff is either hit or miss.

It sounds like the mounting system is a serious concern. Leasure Reading: TransIt Mounting Details (http://www.performancebike.com/help/pdf_files/transit_pannier.pdf)

Rainman, in one of your posts (linked above), you said you bought Arkel mounting replacements when the TransIts wore out. Are those still available for purchase? I did not see them at the Arkel Overdesigns site. Is the replacement easy to do, or does it require cutting and sewing?

-john

I worked at performance, and even though I sold a lot of those when I was there, it seemed that a few too many got returned with rips in the cloth. Not cool, but they are cheap panniers, and they are performance brand.. a lot of their stuff is either hit or miss.

The Performance return policy is, by all accounts, excellent. The knowledge that I won't be given a cold-shoulder when problems arise is a strong swing vote in favor of these bags.

-john

I bought a pair of Detours (http://www.detours.us/site/gear_frames.html) Transit bags for commuting this winter and have been very impressed. They attach well with minimum of fuss. I did replace the lower attachment with the system that Ortlieb uses for it QL-1 bags. I think the upper attachment is actually a bit better than the Ortlieb. They also have a stiff handle that isn't always falling into the spokes on low-riders. Plus they are relatively inexpensive.

Keep in mind that a good return policy won't help you 4 days from the nearest town. I would use them for short tours or commuting, but not on a long trip where a busted mounting system can really throw a wrench in the works.
I've looked at the new Epic Panniers, and they have a metal hook mount (if I remember correctly), but I think it is riveted through the fabric, to some sort of semi-rigid backing plate (plastic?). The material feels very strong, and the lid has some long edges that really come down over the bag when closed.

For serious loaded touring, I always recommend Arkel OD. But they are expensive. Worth it if you will be on the road for a good while, or far from phones and post offices.

Keep in mind that a good return policy won't help you 4 days from the nearest town. I would use them for short tours or commuting, but not on a long trip where a busted mounting system can really throw a wrench in the works.
I've looked at the new Epic Panniers, and they have a metal hook mount (if I remember correctly), but I think it is riveted through the fabric, to some sort of semi-rigid backing plate (plastic?). The material feels very strong, and the lid has some long edges that really come down over the bag when closed.

For serious loaded touring, I always recommend Arkel OD. But they are expensive. Worth it if you will be on the road for a good while, or far from phones and post offices.

You must be responding to a previous poster. The Detours panniers have a very different mounting mechanism. It's closer to the mounting system that Ortlieb uses and, in some ways, superior. I would put the Detours at a lower quality than Ortlieb - not as water proof - but at a much higher quality than the Performance bags. Over all attachment is much better and much easier. If you add the lower catches from the Ortliebs that I did, they are far better. The catches only cost about $12 each and they are worth it.

I also looked at REI's bags before I bought the Detours and they are better, a cheaper, than those. You could probably get several years worth of hard use out of the Detours before you'd have to replace them. For budget touring, they are well worth the investment.

It seems that these bags are perfect for allowing me to dip my toes in the touring lifestyle. If I fall in love with the road, I'll doubtless be collecting some more sturdy panniers for longer and more involved trips.

Guys, this is the only thread I've ever seen (and I've been lurking for a while!) that had better than a 1-to-10 ratio of posts to views. Thanks for speaking up, I'm pretty sure that what I'm getting is a good deal and a good fit for my current needs. I'd like to hear more about Detours bags, I couldn't find much online. (is it actually spelled "Deuters"?) Of course, I'll post my own review of these in a couple months!

-john

It seems that these bags are perfect for allowing me to dip my toes in the touring lifestyle. If I fall in love with the road, I'll doubtless be collecting some more sturdy panniers for longer and more involved trips.

Guys, this is the only thread I've ever seen (and I've been lurking for a while!) that had better than a 1-to-10 ratio of posts to views. Thanks for speaking up, I'm pretty sure that what I'm getting is a good deal and a good fit for my current needs. I'd like to hear more about Detours bags, I couldn't find much online. (is it actually spelled "Deuters"?) Of course, I'll post my own review of these in a couple months!

