Ortlieb front roller plus Black

[jul]

Hi all,

I'm looking for a pair of "Ortlieb panniers" only the front set.

The model is full Black color in Cordura like this :

 

(The product was stopped some months (years) ago)

[mickeg]

Is there a question here?

[Danneaux]

Hi Julien!

I understand you are looking for a pair of Ortlieb front-roller panniers made from the Plus (Cordura) fabric in the now-discontinued black color.

The good news is a few of these are still available, showing up most often on eBay. I did a search and found a few vendors still list them in stock, but supplies are dwindling fast. Try this Canadian firm, which lists them as still available and in stock:
http://www.thebikedr.com/product/ortlieb-front-roller-plus-161641-1.htm

I am saddened Ortieb has chosen to replace all their classic colors with new ones, as it makes it impossible to match existing bags and I don't find the new colors as attractive or desirable as the old. I love the all-black "Plus" fabric bags, but ended up with black and red when those came on sale at a much better price than all black in my preferred Sportpacker and Bikepacker models. Alas, the red-and-black have now been discontinued as well.

Best of luck in your quest.

All the best,

Dan.

[martinf]

I am saddened Ortieb has chosen to replace all their classic colors with new ones, as it makes it impossible to match existing bags and I don't find the new colors as attractive or desirable as the old. I love the all-black "Plus" fabric bags, but ended up with black and red when those came on sale at a much better price than all black in my preferred Sportpacker and Bikepacker models. Alas, the red-and-black have now been discontinued as well.

Dan.

I managed to find some NOS red-and-black Bikepackers when buying a second set of rear panniers to match the set of front and rear Sportpacker and Bikepacker panniers I already have. They were also a bit cheaper than the slightly different all-red model that is available now.

The main use of this second set is for when I want big panniers on the front, mostly for local utility trips rather than touring, but they can also go on the rear carrier of my wife's bike for holidays.

[jul]

Yes we have the same likes Dan   

Thanks for the link, however to buy in Canada, it is not a good deal for european ...

I'v found the black on Ebay but flunked the front 

[in4]

Review of sorts here for the uninitiated.

http://bikeshed.johnhoogstrate.nl/bicycle/luggage/ortlieb_back_front_roller_plus/

[jul]

Hi Dan,

What do you think to use a pair of "Sport packer plus" at the front ?

Counter to at the "roller plus" (25 liter)  the "Sport packer" have 30 liter of capacity ..

is not it to much ? 

[Danneaux]

Julien,

I use Ortlieb SportPacker panniers in front and BikePackers at the rear, and a size Large Ultimate V handlebar bag.

I rarely use the full capacity of the bags, but find it helpful to have in reserve. A person can fill the bags less than full and still keep the contents secure if you use a cinch strap. It is nice to have room for souvenirs and mementos you may find or buy along the way, or to store food immediately without having to break down the packaging. The extra capacity is also nice for carrying items that are bulky but not heavy.

I don't think you would go wring with the smaller SportPackers up front. The larger BikePackers are generally too large to carry on a lowrider front rack without risk of snagging, though the can work okay on a platform front rack or on the upper tier of a two-level Surly Nice Rack (Front).

Choosing the Roller or Packer design is largely a matter of preference and suitability for need.

The Roller and Packer designs each have their virtues. The Rollers seal completely and can be submerged. They are generally not expandable, but if weather is good and you temporarily need extra room, they can be ridden with the tops unrolled to some degree or even open. The Packers have drawstring closures on the main bags covered by cap-tops, which I also use for extra capacity to store items I might need in a hurry without having to dig through the main bags  -- rain clothing for example, or a medium-weight fleece jacket, each in a stuff sack so it won't migrate out from under the lid.

When I need extra water capacity, I have found I can wedge a 1l bottle under the cap-top straps. I did this during heat waves on two transits of Serbia and boosted my water capacity from 4.5l (in bottles on the bike) to 8.5l, a day's supply in such hot weather.

The Packer bags are waterproof in use so long as they remain upright and are not fully submerged. If the bike is laid down in a puddle or the bags fall over outside in the night and it rains heavily, the contents can get wet. In normal use, I've never had a leak.

Best,

Dan.

[jul]

Yes it will be a good option to have extra room..

i've seen the "Sportpacker" height is 40 cm (17.74 inches) and the "Roller" is 30 cm (11.81).

About the Thorn front rack, is it enought big to receive the Sportpacker panniers ?

As well, Dan if you have a moment to send me a photo to show me your bike with this panniers ..

Thanks !

[Danneaux]

Okay, Julien...I'll reply off-Forum.

All the best,

Dan.

[Danneaux]

Thinking a photo might be helpful for others, here's one showing my Nomad with Ortlieb SportPacker front panniers, BikePacker rear panniers, and Ultimate V Large handlebar bag all loaded and ready or an extended journey...

Best,

Dan.

[mickeg]

Dan, do you really need FIVE giant sized water bottles?

I like my front and back rollers.  I think the rollers are a bit better if you have a partial load, you can roll the top a few more times to consume that excess volume.  That said, I never seem to have partial loads, I frequently can only get two instead of all three folds to close them up.

[energyman]

Are they for the patented travelling shower ?

[Danneaux]

Dan, do you really need FIVE giant sized water bottles?

In a word..."yes".

They provide 6.5l capacity on the bike and for desert travel, I add *two* 10l MSR Dromedary bladders for a total capacity of 26.5l. Much of the water where I travel in the Great Basin is alkali and undrinkable, so I pack water in with me. At ~1kg/liter + container, this means a bit more than 26.5kg/58.4lbs in water alone...showing why I sometimes really need the Nomad's greater cargo capacity.

I use pH strips to pre-test any water I do find to see if it is even worth purifying it. I am most likely to get water from stock tanks, cattle troughs, and seep-pools, but it is often contaminated by cattle urine and feces so I zap it with my SteriPen, chemical tabs (iodine or chlorine), or boil it. Usually, the SteriPen wins because it is quickest, purifying 1l in just 90 seconds. You can see water is a problem noted on the visitor board for Nevada's Black Rock Desert, which I have crossed a number of times in Spring, Fall, and high Summer.

When it is hot I consume about 8-8.5l/day, as I did on both my transits of Serbia during heat waves. It was incredibly warm with no real shade or cover throughout the day. It was 114F°/45°C by 10:30am and very humid. It can be that warm and hotter in the desert, but with very low humidity.

If I have a "dry" camp (one without access to a stream or other water I can purify), I also need water to reconstitute my food for meals. Between supper and breakfast, this can easily total 9l/day combined for fluid intake and eating.

This means 26.5l provides just shy of three days' water for my needs, not a lot of margin if I get hurt or incapacitated while traveling alone in remote backcountry.

Are they for the patented travelling shower ?

No...I have a shower attachment for the MSR Dromedary bags! 

All the best,

Dan.

[mickeg]

OK.  One of my geology profs had been in death valley.  He had said that each person carried a 2.5 gallon water jug strapped to a frame pack frame each day.  And that was for day time use only while out doing field geology, that did not include where they stayed at night.

That is why I try to do all of my touring where the temperature will be between about 32 (F)/ 0 (C) on the low end, maybe 80s (F) / 30 (C) for the highest daily highs.