How to choose the best panniers for bicycle touring?

I remember the day when I first started dreaming of travelling by bike. I was cycling to visit my parents with a backpack full of clothes and stuff for the weekend. What if I could cycle from one place to another, explore new roads and trails each day and stay somewhere along the way? But how would I carry my luggage? I couldn’t bike with a backpack for weeks, right?

That evening, googling ways to travel by bike, I first heard of bicycle panniers. In these big bags attached to your luggage rack, people seemed to store all their belongings for months and even years on the road.

Finding the best panniers for bicycle touring is not easy. Every person has different needs and a different budget. While all the forums and groups about bicycle touring are full of comments that Ortlieb panniers are your only option, the situation is a bit more complex.

I hope my guide will help you choose the best panniers for your bicycle adventure.

I decided to split this article into five parts. After a quick explanation about panniers, I will discuss the crucial factors you need to consider when buying panniers for bicycle touring. Then I will discuss using commuter panniers and other alternatives for bike touring. Afterwards, I will help you decide whether you need four or two panniers for your trip. The last part of the article will be a list of pannier models I would recommend you for your bicycle adventure.

Let’s dive into it!

What are bicycle panniers?

Bicycle panniers are a type of bicycle bag typically attached to a luggage rack (front rack or rear rack). The name panniers come from a French word for basket. They are large sacks, offering plenty of space for your belongings.

They usually are easy to mount and demount. Because of their size, keeping your stuff organised tends to be challenging, as many panniers have one large pocket only. It’s worth having sacks or packing cubes for smaller items.

What do you need to consider when buying panniers for bicycle touring?

Size and volume

Bicycle panniers come in all different sizes. Determining how much storage space you need for your bicycle tour can be challenging.

The length of your trip doesn’t play such a great role here. Over the years of bicycle touring, I realised I bring almost the same amount of stuff for a weekend camping trip as a three-month tour.

A more significant question is if you plan to camp (camping gear takes most space in my panniers), cook for yourself and what weather you expect.

I usually have two panniers which fit 60 litres of luggage and a handlebar bag of 17 l. I also have a backpack where I put some stuff. It’s more than enough most of the time. If you’re credit card touring, with no camping, 40-50 litres should be sufficient.

Remember to leave extra space in your panniers for water and food supply.

Weight

The pannier should be big enough and sturdy, but you don’t want the bag to weigh too much. Your baggage will be heavy anyway, so if you can choose between two bags with similar prices and properties, get the lighter one.

Waterproofness

As a bicycle tourer, you never know what weather expects you on the road. Even if you carefully check the forecast, sooner or later you’ll be surprised by pouring rain. That’s why it’s best to buy waterproof panniers. Most high-valued brands make their panniers from PVC or Cordura, known for keeping stuff dry, even if you cross streams and rivers on your bike.

The weak spots are usually the seams and the closing.

If you go on shorter tours in sunny places and want to save money, you can go for panniers that aren’t waterproof and store all your clothes and belongings in plastic bags. As long as don’t go through extreme conditions, it will suffice. If you plan a more adventurous trip, get waterproof panniers!

Extra pockets

Most popular bicycle touring panniers like Ortlieb Back-roller or Crosso Dry are large waterproof sacks with one big pocket. This can make finding small items hell if you don’t have a system.

Having extra pockets where you store things you might need to reach easily during a day of cycling can increase your comfort immensely. This is, however, an individual thing.

I know plenty of people comfortable with having one giant pocket. They use some additional bags or packing cubes to keep things in order. I have one-pocket panniers too, and it took me a while to figure out a way to pack so that I don’t have to throw everything out before finding that one thing I needed. It comes with practice, especially if you’re a chaotic person like me.

Will these panniers fit on my luggage rack?

Not all panniers have universal attachments that will fit on every luggage rack. Double-check the diameter of the rack tubes and the distance between the hooks to ensure the panniers are compatible with your bike. Or, to be sure, opt for an adjustable attachment system to avoid trouble if you have to replace your luggage rack. 

Do I need four or just two panniers for bicycle touring? 

This question keeps awake many beginner bicycle tourists. There is no easy answer to that. While most long-time cycle travellers I know use a set of four panniers, two in the front and two in the back, plenty of people are doing great with just two. Including me. 

Here are some pros and cons of having four and two panniers. Hopefully, this summary will help you decide which setup will work better for you. 

Pros of having four panniers:

• front panniers make cycling uphill more comfortable
• the bike feels more stable with weight evenly distributed
• tires wear off at a similar pace (with the rear panniers only, I tend to have to replace the rear tire more often)
• it’s easier to stay organised – for example, you can keep food and essentials in the front and all the clothes and camping gear in the back

Pros of travelling with just two panniers:

• it’s cheaper
• you tend to carry less stuff if you have less space, so with only two panniers you’re less likely to overpack

In my experience, having two panniers and a large handlebar bag is a good compromise between two and four panniers. This setup has worked perfectly for me for almost five years of cycle touring, including three-month-long tours with all my camping gear.

