Anybody got these bikepacking bags? Or get ortlieb?

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OP
OP
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Lauris

Active Member
just do it, stop messing around

sounds like you want the ortlieb and you won't be happy with anything else
You are right!

BUT

Now I have discovered they make panniers too!!! :biggrin: :biggrin:

2 bags = 40L for £70-80

The trio of bike-packing bags is £260 and all together would give me 35L

...
 

dnrc

Veteran
Location
Norwich
I actually have some ortlieb back roller plus which are great. toured a few years ago with them and it was good

I then went down the rabbit hole of bikepacking gear. I got front and frame bags and did some MYOG for the rear. ended up the last year or 2 with bikepacking gear, i can't however quite carry enough to be comfortable with the standard BP setup so also take a backpack. I was cycling through europe in the heat and hated having the backpack on. I rode quite a bit with my backpack perilously draped over the handlebars. I even recently tried a pelago front rack with a restrap front bag on top but that just made the front heavy.

This year i am going back in time (sort of) and have bought the ortlieb gravel panniers. those lightly packed with the tent on top of the rack along with my frame bag and salsa anything cradle on the front will carry everything i need and have extra space for food and beer without putting anything on my back

2 gravel panniers is 25 litres. I have a 13 litre alpkit bag on the anything cradle and the frame bag for electrics and tools etc.

I don't fully agree that panniers will catch on things, certainly the smaller ones will be within the outline of my body, and I see all the time people "bikepacking" with small panniers low on the front of their bikes which surely is worse for catching things than having them higher up on the back behind the riders legs

anyway, long winded stream of bullshit over:

TL DR - panniers will likely be fine
 

silva

Über Member
Location
Belgium
My experience is that if specs are as detailed as "lightweight hard wearing material", it's crap.
Sellers of quality actually state the material. Alike "x mm thick canvas".

Trouble with alot rear racks is that they're too short for panniers, they don't support their back sides, causing these to hang over towards tyre/wheel, hit the tyre, hooks get worn off, etc.
Even the so called "TravelRack XL" I have on my dedicated travel bike. Based on that name, I assumed they'd end the era of damaged panniers and my constructions to prevent it. They didn't. It was just the same problem. I asked why they were named "XL" while they were even shorter than my previous already too short ones. Their answer: the "XL" referenced strength not size. The next moment I concluded I was sold crap (once again). The rack is still doing the job, but not because like how they built/mounted it, but because I corrected the problems.

Yesterday I saw a really extraordinary (on that subject) bike. An electric one with a kinda heavy looking mostly square tubed frame. It had a rear rack with a length of close to a full metre. With huge panniers mounted on it, with that entire length. Bad luck though, didn't have the chance to take a closer look (brand/model), someone rode it away.
The frame back part was like longer than usual too.
 
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HelenD123

Guru
Location
York
I don't fully agree that panniers will catch on things, certainly the smaller ones will be within the outline of my body, and I see all the time people "bikepacking" with small panniers low on the front of their bikes which surely is worse for catching things than having them higher up on the back behind the riders legs
Fair point. I was thinking of full to bursting 20 litre panniers. There will be a half way house using smaller panniers on the back.

To a large extent, until you get out on the road/trail and try a trip you won't know what style of trip you like and thus what bags you'll need. But you need some bags to do the trip. It's a catch 22. The ideal is to have someone you can borrow the kit off to try.
 
OP
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Lauris

Active Member
Honestly, I still can't make my mind up... :/

The only reason I see to get bikepacking bags is if you want better aerodynamics.

The clearance is debatable I think, I saw people ride off road with huge panniers and no problem.
 

dnrc

Veteran
Location
Norwich
i think bikepacking luggage may have aerodynamic/trail riding advantages but it also makes you think lots about the other crap you take with you and it's weight and size

I have concluded i can manage with full bikepacking luggage if i have to but i want a little bit more room so have settled halfway between

as helen said and as I am sort of saying is that you only reach this type of conclusion with experience which you don't have yet. You need to just buy/borrow something any try things out for yourself.

you wont go far wrong with ortlieb stuff whatever you decide
 

HelenD123

Guru
Location
York
you wont go far wrong with ortlieb stuff whatever you decide

I was going to say that Ortlieb would be easy to sell on if you changed your mind, then wondered whether you've looked at buying second hand in the first place. Ortlieb gear is built to last and you can get spare parts so that could be a good bet.
 
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Lauris

Active Member
I was going to say that Ortlieb would be easy to sell on if you changed your mind, then wondered whether you've looked at buying second hand in the first place. Ortlieb gear is built to last and you can get spare parts so that could be a good bet.

I found some cheap ones on eBay "Rockbros" they look like copied from ortlieb :biggrin:. I could get the whole bundle for £100.
Ortlieb seat pack alone costs £100. :biggrin:
But for ortlieb resale value is there for sure.
Wonder if anyone has rock bros stuff on here...
 
Location
España
@Lauris I'm far from a bikepacker but there's one bit of advice up the thread that is really important - get out and try some things, figure out what works for you.

i typically carry 4 panniers and a rackbag, sometimes a trailer and I haven't found a place I can't go yet. (I could be faster, sure, but I'm generally not interested in speed).

I'm in awe of people who can do trips of a week or more on a bikepacking setup - I need my comforts.

One thing about panniers is that they hold more with less faffing. Simply, that means that you can use them to do more - shopping for example. Commuting too. The more time on the bike, the better.

Finally, I think it's far better to spend money on experiences rather than things. Your £260 for the Ortlieb bikepacking setup would cover me for a summer of weekend trips.

Buy cheap, second hand, get out and try it and with experience buy what you need.

Good luck!
 
OP
OP
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Lauris

Active Member
@Lauris I'm far from a bikepacker but there's one bit of advice up the thread that is really important - get out and try some things, figure out what works for you.

i typically carry 4 panniers and a rackbag, sometimes a trailer and I haven't found a place I can't go yet. (I could be faster, sure, but I'm generally not interested in speed).

I'm in awe of people who can do trips of a week or more on a bikepacking setup - I need my comforts.

One thing about panniers is that they hold more with less faffing. Simply, that means that you can use them to do more - shopping for example. Commuting too. The more time on the bike, the better.

Finally, I think it's far better to spend money on experiences rather than things. Your £260 for the Ortlieb bikepacking setup would cover me for a summer of weekend trips.

Buy cheap, second hand, get out and try it and with experience buy what you need.

Good luck!

Hi


Very well said,

Thanks a lot.

I will will follow this approach :smile:
 

HelenD123

Guru
Location
York
I did my first solo tour with a £20something tent from Argos wrapped in a bag for life and strapped to my rear rack. A friend of mine commuted for years with a rucksack bungied to his rack. Get creative with what you already have and go for an overnight. There's fun to be had from gear shopping (I love browsing tents!) but much more fun to be had from a trip.
 
OP
OP
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Lauris

Active Member
I did my first solo tour with a £20something tent from Argos wrapped in a bag for life and strapped to my rear rack. A friend of mine commuted for years with a rucksack bungied to his rack. Get creative with what you already have and go for an overnight. There's fun to be had from gear shopping (I love browsing tents!) but much more fun to be had from a trip.


Yeah, I have a £20 tent and £15 sleeping bag! :biggrin: And a £6 Mat

Anyway,

Today I bought Ortlieb 16.5L seat pack and 15L handlebar bag and rock bros 1L top tube bag from eBay.

Going to test the gear see if it will all fits. Then decide if I need an additional frame bag.
 
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