Panniers !! (The Best?)

[steve.c]

Hi All.Which are the best panniers ??? I have bought a succession of cheap panniers over the years on eBay and the last ones (£12.50) lasted about a month so I thought right you get what you pay for and bought a set of (Altura Dryline 56ltr Panniers £100 per pair) and what a difference as there's a great locking device which locks onto your rack and lots of little pockets and they take loads of gear and are totally waterproof and the quick release is brilliant you just park it lock it and take your pannier with you and it even has hook up points for shoulder straps connecters )I have even stopped taking my man bag (sorry I'm old??) with me as it's easier to just chuck it in the pannier then just lift it and take it with you also it hooks onto any shopping trolly on the front so you can pack the pannier as you pay at the checkouts brilliant.
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL

 

[tillson]

I'm pleased that you like them. It's like anything else, you get what you pay for. Buy cheap and buy twice, or three times.

 

[Kenny]

I've a pair of these as well. Great panniers, very tough and have a large capacity, but a tad heavy.

I've also got a pair of Altura 42ltr fuse panniers. Same quality fixings but a lot lighter for weight weenies like myself.

 

[cwah]

cheaper altura model:
https://www.cyclestore.co.uk/altura_arran_46_cycling_panniers-ID_9367

 

[Aushiker]

As I do a lot of touring decent panniers are a must and so in my case I have gone with Ortlieb Bike-Plus on the rear/trailer and Sport-Plus on the front but if you check out touring forums you will find other brands of similar quality.

The panniers at work ...

Andrew

 

[mfj197]

I've used Altura Dryline for commuting for the last 5 years and they've never let me down in any sort of weather. In my case I use a single 16 litre one (half of the Dryline 32 pair) and cannot fault it. The only thing that would be nice is an external pocket, but I guess any such pocket wouldn't have the water resistance worthy of the Dryline name?

Great panniers.

Michael

 

[pdarnett]

I've been using these for my daily commute, very sturdy and big! http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00HPWRK9U/ref=pe_385721_37038051_TE_3p_dp_1

 

[steve.c]

I've been using these for my daily commute, very sturdy and big! http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00HPWRK9U/ref=pe_385721_37038051_TE_3p_dp_1
View attachment 10255

They look ok but not for me!!! as I see you can't use them individualy which is a feature I need as I use them on different bikes and one pannier on eBay sold today for £60 and that's for one??? and its great to just unclip it and take it with you.

 

[steve.c]

As I do a lot of touring decent panniers are a must and so in my case I have gone with Ortlieb Bike-Plus on the rear/trailer and Sport-Plus on the front but if you check out touring forums you will find other brands of similar quality.

The panniers at work ...

That looks like hard work peddling that lot around how the hell do you manage the hills!!!! and where was the picture taken! Hats off to you my friend you must be one tough individual (respect).

Andrew

 

[Deleted member 4366]

I used to use panniers, but now I just use a bag with a shoulder strap. It sits out of the way behind my hip when pedalling. You can get them at car boot sales for about a pound. They're so much more convenient than panniers. I have different sizes for different occasions. I can get an over-filled Tesco basket of stuff into my large one. I admit that that sort of weight is not so comfortable, but it's so much easier because you can fill your bag at the checkout.

 

[KirstinS]

I used to use panniers, but now I just use a bag with a shoulder strap. It sits out of the way behind my hip when pedalling. You can get them at car boot sales for about a pound. They're so much more convenient than panniers. I have different sizes for different occasions. I can get an over-filled Tesco basket of stuff into my large one. I admit that that sort of weight is not so comfortable, but it's so much easier because you can fill your bag at the checkout.

With you on this one , single shoulder strap bag is best unless you have serious kilo to transport

 

[Aushiker]

Thankfully not to many hills out there and by the time I got to what we call hills the training had taken effect

That photo was on the road from Gascoyne Junction to Mt Augustus in the Gascoyne region of WA (rough location but was actually probably three days from Mt Augustus when the photo was taken). There had been a flood in 2010 hence no fences and that road was still waiting to be repaired some couple of years later. Oh the stations are all around a million acres in size apparently out there so you get a feel for the vastness pretty quick ... just camp where ever you get to at the end of the day.

