Panniers, to match or not to match

[numbnuts]

It has to match and one pannier looks odd - sorry

 

[Baldy]

I hope your bike is painted same colour as panniers. Nothing worse if bike and pannier mismatched.

 

[I like Skol]

View attachment 786880

That is an odd looking bike....

 

[Baldy]

It's an Orbit Expedition, the butterfly bars have gone I have flats now and the front rack. But, yes unusual.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

I didn't know anyone sold panniers individually, all mine have been bought as pairs.

Yes, I've seen them advertised, some sold as one pannier brand new from the usual online outlets.
There are also one of a pair to have had from the bay, sometimes brand new because the owner only ever used one, sometimes because the other one of the pair got damaged.

 

[TheDoctor]

Pfft. If you need two panniers you've packed too much stuff.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Pfft. If you need two panniers you've packed too much stuff.

Or carry your work clothes, pump, tools, and a big chicken for the cats and two reduced turnips and 1.5kg flour

 

[TheDoctor]

Turnips? What foolishness is this?

 

[Jameshow]

Single pannerist and proud 😀

A real commuter!!👍

 

[figbat]

I would go mismatched because it bothers people. 😝 If it bothers some people then you know they have noticed. If they have noticed and are driving a car or other vehicle, that’s a good thing.

Also I like to be contrary. There is absolutely no reason why they have to match other than some perceived sense of fashion.

 

[geocycle]

Came out as a single pannierist a few years ago when challenging one’s identity became more accepted. I’d previously slogged too and from work with two sloppy Ortliebs in case I saw someone I knew. Now I don’t care and feel free to make my own choices!

 

[biggs682]

Is this a cycling convention faux pas that will cause other commuters to laugh at me on the way past?

Anyone who laughs at you on the way past is not worth worrying about.
If you need a pr then get a matching set and keep the single one for the times you only need one pannier.

 

[a.twiddler]

We are all free to make our own choices. For most of us, we will have conformed to all sorts of norms along the way. When you are young, most people constantly worry what others think of them, not helped if you are in a job where you are constantly evaluated, and the goals subtly change over the years.

Outside of that, when you are older you come to realise that nobody really cares, most people are totally oblivious to many things that you think are important as they are too concerned with their own worries to even notice.

We are the lucky few, being able to get away from all that, and worrying about having one pannier or five is a luxury we can indulge in on these electronic pages. Nevertheless, I stick out for symmetricality, and an even number of panniers. Maybe it's the thought of being able to pick up an unexpected item while out shopping, or the fact that Mrs T is likely to message me while I'm out, asking me to get some unexpected humungous item. Or maybe it's some kind of unacknowledged insecurity, a metaphorical comfort blanket, being prepared for the unexpected.

Then again, it might be that I just like the look of them.

 

[spen666]

1 pannier always. Second pannier only if needed. Not sure I could cope with odd panniers, but in theory can see no reason why.

Surely 1 pannier is always ODD

2 even if different colours, sizes or makes would be even

 

[wafter]

There is absolutely no reason why they have to match other than some perceived sense of fashion.

I think that's an unfairly harsh dismissal of some peoples' choices.

Mine were chosen because subjectively (and objectively to a point if you consider design / colour theory) they look nice.

I bought them to satisfy my own criteria, not some unthinking slavish subservience to an arbitrary construct as you suggest.

I'm very happy to run counter to prevailing trends; but not simply for the sake of it / at the cost of offending my own tastes.