Yes, the clips are a weak point. I haven't broken a clip in over 10,000 miles of touring, however I've met many, many others who have. The clips on the front panniers seem especially prone to failure. Granted, people with broken clips seem to fill their bags with as much as possible and then strap on a water bottle or two whereas I try to keep my bags lightly loaded (F=ma, even on a bicycle). Other cycle tourists also report problems with the lower hooks. Given the price point, I'd like to see Ortlieb increase the strength of their clips (and perhaps include an option to lock the bags to the rack too). It would be worth the piece of mind. Despite my efforts at traveling relatively light, the possibility of a break seems realistic given what I've seen.
