For a forthcoming cycle-touring trip in NZ I'm considering forgoing panniers and simply bungee-ing 3 rucksacks of varying sizes a pannier rack. I figure this'll give me the flexibility to do some treking or daywalks while I'm out there – and I'll be able to use the same bag(s) for everything.

But. Is this gonna be a disaster? Will the bags snag in the wheels, fall off, generally get in the way and make me grumpy?

Advice, please..! 🙂

I've done it (over several weeks), and it's doable.

However, I wouldn't do it again. Panniers make life a hell of a lot easier.

Careful strapping of bags on will ensure they don't get caught places and don't fall off, but there's always some faff involved with keeping them that way.
It's also a major hassle putting them on, and taking them off – which might not seem like a big thing, but getting bags off into youth hostels, or for packing on and off trains. It's muchly frustrating.

I'd have a look at some of the panniers that will convert into rucksacks, if that's a strong point for you.

trawl trademe.co.nz before you get here you might pick up a bargain 2nd hand pair.

in fact i'll do it for ya
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/SearchResults.aspx?searchType=all&searchString=cycle+panniers&type=Search
don't mention it 😉

My solution down the West Coast of New zealand was 2 panniers on my bike and a Karrimor KIMM rucsac in my panniers for day walks(these pack down very small and we actually nmet some one walking hut to hut with them). For proper back packing walks I just posted my rucsac to the next place I thought I'd need it, having phoned a head. Some times we just got a bus driver to drop our stuff for us at a campsite.

If you don't fancy that I'd go for panniers and one say 50/60 litre rucsac bungied over the top, possibly this would be fairly empty during the cycling bits. I'd make use of the huts for walking so you don't need a huge rucsac

I think 3 rucsacs and bungies would be a pain and I'm not sure why you'd need 3 rucsacs

ampthill – Member
My solution down the West Coast of New zealand was 2 panniers on my bike and a Karrimor KIMM rucsac in my panniers for day walks

That's exactly what I do when I need a sac as well as bike luggage capacity.

Panniers enable you to manage the load accross the bike well and are reasonably secure and stable. They can and do leap off the bike with enough provocation (i.e. very rough stuff taken at silly speeds) and sacs bungeed on would be worse and a lot less convenient when you do want to remove them (like each evening).

I had situation when both my rear panniers leapt off when we hit a dropped bridge bearing at high speed. The jolt had both rear panniers in the road though the fronts stayed on. Luckily the vehicles following didn't run over our kit they stopped long enough for us to scamper around recovering it. Before anyone chimes it, these are top end panniers properly mounted…

The KIMM (now OMM) sac is a good idea. Mine is 25L and you can take the back pad out to leave a very light though still highly specced rucksack that can be rolled up and stashed away. They are expensive though and you may be able to find a cheaper alternative.

Epic Designs bags like Chipps had on his Fargo? I'm saving my pennies for some, they look amazing, I've got all these adventures with them planned in my head…