Ortlieb panniers or ...?

[HobbesOnTour]

I dont take a tent. I have a bivvy bag and a poncho which doubles up as a basha. my airbed is an Exped Air ultra light. I found a lot of the heavy kit I carried was electrical charging gear. I now have a SON 28 dynamo and an Igaro D1 and so I dont need charging kit.

Thanks for the reply.
Is it the case that you used to use a tent or has it always been the bivvy bag? What's the most number of nights in a row that you've used the bivvy bag?
And cooking gear? Did you drop that or just never carry it?

I don't mean to come across as picky - I'm just genuinely curious about how people "slim down" from panniers to a bikepacking setup.

For example, I too have a Son dynamo and a usb charging unit. The only packing advantage it delivers is that I don't need to carry a plug - but for anything longer than a weekend I would carry a plug anyway because mains charging is quicker (when available).
I have a pretty good bivvy bag and I have enjoyed a few nights in it, but I could not imagine heading off for anything longer than a weekend without the security of a tent.

And where do you carry things like a camera, phone, wallet, passport, snacks etc.? I'm assuming that the front pack means there is no handlebar bag for these things?

I can imagine using a bikepacking setup for a well planned weekend trip, but I just don't see the viability for an "indefinite" trip. I know I could do it that way, but I don't see myself being particularly comfortable while doing it.
Convince me! Please!

 

[Blue Hills]

Ah a belt and braces kinda guy ..

I'm afraid i like to live life on the edge - and take only one very lightweight meths stove set up - Trangia are heavy

i too make merry with any available eateries along the way.

Sorry - why is it that you are going to get your panniers chucked in a lake??

you gave the impression that you met a woman along the way - that you told her she was gorgeous enough to pose in front of your bike, panniers and camping clobber. Maybe I misunderstood.
all the best

 

[rogerzilla]

I have a set of front and back rollers. They're ok, they go on and off easily but they're not the easiest things to fasten (the clue's in the name).

 

[mudsticks]

you gave the impression that you met a woman along the way - that you told her she was gorgeous enough to pose in front of your bike, panniers and camping clobber. Maybe I misunderstood.
all the best

I think she already knew she was gorgeous enough...
Not that I would disbar folks from standing by my bike based on looks..

But I still don't get the panniers in the lake thing?? Is it a Cycle Chat ritual I've not come across yet??

I really hope not, I can swim OK but not that brilliant at diving...

 

[Blue Hills]

As in offended at/rejecting a line mudsticks.

 

[mudsticks]

As in offended at/rejecting a line mudsticks.

Aha - all these uber chunky, super waterproof ortlieb panniers are starting to make sense now -

Insurance against, and added buoyancy too, should they get thrown off a bridge, when ones advances are misjudged.

I'd love to know, if such a thing has actually ever happened to anyone.

In the meantime - Back to the lighter weight panniers.

 

[uphillstruggler]

I borrowed a mates ortlieb panniers a while ago. they were a massive step up from some I bought from Halfords, one handed removal and refitting. the clips were good too.

I set about looking for something similar without the price tag and found these - Altura Sonic 40 Waterproof Pannier. I haven't toured with them yet but I have had both loaded fully when out shopping and they work just as well, one handed operation, robust and fully waterproof. time will tell but at the £70 I paid for the pair, it was worth the gamble. even If they prove not to be as waterproof, the money I saved can pay for lots of liners.

I will post a review when I have used them fully later this year.

not sure if any of that helps though

 

[Pat "5mph"]

On the by, for folks looking to buy the real Ortliebs cheaper, Ebay sometimes has second hand ones for sale, little used.
I got a pair for £50 delivered a couple of years ago, with straps, hooks in different sizes, a repair kit.
All I had to do was to give them a wipe, I am pretty sure they will outlive me!
Downside on a second hand Ortlieb bargain is, imo, the best buys are always black or yellow items.
I prefer red, but beggars can't be choosers

 

[Blue Hills]

I borrowed a mates ortlieb panniers a while ago. they were a massive step up from some I bought from Halfords, one handed removal and refitting. the clips were good too.

