Ortlieb QL1 seems kind of lousy on my rack. Alternatives?
 

I just picked up some Ortlieb Backroller Classics. Chose them because the reviews were so overwhelming positive, and for simplicity and bright yellow color for visibility.

However I'm struggling a bit with the OL1 mounting thing-- specifically the bottom clip. The instructions royally suck-- I'm not even sure what is considered proper positioning of the clip. Just some diagrams with no words. WTF.

There doesn't seem to be a great position for it on my Bontrager Backrack II (pic: http://www.bicisport.es/accesorios/a..._backrack2.jpg). I can't have it in the "V" of the rack because the V isn't deep enough and it gets in the way. In fact I don't think I can position the clip anywhere inside the V. Seems like the only options are on the outside of the vertical bar or the outside of the diagonal bar. Getting the V position on the outside of the vertical bar makes the bag a bit close to my heal. It clears but just barely. Making it outside of the diagonal bar makes putting the bag on/off more of a hassle.

Moreover I was hoping to easily share these with my wife's bike and am kind of disappointed as to how finicky this is.

With my other (low capacity) panniers, it is simple with the traditional spring hook at the bottom.

So my options seem as follows:

1) Keep them and deal with finicky positioning and bike-to-bike transfer issues.
2) Ditch the Bontrager Backrack II for something else. The rack is pretty hefty/sturdy, so I'm not thrilled with this option.
3) Stick with Ortlieb but get the Backroller Plus model with the OL2. I loose the bright, visible colors.
4) Ditch Ortlieb and get those Arkel B-40s at my local shop. Not waterproof without additional covers.

Any opinions? Just weekend tours and commuting.

I have the Ortlieb Classic panniers, and haven't had any mounting problems at all; it takes a hex wrench and a few seconds to adjust the clip at the bottom.

Maybe you could solve the bike-to-bike issue by putting the same type of rack on both bikes?

I'd take the 5th- give them to your wife full time and then get yourself something else. If that's not practical, then go with #2, as racks are helluva lot less expensive than Ortlieb or Arkel panniers...

There are adjustments of the mounting clips (fore and aft), and the clip that is giving you a problem. Between the two there should be a combination that fits your rack and positions it correctly. I've had my classic rollers on three different racks (Tubus Cargo, Blackburn Expedition, and Trek) and have not had a problem.

I suspect that you could mount the lower clip on the upper half of the mounting bracket with the opening facing the front of your bike. Adjust the upper clips to get the desired fore and aft position, then pull the bottom clip up snug so there is no fore and aft play. Just unscrew the bottom clip, and use it as a wedge to change the retainer bolt's position from top to bottom of the oval retainer.

Once adjusted properly they mount and dismount in seconds.

Patiently await the photographs of your actual issues..
personally I have none.

I have 2 sets, 3 pair, I specifically requested the 10mm hook without the inserts
for my tubus racks and x-ferred
the 14 hooks, with 11 and 8mm inserts to the older Ortlieb
onto my bike fridays bags for their front rack,
which had racks needing the 8mm insert in the top hooks..


but you can do as you wish , of course..

If you can't fit an Ortleib to your rack, the problem lies with the rack.

Highly unlikely the bag cannot be fit to the rack. The clip slides and swivels to nearly any position. Keep trying.

+1. Watch this.

I usually mount mine so that the hook goes around one or maybe a couple rack supports, I do not try to stick it inside of a "V" in the rack supports. The bottom bracket really is not that important as it only holds the pannier so that it stays snug against the rack for when you hit bumps or if you crash. The upper rack hooks are what the pannier weight hangs from, those are the important brackets.

Transferring from one rack to another will take a few minutes. If you do it often, you can mark on the pannier where the brackets need to move to for each rack.

The newest ones do not have two (upper and lower) tracks for the lower bracket, only one track. I am not sure when they changed that, I think a year or two ago.

My lower bracket hook does not use a hex wrench, it turns by hand.