{"id":15290,"date":"2023-03-15T17:28:45","date_gmt":"2023-03-15T16:28:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wobblyride.com\/?p=15290"},"modified":"2024-05-29T15:01:00","modified_gmt":"2024-05-29T13:01:00","slug":"how-to-choose-best-panniers-for-bicycle-touring","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wobblyride.com\/pl\/2023\/03\/15\/how-to-choose-best-panniers-for-bicycle-touring\/","title":{"rendered":"How to choose the best panniers for bicycle touring?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I hope my guide will help you choose the best panniers for your bicycle adventure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Crosso<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s dive into it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are bicycle panniers?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2019s worth having sacks or packing cubes for smaller items.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What do you need to consider when buying panniers for bicycle touring?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Size and volume<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Bicycle panniers come in all different sizes. Determining how much storage space you need for your bicycle tour can be challenging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The length of your trip doesn\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2019s more than enough most of the time. If you\u2019re credit card touring, with no camping, 40-50 litres should be sufficient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remember to leave extra space in your panniers for water and food supply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Weight<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The pannier should be big enough and sturdy, but you don\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Waterproofness<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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\u2019ll be surprised by pouring rain. That\u2019s why it\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The weak spots are usually the seams and the closing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you go on shorter tours in sunny places and want to save money, you can go for panniers that aren\u2019t 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!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Good<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Extra pockets<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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\u2019t have a system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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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\u2019t have to throw everything out before finding that one thing I needed. It comes with practice, especially if you\u2019re a chaotic person like me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Will these panniers fit on my luggage rack?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do I need four or just two panniers for bicycle touring? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Having panniers at the front and the back makes your bike more stable <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Pros of having four panniers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n