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Oregon tour, 2014
I believe Ortlieb makes the absolute best panniers available. Others may prefer Arkel or Robert Beckman, both of which offer quality bags with lots of pockets. However, they suffer the fatal flaw of not being waterproof, although Arkel has recently come out with a waterproof line. I've had my Ortliebs for twenty years. The knock on them by traditionalists (old people) is that they have few if any pockets. However, once you come up with a stuff sack system, the problem sorts itself out. These panniers are nearly indestructible owing, in no small part, to their PVC construction. And this first generation line is fairly heavy, again because of the materials. They have started to make bags from Cordura nylon. They are lighter but also flimsier. And they get heavier in the rain as the Cordura soaks up water (but the inside remains dry). My newer handlebar and trunk bags are made of this material. It also shows the dirt, but I guess they are marginally more environmental. |
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| My original front bags were front rollers (now called sport rollers), which had a roll top like a roll-top boat bag. I much prefer this enclosure as I generally don't find myself submerged in water on bike tours. So, about five years ago, I upgraded from the sport roller classic. |
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| Sport Roller classic. |
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| This is my first-generation bike packer classic. They no longer include the waterproof roll-top side pocket and the mesh outer pocket. However, the new Cordura Bike Packer Plus does have an external pocket. |
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| I added an outer pocket to each pannier about 15 years ago. These I use a lot, especially for small camp kit items I need to find quickly. |
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| Cordura trunk bag. Notice the faded color. The 20-year-old PVC of the rear pannier still retains ia vibrant red hue; the Cordura, only 5 years old, has faded quickly. This bag locks to the rack, a feature I like, and also comes with a built-in strap for when you want to carry it—useful for train travel when you have to remove all bags from the bike. It comes with an innovative mounting system that allows the panniers to ride lower on the rear rack, thus minimizing interference with the trunk bag.. |
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| The Ultimate 6 Plus handlebar bag has a lock that deters theft. Capacious. Again, faded Cordura. |
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