Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Commuting
Reload this Page >

Guys (and gals) with panniers...

Notices
Commuting Bicycle commuting is easier than you think, before you know it, you'll be hooked. Learn the tips, hints, equipment, safety requirements for safely riding your bike to work.

Guys (and gals) with panniers...

Old 06-04-11, 03:11 PM
  #1  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
the cyclops's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 275

Bikes: 2010 Jamis allegro 1

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Guys (and gals) with panniers...

I am seriously thinking of making a set of DIY panniers that are nice,CHEAP(if ever stolen not a big loss)and lockable,but as I have a fairly light nimble commuter I want to keep weight as low as possible ie;the DIY panniers are a bit heavy.So am now leaning towards some store bought panniers...SO what do you usually do as far as keeping them,and everything inside from getting stolen? Take the panniers in w/you at the store,etc or lock them up somehow???or something else all together?
the cyclops is offline  
Old 06-04-11, 03:16 PM
  #2  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Ohio
Posts: 177

Bikes: 2007 Schwinn Voyageur, 1974 Schwinn Varsity

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
havn't had anything taken from mine, i got cheap ones from nashbar. I do often run a chain through them though if they are on the bike when locking it up, with a ubolt locking the bike itself.
sathor is offline  
Old 06-04-11, 03:47 PM
  #3  
Senior Member
 
adaminlc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Las Cruces, NM
Posts: 328

Bikes: 2007 Surly Cross Check, 199? Novara Alpine

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
As a rule I take mine in with me, except for short stops. If I am going to leave them I will lock them as stathor suggests, making sure to remove anything of value from them before I go.
adaminlc is offline  
Old 06-04-11, 03:50 PM
  #4  
Very, very Senior Member
 
JPprivate's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Chicago
Posts: 1,224

Bikes: 2012 Surly Troll, 1999 Hardtail MTB

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
That's a problem for me too. I used to pack my stuff in bags and put the bags in my panniers. That way I could take the stuff out without having to take off the panniers.
JPprivate is offline  
Old 06-04-11, 03:54 PM
  #5  
Senior Member
 
CliftonGK1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Columbus, OH
Posts: 11,375

Bikes: '08 Surly Cross-Check, 2011 Redline Conquest Pro, 2012 Spesh FSR Comp EVO, 2015 Trek Domane 6.2 disc

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 7 Times in 6 Posts
www.pacsafe.com makes wire mesh, lockable pack security getups.
__________________
"I feel like my world was classier before I found cyclocross."
- Mandi M.
CliftonGK1 is offline  
Old 06-04-11, 04:08 PM
  #6  
Thunder Whisperer
 
no1mad's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: NE OK
Posts: 8,843

Bikes: '06 Kona Smoke

Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 275 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 6 Times in 2 Posts
Wald basket(s) + the bag(s) of choice (which you prolly already own) = best of both.
__________________
Community guidelines
no1mad is offline  
Old 06-04-11, 04:11 PM
  #7  
Bike addict, dreamer
 
AdamDZ's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Queens, New York
Posts: 5,165
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
For short stops I take one pannier with valuables with me. The other pannier holds dirty clothes and some extra bungee cords. On longer stops I'd take both. I also have smaller front panniers. They hold my compressed air bottle for the air horn, batteries for the lights, spare tubes, mechanics gloves and some snacks. Nothing terribly valuable. Although, I'm thinking about reconfiguring the bike so I only have two rear panniers that can be easily taken off. The oversized air bottle is a problem, but I'm not giving up my AirZound!

Some panniers can be joined together and come with a shoulder strap which makes them easy to carry around.
AdamDZ is offline  
Old 06-04-11, 05:43 PM
  #8  
Senior Member
 
travelmama's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Long Beach,CA
Posts: 1,410

Bikes: Kona Ute, Nishiki 4130, Trek 7000, K2 Mach 1.0, Novara Randonee, Schwinn Loop, K2 Zed 1.0, Schwinn Cream, Torker Boardwalk

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by sathor
havn't had anything taken from mine, i got cheap ones from nashbar. I do often run a chain through them though if they are on the bike when locking it up, with a ubolt locking the bike itself.
This is what I do.
travelmama is offline  
Old 06-04-11, 06:15 PM
  #9  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
the cyclops's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 275

Bikes: 2010 Jamis allegro 1

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by no1mad
Wald basket(s) + the bag(s) of choice (which you prolly already own) = best of both.
You have a link to "wald baskets"? I can see that people have the same problems Im having,or anticapate having...Thinking on just getting a lockable trunk,or box,mount it to the rack and keep my fingers crossed.Cant say that I usually make more than 1 shopping stop per trip too often either way.I just keep stuff I dont want stolen in my pouch currently like tools,bungees,etc...
the cyclops is offline  
Old 06-04-11, 06:43 PM
  #10  
Thunder Whisperer
 
no1mad's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: NE OK
Posts: 8,843

