Ortelieb

[Brains]

Well I thought I would put the first post on this forum and simply say "Ortalieb", as it would seem that is what most of us have found having started off with someting else that cost less, we end up with Ortalieb.

http://www.ortlieb.de/prod_en.php?lang=en

[Jeremy Smith]

Well, Brains, I will rise to your bait.[]

I've read on the Cycling Plus forum all the comments from the followers of fashion, saying: "Buy Ortlieb".

But after doing a lot of research, I chose Carradice Super C front and rear panniers and bar bag, for the following reasons:

1) Cotton duck is a far tougher material than the stuff used by Ortlieb.
2) Cotton duck, contrary to what some people say, is 100% waterproof; all that is needed to ensure it stays that way is a re-proofing once a year, similar to what I do with my Barbour jacket.
3) The Carradice panniers have outside pockets - the Ortliebs do not. If you want pockets for your Ortliebs, you have to buy them at vastly inflated additional expense, on top of Ortlieb's already high prices.
4) Carradice is a British company, and all other things being equal, I'd like to support jobs in this country.  I also have the impression that Carradice is a company with integrity and a very strong customer service ethic.
5) I like the look of the Super C panniers on my bike.
6) I expect my Carradice panniers will last me the rest of my cycling life.

In conclusion, all I would say to anyone looking to buy panniers is: don't be swayed by fashion and received opinion - and don't just buy by mail order - go and see and touch and compare the different brands - and then make up your own mind.

Best wishes,

Jeremy

[Chris Land]

Can I add that they are more environmentally friendly, being made of natural materials.

I have to admit that I use Ortliebs though and have found them pretty tough, hardwearing and completely waterproof.  Outside pockets can be added to Ortlieb, but I am retiscent to puncture the bags in order to fit them...

Like Jeremy though, I think I prefer the aesthetic of the Carradice bags - just look at the EXP on the Thorn ads with the Brooks B17 and Super Cs - its a work of art! As my Carradice saddle-bag is perfectly good in the rain I might be tempted to try Carradice in the future.  

Their overshoes are pretty waterproof too, though an awful fit.  Anyone got any experience of their wax-cotton cycling cape?  Again, Goretex seems to be the received wisdom, but are there alternatives?

[PeLu]

The Ortlieb panniers (and other gear) are waterproof by design and material (this is what everybody tells you). And it turned out, that they are easy to use, means that they are waterproof in real life. I've got over gear which is more complicated to use and therefore not waterproof when you need it.
But of course almost any other pannier is nicer to look at.

And it is not necessary to sew additional pocket to it, it is possible to glue it bomb-proof.

[Radical Boomer]

I agree with the Carradice comments, entirely. Not an old fashioned prude or anything, just know they work really well. I have been contemplating new panniers for next spring and have already decided on Carradice, as seen at the Cycle Show

[Pedaldog]

I had a good deed from Carradice a few months ago.
I bought a set of "Recumbent specific£ supr "c"'s and then changed bikes. I spoke to Carradice and they had no hassle about me rolling up at the factory and changing them for new Upright bike panniers. I will stick with them thanks.

[Ron Coulter]

Folks

Also try ARKEL. They are well designed and quite unique. You will not be disappointed.

Rubber side up.

[RJC]

I have an Arkel Ladybug which is possibly the only pannier/rucksack combination bag which changes quickly between the two modes and works well in both modes. The capacity is 30L which isn't huge so it hasn't replaced my panniers for all uses. The Ladybug is sewn together so isn't as waterproof as Ortliebs.

Robin

[barriecartledge]

I dont think these days that buying something to "last the length of my cycling life" is relevant as new materials and technology are coming in every week.

I have found Ortlieb products to be the best available that I have ever used, my old, heavy Carradice are now housing household junk up in the attic, which is all they were really suitable for anyway.

You pays yer money and takes yer pick, mine goes with Ortlieb any day.

Best regards

Barrie

quote:Originally posted by Jeremy Smith

Well, Brains, I will rise to your bait.[]

I've read on the Cycling Plus forum all the comments from the followers of fashion, saying: "Buy Ortlieb".

