AcornMan

I've been wearing a backpack to carry my clothes, etc when I commute. I generally don't carry a whole lot of stuff, but occasionally I do bring a laptop.

I'm tired of my back getting so sweaty and the overall discomfort of wearing a backpack, so I'd like to try panniers. They don't need to be gigantic. In fact, I'd prefer to keep them on the small-to-medium size so they don't create too much drag. And I'd like them to be waterproof. I commute on a mountain bike sometimes and on a road bike sometimes, so I'd like to be able to easily move the panniers from one to the other if that's possible. Now for the questions...

Do I need some kind of rack on the back of my bike to use panniers? Do different panniers require different kinds of racks or can I just use a "universal" one? Are there certain features I should look for or avoid? And finally, if you recommend a certain brand/model I would like to know about it. Thanks in advance.

pdlamb

In reverse order, Ortlieb (brand) makes wonderful panniers. I prefer waterproof panniers (like Ortlieb makes) so I don't have to worry about damp clothes after it rains, and they have easy-on, easy-off hooks with stabilizers down at the bottom so the panniers don't sway (although that's not as big a problem as I originally thought it would be). Most panniers fit most racks; exceptions are big fat tubes on the racks, which skinny mounts on the panniers don't work with (e.g., 1997 REI Novarra Randonnee bike with rear rack and Randonnee panniers that didn't fit the rack), and some panniers have specific lower mount requirements that not all racks meet (e.g., shock-corded clips and nothing to hook to). Yes, you'll need a rack to use panniers. Probably one per bike, as you'll want to mount it with screws and thread lock. You can get 'em cheap from PerfNashbar, or get something like Tubus racks that'll last forever.

Call up Wayne at thetouringstore.com and ask for specific recommendations. He should be able to help with how to mount which Tubus rack to the bike, and will know the dimensions of the panniers. Good guy to work with.

jr59

Yes you will need a frame rack on your bike.

I am of a mind that I should buy it once, so
I bought a Tubus rack and Ortlieb bags.
They do and hold more than I need, yet it's nice to know you can carry more if need be.
Sorry no pics of this setup.

Another thing to think about would be a Longflap bag.
Caradice makes a great one.
This along with the rack clamps to your seat rails.
It holds a LOT of stuff!

pics of longflap!

canyoneagle

Panniers do require a rack - specifically, a rack with side frames that permit attachment of the lower mechanism (hook or toggle, or something similar) as well as preventing the panniers from swinging into the spokes.

Check out your bikes for rack compatibility. Look for braze-ons or other provisions for racks, such as threaded eyelets on the rear dropouts and rack mounts on the seat stays (usually near or above the seat stay bridge).

It can get confusing to try to cover all of the possibilities, so the first step is checking out your present frames to assess rack compatibility.

jrickards

My panniers, when full, would occasionally rock/sway and I think it is because of the design of the cheap rack. It had 2 bars on each side down from the top rack, one from the front of the rack and one from the back creating a narrow triangle at the bottom (like this). I am hoping that the one I have recently ordered with the extended shape will provide greater stability. If others can comment, it might help with your purchases.

tsl

That's exactly it.

I have a cheap rack on one of my bikes, and a Tubus on the other. The whole cheap rack twists and sways with a load. The Tubus is like a bridge. I can easily forget the panniers are there.

canyoneagle

Also, some panniers have elastic shock cord at the bottom (rather than a rigid toggle), which can allow lateral movement with full panniers. I've had this happen - the panniers slap the rack.

Either situation can be rectified, whether it is the rack itself or the pannier attachment.

MichaelW

Most panniers fit most racks BUT beware some dont.
Modern panniers should use a locking, quick-release fitting such a Rixen and Kaul/Ortleib. The hooks are solid moulded plastic and they have an additional part that rotates and loops around the pannier metal rod to secure the pannier. They require a single, round section of metal rod or tube and will not fit racks which have side-by-side sections of welded rod.
Cheaper hooks without the lock may fit twin-section rod but these hooks should be avoided, they can bounce off.

Racks should be bolded to threaded eyelets on the frame at 4 points. If your bike lacks eyelets you can use P-clips or use a rack that cantilevers off the seatpost. Seatpost racks are heavy, weak and can bounce/rotate under heavy loading.

Racks should have 3 legs for strength and stiffness. On some the 3rd leg is bent in a dogleg to prevent panniers hitting the spokes. You need this for cheap panniers but not for good ones. A solid top-plate acts as a kind of fender but if you already have fenders, the open framework top is more versatile. Some panniers have proprietry style of sliding mount for top-bags. I prefer generic style where anything fits. A useful feature is a rear lamp bracket.
Good designs such as Blackburn come in the expensive form and the cheap Chinese copy form. In my experience, both work well. It is the design rather than the craftsmanship that makes a good rack.

