mcavana

Well, it is time to start shopping for panniers and racks. Are most racks universal, or should you pick the bags first, then the racks? should the racks be purchased from same people as bags?

Please point me in the right direction with some web links... Is there a specifc "can't go wrong" rack brand / model I should look at? As far as the bags, waterproof is my biggest concern... that and of course money. I do not want to be wateful, but at the same I want to get high enough quality to last for years and years.

Thank you very much for any help you might be able to give.


Mike

jamawani 

It all depends on what your needs are and how you intend to tour.

I've toured for 20+ years - most of that time with Blackburn racks and Performance standard panniers. And when I say toured - I did 3000 to 5000 mile tours nearly every summer or fall to places like the Northwest Territories, Yukon and Alaska. I did dirt roads and can attest that basic panniers have only a so-so attachment system. I'd have to go retrieve a pannier that bounced off from time to time. Plus I used liners to keep stuff dry. That said - - they did a satisfactory job for all those years at a very moderate cost.

Right now I have a full set of Arkels - I wouldn't do it again. They are heavier, bulkier, and I don't think they justify the high cost. I have never had a broken rack and my Blackburns are nearing 20 years old plus I tour on a lot of washboardy dirt. Maybe I've just been lucky. If your touring aims are moderate and you are fairly new to the game, I'd start with something basic - certainly a step or two up from "El Cheapo" but not too expensive. Then if you want to upgrade, you can loan/give your old stuff to an aspiring tourer.

Best - J

Machka 

Here's my combination:

Front rack:
https://www.mec.ca/Products/product_d...=1140983602271

Rear rack:
https://www.mec.ca/Products/product_d...=1140983602272

And my panniers are the older version of the Axiom Lasalle:
https://www.axiomgear.com/bags_panniers/lasalle.php

I have been very pleased with my Lasalle panniers - they are durable, they've worked very well for my travels, and they weren't incredibly expensive. I really like the look of the new Lasalles (just slightly different from mine), and I think that if I were to need to get another set, I'd go with them.

I've used the setup above for 3 years including a 3 week trip to Europe, a 3 month trip to Australia, and about 5 weeks in total cycling around north America in 2005 ... as well as some shorter tours. I also use that rear rack on just about every ride I do to hold my Carradice.

From what I can tell, those racks are designed to hold many different types of panniers and bags. I've ridden with the Lasalles on both front and back, and both those combinations work just fine too.

srrs

if you do a few searches, you should be able to find a couple threads on the waterproof/non waterproof debate. but to sum it up: waterproof are also non-breathing, so wet stuff can mildew, and if any water gets in it stays in. most panniers are water resistent, with rain covers. if you want waterproof, you will want ortlieb, and otherwise, a lot of people like arkel (more expensive) or lone peak (similar but less expensive. ortlieb and lone peak can be found at www.thetouringstore.com, arkel is www.arkel-od.com. there are, of course, tons of other brands out there, like carradice, vaude, and jandd, that many people use and like.

i'm planning a long tour for myself this summer, and have decided to go with lone peaks on the front, and ortliebs on the back, so i have the best of both worlds, waterproof and breathable. i haven't tested them yet, though.

cyccommute 

The Blackburn style racks will stand up to years of abuse but they have some limitations when it comes to mounting bags. For example, the Orlieb mounting system doesn't work with it since the upper brackets have to wrap around the rack.

I use Ortlieb front rollers and Ortlieb back rollers in yellow. Both are very waterproof but have no interior or exterior pockets. That okay because I put everything in plastic bags anyway.

As for racks, I use Tubus. I use the Tubus Tara for the front and the Tubus Cargo. The Tara is a thing of beauty and the Cargo is about as rock solid and strong as you can get.

None of this stuff is cheap but I have no doubts that it will last me as long as I want to use them.

srrs

is that because the blackburn rack's tubing is too thick, or what? i thought i remembered people telling me that they'd used blackburn rear racks w/ ortliebs without a problem..

amaferanga

Might be a problem with the Blackburn MTN racks and Ortlieb panniers, but the Blackburn Expedition racks work with Ortleib and just about any other pannier.

cyccommute 

I've use Ortliebs on two tours now and never had a problem with moisture inside. But I do pack all of my clothes in inner plastic bags for convenience anyway, so I never have damp clothes inside the bag anyway. I did get to use the Ortliebs in several driving rain storms in Missouri and a couple in Idaho and they are very waterproof!

librarian

+1 on Wayne at thetouringstore.

I have had a couple of types of panniers and regardless of brand prefer top loading ones. No zipers to break in the middle of the tour. I've seen water proof and non-waterproof with ziplock bags and it seems to me that clothes stay just as dry with ziplocks but smell better after sunny days in a non waterproof bag.

radical_edward

Ortlieb are the gold standard when it comes to drybag panniers, but a drybag is a drybag in the end.

Due to the expense of the Ortlieb, I got a set of Crosso, which are very well made Polish/New Zealand panniers. They have a very simple and quick metal hook and bungy cord attachment system which is as strong as you can get looks easily field repairable.

They also make roll top non waterproof panniers for those who want a breathable lightweight fabric but like the bulletproof simplicity of a drybag type closure.

I have the drybag model, but if i need to air out my gear I leave them unrolled and click the closure buckels to the opposite pannier to stop stuff jumping out.

