Pannier talk
#1
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Pannier talk
Looking at upgrading my panniers, they are 10 year old axiom panniers. They have been great but are not waterproof, I'm looking to upgrade to a waterproof set. I'll be using my jandd rack on either a surly crosscheck or jamis renegade, tours are never much more than a weekish. Been looking at the waterproof axiom and the ortlieb panniers. Any input on the durability of either of these. They both seam to have all plastic attachments while my old axioms are metal and plastic. I'm gonna go to an REI and check out the ortliebs this weekend. Any other brands people use and like? Thanks
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I have been using my Ortliebs since 2010, I think they will last longer than I will. Mine are the Backroller Classics. I have not used the water proof Axioms, have no opinion on them.
Regarding the plastic hooks, not a problem. But the hooks on the older ones like mine will deform slowly over time so the little plastic inserts might fall out later. I put some PVC plastic tubing over the rack, I do not use those little plastic inserts. The plastic tubing protects the rack from chaffing.
The photo shows what I am talking about with the PVC tubing, slit lengthwise and held on with electrical tape, I think the tubing was 3/8" ID and 1/2" OD.
REI often discounts their Ortliebs, so if you decide to get them and if you get them from REI, you might want to wait for their big sale in a couple months when they mail out dividends. If they do not discount teh Ortliebs, they usually have a 20 percent off one full price item coupon at that time of year.
Regarding the plastic hooks, not a problem. But the hooks on the older ones like mine will deform slowly over time so the little plastic inserts might fall out later. I put some PVC plastic tubing over the rack, I do not use those little plastic inserts. The plastic tubing protects the rack from chaffing.
The photo shows what I am talking about with the PVC tubing, slit lengthwise and held on with electrical tape, I think the tubing was 3/8" ID and 1/2" OD.
REI often discounts their Ortliebs, so if you decide to get them and if you get them from REI, you might want to wait for their big sale in a couple months when they mail out dividends. If they do not discount teh Ortliebs, they usually have a 20 percent off one full price item coupon at that time of year.
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I've had Ortlieb panniers and I also auditioned an Ortlieb saddle bag. With the panniers I had two issues (one was a sewing problem, the other was an issue with the attachment), and the saddle bag was a thoughtlessly engineered complete fail that I returned after fewer than a month's use. Just my experience, of course. I am happily using Jandd panniers. Not waterproof, but as a decades long canoeist I'm accustomed to using waterproof stuffsacks, so I don't need for my panniers to be waterproof.
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#4
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A few hundred cyclists pass through town on the coast every summer, Ortlieb panniers used by a vast majority of them
seams are welded.. I use them a lot daily , grocery shopping , and on my daily bike..
Mid 80's I bought a Bruce Gordon racks, Beckman Needleworks panniers combination , then in 90s I had some rain covers made..
Compartmentalized was good for organizing.. their inconvenient mounting scheme , made them secure. , left on the bike..
...
seams are welded.. I use them a lot daily , grocery shopping , and on my daily bike..
Mid 80's I bought a Bruce Gordon racks, Beckman Needleworks panniers combination , then in 90s I had some rain covers made..
Compartmentalized was good for organizing.. their inconvenient mounting scheme , made them secure. , left on the bike..
...
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Find an Ortlieb set and be done with it. If you want to save a few bucks, as others have said REI regularly runs sales, as does Moosejaw/Mountain Steals, and occasionally Sierra Trading will have last years "design" series cheap. Expanding on what bob said, when I was in France on a touring route last tummer, I took mental note, I'd say a good 60% were Ortliebs, 15% Decathalons house brand (forget the name of it right now), 15% Axioms and Arkels, and the remainder unbranded/off brands. Sometimes things are popular truly because they are a great choice.
Thats a good idea, I'm stealing it
My one complaint about Ortliebs is that I have lost those inserts. Generally I notice right away, but one of the wife's got away from us last trip.
My one complaint about Ortliebs is that I have lost those inserts. Generally I notice right away, but one of the wife's got away from us last trip.
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I presently own 2 sets of Axiom waterproof panniers (Typhoon LX and Monsoon LX) and 2 sets of Ortliebs as well. Both are very similar in construction but the mounting systems are different. I somewhat like the Axiom mounting system better but really it's a wash. I personally don't feel you can go wrong with either BUT...replacement parts are much easier to obtain with Ortliebs and both my experiences with the customer service at Axiom were non-existent or terrible !
Were I to purchase more, probably Ortliebs for those reasons.
