Thomasd

Hi all, I'm looking at arkel's t-42 panniers and ortlieb's back roller plus.

https://www.arkel-od.com/panniers/t42...asp?fl=1&site=
https://www.ortliebusa.com/cartgenie/...p?pid=29&cid=2

They are similar size-wise but the ortliebs are sort of no-frills and the arkels have more "features" (I like the little roller bag and the mesh pockets). I'm planning to use the panniers for daily commuting and occasional (1-2/year) touring--I've got a couple tours planned for Japan this summer and New Zealand early next year The arkels look like they have more frills and their customer service has been really great so far. However, since I'm in Japan, I'd have to have them shipped over and it would make them about $45 more expensive than the Ortliebs. The Ortliebs are sold in Japan, so I can buy them directly here and avoid the shipping costs. Anybody used either of these panniers? I like the looks and features of the arkels, but do you think they're worth the extra money? Any advice will be greatly appreciated!

Cheers,

Tom in Kyoto

hardtail

Hi Tom,

I live in Osaka and had some Arkel panniers delivered just a few days ago!!
In my case GT54's and 34's so I can't comment on the T-42, but if they are anything like the ones I got then the quality will be good. Definitly expensive though. Shipping for me was $100 and I had to pay 7,700 yen tax when they arrived. That was for two pairs of 54's and two 34's though.

Ortlieb are supposed to be good too (100% waterproof is important in Japan, ne!). Main complaint I've heard (and this is going mainly from what I've read here on Bikeforums) is that everything is in one compartment so getting access to your stuff quickly can be a pain.

If you go with the Arkels I'd say it could be a good idea to get a pair of covers for them.

Maybe see you on the road sometime. Myself and my girlfriend are planning to tour Hokkaido this summer. Should be good

wahoonc

The new series of Arkel's are supposed to have built in dry bags. I prefer the Arkels because of the abiltiy to compartmentalize and organize. I still to this day put stuffs that I don't want getting wet in waterproof bags inside the panniers. The covers will help but are no guarantee that the stuff will stay completely dry.

Enjoy your tours this summer!

Aaron

michaelnel

The secret to using the Ortliebs is to use lots of color coded smaller bags inside so you can find stuff easier. The organization is much easier with the Arkels (I owned GT54s and currently have Ortlieb Back Rollers because the Arkels wouldn't fit on my recumbent). Overall, I think I would prefer the Arkels with the dry bags.

Here are a couple lousy pics of my Atlantis with the Arkels and full touring setup:

Blackberry

Nice Atlantis! I've been dreaming about one for years. I don't know about the Ortliebs, but I've had good luck with the T42s you're consdiering.

blue steal

I have had the Arkel T-22's for over a year now as well as the Arkel tailrider and use them for my daily commute and trips to the pool and beach. Great quality, love the mesh pocket for the wet stuff.

Cyclist0383

Arkel produces one of the highest quality products I've ever seen. Their craftmanship and materials are top notch. Their products are well thought out and designed. Arkel products are designed to be used, and used hard.

Thomasd

Thanks, everyone! Sheesh, I posted, went to bed, and when I woke up this morning I had already gotten many replies-great stuff.

Hardtail, where are you in Osaka? I'm actually in Osaka-fu as well, but since I'm only a couple hundred meters from the Kyoto border and Kyoto sounds sexier I wrote Kyoto I'm guessing from your handle that you're a MTB person (I have one but am more of a roadie), but maybe we can go for a ride some time. I'm in Kanmaki off the Hankyu Kyoto line--lots of good riding around here off and on the road. Send me a mail offlist if you're up for it.

Again, thanks everyone!

Michel Gagnon

I just retired a set of T-42 that have been used 365 days/year for 8 or 9 years. Corners are worn off, one zipper is a bit problematic... but as I said, they carried commuting gear, groceries, books... name it!

And what did I replace them with? A brand new set of T-42.

P.S. I have a set of GT-54 that are 4 years old and still look brand new. But they haven't been used to commute in snow...

Thomasd

So what I'm getting from all this is that arkel owners love their panniers. any ortliebers care to comment. please, sway me towards saving $50... or are the arkels really that great???

tom

Stubacca

T-42s for commuting here, too. The pockets are great, customer service was brilliant etc etc what everybody else said! I can fit laptop, all accessories, a couple of folders + miscellaneous junk in one, and shoes/clothing/rain gear/toiletries etc in the other with plenty of room to spare.

I looked at Orliebs too, but decided the single compartment would be too damn frustrating. You'd probably chew through some of the cost savings buying smaller bags to help organize inside.

jnoble123

I have both types and in reality they are both excellent products.

I like the waterproof characteristics of the Ortlieb and use one for my daily commuting saddlebag. Not having to worry about putting on a rain cover is nice especially when carrying a laptop or digital camera that isn't water friendly. For commuting the ability to very easily and simply remove the saddlebag by lifting the carrying handle is also greatly appreciated!

For touring I really enjoy using the Arkel's. The ability to organize stuff is important and if you are concerned about water then you can obtain rain covers and dry bags (I have both). Another major bonous of the Arkel is the nifty Thermarest container on the GT-54s. I love that feature!

