Hi,
Last October I bought a
2015 Kona Minute which I use 5 days a week to bring my son to school and then commute to/from work. A really nice bike, shame that it's discontinued. But anyway. I have a love/hate relationship with the panniers that come with the bike.
Pros:
* They fold up fairly flat against the side of the bike when not in use.
* When in use, they are BIG. They can easily hold a grocery bag each.
* They are not waterproof but have a top flap that keeps most of the rain out
* I can secure the panniers to the bike with a cable looped through the handle.
* They're not a famous brand like Ortlieb so less of a tempting target to thieves
Cons:
* The buckle system is miserable. You have to re-thread the closure straps through different loops depending on whether you want the panniers to be folded up flat, or unfolded and ready for use.
* The straps and buckles can get caught in the spokes if you don't have the straps threaded right, or if you've stuffed your pannier so full that the top flap can't buckle closed.
* I've managed to break one of the steel pannier hooks that attach to the rack, and no replacement parts are available.
* I am concerned about overall durability of the Kona panniers.
The bike has a nonstandard rack configuration, but I've sourced some nifty
pannier adapters that should allow me to attach any standard panniers to this bike.
What panniers should I buy to replace these with? My ideal replacement panniers would be:
* High capacity (like grocery getters) but with a top closure of some kind and collapsible when not in use.
* Easier to close and open than my current panniers
* More durable than my current panniers.
* Ability to secure the panniers to my bike with a cable and have a reasonable hope that they won't get stolen. (I am in NYC and street park my bike for an hour at a time when running errands. The bike is locked up indoors otherwise.)
I'm considering Ortlieb back roller classic, city back roller, and Crosso twists. I have some concerns about capacity and ease of use (opening/closing) with all these bags, and I have concerns about theft of the Ortliebs. I'm open to other suggestions too.
Suggestions appreciated, thank you!