£1.33 pannier bags from aliexpress..

[thelarkbox]

After my first posts and pics of my bike some wise members advised me to consider pannier carriers for the rear rather than the higher centre of gravity black plastic box currently fitted.

So when i was presented with a special offer from an aliexpress seller I had to bite, and they finally arrived..

hmmmm

Well i had some grey rain gutter down pipe so i cut some lengths and flattened them out to create spoke guards as the panniers wanted to sit between the frame and rear carrier support prone to the rotating wheel spokes .. and without the plastic tube guards there would be nothing to secure the bags to.

Pics will follow but its not nice out tonight..

Size wise, they are smaller than i expected but not too small.. circa one full corner shop flimsy carrier bag full per pannier, which is a useful shopping volume..

 

[guerney]

If they're anything like my cheapos, probably not very waterproof - I use this:

Waterproof Orange Cover for Bicycle Bike Double Side Pannier Rear Rack Trunk Bag | eBay

Waterproof cover for Double side Rear Rack Pannier. - Cover made of 100% waterproof Polyester fabric. - Tape strengthening and stiffening the structure. - Orange colour. - Long reflective tape. Happy Frog Ltd was born in 2011.

www.ebay.co.uk

They're cheaper in green for some reason.

Waterproof Hi Viz Bike Bicycle Double Rear Pannier Bag Rain Cover Cycling UK | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Waterproof Hi Viz Bike Bicycle Double Rear Pannier Bag Rain Cover Cycling UK at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[Bikes4two]

When I first started cycle touring I couldn't afford Ortleib so went for Altura Dryliner I think they were called and indeed they kept the kit dry in all sorts of weather.

As good as they were I always kept the stuff inside in poly bags as much for internal organising as anything else.

When wet they were relatively heavy and took a while to dry and on reflection I'd have been as well off with their standard panniers (Aran) as cheaper and lighter or even something cheaper still.

All I look for in panniers now is how well they connect to the pannier rack - good solid upper hooks that click into place and solid lower attachments (ie not simple hooks on rubber bands).

 

[guerney]

As good as they were I always kept the stuff inside in poly bags as much for internal organising as anything else.

After a camera got soggy last year, despite my rucksack supposedly being well waterproofed, everything water vulnerable now gets stuffed into 100% waterproof roll top bags of various sizes.

 

[Scorpio]

A shopping basket filled level is about the right quantity for my panniers so it's easy to avoid buying too much.

I always have a carabiner (spring loaded keyring clip) on the back of my seat, very handy to secure the top of a rucksack that's too tall to fit in the panniers.

A plastic basket as used at fruit markets is useful - if you bolt it to the top of your rack it clamps the panniers in place and gives you more carry / storage space.

 

[thelarkbox]

Thanks for the links to the covers @guerney So far my only water related concern is leaving them unzipped in a rainstorm and coming back to liters of water contained in the bags, no drain hole as standard.. , Initial inspection indicates a nice waxy sheen to the fabric, but time will reveal the truth the uncovered zips and attaching fabric strip are a weak point for water ingress during heavy rain.

Not my solution for a week+ cycling trek trip, just a handy carrier for daily shopping/use..

 

[guerney]

Mine are very fine drizzle-resistant. The stitching on cheapo bags weaken with rain (they should use silk thread, which get stronger when wet), but the good news is, it's only...

£1.33

...for another one.