panniers 101

[auntiebobo]

I have the Trek Interchange rack and panniers as well as the bag that sits on top of the rack. I love the versatility of having all three pieces to swap out as I need. I use the two panniers for commuting with my laptop in one side and my change of clothes in the other. They snap in and out very quickly and are very secure when clicked in. The panniers have yellow rain covers which I've never used since I'm a rain riding wimp. They can be pricey but I found a set a 'last years' model at a lbs and got a pretty good deal.

[tulip]

surgtech, what are you going to be carrying in your panniers? How far are you going to be going, and what type of surfaces--city streets, country roads, single-track (!)?

I commuted for years with my laptop in an Arkel laptop pannier. It's very nice, but some folks complain about heal strike. I placed it as far back on my rack as I could (the pannier adjusts). When I needed to, I had another pannier for clothes, but they typically fit into the Arkel. This pannier suspends the laptop, which keeps it from getting too much vibration.

Ortlieb and Arkel are probably the best panniers out there, in my experience. I had no trouble balancing with just one pannier while I was riding, but walking my bike up my front stairs was a bit more challenging because of the weight on one side.

[surgtech1956]

Commuting to work and running errands - city streets, country roads - no gravel roads, not more than 30 miles round trip. Do you take the panniers off when you leave your bike or are there some that have a strap - I've noticed some of the rear trunks have a shoulder strap. I'm almost thinking that maybe a rear bag might work - I don't have to carry clothes(I wear scrubs).

[withm]

I am also looking in to panniers and or a trunk bag.

For riding to work in the past I have a very small lightweight backpack that I could carry on the rack with bungy cords. I could stuff whatever I needed to carry to work, including a thermos of coffee, lunch, a clean shirt and underwear, clothes, jacket, arm warmers, whatever layers I might need for the ride home. And bare minimum = small wallet, glasses, phones (personal cell, and work cell). It fits but as the weather got cooler and the clothes a little bulkier, it was harder to stuff the stuff into the backpack. I can wear jeans or khaki pants for work every day, and usually a polo shirt - w/company logo. So I keep some at work and when I drive I can swap out the clothes at work.

So I've been looking at rack trunks and some might be big enough. I don't carry a laptop so it might work. I've found some with drop down panniers - sort of like elephant ears that you could put extra stuff, esp if you stopped at the store on the way home. Trek has one like that, and so does, oh I forget, but it might have been on the REI website, or Jaand maybe. I will probably buy an expandable trunk bag and see how that goes for work. Then for grocery shopping I'll get a set of real panniers I think.

I need to query the participants for the C&O Canal trip about what to be packing for that, or if we can con someone into accompanying us in a car to carry our gear for us.

It looks like Ortleib and Arkel make some pretty nice stuff, but none of the LBS near me have anything like that in the store.

[Zen]

I am also looking in to panniers and or a trunk bag.


It looks like Ortleib and Arkel make some pretty nice stuff, but none of the LBS near me have anything like that in the store.

I'm looking for some too, the Arkel's look very nice.
Bike Doctor has the elephant ear trunk bag in stock but it's a commuter bag, not for touring (nice though).

I got some from Performance that will probably do the job but I'm afraid they won't fit well. Besides, I've learned it doesn't pay to be cheap

Let me know if you find anything interesting.

[withm]

Zen,

When I was in DC a couple weeks ago I went to Citibikes in Chevy Chase, Performance, and REI in (Rockville). Citibikes had Jaand and had some really nice looking stuff. Didn't want to buy till I had seen some stuff at other shops as well. Performance did not have much in stock, and there was a small child throwing a temper tantrum and being ignored by its parents - for about 20 minutes. Finally after not getting any salesperson to help me, going crazy for the noise, and worried about being late for my concert tix I put the bag down that I almost bought and left. Sigh. REI had the elephant ear bags but they all seemed to require a special rack to slide them on. They wouldn't be big enough for the C & O trip so I gave them a pass... for now.

Yesterday I went to my favorite shop here, and talked at length to the guy about them. He didn't have much in stock, one Ortleib, but he recommends the Jaand bags. He will order some in for me to look at. Probably not a lot of touring folks around here, but that's the shop they would go to if they were in the market so even if I don't buy them, someone will. Cost is probably the same at Ortleib and Arkel when all is said and done. I think in 4-5 days we should count on rain, esp in Oct - the tail end of hurricane season. The better bags have rain covers... and if there has been rain, we'd probably want to be using them cause the path will throw up lots of mud if it's wet.

I did buy this one at my LBS - the Trek grocery pannier bag. So far I love it but the inside pocket is way too small. Should be at least big enough to slip the bills in when I go to take the mail to PO. Might have to alter it somehow.

http://store.trekbikes.com/jump.jsp?...&bShopOnline=1

He said to gather up all the stuff I think I would want to take and see how much space I need to pack it all. Cause I have no idea how big of a bag I need to get? Are we talking 5 days for this little jaunt? So much planning to do. Lots of stuff on Crazy Guy to read.

[Zen]

I bought these from Performance. Are they the same ones you almost bought?
http://www.performancebike.com/shop/...tegory_ID=2312
The price is right and I don't want to spend a lot for something I may never use again.
For you commuters it's a different story.

I looked at these too.
http://www.timberwolfsports.com/shop...products_id=82
I don't like buying these without seeing them first.

Grrrr. After all this I'll probably end up keeping the Performance bags