No water after Gascoyne Junction until Cobra Station (drinakable)/Mt Augustus (had to purchase bottle water or get it from a billabong) and no water again for about four or five days afterwards, so both sections required carrying around five days of water give or take a day or two and I left Carnarvon a few days before with 20 days of food on board, but only ended up needing 15 hence the trailer and extra panniers. This was the most loaded section of the whole ride.

Andrew

 

[RobF]

I have two pairs, large and small, both cheap and cheerful, one pair from Edinburgh Bike Co-op and one pair from Halfords.

All are performing well, although none will be any more than shower proof.

I deploy at least one for most rides, but expect they would struggle to cope with a proper tour.

For that I would go with the flow and get something from Ortlieb or Altura.

 

[Nealh]

Epic stuff Andrew, away from the mad'ning crowd.

 

[JamesW]

With you on this one , single shoulder strap bag is best unless you have serious kilo to transport

Shoulder strap bags tend to bounce off the bum and end up swinging under your armpit and hitting your knees in my experience. Also have that issue with hockey stick bags.
Prefer Panniers where possible. Started out with Avenir waterproof Panniers from LBS at £20 each, buying one and getting a second when I needed it. Unfortunately clips are time consuming and weak and after about a yesr of use each , I have 3 broken clips on 2 panniers. Have managed to rejig the clips to get a system so I have 1 working pannier, but not before I looked at an alternative. Ortlieb Back Roller Classic in Yellow (so visible) comes with clip on/off shoulder strap, quickly fits onto bike in seconds (1 handles for both catches) comes off even faster and folds flatter than the Avenir ones. Carries everything I need and I know I can buy spares for the assembly when/if they break. Couldn't recommend it more.

Can't leave it locked to bike, but why would I - I take it into the shop to fill at the checkout like D8veh and then cycle the 20miles home without getting clothes/food/laptop wet and don't get a sore shoulder either. Also able to serioulsly overload them (15kg of shopping in 2 panniers with bits poking out the top.) Shopped around and found the price I wanted at SJS, but not in stock in the colour I wanted and Evans price matched for me!

(Was pointed at these by someone I saw carrying the bay with ease at the train station - she'd just left her bike in Cambridge and was using the shoulder strap to make the bag a handbag. She said she had bought a pair with a friend and split the cost and the pair to save them both money!)

 

[Kenny]

No water after Gascoyne Junction until Cobra Station (drinakable)/Mt Augustus (had to purchase bottle water or get it from a billabong) and no water again for about four or five days afterwards, so both sections required carrying around five days of water give or take a day or two and I left Carnarvon a few days before with 20 days of food on board, but only ended up needing 15 hence the trailer and extra panniers. This was the most loaded section of the whole ride.

Andrew[/quote]

Really enjoying reading your adventures on your great website.

Makes my planned Lejog trip seem very tame.

I've been looking at Hub dynamo chargers for the trip. There doesn't seem to be much choice and I see that your PedalPower+ charger wasn't great.

Have you tried any others? The E-WERK seemes the best, but also the most pricey.

 

[rsyme]

I have a set of Willex panniers - totally waterproof (even in Irish downpours!!) and able to carry a real load. I'd recommend them.

Robbie

 

[Aushiker]

Have you tried any others? The E-WERK seemes the best, but also the most pricey.

That is what I am using now. It worked fine on my last six day ride except it didn't play nice with my Garmin Edge 810. Apparently the Edge needs a cache battery between it and the e-Werk which I don't have.

It wasn't a big issue as I carried an Anker battery as well which charged the Edge at night and was easily topped up whilst riding.

The e-Werk was also good for charging my camera battery which required 12V.

Andrew

 

[Cyclezee]

Hi Steve,
Thinking laterally or rather longitudinally, if you have lot of stuff to carry would a trailer work for you?
Available here http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?clk_rvr_id=760538432820&adpos=1o2&MT_ID=11&crlp=50353178551_2113181&device=c&geo_id=32251&keyword=single wheel bike trailer&crdt=0&_nkw=single wheel bike trailer&_sop=15

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