Bags should be made of tough, non-flappy material, have a strong, lightweight stiffening in back and base, a heel-cutout profile. Cordura style material will not remain waterproof for years, look for a welded PVC Ortlieb style. Zippers are the first thing to break so many panniers use rolltop or flap-tops which can also be overloaded.

Malachi292

I can vouch for the swaying with a cheap rack. I have a Trek rack on my 7.2 FX and I have a Surly rack on my Cross Check. When loaded down (two twelve packs of Mt. Dew, for example) the Trek sways but the Surly is rock solid. In fact, I don't even notice the load on the Cross Check.

I commute with Arkel GT-18 panniers. They're my work horses. Fine panniers. A bit expensive though.

I also have a pair of waterproof Axioms. Before the Arkel's, I used them for 5-years and they never let me down.

Antaresia

I have cheap racks, they work well for what I use them for.

One bike has a milk crate strapped to the back. It weights a lot, but so does the bike so it's really just another straw on the camels back. It's the most convenient - easy to get things in/out of and it can carry a lot of stuff. I like that I don't have to worry about it getting jacked if I leave it on the bike (I wouldn't leave Ortlieb's unsupervised). The rack is fine, but when I get a big heavy load going (around 12 bottles of beer) the bike get's a bit wobbly. I just take it a bit slow.

My other bike has a rack that it's a little more expensive, but not by much. I didn't feel the need for two milk-crate bikes, so I went to a thrift shop, got a cheap back-pack and fixed it to the rack. I never bother taking it off, it was cheap but it does the job well. If you google "diy panniers" there are lots of suggestions on how to convert messenger bags/back packs. Just make sure there is nothing loose that can get caught in the spokes. When it rains, I pack everything in a plastic bag too make sure nothing gets wet.

It doesn't sound like you're into touring, so there is no reason this has to be expensive.

CptjohnC

As someone who did this on a budget a year or so ago, I can say I'm pretty happy with my modestly priced Topeak Super Tourist DX rack (disk compatible, which I needed), and content with my relatively cheap Avenir panniers. They are not 100% waterproof, but they do okay in light rain. I use plastic bags for my cloths, though, as extra insurance. 1 year and 3000 commuting miles (or so) on them, and the bags look pretty much like new; I did, however, replace the cheap hooks with some higher quality ones. So far no rips, tears, splitting or loose seams, or any other problems. I don't overload them, but I do carry plenty. All this to say my $60 pair of panniers are doing the job admirably.

If I had it to do over again, I'd probably stick with the Topeak rack; it is stable, strong and completely functional for my use (so far I've had no need to load up more than 40-45 Lbs, and generally carry around 20-25?). I would, however, step up to some higher quality (Ortlieb or equivalent) panniers. Not that mine aren't doing the job, but I would prefer more waterproof and durable seeming. Specifically, in addition to better waterproofing, I think the plastic that forms the 'skeleton' of the panniers (secures the mounting hardware/gives them shape/holds them rigid against the rack) is too flexible, and this is where I expect to see failure, eventually. Depending on what shape they are in at that time, I could probably replace the plastic innards with some better material, but we'll see.

I would also say this: If I had to commute on my MTB more often, I'd have gone back to a backpack by now, as heel strike is more of an issue, and it seems to shake the fittings loose more often than not (the reason I bought the new hooks is that I had a hook shake loose 3 or 4 times when riding the MTB, and finally lost one). So make sure you get a rack/pannier setup that works on your bike. One of the issues with the MTB is that I have a cheap Performance rack that doesn't shift the panniers back as far (in addition to shorter chainstays, I think).

Rob_E

I have that rack and like it as well. I got it specifically to use with my other Topeak accessories: a trunk bag and a basket. I've used it with panniers and with other, random items strapped to the top, but the draw for me was the easy-on/easy-off Topeak system. If I was going to be swapping carrying solutions between two bikes on a regular basis, I'd definitely want two compatible Topeak racks with the corresponding bag because swapping the bag between bikes would be extremely simple. But a trunk bag is not panniers, and, although the sides fold out for extra pannier storage, I only use those occasionally. If I was going to use the fold out panniers daily, then I would probably just use "real" panniers. As it is, my commute load has outgrown my current trunk, and I find myself using a satchel and a basket. But the plan is to upgrade to the largest trunk bag with fold-out panniers in the future. There is also a matching rain cover, but I can't speak to its effectiveness.