BigGuy

I've used Blackburn racks, front and back -- I did have to replace the front racks because one broke right at the mid point joint and bend. That was after about 10,000 kms. I also started with Blackburn rear panniers, and was distinctly unhappy with them - within 300 kms the top pocket divider cloth had shredded at the seams. I now use Serratus on front and back, though the rear ones are a bit heavy, they seem to be very sturdy. Got them thru MEC in Canada - see Machka's reply for address.

Erick L

Serratus aren't made anymore.

I had the full Arkel GT-54 and GT-30 set but sold the GT-54 for the simpler T-42 (still have the GT-30). Their matching front panniers for the T-42 are now the T-28. Excellent bags with great attention to details. Not waterproof, I use their rain covers with no plastic bags inside and never got anything wet despite days under the rain. Maybe I'm doing something wrong.

I use a Tubus Logo rear rack. Superb rack. Front is Old Man Mountain AC Lowrider. Nothing wrong with it (well, it's ugly), but not as nice as the Tubus.

mcavana

thank you for your replies. Ok... I think I won't go the waterproof route afterall, instead I will get breathable bags with rain covers... now i just need to decide what ones to get....

jonassterling

I've been using the new REI/Novara Panniers for a few months.

Waterproof and simple. Will fit any rack I've tried them on and don't fall off, at least not yet.


https://www.rei.com/online/store/Prod...cat=REI_SEARCH

cyccommute 

Sorry, I should clarify. If you look at the Blackburn lowriders that Machka linked to, it's the lowriders that are problematic. They have a plate that stiffens them across the top. The hardware on Ortliebs, and a lot of other modern panniers, wraps around the rack. The plate doesn't allow them to wrap around and so fit is a problem. This is only a problem on the kind of rack that Machka suggested.

The rear racks are just fine. In fact, the Blackburn rear racks are thinner then the Tubus Cargo.

jimblairo

The first thing to determine is heel clearance. Depending on your chainstay length and shoe size, the pannier may need to be further back than certain racks will allow.

Rear racks very in length from 12 to 15 1/2 inches. I ended up using an Axiom Tour de Monde made from stainless tubing with Arkel panniers because I needed the panniers further back and the Axiom has 15 inches of length.

Machka 

And another thing to determine would be the required size of the panniers. Those Axiom Lasalles I mentioned are 40 litres, which is perfect for me and what I needed to carry. But if you felt you needed to carry more, you might consider a larger size, or if you felt you could get away with less, you might look at a smaller size.

Incidentally, the Lasalles are water resistant, and come with a rain cover. That combination works very well in light rains, even light rains that go on for some time. But when it starts to pour, and especially when water starts splashing up from underneath, that system breaks down, and everything can get soaked. I use a black garbage bag, or two, to line mine, and I bag the stuff inside in ziplocks ... and that works just fine.

valygrl

Agree w/Jamawani that the Arkels are gimmicky and heavy. I wanted them soooo bad, and now I don't like them at all. Sigh.

MichaelW

Look for:
Quick-release clip-on mounting for security, not hook and elastic.
Robust material with good stiffening on base and back.
Heel cutout shape for more forward mounting.

I avoid zips and go for flap-top style which is simpler, more reliable and can be overloaded.
Many panniers are excessively complex and heavy. My Carradice are surprisingly lightweight given their use of traditional materials.
Ortleib, Arkel, Vaude, Carradice are all proven performers.

Blackburn expedition style racks have 3 legs with triangulation in all planes, giving extra rigidity.

jharte

Now that it is all summed up, just go out and pick a set! Not that easy!

I went through the same thing when choosing my panniers. Checked out every detail of every bag! Man!

I ended up buying a set of Arkel GT30 first. Got a great deal and used them for commuting until I could afford a set of rear. I also chose the Arkel GT 54 to match.

If you spend the money on nice, proven panniers, you won't go wrong. No matter what you decide. Good luck!

PurpleK

One more minor detail to consider. Compressability. My first set of panniers were Cannondale Overlands that came with a permanent stiff inside frame. This made it impossible to pack the panniers in a hard case travel box with my bike. Now I only use pannier sets which can be compressed into the case when not needed on the bike. That should not be a problem since most sets seem to be designed that way now.

Machka 

Basically, the way I hunted for panniers was to browse through a bunch of catalogues and website and make a note of features I liked ... and then I looked for one bag with as many of those features as possible.

Some of the features included things like:
- size
- rain cover
- pockets in certain places
- price
- handles and straps

As you look at various panniers, create a list of the things you consider important.

For example, I mention pockets in my list ... I wanted one main section in the middle, but then I wanted several pockets, preferably on the outside, so that I didn't have to be digging around inside my pannier every time I wanted to look for some little thing. That was important to me ... but it might not be a concern for someone else.

You've got to decide what is important to you.

mtnroads

The standard Arkels like the T42 and T28 are well made, lighter, and have fewer of the "extra" features than the Touring series.

bccycleguy

I have a set of these and am pretty happy with them after 2 weeks of touring last fall. They've got a bomber attachment system and the cinch straps mean they are tight and compact regardless of the load. I also sewed some bright 3M orange tape across the rear of the T42's to improve visibility (mine are black).

Rain covers are highly recommended.

bobbotron

You could always make your own, or find a friend who sews to do it for you. I am going to try doing this in the near future, it lets you make a bag exactly the way you want it (I recently made my own courier bag with help from a friend.) Ken Kifer has a good section on his site about making your own Panniers.