-john


No the name is Detours. I just checked the link on my previous post and found an error in it. I corrected it. It should work now. The website is www.detours.us if the link doesn't work. Look under the Get Gear tab and then under "carry stuff". They are right there.

I wonder how hard it would be to sew up some touring bags??? You could use some real high end ballistic nylons. I can't do it now but once I get back to MT I could make up some carbon fiber backing boards. It can't be that hard... I mean they are jsut bags for God's sake.
What else would be important in a bag if you were gonna build it youself????
How about two 1-1/2" aluminum bar stock struts mounted to a carbon fiber backer board. Maybe a carbiner for attaching the bottom to the rack???? How about a tough nylon that is attatched to both panniers and sets down onto the rack itself? Kinda like a dog backpack set up???? The panniers simply could not fall off to one side or the other then. Hmmmmmm I'm gonna work on this LOL
D
PS, I've sewed up other outdoor stuff. I made a round cylinder out of some high end material (can't remember the name) to hold my coleman Xtreme lantern and one of the large fuel cartridges... YKK zippers, nylon handle.. works slick.

You must be responding to a previous poster.

Yes, I should have used a quote on my post. I was responding in general to the Performance Transit panniers, and Epic Panniers.

I have a pair of Transit Pros (slightly smaller than the Epics) I use sometimes for commuting. They are OK - the main compartment is reasonably large, cinch straps to tighten things down, and the rain covers store away easily and works well enough (summer thunderstorms). The zipper top pocket is useful (although the interior zipper pouch is hard for me to access), the side pocket is IMHO useless. Construction quality is OK - good enough for commuting and to get started with touring, but not for a multi week trip.

The main weakness of these bags for me is the attachment system. "J" hooks on top over the rack, and an open hook for the bottom. As RainmanP observed, if the cinch strap is tool lose, you will lose you paneir at the first bump. Too tight, you bend the lower hook. Getting them off (at end of commute) is also a hassel. I also have a set of Jandd Economy panniers. They are smaller, no rain covers, but the shock cord bottom attachment is beter for my situation. Some work with s-hooks and shock cord might improve the reliability of the Epic's attachment system.

I would take a look at the Lone Peak panneirs - they are available on Ebay for a little more than the Transits and appear to be better designed for touring. I am thinking of getting 2 pairs for a Scout bike trip this summer (one for me, one for my son) and use the Transits and Janndd as front bags.

I had Performance panniers for about 12 years - they lasted pretty well - finally zippers started to go - but these panniers may well have been produced under different and better standards than the ones they make now. The mounting system was the worst thing about them - since I do dirt roads I had to bunjee them down tight to avoid having to stop in the middle of a downhill run to retrieve a pannier on the side of a hill.

Still - I probably got more than 50,000 miles out of them - not bad for cheapo panniers. My one beef with my Arkels is that the rear panniers have too many pesky little compartments and the handlebar bar is just a big scoop with no compartments - just where you need to put all your little stuff.

Best - J

I bought a pair of the TransIt Epics this winter, and have used them once to commute - testing out the system and all that. Well, when it comes to mounting, the system is pretty easy to get on, but ridiculously difficult to remove.

I have no idea about long-term durability, but... these panniers are coming with me on a three-week trip up into Maine and possibly New Brunswick, and now you guys are scaring me! I'm planning on upgrading once I have the dough, but for now, they're what I've got to get started. Surely they'll survive three weeks of loaded touring? They're cheap, but they don't seem THAT bad. I'm a real neophyte, though, so maybe I'm wrong.

It sounds like the mounting system is a serious concern. Leasure Reading: TransIt Mounting Details (http://www.performancebike.com/help/pdf_files/transit_pannier.pdf)

Rainman, in one of your posts (linked above), you said you bought Arkel mounting replacements when the TransIts wore out. Are those still available for purchase? I did not see them at the Arkel Overdesigns site. Is the replacement easy to do, or does it require cutting and sewing?

-john

Thank you for posting this link. The mounting was kicking my butt.

I'm looking for some my first set of panniers. I'm leaning heavily toward the TransIt Panniers from Performance Bike. http://www.performancebike.com/shop...e.cfm?sku=16436

If you add some knick-knack to kick the price over $75 (a tube or some socks) you can use the $20-off coupon and make them even more affordable. 2,800 cubic inches for $50 ain't bad.

