Ortleib panniers: unpicking the differences

[Smurf23]

I'm looking at getting a set of ortleib panniers for commuting (rural) and touring on my cyclocross bike. I'm having a bit of difficulty unpicking the exact differences between the back roller classic, city and plus. Obviously that spans a price range from about £55 to over £100. I have googled and checked the ortleib website. In practical terms whats the difference between them all?

 

[ufkacbln]

Where to start?

The classic has a heavier duty and the QL1 fittings
The plus has a lighter material with the QL2 fittings
The City has a lighter material (I think) and the QL1 system

The Classic and plus have two straps.
One fits over the top of the pannier aned enables fitting of rack bags, the other is a roll top that can either fasten to itself or take a shoulder strap
The City closes in the same way, but the fastenings are on the side of the bag

For me the deciding factor was the fitting system. The QL2 does not require tools and the lower fitting has a height adjustability thatthe QL1 lacks

 

[steveindenmark]

I have a few sets of Orleibs in my shed.

Mine are 2 different fabrics. They are both waterproof but one is very soft and smooth and feels like cotton. The other looks and feels like a rubberised fabric and it shines like plastic. But I cannot remember which models they are.

I prefer the rubberised version. It looks and feels much tougher than the cotton fabric one.

Its the roller classics that are the rubberised version. Tough as nails they are.

 

[e-rider]

the classic and the plus differ in materials and fitting mechanism - the plus is supposed to be an upgrade!
The city is a slimmed down cheaper version of the Classic
I have the 'mid-range' classics and you can't go wrong with those - the only difficult decision is choosing the colour!!!
I went with Black but wish I'd gone for orange now, although they seem to be discountinuing the orange colour now

 

[Brains]

Just to add to the confusion, they come in 2 different sizes, large and small

I've had a pair of the large roller classics for about the last 15 years, used daily, still waterproof, still working

 

[StuAff]

Have a pair of the City Back Rollers. Material is identical to the Classics.

 

[slowmotion]

I've got a pair of Back Roller Classics which have the rubberised fabric. The rack clip system is extremely good...You can put a pannier on and take it off again in just a few seconds. They look slightly retro ( WWII Wehrmacht motorbike courier ) and are entirely wonderful.

 

[Brains]

Start looking here
https://www.ortlieb.com/en/produkte/radtasche/

 

[andrew_s]

The Plus material is meant to be both lighter and longer lasting than the Classic material (should you still be using the same panniers in 20 years time).
The fastening on the City (roll over then clip to the sides) doesn't allow the same possibility of over-filling the pannier and still closing it that the Classic does (either roll over and hold down by hooking the straps under the front hook, or fold the rolled top up and clip the ends together). You can't clip the rolled ends of the City together because both ends have the same gender fasteners. The City also doesn't have an internal pocket.

 

[RobinS]

The latest Classics have the QL 2.1 fitting as well.
If you want a big choice try

http://www.bikeinn.com/bike/bags-and-covers-panniers/4127/s#ajax

We got ours from there earlier this year. Delivery takes a bit longer than they say, as they seem to have to get stock in from Ortlieb, and they do very good prices, and a much bigger range than in the UK - enables you to have rarely seen colours!

 

[fossyant]

Front roller classics for commuting.