Do I need front panniers for touring?

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
User avatar
horizon
Posts: 11275
Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 11:24am
Location: Cornwall

Re: Do I need front panniers for touring?

Post by horizon »

elioelio wrote:I don't really want to take front panniers because of the extra weight.


When you add extra luggage weight to your bike, you set off an accumulative effect: the bike itself needs to be heavier and stronger, you need racks and panniers and so on. When you start reducing your luggage weight, the opposite effect occurs: you can shed front pannniers, your bike can be lighter and so on. It really depends on how much stuff you want to take and to be aware that it will involve extra weight on top of the luggage itself to carry it. But if you do have lots of stuff, front panniers are great IMV. The real argument IMV is between panniers and a trailer.
When the pestilence strikes from the East, go far and breathe the cold air deeply. Ignore the sage, stay not indoors. Ho Ri Zon 12th Century Chinese philosopher
daddig
Posts: 219
Joined: 25 Apr 2008, 9:01pm
Location: Tetbury
Contact:

Re: Do I need front panniers for touring?

Post by daddig »

Another thought if your only carrying 13kg would that fit into a Nelson Longflap + BarBag for travel documents etc ?
Mike G
tatanab
Posts: 5033
Joined: 8 Feb 2007, 12:37pm

Re: Do I need front panniers for touring?

Post by tatanab »

daddig wrote:Another thought if your only carrying 13kg would that fit into a Nelson Longflap + BarBag for travel documents etc ?
Not unless the 13kg is in lead weights. Everything is just too bulky. One summer weekend I went camping with just a Campers Longflap (bigger than your suggested Nelson Longflap). I had a light and small camping mat, a low bulk sleeping bag, a change of cycling clothes and that was about all inside the bag - tent on top of the bag. So not even close to my 13kg normal touring load. I tend to select my equipment for low bulk rather than saving a couple of ounces, so my touring set up tends to be compact - but not that compact. Hotel touring might entail a bit more clothing, and removes the bulky camping gear, but of course a hotel camping load is not going to be even half the weight of a camping load.
daddig
Posts: 219
Joined: 25 Apr 2008, 9:01pm
Location: Tetbury
Contact:

Re: Do I need front panniers for touring?

Post by daddig »

I regularly camp tour with my Camper Longflap (my error) 24ltrs, with a frame bag and bar bag.
Tent Saunders strapped to outside of bag
Pan and coke can cooker
Folding plate and cup
Spork
Change of clothes
socks etc spare bike shorts.
Wash kit and towel in bar bag
Tools spare tube etc in frame bag 1.5 Ltr
Sleep mat and sleeping bag
Flip flops
Weight about 13kg
My error saddlebag is Camper Longflap. 24ltrs
Tour lengths from 1 to 24 weeks !
Mike G
PH
Posts: 13106
Joined: 21 Jan 2007, 12:31am
Location: Derby
Contact:

Re: Do I need front panniers for touring?

Post by PH »

daddig wrote:I regularly camp tour with my Camper Longflap (my error) 24ltrs, with a frame bag and bar bag.


But why?
What is the advantage over a pair of 30ltrs panniers? I understand if your touring involves a lot of off road, where the narrower bike could be an advantage, but for anything else I'd have though the lower weight of the panniers would be better.
User avatar
simonineaston
Posts: 8003
Joined: 9 May 2007, 1:06pm
Location: ...at a cricket ground

Re: Do I need front panniers for touring?

Post by simonineaston »

Am off today with... front panniers only! (tent and sleeping bag strapped to rear rack) Photos will follow if the sun shines and there's film left in the Instamatic! :-)
S
(on the look out for Armageddon, on board a Brompton nano & ever-changing Moultons)
Slowroad
Posts: 995
Joined: 28 Jun 2008, 9:58pm
Location: Nottingham, UK

Re: Do I need front panniers for touring?

Post by Slowroad »

Prompted by this and a couple of other topics, I've started a topic on equipment lists. Hope it's useful. viewtopic.php?f=42&t=90160&p=818392#p818392
“My two favourite things in life are libraries and bicycles. They both move people forward without wasting anything. The perfect day: riding a bike to the library.”
― Peter Golkin
wearwell
Posts: 357
Joined: 3 Feb 2011, 8:45am

Re: Do I need front panniers for touring?

Post by wearwell »

RickH wrote:
wearwell wrote:One big drawback with front panniers is the damping effect when you are tired and going up hills heavily laden in bottom gear. The weight on the front damps the natural side to side turns - you get wobbles and use up even more energy trying to keep the bike going straight. High tyre pressure helps a bit (less resistance to turning). Next trip I do will be without them.
On fast easy terrain they are no prob at all and a damping effect is useful.

You don't have to waggle the bars around - look at the trials/stunt riders balancing on something seemingly impossibly narrow, they stay there by shifting their weight from side to side rather than turning the bars. Admittedly I'm nowhere near as good as them but, for the most part, I can ride up a steep hill at slow speeds (c3 mph) without much bar movement. I do get plenty of practice having lived 2/3 of the way up a stupidly steep hill for over 30 years - I usually either come home up 250ft ascent in the last 1/2 mile or go out up a similar gradient of about half the distance (& sometimes end up doing both in 1 trip!).

Rick.
Yes but it's very different if you are near the end 15th day of a 1000 mile ride going uphill heavily loaded (to get over the Vercors in my case). Trials/stunt riders don't do the mileage, don't carry the weight, and if they did their stunts would probably land them in the ditch on day one.
cjs
Posts: 149
Joined: 4 Dec 2011, 10:13am

Re: Do I need front panniers for touring?