LanceRushing (an excellent site!) has some very short reviews on this model at: http://www.lancerushing.com/bicycling/panniers.cfm#14

Has anyone had experience with the TransIt line, and with the Epic panniers in particular?

-john


I saw the mounts fail and sent the pannier into the rear wheel of a friend while we were on tour. This was at the end of the second day, in the middle of an intersection and in heavy traffic. We got the wheel straightened out and cobbled together a way to mount the pannier back on. The other pannier failed a couple days later. We got it patched together also, but he said he was going to give them back to Performance when he got back home.

Whoa. This is really an old thread, but since it is alive again... I have a pair of the smaller Pro's. I found them quite adequate in function, durability, and size. I used them as rear panniers on a TransAmerica last year and have no complaints. The only caveat is that the mounting system can be hard to release if you tighten it too much, so just don't over tighten.

I have the older Transit and after 5 years have yet to have any problems. The only things I did for the rear is get the Arkel mounting hook setup and get better hooks for the front. The rain covers do suckthough. The new bags don't look so hot. What I never liked was that the original hooks did not wrap around the rack bars and the strap & hook for the bottom was too weakEd

IThe rain covers do suckthough.
Care to elaborate? I do notice that mine show more wear than the bags despite not being used much, but they did keep things dry.


The new bags don't look so hot. What I never liked was that the original hooks did not wrap around the rack bars and the strap & hook for the bottom was too weak
I thought they seemed pretty secure on the ones I bought maybe 16 months ago. Are they "the new ones" or have they changed more recently?

Is there much difference between the Performance brand panniers and the ones from Nashbar? Quality wise I mean. I need a pair of front panniers and the Nashbar waterproof ones look good but I also was looking at the Performance brand. Thanks.

Is there much difference between the Performance brand panniers and the ones from Nashbar? Quality wise I mean. I need a pair of front panniers and the Nashbar waterproof ones look good but I also was looking at the Performance brand. Thanks.
Identical as far as I can tell.

The rain covers were too thin and when I first got the bags, the reflect. strips were stuck to the nylon.
The strips tore when I opened them fully . Perf would not replace the covers unless I sent the bags back with them. The nylon for the covers was not repellant enough. The mounting hooks that were in my bags did not fully wrap around the pannier rack. I ended up getting the ran covers from Arkel which fit very well. It seems Perf. doesn't get well designed touring items. They just seem to be more interested in road riding and MTB than touring. Writing to them about they quality of touring equipment doesn't seem to be worthwhile. They never respond to my complaints

ed

I have had my pair of Epic DX Panniers from TransIt for about 6 months. One of them stays on my bike just about all the time, except when i remove it to go into a store or something. Yes the mounting system could be better. However, like others have said, if you avoid over tightening the strap/pull system they are relativley easy to remove, though you do have to get your hand behind the beast to get to the strap. They have NEVER fallen off my bike. I carry full loads of groceries, beer, books, even my laptop, all the time with no problems. I think the bags have a bit of a learning curve. One you get used to the straps and figure out the right tension to hold them in place but not be a pain in the thumbs to remove, you should be jsut fine. In a way, this makes them BETTER for touring because you will hardly be taking them on/off on a long tour. I have used these for a one week self supported tour and constant commuting. The rain covers have been used once for rain and worked well. I sometimes use them in rural areas to make me more visible since they are bright yellow which is a plus. I wish they had some more outside pockets or a mesh section for extra storage. The floating top is GREAT whenyou are fully loaded but want to put a little more in! These things can swallow a lot of gear imho. If you are just starting touring, they will be fine. Find out if you like the sport first with a these cheap/function pair then blow 500 bucks on a REALLY nice set later, not now. As everyday commuters they work pretty well but are harder than some other systems to get on and off. For the price, cant beat em! Anyone want pics?

I have a set of the Epic panniers and have used them on one cross country on my road bike. They worked fine. Mine are about 5-6 years old now and are still in good shape. I also find the attachment system to be not the best but it does the job. I would recommend that you use the straps which go over the top of the rack and tie the two panniers together so that if one comes loose it will stay on the rack.
Good luck.