The Arkel attachment mechanism is very strong and works well but it is harder to remove the saddlebag from the rack then when using the Ortlieb. On tour I prefer this since I feel that it makes it just a bit harder to steal the bags.

I wrote up a review of Arkel's, Vaudes and Ortlieb a couple of months ago here:

https://www.bicycletouring101.com/SaddlebagReview.htm

I should probably return to the review and do a second look now that some time has passed.

~Jamie N
www.bicycletouring101.com

Thomasd

thanks again for your comments, everyone!

womble

I've got a pair of the Ortleib Back Roller Classics.

Pros:
- waterproof
- come in really bright red
- QR system works well

Cons:
- access to contents is a pain as it involves unhitching 2 straps and unrolling the top
- one big compartment

Given the choice again, I would go for an option that provided faster access and more compartments.

mdgwind

Hello,

My buddy and I are flying to Tokyo July 23rd 2005 and departing august 7th 2005 with a plan to bike around Hokkaido for about one week. We are looking for a place to rent bicycles for touring starting from the Sapporo area.

The route we're thinking about is biking from Sapporo north to Wakkanai (spelling?) and then to some of the islands near there and from there maybe loop back to Sapporo.

Does anyone have any suggestions. What route would you recommend for one week? We will have Japan rail passes.

Thanks,
michael
mdg28@cornell.edu

Joeagain

I went with Ortlieb because they're waterproof and at the time they had a more adjustable mounting system, (since I have three different bikes to mount them on). Since then Arkel has changed their mounts and in that aspect they're about equal from what I can see, except the Arkel being aluminum may scratch a steel tubed rack, inviting rust unless you do something about that like put rubber tubing there, which shouldn't be difficult.

I have bought things other than panniers from Arkel and can tell you that they have great customer service -- when you call you'll talk to the actual people you'll see on the website, there's a lot to be said for a small company that takes pride in what they do.

If you have a handlebar bag and rack trunk then the number of pockets really isn't much of an issue, (at least this is true for me). I like the fact that I won't have to think about when it's close enough to raining that I should mount rain covers.

I like the Ortliebs quite a bit, and ordered fronts after taking a few trips with the rears. If Arkel switched to the mounting system a little earlier I probably would have gotten some type of fronts from them instead, though, just for an added pocket or two.

No matter which you get, you'll can't go wrong. The differences are small in practice, (though the importance in pockets may be more or less to you, that's the way it is to me).

To me, a handlebar bag resolves the pocket issue, and that's pretty much the way it is: personal preference, since both are very highly rated by just about everyone.


Joe

hardtail

Don't know much about renting bikes in Sapporo, but I know of no places here in Osaka that rent. Don't think it's exactly the done thing in Japan. Even if you could rent, getting the right size might be a problem. If you already have bikes I'd strongly recommend bringing them over. If you want to bring a bike on a train it's no problem. Just put it in a bike bag. The only exception is the Shinkansen. Don't think you can bring bikes on board.

Regarding routes, Furano around central Hokkaido is supposed to be nice. If our tour works out we're just going to make it up as we go along.

Enjoy your trip!

JoeLonghair

Treated my self to the Ortlieb Bike-Packer Plus, as I prefered the easy access, to in and out of the bag. The equipment is really good, total water proof, I had a nasty fall at 32 mph, rolled with the bike several times and eventually stopped with ,me still strapped to the pedals, and the bike upside down. The bags were still in position, did not even need to re adjust anything, and I thought to my self if the bag had half come off, it might have got caught in the on comming traffic, perish the thought . As for the compartment bit, i thought this might pee me off a tad, but now I prefere this as I open the bag and everything is in one compartment, easier to find what you are looking for, It also makes a big difference to be able to not pack in many bags, as this in itself takes up more room. As the bag is totally waterproof, you dont have to pack things in bags. The easy on off system is great, if you are worried about some one tea leafing your kit, this can be secured to the rack via a lock & cable. As for the Arkel, really can not comment as I never owned one. As for the covers for the Arkel, well that taking up more room to store these, does not make sense to me..

good luck

rsw

I have the whole Arkel set (GT54'3, GT34's, big handlebar bag and the tailrider) that I use in different combinations for different types of touring. They are expensive but well worth the money. When one is out on the road it is great to have all the "storage options' available with the pockets and zipped compartments. The new GT34's I bought have the built in dry bag that is really a plus. I still at times use the raincovers in very dusty or dirty conditions to keep the panniers clean.

Their website is also VERY helpful. I incorporated their idea of installing brake noodles on the shifter cables to prevent them from interfering with the positioning of the big handlebar bag on the handlebars. A great idea. Works slick.

The only downside to their system, if there is one is the weight of the units. Probably heavier than most other brands but if you are doing a non supported tour, I guess a few more pounds vs the quality and storage options isn't that big a a deal.

If you buy them you will not be sorry!

bmike

I love my Ortliebs.
Posted about them here.

Waterproof. Rock Solid Construction.