Panniers for off-road commute

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OP
OP
figbat

figbat

Slippery scientist
Thanks for the input so far - some good options. More advice required, if I ma:

I had sort of assumed I would get two panniers and use them both. This comes from motorcycling experience. However it seems that using only one is not only possible but common - how do people find this? Does it impact the ride at all? I think I could get everything I need in one pannier (so far I have done it all in a 25 litre roll-top rucksack). I like the idea of two panniers as I can segregate damp/dirty riding clothes from dry/clean office stuff, but I suspect that would mean having two partially-filled panniers vs one well-filled one. Contents would be a 15" laptop, smart-casual clothes for the office (inc shoes), small washkit, lightweight microfleece towel plus a few odds and ends. Everything has to live in the pannier(s) during the day at the office (for now at least, C-19 restrictions means no leaving stuff lying around to dry).
 

Chief Broom

Veteran
Thanks for the input so far - some good options. More advice required, if I ma:

I had sort of assumed I would get two panniers and use them both. This comes from motorcycling experience. However it seems that using only one is not only possible but common - how do people find this? Does it impact the ride at all? I think I could get everything I need in one pannier (so far I have done it all in a 25 litre roll-top rucksack). I like the idea of two panniers as I can segregate damp/dirty riding clothes from dry/clean office stuff, but I suspect that would mean having two partially-filled panniers vs one well-filled one. Contents would be a 15" laptop, smart-casual clothes for the office (inc shoes), small washkit, lightweight microfleece towel plus a few odds and ends. Everything has to live in the pannier(s) during the day at the office (for now at least, C-19 restrictions means no leaving stuff lying around to dry).
You could get a bag that sits on top of the rack but then dividing contents might be more difficult. Im a newbie but have found panniers really useful since starting riding. Reckon i would go for double panniers in case you need to pick up some shopping or whatever on your travels :okay:
 

lazybloke

Considering a new username
Location
Leafy Surrey
That's the one I have.

Pros: Hideously bright in daylight. Reflective panels for night. Reasonable capacity for commuting. 100% waterproof. Wipe-clean. Rixen & Kaul fixings are a vast improvement on the previous fixings.

Cons: Hideously bright in daylight! Lacking in style. It's just a single pocket, no compartments.




Mine was an earlier spec with basic plastic hooks that used to occasionally unhook and dump the pannier on the ground. I upgraded to Rixen & Kaul twistlock fittings after one of the hooks sheared (see pic). Good to see Lomo have followed my example.

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Pale Rider

Legendary Member
I would be paying some attention to the rack.

Bumping along bridleways with loaded panniers will put some stress on it.

A one word answer is sufficient - Tubus.

Traditional cyclists will curl a lip at the use of a single pannier, but I doubt you'll be bothered about that.

A tip for the road sections is to mount the pannier on the off side.

This gives you more presence from behind.
 

andrew_s

Legendary Member
Location
Gloucester
Waterproof roll top panniers keep water in just as effectively as they keep it out.

That means damp stuff and dry stuff in the same pannier needs to be kept apart with a proper roll top drybag, or the dry stuff will end up damp.
A poly bag won't cut it, because any warmth at any stage will give evaporation, and condensation elsewhere within the pannier.
 

kayakerles

Have a nice ride.
A friend of mine who is a teacher commutes to and from school. Books and papers in one and his computer and lunch and maybe a few things in the other. Swears by his Ortliebs for all the reasons others have mentioned. Apparently he has used them for decades and only owned two sets.

I have 30L lightweight Axiom Seymour DLX 30 Panniers that I got for @
£85, 5 or so years ago. However, they are quite lightweight and I do not commute with a laptop computer.

FigBat, As Pale Rider said, you'll want to pay special attention to how your panniers connect to your rack. One day riding home from work on a trail with my old faithful MTB, a bungee came loose which supposedly helped hold my pannier down onto the rack, it popped off, and that was the end of one of my panniers… Never to be seen again. Lesson learned. The clips possibly breaking is another thing to pay attention to and inspect now and then. I have a bit of rubber in between my rack and the rack clip in the hopes it will give it a slight amount of cushion.

I think the best piece of advice is to go see the panniers you are thinking of buying and trying them out on YOUR bike. It is possible that the bags might be wide enough that once on the rack, it may still be within range of you kicking it with your heels even if the bag is all the way toward the back of the rack. Since most racks have a curve at the back, the bags will not even reach all the way to the back of the rack. Go check them out on YOUR bike. Have yourself a nice fitting experience. It will be worth it in the long run. Get exactly what you know will work on YOUR ride. Keep us posted.

One more thing… My light weight panniers well, “pannier” is listed as “water resistant“ not waterproof. So I also have covers for them that make them waterproof, supposedly. I would much rather have “waterproof” bags if I were riding in weather that is often wet.

My ride with pannier and cover:

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CaptainWheezy

Über Member
Location
Chesterfield
However it seems that using only one is not only possible but common - how do people find this?

I have a pair of Ortlieb front rollers but only ever use one at a time. I keep shoes & trousers at work and just use the one bag for a fairly comprehensive set of tools, spare tubes, remainder of daily clothes (sometimes i take a few days worth in at once) and food. Don't really notice any imbalance or anything.
 

CanucksTraveller

Macho Business Donkey Wrestler
Location
Hertfordshire
I quite often use one pannier, I don't find it affects the ride any, but it can feel a little unbalanced when you're mounting or dismounting so just take a little extra care. Once you're moving you won't really feel it.
The pic below is one pannier fitted and that's got a bag of heavy shopping in it.

Agree with Paley that Tubus is the rack to go for, and whatever pannier you get do make sure it clamps and locks into place, you don't want to lose a pannier mid ride when there's a laptop inside.
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The rack you have seems adaquate for light loads and suitable for Ortleib/Rixen and Kaul type locking hooks which are so superior you shouldnt use any other type.
The weak point of cheaper racks is usually the mounting bolts. I always fit stainless steel allen bolts, the thread size is generally M5. Smear threads with grease before assembly. Use washers. Make sure the bolts are the correct length.

Using one pannier is very common for commuters and day rides. It has almost no impact on balance for normal riding.
 
OP
OP
figbat

figbat

Slippery scientist
Here it is. I went for the UPSO panniers mentioned upthread. They are quite weighty but very robust, made out of old truck curtain sides and fire hoses. I got a small pouch for tools whilst I was there.

Test ride gave no heel clash, although that was empty panniers - there’s room to move them back a bit more if needed. They’re made by Carradice and use their fixing system which appears decent enough, but only weight and bumps will tell for sure.
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Pale Rider

Legendary Member
This is the rack.

I'm not familiar with Racktime, although my Riese and Muller ebike uses their fixing system on its bespoke rack.

A good indication of quality is the rack has fillets brazed where the support legs meet - much stronger than tack welding two tubes together.

Incidentally, the holes in the fillets are there to attach a hooked bungee cord.
 
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