Were I to purchase more, probably Ortliebs for those reasons.
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For waterproof panniers it's hard to go wrong with Ortlieb. But I'm not wild about their attachment system and have had a loaded pannier come flying off more than once.
That said, they are well made, completely waterproof and relatively light. And most people haven't had the problems I've had with the Ortlieb attachement, but I find that I have to be very careful about attaching them or I can have them come off when riding through rough patches.
Another brand I really like is Arkel, but I haven't tried their lineup of waterproof panniers. I do have a set of their classic (non-waterproof) panniers and they are excellent and I much prefer the attachment system they use: it's virtually impossible for it to work loose in transit even if I'm careless about attaching them.
But they tend to be heavier than Ortliebs, and I don't know if their waterproof line is as durable as Ortleib, though I suspect they would be well made. The classic Arkel panniers I've got are very well constructed and will likely outlive me for what that's worth.
That said, they are well made, completely waterproof and relatively light. And most people haven't had the problems I've had with the Ortlieb attachement, but I find that I have to be very careful about attaching them or I can have them come off when riding through rough patches.
Another brand I really like is Arkel, but I haven't tried their lineup of waterproof panniers. I do have a set of their classic (non-waterproof) panniers and they are excellent and I much prefer the attachment system they use: it's virtually impossible for it to work loose in transit even if I'm careless about attaching them.
But they tend to be heavier than Ortliebs, and I don't know if their waterproof line is as durable as Ortleib, though I suspect they would be well made. The classic Arkel panniers I've got are very well constructed and will likely outlive me for what that's worth.
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I have Ortleib 2 sets of back roller classics & another set that is exactly the same but 50% bigger. I don't remember the name exactly...Pro-plus or something similar. (I use it for my Igloo Playmate lunchbox ) Mine are the old-style classic PVC/vinyl type material.
As far as I can tell, there isn't any detectable wear at all on any of them. They all look as new as the day they were bought. They are indeed 100% waterproof. I'd venture a guess they could claim air-tight as well. In the event of a waterlanding I have no doubt they could be used as a flotation device. Believe it when people claim they will exist & be servicable long after it's owner dies.
Yeah, they can be pricey, but they'll be the last panniers you ever buy.
I can't speak to the new style material that is more eco-friendly to produce. Maybe some one can chime in on that.
FYI: SJS has backroller classics on sale at £99.99 which is about $60 USD cheaper than can be had in the US after exchange rate. REI usually has them at $180. Shipping from the UK is usually about $40USD so you still save about 20 bucks if you buy at Saint Johns & a lot more if you are going to buy more than 1 set.
As far as I can tell, there isn't any detectable wear at all on any of them. They all look as new as the day they were bought. They are indeed 100% waterproof. I'd venture a guess they could claim air-tight as well. In the event of a waterlanding I have no doubt they could be used as a flotation device. Believe it when people claim they will exist & be servicable long after it's owner dies.
Yeah, they can be pricey, but they'll be the last panniers you ever buy.
I can't speak to the new style material that is more eco-friendly to produce. Maybe some one can chime in on that.
FYI: SJS has backroller classics on sale at £99.99 which is about $60 USD cheaper than can be had in the US after exchange rate. REI usually has them at $180. Shipping from the UK is usually about $40USD so you still save about 20 bucks if you buy at Saint Johns & a lot more if you are going to buy more than 1 set.
Last edited by base2; 01-14-19 at 03:34 PM.
#10
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I bought a pair of Ortliebs (Sportspacker +) a dozen years ago, and still use them for daily commuting. Also have a pair of Bikepackers (big 'uns) for touring, and a replacement set of SPPs in case I wear the first pair out.
One of the daily-use panniers got scuffed up in a spill on tour. 300 pounds+ going down at 30 mph might do that. There's a minor leak in that pannier, but it's not enough that I've ever been motivated to track it down or try to fix it. I wrap commuting clothes in a bag to keep them clean, and if it's rained an inch or more during my 45 minute commute, the outside of the bag feels damp.
Other than that, they're still waterproof, easy-on/easy-off, and I've had no problems with the attachment. (The bags stayed on in the crash, FWIW.) I've replaced the male buckle clips ($15 total plus a half hour of pfaffing) a couple years back. Those Ortliebs are like the Energizer Bunny -- they keep going, and going, and ...
