Thanks for posting those pics, they're a great help.
Originally Posted by
irclean
The Arkel bags are quite water-resistant, and I've only needed the rain cover for really sloppy weather. In 3 years of regular commuting I've probably used it half a dozen times. I think Arkel and Ortlieb are on par quality-wise and the decision comes down to features (and price, of course). Being Canadian I'm partial to Arkel since they're made here. One would assume that the German-made Ortlieb bags would be cheaper in the UK.
The Arkel gear is pricier here as the the GB pound is a weaker now than a few years ago (I remember getting C$2.50 for GBP1.00 but now it's c$2.00), the same with the pound vs. the euro, the the Ortliebs have increased in price too. I think I'll be looking at Ortlieb for my bag, they're much better value.
Originally Posted by
irclean
I use the disc version on one bike and a non-disc Topeak rack on another. When equipped with my Arkel bag I notice no appreciable difference in width.
I'll try the Tortec and Topeak (disc and non-disc versions) racks at my lbs soon. If there's little interference between the rack's side bars and the mudguard mounting struts, I may be able to bend the struts and go with a normal rack, otherwise the Topeak disc version will be the way to go.
One question - is the top of the rack actually wider on the disc version of the Topeak Super Tourist?