tcmers

I don't know, or care for that matter, about "hip" or "cool". However, my loaded touring rig has sparked more conversation and interest from non cyclists than anything else I ride. It can be a pain when I'm in a hurry, but I think exposure is good for the sport. So.....either panniers are super cool to non cyclists or they are just checking out the cycling geek.

Nachoman

Incorrect.

Schwinnrider

Your touring bike is missing its fenders. Pretty big omission.

Schwinnrider

They're also handmade by a real person, and will still be functional and beautiful when black nylon panniers have turned grey and disintegrated.

gascostalot

The price of some of these panniers is off the chart. How can something that is made of nylon, have cardboard inserts, and was assembled by .05 cents a hour labor cost $90...per bag?!

Then again people are willing to spend $135 dollars on a messenger bag. In other words, people will waste money on anything.

DataJunkie

Waste?

A well made bag is worth the extra cost. What is wasteful is purchasing a cheap bag made in China that you will need to replace every couple of years. Instead spend a bit extra for a bag made in the US that will last for quite a few years.

For what it is worth my messenger bag costs about $180 and was worth every penny.
My cheap panniers are a couple years old and falling apart. I think I purchased them for around $80 and would have been happier with spending double to triple that on an arkel.

I am more of the opinion that many (not all) cheap bags are a waste of money.

andmalc

Carrying stuff on your bike can be hip if you look like you mean it. Panniers are for carrying a bit of stuff some of the time. A bike with a cargo platform like an Xtracycle or a Kona Ute or even with a big front carrying rack like this one is hip in my books because you've dedicated your bike as a carrying machine.

That said, panniers can be detached and loaded off bike, such as in a grocery store. Now you're showing the world how practical your biking life-style is even when off-bike which if if not hip should be.

In this case, go all the way with serious carrying capacity:

https://www.arkel-od.com/panniers/uti...asp?fl=1&site=

Maybe you could wheel this thing around on a little wheeled carrier (like airplane luggage) and when done fold and attach to carrier to the other side of the bike rack.

gascostalot

The question is

"How can something that is made of nylon, have cardboard inserts, and was assembled by .05 cents a hour labor cost $90...per bag?!"

it's like buying some elementary school Spiderman backpack for $90.

DataJunkie

Higher end bags are nowhere near as simple or the labor as cheap.

But yes the cheap bags costing $90 from factories in china seems to be a bit of a markup.

gascostalot

I have no problem spending good money on higher end bags. But it gets the point were I asking myself: "Is it this expensive because it's this good, or is it this expensive so people can look good?"

It's like Coach product. My cousin brought his daughter a $80 coach contact lens case. Is it really worth $80? I highly doubt it.

Then factor in the fact that you're going to be riding it in rain, snow, mud, dirt, and other elements.

Basically what I'm trying to say is that I'm willing to spend good money on good bags, but I'm not going to spend good money on terrible bags and extraordinary money on extraordinary bags. The problem is that it's kinda hard to find good bags and a good price.

theWolf

One day, when I tour Texas, I'll buy good stuff. Till then, my $30 panniers get the job done when I need 'em.

Schwinnrider

I agree. I have a Chrome Metropolis messenger bag. It's carried heavy loads and been abused, but it still looks fine. I bought Carradice panniers for the same reason. I've seen pictures of 50 year old Carradice Kendals still in use, so that's a pretty good endorsement.

I have a cheap pair of Nashbar panniers on one bike. I'll see how they hold up. They aren't nearly as well made as the Carradice, but they were $20 versus $150.

CitiZen

"Pannier" and "hip" are redundant!

Schwinnrider

I can't speak about Coach, but I know that the cost of materials and labor is higher with the high end bags. It's more expensive to pay a Briton to sew a bag out of leather and cotton duck than it is to pay a Chinese person to do the same from nylon.

Brooks, however, is getting out of control with their pricing. They've introduced a couple of new products, the Brick Lane panniers which are $325!

And the Barbican messenger bag, which retails for almost $500 US for the large size. That's ridiculous. Sure, some of the cost can be chalked up to the weak dollar compared to the Pound, and fuel costs, but I think Brooks is just gouging the hipsters.

SqueakyOnion

If I were to buy $180 panniers, they'd get stolen right quick. The cheapies are much less likely to get stolen.

That, and I can't afford the expensive ones, and won't be able to for two or three years I'd imagine. Which is convenient, cause thats how long the cheap ones should last.

They're not a waste of money if you need panniers and they're the only ones you can afford.

ok_commuter

Ortlieb. End of story.

Artkansas 

Well, I hope you didn't bloody your nose when you fell off after I passed you with my backpack on.

I like a good backpack. Are you familiar with the concept of sprung weight vs unsprung weight, not to mention the superior aerodynamics. And then again, backpacks are pretty flexible. They don't always have to be on your back.



Chacon à son goût!

Sixty Fiver

If you hang with commuters then this will earn you some serious cool points... and folks might even think you are a little "hip".

devildogmech

Paniers are WEAK!!!! A MILK CRATE is all you need!

Seriously though, I love my milk crate.
1) It was free! (politely asked the cafiteria manager at school if I could have one. He was so surprised I asked in stead of just taking one, he gave it to me and offered a second!)
2) The weight is centered on the bike. Dont have to worry about the weight of paniers throwing off the steering of the bike.
3) I can just drop stuff in. I keep one bungy cord on the crate, to keep my back pack in when I take a spill (kept my gear from getting smushed last sunday on the way home from work!)
4) It qualifies me as a SUPER FRED! . That and my slime lime refelctive vest, helmet and safety glasses

I'm thinking about getting a front rack, mounting the milk crate up front, and getting some wire baskets for the back of the bike......

Look! On the road! It's a dork! No, its a geek! No, its SUPER FRED!!!!!

Billy

chipcom 

Panniers are only un-hip to un-hip people who worry about being hip or have delusions of being hip.

Bezohh

So if you put a milk crate on the rear rack does that make it the equivalent of a pickup truck?

RogerB

Hey, sorry, but I had just finished scratching my head over some inane discussion of the perils of lycra to the future of cycling, and then I saw this question and I guess my "diplomacy filter" was switched off.

FWIW, I'm not alone in my sentiment, and the word that's hidden by the stars is only the s-word, and you can overlay the text with a mildly harsh countenance rather than a berative or belittling one...

...if that helps.

thehum

ditto love my milk crate

DataJunkie

hmm
That gives me an idea. If I need to pick up a beater to lockup downtown I think I may just throw a milk crate on it.

ShadowGray

It really depends more on the bike... I wouldn't put fenders on a super-aggressive carbon race bike but a steel touring bike just looks plain naked without a rack or two, and the panniers.

And this is coming from a guy who spends hours on wondering how his bike looks.