Zrane

I don't have a long tail or anything fancy, but I need some extra carrying capacity on my bike. Currently, the only pannier I own is an Ortlieb Office Bag which isn't great for the store due to shape and rigidity(Made for a laptop).

Any recommendations on rear panniers for grocery getting? No front rack or basket on the bike.

Yo Spiff

I have some REI grocery panniers that were on clearance for $25 each. They are just about the size of a paper grocery sack and have long straps for carrying with a full load. They also fold up flat when not in use. Performance, Nashbar and many others make similar grocery panniers.
Nashbar Townie basket

Performance TransIt grocery pannier

Nightshade

What he said................

etw

You can check out

https://detours.us/store/panniers/

I just bought one of the handlebar bags for my wife and it seems very well designed and well made.

fietsbob

Since you have 1 Ortlieb, look at their shopping bag for the other side.
Its their back roller bag ,but, with the waterproof TiZip closure, sold singly,
the shoulder strap makes off the bike carries easy.

I use my Ortlieb roller bags in the checkout, and the store , which
gives me a $ .05 credit, each time I don't need a disposable paper or plastic carry bag.

kookaburra1701

I have some Biria Shopper pannier from Amazon - I got them because they were the cheapest ones that still had flaps to keep the weather off, which is critical up here in the PNW. I tried to get a link, but I can't find it on Amazon anymore! Here's a pic from this morning:

bugly64

I really like my Lone Peak P500 rear panniers over any other regardless of the journey.

hotbike

I made these panniers from a sheet of Coroplast tm .

Click on this link to see how the board was marked, cut, and folded:

https://s134.photobucket.com/albums/q...t=IMG_0913.jpg

Just go through the photostream, it's a step-by-step instructional.

troysmith80

I recently came across www.donkeyboxx.com while web surfing and really like the look of their panniers. Get a few reusable cloth shopping bags and keep 'em in the box, then go shopping and just drop the full bags in the donkey boxes.

no1mad 

I have an older pair of Nashbar Townies that work for me. That being said, I remember tsl posting a pic where he had a Townie on one side (what he started with) and an Arkel Shopper (what he upgraded to) on the other. The Arkel is larger by far- and that's before deploying the fabric shroud that allows you to essentially overstuff the pannier.

no1mad 

I came across the site as well a few months back, but revisited earlier today. They rate them at 30 pound capacity- tested by filling them up 3/4 full with sand. Real tempted to put them on a dedicated grocery getter, if I ever get around to getting one...

somberbear

I have a set of banjo brothers market bags ... they work great. The big down side for me was how they attached did not like my racks so i had to mess around to get them to fit.



but i found a soft sided rolling cooler that folded up. A few more trips to the hardware store and i should have it set up. it had a metal frame on the back i am building the hooks on... and then elastic down. a couple of nylon straps to fold it up nice and small, and piece of plastic in the bottom of the cargo area to reinforce it which is a cutting board. just find one the size you want. and a bonus the ice cream might not melt on the ride home.

AltheCyclist

I use a pair of Transit Epic pannier bags. They're marketed for touring, since they're big, but I've found they hold a lot of groceries.
One advantage is that they have adjustable straps for tying them to the pannier rack (instead of a rubber bungee that just dangles down).
So, they don't sway at all, and if you really tighten them down, they're really difficult to remove (this keeps them from disappearing with a thief). So, I just leave them on all the time, and haven't had problems; they have a bunch of pockets, too, so can hide a patch kit, spare tube, etc.
Only disadvantage is that since they're big, have to mount them back farther (if your rack can do this), a small rack might leave them in the heel strike zone.

Artkansas 

I use SunLite Grocery Getters. Canvas and adaptable.

Ghazmh

Does anyone have experience with the Ortlieb Grocery Panniers? They seem awfully pricey.

LouB 

Ortlieb Velo Shopper. Take them into the store, load them up, set them on the check out counter and have the clerk load them up. I've carried 35+lbs. No plastic bags needed. Love em.

fietsbob

Same idea, my Ortlieb Back Roller is used often, for grocery hauling..

It goes on the check-out belt first..

store used to have a 5 cent credit to not use a carry bag, generosity is too briefly offered..





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FBinNY 

My favorites have always been the Jandd ones. They're easy on and off, fit a standard paper grocery bag perfectly, and fold flat when not in use. However, there are now many less pricey copies out there.

Velo Mule

My problem with these bags is my heel hitting the bag. I have Transit bags designed to fit a paper grocery bag. I have to put them all the way back on the rack and my heel will still hit occasionally.

I like some of ones posted, but still am concerned about heel strike. No, I don't have big feet.

FBinNY 

Many bags use a stiffening/support rail to which the two hooks are mounted. Some of these provide for moving the hooks to shift the position when on a rack. Even when it's not provided for, it's still possible on many designs, if you're a bit creative.

fietsbob

Ortlieb uses a slot in the top rail, for the top hooks.. by moving the hooks forward, the panniers shift rearward,

They also made the bottom hook adjustable.




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flangehead

Not exactly on OP request, but for my 6 mile round trip home-grocery run I use 2 Basil Milk Bottle wire baskets with a "motorcycle" cargo net. Nice thing is I can carry bulk items such as toilet paper on top, secured by the net.

The only problem I have is keeping the net from tangling. I have a cardboard tube that works but is bulky.

This system works for me.

canklecat

I'm going on almost 18 months with Nashbar Townies, still satisfied. I use 'em at least once a week. Heaviest item I've carried in a single bag is a 20 lb jug of cat litter or a couple of 12 packs of beer. Nothing has torn, broken or worn out.

The Townies are perfectly sized for traditional large paper grocery sacks. Thursday night I did a quick ride to Braum's, which still uses paper sacks. Braum's has great deals on bread and most produce, is only a mile round trip. Just a bit far for a quick walk, but perfect for the errand bike. If they're not busy I just roll the bike inside and leave it near the door -- they don't mind. One sack in each Townie, done and go. If I used cloth totes those would work as well -- most large cloth totes are sized and shaped like paper grocery sacks.

It takes longer with plastic sacks -- I spend at least five minutes just rearranging stuff and securing it with a cargo net and bungees. Larger, deeper wire baskets would be better for stores that use plastic bags.

They could be improved. I'd like to see more sewn-on reflective strips. Drain holes reinforced with brass grommets for getting caught in the rain. The handles are sturdy and a nice touch but not really useful when the bags are opened and filled -- the balance is off. So I use the handles as attachment and cinch points for bungee cords when loading up the rack in addition to the Townies.

But those are minor nits. The Nashbar Townies work well. And there are at least two or three essentially identical designs by various makers. Great choice if you prefer a folding bag that's compact when not needed, and easily removed. The Townies are so low profile I'll occasionally take a 10 mile ride just for recreation, stop for groceries and ride the remaining 10 or so miles home. Even on windy days they're not too bad -- doesn't feel like sails trying to drag the bike sideways.

If I had space for a full time errand bike I'd go for metal baskets like those shown above.