Post by cjs »

My Tuppence:

To the OP, no you don't need front panniers, in fact there is very little you actually need to go bike touring... others have mentioned a particular phase many times before . ....it depends..... Location, weather, season, money, experiences .. etc.. etc...

There is only one way to find out, make an educated guess and go, then adapt your kit and load to your requirements based on your experiences and destination(s)...

Kit lists are good as an aid to formulate your own ... But make sure your list is tailored to yourself...

To me weight is not a big issue. I wild camp in comfort with no real time restrictions - I have a stool, 3 changes of cycling clothing and one set for the pub, trangia etc.. My kit is reasonably low tech therefore big and heavy except the mattress... The tent is a supposedly 3 man @ 2.9kg. I’ve not ridden a hill yet where I needed to walk (although I’m sure I will find one soon and to me walking is okay..) and I go 6'4", 110kg with around 25kg total luggage and have had far too many birthdays. Okay I was slow winching up many an incline in the highlands recently but I was grand about it. I prefer 4 panniers, a bar bag and a small waterproof roll up bag on the back and certainly I have no stability or wobble issues winching up hills in the granny.. but then everyones rig is differrent...

I’ve met and chatted to many cycling tourists in all combinations of gear from 4 panniers and a trailer to just a bag on the back.... Some students had stuff over their back wheel piled as high as themselves and a rucksack to boot with nothing on the front of their not high tech old front suspension MTB’s ... And guess what, all were enjoying themselves touring... Okay I sure many after looking at other peoples kit would change a bit or so but that’s the same for almost everyone...
Kind Regards
Chris...
iandriver
Posts: 2521
Joined: 10 Jun 2009, 2:09pm
Location: Cambridge.

Re: Do I need front panniers for touring?

Post by iandriver »

Saw some people on Hadrian's Cycleway using the plastic bucket method this weekend. http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?doc_id=1841

I like front panniers, one big fluffy pillow in each. Do like a good nights sleep.
Supporter of the A10 corridor cycling campaign serving Royston to Cambridge http://a10corridorcycle.com. Never knew gardening secateurs were an essential part of the on bike tool kit until I took up campaigning.....
fluffybunnyuk
Posts: 450
Joined: 1 Sep 2013, 10:58pm

Re: Do I need front panniers for touring?

Post by fluffybunnyuk »

You dont *NEED* front panniers but I find them handy for storing clothes and sleeping kit with food on top for easy access.

What I do notice is that front panniers significantly slow me down over a day. But then it pays for itself by having a comfy nights sleep.

For me it boils down to if I need to sleep or not.
User avatar
horizon
Posts: 11275
Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 11:24am
Location: Cornwall

Re: Do I need front panniers for touring?

Post by horizon »

I think it would really help if the OP clarified what he/she was really asking. Is it, "Do you really need to take so much stuff for camping?" or is it, "Do you need front panniers or can you pile everything on the back?" I think we've all assumed it's the former but if that's the case, the answer is easy - no you don't need front panniers if you don't take much stuff and yes you do if you do. This thread really has got nothing to do with front panniers.
When the pestilence strikes from the East, go far and breathe the cold air deeply. Ignore the sage, stay not indoors. Ho Ri Zon 12th Century Chinese philosopher
User avatar
foxyrider
Posts: 6044
Joined: 29 Aug 2011, 10:25am
Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire

Re: Do I need front panniers for touring?

Post by foxyrider »

Swallow wrote:I agree with the above but would suggest a bar bag if you don't already use one, not for balance but to keep valuables to hand. Quickly detached so that you can take it with you

+1
Convention? what's that then?
Airnimal Chameleon touring, Orbit Pro hack, Orbit Photon audax, Focus Mares AX tour, Peugeot Carbon sportive, Owen Blower vintage race - all running Tulio's finest!
elioelio
Posts: 39
Joined: 24 Feb 2014, 5:10pm

Re: Do I need front panniers for touring?

Post by elioelio »

horizon wrote:I think it would really help if the OP clarified what he/she was really asking. Is it, "Do you really need to take so much stuff for camping?" or is it, "Do you need front panniers or can you pile everything on the back?" I think we've all assumed it's the former but if that's the case, the answer is easy - no you don't need front panniers if you don't take much stuff and yes you do if you do. This thread really has got nothing to do with front panniers.


Yep you're right I really was just wondering if there was a weight/stability issue with having lal the weight at the back of the bike instead of evenly distributed. But it's still interesting to hear about the pros and cons of front panniers. I'm not going to bother as if I feel I need the extra room I can always buy some on my travels.

But does seem a bit fiddly to have 4 bags. My plan is to have two back panniers and a big laundry bag (thats I'll use to put my bags in for the flights). The I can have the bag on the back for my tent, food, and anything else. Then if I need to take my panniers off the bike (if I don't want to leave them on the bike while in a museum/coffee shop etc) then I can just stick them in the bag and take it all with me.

Thanks for all your comments by the way
Slowroad
Posts: 995
Joined: 28 Jun 2008, 9:58pm
Location: Nottingham, UK

Re: Do I need front panniers for touring?

Post by Slowroad »

I like the laundry bag idea! They don't weigh much and usually have a zip. It'd make train journeys here a bit easier too, the ones where you have to take all your gear off and hang the bike up...
“My two favourite things in life are libraries and bicycles. They both move people forward without wasting anything. The perfect day: riding a bike to the library.”
― Peter Golkin
Post Reply