One of the daily-use panniers got scuffed up in a spill on tour. 300 pounds+ going down at 30 mph might do that. There's a minor leak in that pannier, but it's not enough that I've ever been motivated to track it down or try to fix it. I wrap commuting clothes in a bag to keep them clean, and if it's rained an inch or more during my 45 minute commute, the outside of the bag feels damp.
Other than that, they're still waterproof, easy-on/easy-off, and I've had no problems with the attachment. (The bags stayed on in the crash, FWIW.) I've replaced the male buckle clips ($15 total plus a half hour of pfaffing) a couple years back. Those Ortliebs are like the Energizer Bunny -- they keep going, and going, and ...
#11
-
You can probably still get a good deal on Ortlieb City line of panniers if you buy from a German/Euro Internet Bike Shop - they were a better deal 2-3 years ago when currency exchange rate was more favorable to USD and Ortlieb began selling City bags in USA. City are very close to Classic Rollers (CR) - same material, same nominal size, but cheaper and lighter. They are significantly lighter than front and rear CRs because they lack their overloading capability, and the material required to provide this capability. They also lack the shoulder straps of CR, but Cities straps are shorter and a bit lighter too. Ortlieb sells an accessory shoulder strap for City if you need it. Finally, City rear bags are not compatible with Ortlieb Rack Pack bags but you shouldn't need this much capacity for weekend tours anyway. OrtliebUSA renamed all their front bags Sport a while back, so don't let that confuse you.
https://www.ortlieb.com/de/back-roller-city
https://www.ortlieb.com/de/sport-roller-city
https://www.ortlieb.com/downloads/da...oller_city.pdf
https://www.bike-components.de/en/Or...nniers-p28205/
https://www.bike-components.de/en/Or...nniers-p26164/
https://thetouringstore.com/thetouringstore/ortlieb/
https://www.ortlieb.com/de/back-roller-city
https://www.ortlieb.com/de/sport-roller-city
https://www.ortlieb.com/downloads/da...oller_city.pdf
https://www.bike-components.de/en/Or...nniers-p28205/
https://www.bike-components.de/en/Or...nniers-p26164/
https://thetouringstore.com/thetouringstore/ortlieb/
#12
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Been using Ortlieb Sport and Bikepacker Plus since 2011. Like them a lot. Never once had one come close to coming off, even on rough, unpaved mountain descents.
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On one occasion I glanced down and realized that one of my front panniers was only hanging on with one hook, not two. Not sure how I did it, but after eight years to get one on wrong without realizing it is pretty good. Since the hooks have that under bar tab that locks them on, it was pretty clear that it was user error in my case.
***
Someone above mentioned the City version and also the Rack Bags that can attach to the Backroller. The Backroller and Frontrollers have a strap that goes over the top. On my front rollers I often strap my rain gear on top of the pannier so it is readily accessible.
That center strap is also used to strap the Rack Bag to the Backroller, see photo. But if you are only going out for a week, the odds are you would not need the Rack Bag on top of the rear panniers, a smaller dry bag can certainly be straped on top of the rack instead.
A friend of mine uses the City version, he liked the lower price and they are a bit lighter. But I prefer the classic version with that strap over the top.
#14
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If you have the bit of extra cash, Arkels are the best panniers I’ve ever dealt with. Completely waterproof, hard wearing, solid attachment system, and a little nicer material than Ortlieb imo. I haven’t owned Ortleibs, but they seem very well made and certainly have a lot of happy customers. I would never waste my money on another Axiom product. After a rack failure that was far under it’s weight limit and Monsoon DXL panniers that were a patchwork of duct tape by the end of their first tour, both items which should have been covered under warranty and weren’t, I consider them to be bottom tier products with poor customer service. The guy at the bike shop flat out told me that Axiom “isn’t going to cover a rack failure.” Said I could leave it and he’d try if I wanted, but he knew the rep would say no to a rack replacement. For the panneirs, one of the reasons they gave me for denying warranty was that I “continued to use the product after the hole developed.” Was I supposed to stop my tour, email them, wait for reply, send in the pannier, wait for replacement, then continue my tour? Ridiculous. Of course I didn’t immediately stop using it. Their “warranty” isn’t worth the paper it’s written on. In any case, the DXL panniers seemed to leave my clothes feeling a little clammy on rain days even before the holes. The Arkels that went on that same tour kept my things dry and still looked good as new by the end.
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This is the first I have heard of an Ortlieb parting ways with the bike.
