New Pannier Help!

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SaintMatt
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Joined: 18 Aug 2014, 2:22am

New Pannier Help!

Post by SaintMatt »

Ok so I am looking for a new set of panniers, suited for the commute to work, and a little light touring.

I currently have a topeak rack fitted to my hybrid, and have been using a topeak MTX rackbag, but am now looking at a larger set of panniers. I think ive narrowed it down to either a pair of Ortliebs or Altura Drylines (both seem waterproof)

I have been looking online to try and work out how much the panniers weigh but havent much luck. My personal opinion is that the Altura's are slightly sturdier, as they seem to be made of tougher material but I am not sure if that is true or just my opinion!! Sturdier = heavier in my mind!!

Choices choices

Any one have experience of either?!
OnYourRight
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Re: New Pannier Help!

Post by OnYourRight »

You can find the Altura weights here and Ortlieb weights here (it’s a bit of a faff to find all the panniers on the Ortlieb site, since they’re broken down into categories that you may not care about, e.g. Touring versus City & Office and front versus rear).

Of course these are the manufacturer’s claimed weights, which are assuredly optimistic. And despite that they’re all quite heavy, though probably rugged too.

A Canadian company called Arkel makes much lighter panniers. At a quarter the weight of a pair of Ortliebs they’re obviously not identical to them, so go in with your eyes open.
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SaintMatt
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Re: New Pannier Help!

Post by SaintMatt »

Thanks for the information, will look up the sites.

A Canadian company called Arkel makes much lighter panniers. At a quarter the weight of a pair of Ortliebs they’re obviously not identical to them, so go in with your eyes open.


Those panniers look really good, especially the fact they can fold down, definitely going to investigate them.

Cheers for the info :D
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foxyrider
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Re: New Pannier Help!

Post by foxyrider »

A pair of Ortlieb back rollers weigh 1541 grams - i know because i've weighed them, the smaller fronts are 1250g.

The Altura's are heavier, when we weighed a set they were nearly 2.5kg!
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!
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SaintMatt
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Re: New Pannier Help!

Post by SaintMatt »

The Altura's are heavier, when we weighed a set they were nearly 2.5kg!

That's quite a difference! I was expecting the Alturas to be heavier as the material feels sturdier.

Don't think I've ever heard bad things said about the Ortliebs.
OnYourRight
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Re: New Pannier Help!

Post by OnYourRight »

foxyrider wrote:A pair of Ortlieb back rollers weigh 1541 grams - i know because i've weighed them, the smaller fronts are 1250g.

Which Back-Roller model did you weigh?

If you’re looking to save weight but want to stick with Ortlieb, you could consider the Back-Roller City (even for touring). Or a pair of Front-Rollers used at the back, which both weigh less than Back-Rollers and force you to take less stuff.
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SaintMatt
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Re: New Pannier Help!

Post by SaintMatt »

And now I find myself looking up Ortlieb panniers!!

Just trying to work out the differences between the models. Am I right in thinking its just the strap and closing method that is different between the city ones and the roller ones?
JohnW
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Re: New Pannier Help!

Post by JohnW »

I've had my Carradice 'Super C's for over twenty-five years - possibly nearer thirty - and they've served me on extended tours, weekly shopping for a family of four for fifteen of those years and continuing with weekly shopping since the family left home..........they get well filled with greengroceries and groceries - you know the form, a stone of spuds and half a dozen tins of beans...........and they're nowhere near worn out. I've replaced one of the hooks (that hook over the rack) and one of the elastics that hook the bottom of the bags to the bottom of the rack, but otherwise no problems in all that time of heavy use.

They're not the lightest, but add a tin of beans to the lightest panniers, or strike camp in the rain, and the additional weight makes lightness irrelevant - and for me less important than longevity.
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CREPELLO
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Re: New Pannier Help!

