Panniers that won't break. darnit.
 

I guess I'm hard on stuff. I bang things around, stuff falls over, or gets caught on things.

I have a pair of Detours panniers that I've broken several times. I busted the part that clips to the rack at the bottom, and I've broken the hangers that clip to the rack. I ended up using wire to attach them. Then they pulled through the material. I put big washers on the bolts to fix that.
But now the clip itself is broken on one to the point I can't hang it on the rack any more. I can't get replacement parts as they changed the design.

I need something that will last more than a year.
I'd also like water resistant. I live in CA and commute 8 miles, so I don't need monsoon proof, just reasonable.
A carry strap for off bike would be nice.
Compression straps a bonus, but not required.
I carry a laptop, clothes, lunch and school papers and sometimes other junk.

Mostly I need something that won't break. I'd love it not to cost a fortune, but maybe that's just wishful thinking.

Hints???

You may be able to replace the hardware with entirely new hardware. I have done this with a set of Cannondale panniers that I picked up at a bike swap meet and the clips lasted exactly one ride (I must be hard on my equipment, too). I drilled a few holes and bolted on the clips from my old REI panniers. Other than that... three words: "cat litter bucket". :D

Ortlieb

http://www.ortlieb.de/index2.php?lang=en

Ortlieb

[QUOTE=bigbenaugust;16210538 Other than that... three words: "cat litter bucket". :D[/QUOTE]
That's what I was thinking.....:lol:

Ortlieb or Arkel are a bit on the pricey side, but both are well-made. The Ortliebs are waterproof. Arkels can be covered with a rain cover.

My day-to-day commuting panniers are cheap Axioms. One has a small hole worn in the bottom, but they're holding up fine after three years. I save my Arkels for touring duty.

Dude, I ran my kitty litter bucket pannier into a brick wall the other day (misjudged a turn) and crashed on it last week (slippery bricks). Just a few scratches to show for both altercations.

I also realized this week that it is also the only mold-proof pannier I own... or at least the easiest to clean up. Welcome to the South!

I won't go with a brand but specific products. The last one i had from the same brand, the zip broke after just a few months.
The new one i have been using for several years is pretty tough and is not made the same way. It uses 2 independent systems to close the opening which makes it more reliable. The fixation system is probably the last thing that will break in this pannier

The new one i currently use : Beta B42 from LG.
The old one that didn't last because of the zip was the crappy stream B52 from LG

Beta and alpha are nearly half the price of most ortlieb panniers

Hmm, 2 crashes in a week? Have you been getting into the 'nip before riding?

Ortliebs? Can you wait until spring? Whatever lasts 2 years of my use is tough, JINX proof and approved. :) Trust me. So far I'm happy, but if they last this autumn and winter without damage - I'll be ready to recommend them as ubertough!

For the pannier's bottom a cheap mouse pad works well

Well, the brick wall was more of a hard graze... but the crash was legit. Too sharp of a turn, too fast, low-friction surface... and there I was, flat on the ground in the dental school courtyard with sparking teeth, a bloody knee and two bloody elbows, leg covered in the mud that was on the bricks, and some bruises that have yet to go away after nearly 2 weeks.

I lowsided shortly after I resumed bicycling next to a grade school one day. It was wet out, and I wash thinking about how my motorcycle handled much better in the wet when I went down onto the grass outside the classrooms. I was able to get up and keep riding until I figured I was out of sight to start cursing my stupidity.

Nobody saw me. I also meant to say "sparkling teeth"... I'd just had a grad dental student do a cleaning.

I also broke the Detours...

Ortlieb, problem over.

not to be mean ... but good stuff costs money

that do not mean:

1. all expensive stuff is good
2. all good stuff is expenisve

but Ortliebs are considered a pay a lot and set and forget type of item. one can do cat litter buckets but not in any serious way. for example not in a full-bike rack where the bag comes off and goes on the train or into the store or into the gym. i can't even imagine riding my bike to the airport and getting on a plane with a kitty litter container as a carry-on?

in a low-density situation maybe a cat litter container would work, but it wouldn't in the morning where I store my bike and consider that pretty low-density.

they would get snapped off in about two seconds in the morning inside here:

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=348801

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=348802

I've only crashed twice since resuming bicycling, and both times were in highly visible places. I'm more careful now. :rolleyes:

I'd try it to be honest, but when I travel I have two kids worth of crap to carry with me, so it would be inadequate. Now for going to work and back and sometimes picking up some groceries and stuff... it's great.
Use the right tool for the job.

Until you find something that doesn't. It depends on what you mean by costs money. Where do you put your limit of what costs money?
1$? 100$?

If i haven't gone for my "cheap" LG panniers i would have fallen for the easy solution which is to buy what is more popular like ortlieb but costs nearly twice as much.

why ... most airline travellers go with carry-on only? you wouldn't make it past check-in with a kitty litter bucket. especially, not over here.

I was so happy that my wife lets me use her litter bucket... it is rather awesome and she also appreciated it's mold resistant qualities in the PNW.

They used to sell kits for making them there.

Both of my motorcycles had hard bags on them, and I really liked them. I'd rather use something similar on the bicycle when I use a pannier, but since I usually use a backpack instead of a pannier I can't really justify converting a kitty litter bucket to a pannier.

Kit instructions:

1. Take screw-in hardware from old Seattle Sports pannier
2. Eyeball locations based on old Seattle Sports pannier
3. Trim a little plastic ribbing as needed
4. Screw in hardware. it's even self-tapping
5. Put nylon nuts on end of screws.

I will have to measure this thing and compare it to regulation carry-on size (21x14x9 inches) and get back to you.

My MEC bags are unbreakable and warrantied forever just in case they do break.