Pannier covers

[Matt2matt2002]

I recently bought a couple of rain covers for my Altura panniers.
I haven't tested them in the rain yet but they appear a good fit.
The panniers themselves are pretty good at keeping out the rain but my next tour in July is Sri Lanka - and they have the odd monsoon!

Anyone any ideas as to what the rear black things are?
They are attached to the fabric and look like a light could be attached. Or reflector.

[Danneaux]

Anyone any ideas as to what the rear black things are?
They are attached to the fabric and look like a light could be attached. Or reflector.

Hi Matt!

Yes, and...yes!

You can also run a compression strap horizontally through these patches, making the covers (and the contents of the bags beneath) slightly more theft- and pilfer-resistant.

I see you also have a new rack-mounted taillight bracket.

Best,

Dan.

[mickeg]

They are common for lashing points on packs for straps, etc.  I also have some on some of my kayaking life jackets.  I suspect in this case that they probably are intended for a LED light, but I really think it best to mount lights on the bike rack or seatpost or frame so that the light can be carefully aimed.

I friend of mine uses similar rain covers for his packs in all weather, mainly to keep the road dust off and also his nylon panniers fade in the sun rather badly and he is trying to keep their color from fading.  You can see how badly faded his handlebar bag is in the first photo, that was a deep red color when it was new.  The panniers are still the deep red color and look nearly new.

[John Saxby]

Very smart, Matt!  A quick question/suggestion from my own experience with some Arkel covers:  did you check if the seams are sealed?  Suggest it's worth doing if not.  I used a mixture of silicone sealant (clear) and mineral spirits, 2/1, painted on with a small foam brush.

Hope your prep is going well,

Cheers,

John

[Matt2matt2002]

Thanks folks.
Dan...
Rear fitting came with the bike
John...
Yes, prep for tour coming along nicely. Visa for 30 days obtained electronically.
Rough route decided upon. Up north to Jaffna and then south along the east coast. Then cut across middle of island to Kandy.
Distances aren't that great. 50-60 miles per day and 2 days off bike per week should crack it.
Plenty of hills in the middle!😉

Thanks for thoughts. And good advice on the seams.

I'll do an update on the tour during July.

[il padrone]

A friend of mine described his pannier covers for a set of Deuter panniers as ".....nice swimming pools"

The water does get in - runs down  the wheel side of the bags. But it does not trickle out

[Matt2matt2002]

Yikes
I don't like the sound of carry mini swimming pools with me.😉
I only bought them coz they were going cheap and I had been reading up on the weather situation. Monsoons and flooding in some areas at the mo.
Their weight, empty, won't be a problem and add a visibility factor into the equation. Plus a slight anti theif benefit.

I'll report back on the swimming pool issue.

[Donerol]

Some covers have a drainage hole at the bottom which help - otherwise you could easily make some.

[mickeg]

Some covers have a drainage hole at the bottom which help - otherwise you could easily make some.

If they do not have drainage holes yet, why wait? 

Make a few now while you can use some seam sealer or some heat to stop the edges of the holes from fraying.

[David Simpson]

You can also test the covers with a garden hose. Don't spray directly onto your bike, but spray up so that the water comes down like rain. It may not be exactly like riding in the rain, since you won't get any spray coming from the tires, but it may help to uncover obvious problems.

(Disclaimer: I haven't actually done this, but it seems like a good idea.)

- DaveS