Front Panniers
 

Hi all,

Much has been discussed about panniers on here, but I can't seem to find a good option within a reasonable price for front panniers.

In the back I have 2x 20L Ortlieb set up, and was thinking to get 2 smaller ones that are breathable, yet water resistant and that won't cost me $200 for a pair.

Any suggestions welcome!
thanks
tom

https://lonepeakpacks.com/index.php/...iers/p099.html

Personally, I only want waterproof. Breathability is a non-issue.

Craigslist.org till you find something suitable... at a price you would be willing to pay.... I am waiting the post for a pair of unused Blakburns....

Look at the Jandd Economy panniers. Been using a set on the rear for almost 20 years without any problems. Crashed with them twice and they did not tear, and in fact I am hard pressed to see the scuff marks! Very durable. Treated Cordura for water resistance, however in a downpour your stuff will get wet. In a light drizzle only gets wet after a prolonged time.

This past weekend convinced me to get a set of the same panniers for the front for the cross country jaunt I will take in the future. About 1975CI. I travel light and also camp and find this size forces me to think about what I carry with me. If you need waterproof, the Jandd Wet Rabbit should work. They have a roll top closure. For the pair they are about 100CI smaller when fully expanded.

Very impressed with the quality of these packs.

assume you're in the usa.......pair of waterproof vaude for $130 shipped.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vaude-Aqua-.../362703639736?

I am a huge fan of the Ortliebs. I've been running the small on Blackburn and Jandd LowRider racks for 20 years. After 10, I bought a new pair and paid $35 for new hardware for the old. Both pairs are still going strong. If you use them long enough, they outlast almost everything else out there and stay 100% waterproof the whole time. If you do puncture one, you can do a standard raft repair on it and it will be (all but visually) as good as new. Any rafting company can tell you over the phone exactly what you need and where to get it. They do those repairs all the time.

I punctured one of my first at ~10 years. Poorly packed a long, very sharp kitchen knife. I could fill it with water tomorrow and ride across the Sahara without losing a drop. Now, having the bag come off the bike at speed and sliding across the pavement doesn't phase them at all. Just like a raft brushing a rock. (Them coming off has always due to me not checking the hooks were fully engaged.)

Ben

Thanks all!
The Jandd & Vaude look nice and affordable :)

Another set of ortlieb is a bit out of my budget right now.

After 8 seasons, my rear ones have a couple of war wounds. The most notable is a burn mark on the outside pocket caused by a campfire ember. Caught it before it melted all the way through. I also got some scrapes negotiating the seemingly endless number of cattle gates on the Mickelson Trail. They are counterweighted so that they close automatically. Some swing shut faster than other and can scrape your bags if you don't get through quickly.

How about the Ortlieb City Panniers? New set around $100. Many used ones available also.

https://www.amazon.com/Ortlieb-Back-...36302469&psc=1

Thank you for the suggestion.
Would the "Ortlieb Sport Roller City Black Saddle Bags 2016" be better for front? I noticed they are $130 on amazon, smaller than my back ones which I wanted.
But I assume not breathable.

Same as your ones you have on the back... not breathable. I believe that the one you found: "Ortlieb Sport Roller City Black Saddle Bags 2016" is simply a different year of the same thing as "Ortlieb Back-Roller City Rear Pannier" in my link. Comparing the two, I see that the mounts are higher, and therefore the bags would sit lower in the 2016 version. Is this a good thing them sitting lower? Probably depends on the rack.

Was considering getting lowrider racks, so might be worth it

Hard to tell for sure if it would be a good or bad thing with a lowrider rack to have the panniers to sit lower. Personally, I would go with the ones that sit higher, partially driven by the fact that they are less expensive.

Sitting lower increases the risk of ground clearance issues when not on a wide, smooth surface.. My racks are mid-mount, so the panniers sit a bit higher than they do on lowriders.

Ortlieb Sport Rollers (25L/pair) are smaller than Back Rollers (40L/pair). Cheaper too - under $120. The “City” connotation only refers to the closure system (no shoulder strap) and the mount system (uses the previous generation mounts so needs an allen for initial set up adjustment). You can get 25L or 40L "City" versions.

Ah yea... so the Sport Rollers would be the better choice for front use then.

The Swift Sonora Pannier in Black looks nice as well for a 13L front pannier, but really expensive at $165 per pannier.

1) Plastic bags can keep things dry
2) Covers can keep pennies dry
3) Some stuff can get wet without harm
4) Good luck

+$12 for shoulder strap, +$45 for backpack conversion. So $400/pair with options. Yea... no.

Yes, it's surprising but nowadays slim pickings for budget front panniers. If you find a good value, I wouldn't worry much about water resistance. You have the waterproof rear Ortliebs, so for front I wouldn't worry about water resistance, it's easy enough to use plastic bags for items that need to stay dry. BTW last year was so rainy in my area, I kept a cheap rain jacket stowed in my Ortlieb pannier the whole summer & it got moldy, had to toss it.

I would recommend running your larger bags in front and down low. If you plan on getting a smaller set, try them out in the rear, with the heavy compact items down low in the front. As long as you aren’t touring in a situation where pedal clearance is a potential hazard(singletrack, etc) then low rider front racks shouldn’t be an issue. If you run your current set in front, you could then fit the Arkel Dry Light panniers. They aren’t breathable, though, so might not be the right option for you. But at $100, 100% waterproof, rugged, and weighing just over a pound for the pair, they’re a great option for your sleeping bag and things like that that you want to make sure stays dry.

Nice! However, not sure how I feel about putting the heavier loaded Ortliebs in the front.
I wish those Arkel ones would have a hanging system so I could put them in front. They look nice!

On another site, the post suggested loading 60% weight on front (large panniers on low riders?) and 40% in rear to help avoid broken rear spokes. Comments and/or confirmation?

Wouldn't that increase broken front wheel spokes? :P

No, because the rear wheel supports more body weight and often the tent and other gear on the rack in addition to what is in the rear panniers.