On one occasion I glanced down and realized that one of my front panniers was only hanging on with one hook, not two. Not sure how I did it, but after eight years to get one on wrong without realizing it is pretty good. Since the hooks have that under bar tab that locks them on, it was pretty clear that it was user error in my case.
On one occasion I glanced down and realized that one of my front panniers was only hanging on with one hook, not two. Not sure how I did it, but after eight years to get one on wrong without realizing it is pretty good. Since the hooks have that under bar tab that locks them on, it was pretty clear that it was user error in my case.
In any case, what I think has happened is that I've done what you describe above: hooked them on, but only one of the top clips has fully engaged even though it looks like both have.
In fact, since it last happened I've been doing a second check and making sure both clips are locked on, and I haven't had this issue repeat. And very often when I check, it initially appears that the bag is properly attached but one of the clips is not fully engaged until I push it down firmly. If I forget to do this, I have a fair chance of losing a bag
I won't disparage the product, it's obvious that many, many people use and love them, but if I were doing it again I'd buy the Arkel waterproofs instead of the Ortliebs because I much prefer the Arkel attachment system.
#16
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I strapped together the pair , early sport packers ..I fit on my Bike Friday front racks , so when I lock the bike up, the 2 bags come off together,,
when I put them back on I check that their 4 bag hook latches are closed.. , you do that?
when I put them back on I check that their 4 bag hook latches are closed.. , you do that?
#17
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I'm surprised at how often it appears that the bag is solidly attached but it's not though. It makes me a bit nervous because I'm ridiculously forgetful of things like that and I can easily see myself riding off in a hurry without checking them, then losing one somewhere along the line.
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Arkels
Thanks for all the input. I was gonna wait until the spring REI sale but the Arkel panniers look pretty great and I really like all those pockets on the dolphins.
#19
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I own Arkels (gt-54s) and would also recommend Ortlieb. Arkels make some of the finest touring luggage on the planet it has loads of organizational space, excellent mounting and cannot be ripped without a really sharp knife doing some serious work on them. The ones I own are relatively water resistant but not fully waterproof (because at the time that was less of my concern and I wanted more organizational space). I will have these panniers probably till I die unless I sell them which I probably won't and maybe aside from the looks being a little different (sun fading and such) I have little doubt they will hold up to many tours, commutes and general abuse.
#20
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Ah, the gt54’s are the big luxury bags with tons of pockets, right? Are they heavy? I think all of the openings allowing more points for water and dirt to get in and the weight would keep me from those.
My experience is just with the dolphin 32s. I think they’re fantastic. They’re hard wearing, completely waterproof, nice material, and have the best mounting system, imo.
My experience is just with the dolphin 32s. I think they’re fantastic. They’re hard wearing, completely waterproof, nice material, and have the best mounting system, imo.
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Ah, the gt54’s are the big luxury bags with tons of pockets, right? Are they heavy? I think all of the openings allowing more points for water and dirt to get in and the weight would keep me from those.
My experience is just with the dolphin 32s. I think they’re fantastic. They’re hard wearing, completely waterproof, nice material, and have the best mounting system, imo.
My experience is just with the dolphin 32s. I think they’re fantastic. They’re hard wearing, completely waterproof, nice material, and have the best mounting system, imo.
The GT 18s are indestructible, but they are not waterproof, and even with the optional cover don’t provide the same protection that you get from something like your Dolphins or the Ortliebs.
I agree regarding the Arkel attachment system. It’s secure, versatile and very well engineered.
#22
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#23
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Yep they are the big luxury bags with all the pockets. They aren't really light but I don't mind so much. Sure I would love to redesign them a little with some lighter maybe more waterproof fabric looking back but honestly I am fine with the way they are. I like that organization it is really helpful to me because I suck at packing and having spaces I can dedicate to different items is useful to easily find stuff again.
I haven't gotten any dirt ingress into my stuff and no water ingress but I haven't used them much in rain. The outside has gotten dirty but I can just brush that off.
I haven't gotten any dirt ingress into my stuff and no water ingress but I haven't used them much in rain. The outside has gotten dirty but I can just brush that off.
#24
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excellent park. Devil's lake is nice too.
#25
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^ Funny. My brain didn’t take notice of the name of the park. My best friend and I used to ride the trail from Madison through Verona and Mt Horeb to camp at Governor Dodge. It’s actually a perfect little touring training ride for anyone living in Madison, and in general a great way to spend a weekend. Just don’t forget to stop at Grumpy Troll for late lunch and a beer! Anyone in the area who hasn’t done that ride definitely should!