Juggler2

Can anyone share their opinion of Axiom products? Are they "ok" for the money? Specifically the Axiom Journey Tubular Alloy Rack (RK6602)? I'd also like opinions on their smaller low end rear panniers. I'm on a fixed income, and most likely, when I use them, it will only be for weekend rides. Therefore inexpensive will suit my needs.

Thanks!

Machka 

I've had the Axiom LaSalle panniers since 2003. They have travelled to Europe twice, to Australia twice, and have been with me on rides from one end of North America to the other. They have taken what numerous airlines had to dish out in the baggage handling area. I've lived out of them on many shorter tours, and then for 3 months in Australia. They've been through just about every weather condition you can name. They've been overloaded, dropped, and dragged around.

And they still look and work as good as new. They haven't even really faded!!

Beelzebutt

ive certianly put mine to the test. i use them prettymuch every day.. they done me right.

robow

I own a pair of Axiom Champlain and a pair of Axiom LaSalle panniers and they have held up well but mine have not seen nearly as much travel as Machka's.

Abneycat

I have had two of that very rack, it was the thing which drove me to purchase an Xtracycle:

Personal opinion of the rack is very, very low - both broke under much lighter loads than it is supposedly rated for. They don't break outright, rather the tube at the very bottom which attaches to the eyelets will bend and bend until the rack slumps into your fender or your wheel: At which point in time, they will potentially snap (the tubing on the leg of the one journey rack did snap - thankfully it didn't poke into my wheel or anything, as there is a reinforcing bar underneath - P.S. Axiom, not reinforced enough!), the other one simply started to bend as the other one did, and when I noticed I simply became frustrated enough to give up on them.

There was certainly no overloading. The first rack failed under a relatively constant load of 25lbs. The second was carrying 15-40lbs over a span of 3 weeks before it began to bend.

Not recommended.

As for Axiom in general, they *do* make some nice stuff, this just isn't a good example.

Torrilin

I have the Axiom Seymour panniers. They are cheap, and they look cheap. They are small, but they hold more than you'd expect. The fabric is holding up well to my usual sorts of loads (35-45 lbs of groceries). The hooks and bungee arrangement is holding up well so far, tho the plastic coating for the hooks is falling apart. This is after about 6 months of use. They are absolutely not waterproof or even very water resistant, so if that's a factor, you'll want a higher end pannier.

I don't expect these panniers to last for the 10-15 years a typical backpack lasts me. But then again, I didn't spend anywhere near as much either. If they last for several more years of grocery duty, I'll have gotten my money's worth out of them.

If I were doing it over, I'd go for something that's a similar size and more water resistant. The groceries don't care, but library books and clothes do.

Machka 

No Axiom panniers are not water resistant, but that's OK. I just put all my stuff in a large garbage bag inside, and it's all good.

And ... you get 10-15 years out of a backpack? I was just looking at mine today and hoping it would last one more year, and that would be 4 years. I'm amazed it has lasted this long, but this one is a fairly high end one. Usually I go through a backpack a year. But then ... I use my backpacks 5+ days a week year round.

Black Shuck

The rubberized attachment hooks on my Champlain panners were crap. The rubber tore afer a few uses, and had to be fixed with electrical tape. Apart from that they're pretty good, big bags that stand a bit of abuse. They do soak through after a few days of spray from the rear tire but i took care to empy and dry them every chance i got.

Fueled by Boh

I have the journey rear rack and i really like it. sturdy mounting hardware-- no metal straps. i also have the typhoons, nice panniers. i've never tested their waterproofness, though.

Torrilin

I have slightly lower daily use numbers - the last one probably averaged 3 days a week over 15 years. Just when it got used, it was hauling 30-50lbs. High school and college were 30-50lbs 5 days a week, and when I wasn't in school, it was used for groceries, library trips and as my suitcase. The last one was LL Bean, so the new one is LL Bean as well. It's not getting anywhere near the use the old one did, since if I can bike, the panniers work better for a load. The old one got run over by a minivan once, and got used for another decade afterwards. My sister and brother had the same model, and my brother got tired of it long before it wore out. My sister's had a premature zipper failure at about 8 years. A friend had roughly the same pack, and hers lasted about 8 years. Zipper failure again. (the bean bags have a double pull zipper, so if *both* pulls on a pocket fail, you're a bit stuck)

I'd be *very* upset if a pack died after only 4 years.

I will note I've always been fussy about loading, so zippers don't get stressed to death. And the straps on a Bean bag will *look* like they're about to fall out at any minute after a year or three of use. It's ok, normal and they'll keep on going like the energizer bunny for years like that.

Machka 

And I'd be thrilled if mine lasts that long! Like I said, this particular one is at the 3 year mark and has lasted about 2 years longer than any of my previous backpacks.

I also carry quite a bit of weight in mine (half the University library), and unfortunately the zippers do get strained trying to stuff so many books in.

xiaodidi

Huh ?

Even the $30 Seymours are "water resistant"... (600 Denier)

If you move up to the Journey series with 1000 Denier, it gets better. They even come standard with nice yellow covers just in case. I have two sets of these, Kootenay and LaSalles, and I don't need Glad bags.

Then there are the Axiom waterproof panniers like the Monsoon & Typhoons.

I don't have any Axiom racks yet, but I actually just ordered a set of front racks to try (can't beat the $20 price). If they are anything like their Journey series bags, then I expect a quality product at a very fair price.

https://www.axiomgear.com/product/bag...13fa6b4a256426

Machka 

I actually meant waterproof, but in reality they are barely water resistant ... maybe in a light drizzle, but not in the rains I ride in.

Now, the combination of the garbage bag and pannier cover works well.

Torrilin

The Seymours will take on enough water to damage a paperback book in 10 minutes if it's raining (not misting, not drizzling, not light rain). I'm very pleased with them for my purposes, but it is misleading to call them water resistant. A down bag or tent would get soaked very quickly, and that's not good for an inexperienced tourist.

I have gear that will hold up to rain for 20-30 minutes (at least, I've never done a test to destruction). There, I feel quite comfortable in calling it water resistant.

Skewer

You have a great website. And I like the utility, grey/black look of those LaSalle panniers. It looks like they are your only only panniers, that you mostly run them on the front along with a handlebar bag, then strap your tent, pad and sleeping bag on the back rack, is that right? What kind of rack do you have in the front?