Bikes: '06 Kona Smoke

Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 275 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 6 Times in 2 Posts
Link to Wald
__________________
Community guidelines
no1mad is offline  
Old 06-04-11, 06:56 PM
  #11  
Thunder Whisperer
 
no1mad's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: NE OK
Posts: 8,843

Bikes: '06 Kona Smoke

Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 275 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 6 Times in 2 Posts
Oh, and what bike did you end up with again? Some bike geometries don't lend themselves to using panniers, due to short chain stays. You can get a rack with a longer platform to compensate by allowing you to move panniers further back, but too much weight too far back will compromise ride handling.
__________________
Community guidelines
no1mad is offline  
Old 06-04-11, 06:58 PM
  #12  
Car-free in the South
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: SFCA
Posts: 295

Bikes: Surly Pack Rat, Novara Trionfo retro-mod

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 9 Post(s)
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
https://www.waldsports.com/index.cfm/...ingbasket.html

I am thinking of picking up a set of these as well, for my beater bike.
robyr is offline  
Old 06-05-11, 11:04 AM
  #13  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
the cyclops's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 275

Bikes: 2010 Jamis allegro 1

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by no1mad
Oh, and what bike did you end up with again? Some bike geometries don't lend themselves to using panniers, due to short chain stays. You can get a rack with a longer platform to compensate by allowing you to move panniers further back, but too much weight too far back will compromise ride handling.
2010 Jamis allegro 1...
the cyclops is offline  
Old 06-05-11, 01:11 PM
  #14  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
the cyclops's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 275

Bikes: 2010 Jamis allegro 1

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
OK,this is what I came up with...started a new thread to share w/others...hope you like.
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...7#post12743207
the cyclops is offline  
Old 06-05-11, 07:46 PM
  #15  
Junior Member
 
bobbisingh's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 16
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
If you ride with a backpack and want to take it with you without carrying on your back.
Get a HybridBackpack. I have it and love it. I use it every time I ride. You can leave the unit locked to your bike rack.
bobbisingh is offline  
Old 06-05-11, 08:27 PM
  #16  
I am a caffine girl
 
colleen c's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Bay Area
Posts: 1,815

Bikes: 2012 Stumpjumper FSR Comp...2010 Scott CR1 CF...2007 Novara FS Float2.0...2009 Specialized Hardrock Disc...2009 Schwinn Le Tour GSr

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
My pannier are bolted on to the Planetbike Escape Pod container. It''s about the only way I can use the pod and pannier on the rack. I keep the less valuable junk in the pannier and a light duty backpack with the more valuable stuff in the backpack. The backpack is store loosly inside the Pod and I take the backpack with me when I lock up the bike.
colleen c is offline  
Old 06-05-11, 08:59 PM
  #17  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
the cyclops's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 275

Bikes: 2010 Jamis allegro 1

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by bobbisingh
If you ride with a backpack and want to take it with you without carrying on your back.
Get a HybridBackpack. I have it and love it. I use it every time I ride. You can leave the unit locked to your bike rack.
After much deliberation,I have decided to just use my backpack and bungees...I like having my bike as lite as possible and that would give me the option of taking the bag in with me,riding with only the rack or taking the rack off all together if Im simply going riding...

Last edited by the cyclops; 06-05-11 at 09:04 PM.
the cyclops is offline  
Old 06-05-11, 10:20 PM
  #18  
bragi
 
bragi's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: seattle, WA
Posts: 2,911

Bikes: LHT

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times in 3 Posts
I recommend Ortlieb panniers. They go on and off the bike in less than two seconds, they're waterproof, and they come with shoulder straps. I use them all the time. When I stop anywhere, I take the panniers with me, because they're easy to take off the rack, and the shoulder straps make it convenient. I don't have to worry about theft, and they're also useful as reusable grocery bags on the way home from work.

They are quite expensive, about $100 for a pair, but they're very durable and come with a lifetime guarantee. I've had mine for 6 years. I use them hard every single day, so I can't say they look like new, but they're still entirely functional, and I don't think I'll ever be able to wear them out.
bragi is offline  
Old 06-06-11, 06:35 AM
  #19  
commuter and barbarian
 
scroca's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Potomac, MT, USA
Posts: 2,494
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times in 3 Posts
Sounds like you settled on a solution, but...

I have a Topeak rack with a trunk bag/panniers that slide in and lock in place to keep it stable. It is easy to slide it off after parking the bike and it has a strap to carry it on your shoulder.

I think the whole thing cost less than $100, but that was years ago.
scroca is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Domromer
Commuting
37
06-25-18 12:07 PM
kalash74
Commuting
15
04-05-17 09:59 PM
Ivy McKee
General Cycling Discussion
33
07-13-16 04:41 PM
CompleteStreets
General Cycling Discussion
11
05-28-14 02:08 PM
GeraldF
Utility Cycling
21
10-23-13 09:12 AM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.