Post by CREPELLO »

What are your priorities - durability or weight? It's unlikely that you can realistically have both. At the durable end of the scale, there are the Carradice Super C's (I have them and I don't worry about the weight). And at the other you have those Arkel panniers linked to above. I have no experience of them, but I would want to see them in the flesh to check the material. I've a strong feeling that they would need taking care of (avoid scuffing and fitting sharp edged objects inside them). They could be good if weight and occasional use were priorities.

You could always choose something inbetween.
BE1
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Re: New Pannier Help!

Post by BE1 »

I have not seen the Arkel panniers in the flesh but I suspect that they will be a little delicate for day to day commuting.

There are a number of mid-weight, waterproof alternatives to the ortliebs and the drylines

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/altura-arc-40-panniers/

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/axiom/typhoon-aero-dlx-pannier-bag-pair-ec051894

Or, at around the same capacity as the Arkels

http://www.carradice.co.uk/index.php?page_id=product&product_id=52 (SJS have then for considerably less than this)


As (almost) always if you can see/handle as many as possible before you buy, you will get a sense of what "feels" right.
OnYourRight
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Re: New Pannier Help!

Post by OnYourRight »

The Carradice Kendal panniers BE1 mentions look pretty convincing to me (for my use, not necessarily SaintMatt’s). I’m considering getting a pair of those for use with my recently acquired Tubus Fly. I just wish there was a dealer in the Paris region that stocked them so I could check the fit. Carradice’s distribution network is very limited.

By the way, Arkel has an interesting little “essay” arguing against waterproof panniers here. I’ve seen many touring cyclists with waterproof Ortlieb panniers, so evidently Arkel’s views are not universally held. What are your thoughts on this?

I doubt I’m really cut out for hardcore touring in driving rain anyway. I would more likely duck out and wait for the sun to reappear. On the other hand, I am a photographer, and the one exception to my travelling-light rule is my fairly expensive camera – which is of course allergic to water.

Hard to know what to choose without having toured extensively.
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SaintMatt
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Re: New Pannier Help!

Post by SaintMatt »

JohnW wrote:I've had my Carradice 'Super C's for over twenty-five years - possibly nearer thirty - and they've served me on extended tours, weekly shopping for a family of four for fifteen of those years and continuing with weekly shopping since the family left home


I've just looked these up and they do look solid, like the way they attach as well..

CREPELLO wrote:What are your priorities - durability or weight?


Im conscious of the weight only because of my sheer size, (6ft 10 and associated weight :lol: ) Im always concerned about the weight the back wheel is taking, although I have upgraded the wheels on my hybrid to cope with the weight!!

BE1 wrote:There are a number of mid-weight, waterproof alternatives to the ortliebs and the drylines


Just going to take a look at those links now!!

OnYourRight wrote:On the other hand, I am a photographer, and the one exception to my travelling-light rule is my fairly expensive camera – which is of course allergic to water.


Love to have my SLR with me when out on the bike but have yet to find a suitable solution! Have gone through plenty of backpacks looking for the perfect solution!!

Thanks everyone for all the different ideas, am gonna take a look into them all now! Choices choices!!
JohnW
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Re: New Pannier Help!

Post by JohnW »

OnYourRight wrote:...........Arkel has an interesting little “essay” arguing against waterproof panniers here. I’ve seen many touring cyclists with waterproof Ortlieb panniers, so evidently Arkel’s views are not universally held. What are your thoughts on this?..............


Well - coming down from Stornaway to Tarbet to catch the boat to Skye in the teeth of a Hebridean downpour, I don't think any panniers are going to be found to be completely waterproof, and I've always wrapped everything in plastic bags, just in case............but I'd still choose waterproof - or to be accurate 'water resistant' - bike luggage.
birkhead
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Re: New Pannier Help!

Post by birkhead »

I thought people like Exped and Alpkit made drybags to keep touring kit waterproof within panniers or saddlebags.
The also serve to organize your meagre possessions.
And to separate them from the wet tent alongside them.
I would be concerned about dead and unnecessary weight of over-engineered panniers.
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