The best panniers for bicycle touring – a few models worth recommending

Over the years of bicycle touring, I’ve been using Crosso Dry panniers, so this is the only model I can describe based on my own experience. The other panniers mentioned on this list are models other cycle travellers recommended to me.

I spent hours scrolling through bike touring forums to find the most praised bicycle bags, carefully looking for comments mentioning both their advantages and weak spots to give you a possibly full picture.

Ortlieb Back-Roller Classic Panniers

Undoubtedly the most famous bicycle touring panniers are made by a German company Ortlieb. Especially the Back-Roller model is the bike tourers’ favourite. 

I’ve heard dozens of stories of people who used the Ortliebs for ten or even twenty years, swearing for its durability and reliability. Ortlieb panniers are a safe choice if you’re looking for waterproof bags that can stand even the most hardcore weather conditions and river crossings.

Biggest cons?

• The price: a pair costs about 180 euros or 200 USD. It is a lot if you’re on a budget. 
• I found complaints about the clip breaking, especially in cold temperatures. If you plan to travel in sub-zero temperatures, take a spare one with you! 
• The Ortlieb Back-Roller panniers are simple dry bags with no extra pockets. You need a smart system, preferably with packing cubes or extra bags.

Arkel Orca Panniers

Arkel is a Canadian brand producing high-quality panniers with sustainable and durable materials. They are waterproof and have a smart mounting system that enables you to easily mount the panniers and ensures their stability on the rack. 

They have a small external pocket and an internal organizer, making keeping your stuff in order much simpler. 

It’s a great alternative to Ortlieb, especially if you’re based in Canada. 

Cons?

• The price – 206 euros for a set of 45 litres is much more than most beginner cycle tourers are willing to spend.

Thule Shield Panniers

The fame of Thule luggage racks has spread over the entire world of bicycle touring but most people have no idea that Thule offers high-quality panniers. 

Thule Shield is a set of two 25-litres panniers with small pockets, so you can keep your stuff in order. They are made from a durable material that should survive cycling in harsh conditions. 

Thule panniers are significantly cheaper than Ortlieb and Arkel Panniers – you can get a set for as much as 100 euros.

They are water resistant and should keep your stuff dry even in heavy rain, but the waterproof index of IPX4 means that you cannot submerge them into water. If you’re going on a hardcore expedition with river crossings, better get something different! 

Vaude Aqua Back Plus

Vaude Aqua Back Plus panniers are spacious (48 litres per pair) and have a practical external pocket to keep things handy. Their mounting system is very stable and easy to adjust. They are also waterproof.

Cons?

• I found several complaints about their durability. Some people reported ripped joints after about three years of use. For the high price (about 200 euros), it can be disappointing. 

Crosso Dry 60 l

My favourite Crosso Dry panniers offer surprisingly amazing quality for just about 80 euros. If you need sturdy bicycle touring panniers but don’t feel like spending too much, this Polish brand gives you the best value for money.

They are completely waterproof and easy to clean. Their construction is super simple and light. 

Biggest cons?

• Like Ortlieb Back-Roller, Crosso Dry panniers are simply large dry bags where it’s hard to stay organised. They are bigger than most models which can be as much a blessing as a curse. With 30 litres of space with no extra pockets, you can find yourself wasting way too much time looking for stuff.
• They don’t have a shoulder strap, so if you need to carry them, it feels uncomfortable.
• The traditional Crosso mount system is not compatible with all luggage racks. If you want a more universal option, you can get the Crosso Dry panniers in a version with an adjustable click system (for a slightly higher price). The Click System version is also easier to install and remove.

Btwin-500 

Many cycle travellers recommending Ortlieb and other expensive panniers forget that not everybody needs the highest quality. If you’re unsure if bicycle touring will be your lifelong hobby and want to do some short tours in good weather, you don’t need to invest in the best panniers on the market.

In this case, Btwin-500 from Decathlon can be the perfect budget bicycle touring pannier.

They are waterproof and can keep your stuff dry unless you cycle in torrential rain. The set can fit 20 litres of luggage which should be enough for most people. 

They are very lightweight as well.

Biggest cons?

According to the producer, Btwin-500 is not suitable for bicycle touring but it should survive shorter multiple-day trips. I met a cyclist in Romania who toured the entire country with them and had no complaints. 

Where to find more information on bicycle touring panniers

Before buying any bicycle touring gear, I usually read opinions on Reddit threads and Facebook groups for bicycle travellers. They are a great place to find genuine reviews and product recommendations Here are some threads you might find useful while looking for the best panniers for bicycle touring:

What panniers are you using for bicycle touring? Share your experience in the comments!