chrome panniers

[pooks]

I'm going to go ahead and buy some panniers for my bike. I've decided to get the metal ones, but am not sure whether to get this kind:

http://www.amazon.com/Wald-13-1-2x6-...941148&sr=8-34

or the collapsible kind:

http://cgi.ebay.com/TWO-New-SILVER-R...QQcmdZViewItem

Do the collapsible ones rattle when they're closed?

Any advice? Thanks!

[mimitabby]

boy those look heavy!
instead look for racks that hold panniers and buy lightweight panniers.

[pooks]

I never thought about them being heavy -- I just figured they wouldn't create much drag since they aren't solid. Hmmm.

I have a bike rack behind the seat; is that what you're talking about? Wanta point me to some lightweight panniers?

And how do you pronounce it? paneers or panyays?

[Grog]

I have the collapsible style in black. I just have one on my city bike currently but I've had two in the past. It does take a rack to put them on, of course.

They're certainly not the lightest thing but they're not that heavy, and I like that they're collapsible. They're always on my bike and get handy when I have an unexpected errand to run. They're not the easiest thing to take on and off the bike, though, so when you're just riding recreationally they're going to stay on. Somehow annoying for me.

This being said, mine doesn't rattle.

A Swedish colleague of mine has this metal wire basket that he hooks up on his rear rack on about 4 seconds. It's really convenient, with a handle to carry it around. It basically looks like a mesh waste basket with a handle! I've never found anything like that here, but I haven't looked thoroughly either.

[pooks]

Thanks, Grog. That pretty much answers my question. It's hard to utility bike when you don't have anything to carry stuff in, except a handlebar bag. I'm especially glad it doesn't rattle, and black is what I was thinking of getting. Or white. Can't make up my mind!

[farrellcollie]

http://www.kettlerdirect.com has a metal mesh rear basket = 8985-500 9. REAR LUGGAGE RACK BASKET
- Quick attachment to luggage rack via 2 pull handles
- Carrying handle

[pooks]

I have one of those and loved it -- until I switched to a Brooks saddle and ended up shoving it all the way back. Now the mesh basket doesn't fit on the rack any more!

http://planetpooks.wordpress.com/2006/06/22/the-basket/

[susiej]

Pooks, that is a sweet basket!

[xeney]

Pooks, if you look at the Amazon page for the collapsing baskets, you'll see that I gave them five stars. They are not lightweight by any means but they hold at least three times as much as the regular grocery panniers that Jeremy uses. He also has problems with groceries falling out of the panniers -- I always have to ride behind him so I can retrieve any lost loaves of bread! And I only notice the weight when I have to carry the bike upstairs.

As I said in my review, if you attach them with zip ties instead of the included hardware, they don't rattle at all. I love them.

[pooks]

Oh, thanks! I remembered you loved yours, Xeney, but couldn't find the old posts where we talked about them. I'm glad I ordered the same ones. They're on the way to me now!

susiej, I love the little basket. I don't know if the bike rack can be adjusted farther back so the basket would fit or not. I just decided if I really wanted to have utility bike, I needed baskets that hold more.