But after doing a lot of research, I chose Carradice Super C front and rear panniers and bar bag, for the following reasons:

1) Cotton duck is a far tougher material than the stuff used by Ortlieb.
2) Cotton duck, contrary to what some people say, is 100% waterproof; all that is needed to ensure it stays that way is a re-proofing once a year, similar to what I do with my Barbour jacket.
3) The Carradice panniers have outside pockets - the Ortliebs do not. If you want pockets for your Ortliebs, you have to buy them at vastly inflated additional expense, on top of Ortlieb's already high prices.
4) Carradice is a British company, and all other things being equal, I'd like to support jobs in this country.  I also have the impression that Carradice is a company with integrity and a very strong customer service ethic.
5) I like the look of the Super C panniers on my bike.
6) I expect my Carradice panniers will last me the rest of my cycling life.

In conclusion, all I would say to anyone looking to buy panniers is: don't be swayed by fashion and received opinion - and don't just buy by mail order - go and see and touch and compare the different brands - and then make up your own mind.

Best wishes,

Jeremy

[piggling bland]

I was told cotton duck panniers would last a lifetime.  They didn't.  The fabric was quickly holed by abrasion.  (I was using the panniers for work and shopping as well as for cycle touring.)  The fabric is not waterproof!  It is water resistant but is easily overloaded by a downpour.  A sleeping bag in a cotton duck pannier would need to be kept in a waterproof bag.

Having critised the fabric, I have to admit that failure of the fittings ended the useful life of the panniers.  The fabric used to make anything is often less significant than other design features.

[Dude]

Have been touring with Ortlieb Front/Back Rollers Plus extensively. Very good function and quality on the bag. But I am not to impressed with the QL-2 hangers that can be found on these more expensive models.

Need bigger front bags for my next trips and think I will give the Vaude World Tramp(yes, that's me!;)Cordura a try.
Maybe not quite the same quality, but they have an extra bungee/hook so the stay put even on very rough surface. Mine would occasionally fall of! I also had problems with the shims falling out. Solved that by drilling a very fine hole trough them and tied them down with stainless steel wire around the hangers...!

[OHUI]

Just had a vaude bag blow off the side of the rack and nearly under the path of an on-coming bus. The bag was about 18 months old and had been used every day for commuting and on cycling holidays and recently on all the offroad sections of the c2c too. What can I say? fantastic bag - very user friendly, totally waterproof, completely reliable until yesterday. I cant complain but it did alarm me somewhat. The lower 'hook' thing (dont know its technical name) just ripped off the back of the bag taking with it a chunk of its surroundings too. Earlier the same day the buckles on the bag had gone as well. Clearly it had reached the end of its useful life. I dont know it if had a weight limit but it regularly carried 10kg of stuff about. Its mate is still going strong it would seem.

What should I replace it with? was considering Ortlieb sport-packer plus for the front (Thorn mid-loaders fitted at the moment) and Ortlieb roller plus for the back. Any suggestions/comments? Do the Ortlieb sport-packers fit Thorn mid-loaders?

[Chris Land]

quote:Originally posted by OHUI


What should I replace it with? was considering Ortlieb sport-packer plus for the front (Thorn mid-loaders fitted at the moment) and Ortlieb roller plus for the back. Any suggestions/comments? Do the Ortlieb sport-packers fit Thorn mid-loaders?

Yes - they will fit and are a good choice.  Slightly more capacity in the sports-packer than in the front-roller.  Back is the same on roller or bike-packer so just a case of style preference.  My wife runs bike-packer back and sports-packer front and they work fine.

[OHUI]

Thanks for the advice. Have ordered sport-packer plus. Will be using them on the back for commuting until I get round to ordering larger paniers for the rear for touring and then will use the spp on the front.

[Stijn]

Like most of posts in this topic, I'm in favour of the Ortlieb Q1 panniers. I've had a pair for the last three years, I've used them almost daily for commuting, shopping and the odd camping trip and they are still like new. The other day I decided to invest in some front panniers and order a Q2 set, thinking more expensive must be better. I however didn't like them at all and ended up trading them in for a pair of Q1 classic's. On the Q2 I needed to use a kind of fill in bits to make them fit to my Tubus rack, which kept falling of, and getting the pannier on and of the rack everytime was a struggle and they didn't look more secure either.