I set about looking for something similar without the price tag and found these - Altura Sonic 40 Waterproof Pannier. I haven't toured with them yet but I have had both loaded fully when out shopping and they work just as well, one handed operation, robust and fully waterproof. time will tell but at the £70 I paid for the pair, it was worth the gamble. even If they prove not to be as waterproof, the money I saved can pay for lots of liners.

I will post a review when I have used them fully later this year.

not sure if any of that helps though

Good find.

These I assume:

https://www.evanscycles.com/altura-sonic-40-waterproof-panniers-pair-EV312812

I see that they have the better Altura fastening system - the one with the red button. That is possibly better than Ortlieb's system - definitely better than the systems before 2.1 with the drop-out inserts.

I wouldn't expect them to leak.

 

[Mike Ayling]

The white Ortliebs look better if you want to stay classy. Also easier to find things inside.

Depends where you ride:
On a coach tour in outback Queensland our driver stopped to offer water to a touring cyclist when the temperature was 40C.
I can tell you that the white Ortliebs don't look too flash when coated with red outback dust! Red would be much more suitable in these circumstances!

Mike

 

[uphillstruggler]

Good find.

These I assume:

https://www.evanscycles.com/altura-sonic-40-waterproof-panniers-pair-EV312812

I see that they have the better Altura fastening system - the one with the red button. That is possibly better than Ortlieb's system - definitely better than the systems before 2.1 with the drop-out inserts.

I wouldn't expect them to leak.

That's the ones, I don't expect them to leak either but can't say for sure yet as I haven't been caught out with them

I'm pleased with them quality wise though.

 

[Blue Hills]

On the by, for folks looking to buy the real Ortliebs cheaper, Ebay sometimes has second hand ones for sale, little used.
I got a pair for £50 delivered a couple of years ago, with straps, hooks in different sizes, a repair kit.
All I had to do was to give them a wipe, I am pretty sure they will outlive me!
Downside on a second hand Ortlieb bargain is, imo, the best buys are always black or yellow items.
I prefer red, but beggars can't be choosers

Yes. I got a pair of backrollers for £30, now my favourite shopping panniers. As you say they wear very well, my 20 year old backpackers still look like new. I did recently upgrade the hook system to 2.1 - another good thing about ortliebs - easy availability of spares. My three sets of ortliebs will also doubtless outlive me. Better get writing that will I suppose.

 

[mudsticks]

Yes. I got a pair of backrollers for £30, now my favourite shopping panniers. As you say they wear very well, my 20 year old backpackers still look like new. I did recently upgrade the hook system to 2.1 - another good thing about ortliebs - easy availability of spares. My three sets of ortliebs will also doubtless outlive me. Better get writing that will I suppose.

Could I be a total nerd and ask you how much those ortlieb weigh??

I'm hoping before tooo long, to do longer trips, in more remote places, so although I'm always looking to keep weight down, I might want sturdier too.

Rock ripped panniers, spilling their contents, miles from anywhere might not be so clever..

 

[Blue Hills]

I could weigh them mudsticks but judging by the mounting system they are quite an old model so I use them for shopping, not touring. I would check online, if all else fails on the ortlieb site. To tell the truth, I don't think weight is an issue with touring panniers, definitely not with my style of packing.

 

[Blue Hills]

Depends where you ride:
On a coach tour in outback Queensland our driver stopped to offer water to a touring cyclist when the temperature was 40C.
I can tell you that the white Ortliebs don't look too flash when coated with red outback dust! Red would be much more suitable in these circumstances!

Mike

Quite, but at least we now know the "classy" iindividual responsible for the white ones. Bivvying or even tenting I often leave the ortliebs outside, even if rain is expected. For of course they won't leak. Pretty sure they wouldn't look great in the morning if white, might get some askance looks from folks looking at the soiling or what they imagined to be something worse.