I’m sick of carrying my laptop and other gear (usually, waterproof shell and shorts, jeans, shirt, laptop, phone, undercrackers and Socks) in a rucsac to work it’s too hot and uncomfortable. I’m after a set of very waterproof panniers and a suitable rack for my Genesis Equilibrium commuter which has mounts. My budget is around £150 and I’m wondering what other all weather riders use?

Ortlieb are as good as any.

very waterproof

Oxymoron.

They can either be waterproof, or not. There’s no stages of waterproofness (Is that even a word?)

Ortlieb are good, as are Altura as a budget option. Proper drybags in any pannier is the other option.

Standard response is orlieb, it’s what I’d get if I was going that way.

I use a Carradice SQR slim, which is waterproof and should fit all that in without the weight, depending on the size of the laptop

But there is something to be said for the capacity of a nice set of panniers.

Ortlieb here. Generally just sport roller classic for commuting but also have back roller classic and ultimate 6 bar bag. Very happy with them.

Perhaps we should explain the business of accuracy in waterproofing terminology to the company who made my waterproof jacket which isn’t, in fact, waterproof despite being well advertised as such.

I stick by my oxymoron and would like a very waterproof set of panniers.

Will any decent rack work with the Ortlieb mounting system or is there a recommended type.
Thanks again.

Ive got a set of barely used pannier bags and a rack for sale

I’ve got both Ortlied and Thule. The Ortlieb are waterproof, the Thule is water resistant. Both are great, but I bought the Thule as I have a 17″ laptop which Ortlieb couldn’t guarantee any pannier bag would fit. I use a neoprene case for the laptop and the pannier bag also has a rain cover. I’ve never yet needed the latter.

I’m using a Tubus Airy rack on the Niner as it doesn’t have upper mounts on the stays so I’m using the seat stay bridge.

Has anyone used Arkel panniers? They seem to be slightly more robust than Ortlieb.

Its hard to see past Ortlieb though, especially as Arkel are more expensive!

Ortlieb are waterproof, and clip on and off really quickly which is great. The bottom will wear through after a couple of years of constant use though. A pair will cost you about £80, which leaves a reasonable amount for a rack. They start at about the £30 mark, and they seem ok, I splashed out on Tubus (£100+) in the hope that it will last, which it has so far (6 years)

I went back to a rucsack because I didn’t like how a bike with panniers felt.

How about reducing your daily load as well? Take a week of clothes in on a Monday would be a start.

65 GBP posted used a couple of times
[url=https://flic.kr/p/MZy231]Untitled[/url] by Richard Munro, on Flickr
[url=https://flic.kr/p/MZy3nW]Untitled[/url] by Richard Munro, on Flickr

Whatever you get, you’ll need a very well padded sleeve – Ortliebs have over half a dozen plastic/metal fasteners that protrude into the inside of the pannier.
They will quickly scratch anything you put in there unless you really pad it well.

They are properly waterproof, but once they get damp inside they really stay damp.
I miss my old Carradice cotton ones in that respect – they seemed to breath a bit more.

That’s a kind offer but they made my jacket!!

Workmate uses Ortlieb on the commuter.
Never seen him pull wet stuff out and he rides in all weathers. No laptop carrying in his but I would have pannier envy if in the market.

😀

Tortec velocity rack and a carradice bike bureau here. Never had a problem with it leaking in all sorts of foul weather, but if you throw it in a canal it’ll leak. So may not be _very_ waterproof. Have a look on eBay at their seconds outlet, they come up occasionally. Only problem I’ve had with this combo is the rack seems a bit soft and the contact points are rubbing

Altura drylines are waterproof for sure and don’t wear out like ortliebs do now have sticky out metal bits

I’ve had a set for 10years. They have been on numerous tours- 6momths round new Zealand then 2 weeks at a time in various parts of Scotland – Skye – mull – Arran – Shetland – orkney + daily commuting for the 6months of the year I’m in the UK.

The rains never once gotten in

Ortleib back roller classic here… Getting on for 15 years old, still used daily, still waterproof.

They take my 17″ workstation laptop every now and then, but I always make sure it’s got a later of protection like a jacket/jumper/posted sleeve etc

Tortes Velocity rack and Ortlieb briefcase thingy. Absolutely spot on, very durable so far and extremely waterproof.

A pair of Ortlieb and a pair of Carradice panniers here; both used for touring and commuting without issue.
Rack wise I have a Tubus and two Blackburn racks, again no issues. Blackburn are cheaper, not so easy to fit a proper rear light though.

Have Ortileb and Caridice here (and Vaude and Karrimore), much as I’d love to say the British canvas ones, which seem indestructible and look great, they need liners and can be awkward to use where as the Ortilebs just work. On and off the most easily and in experience completely waterproof.

I’m going to do what I always do and recommend the carradice sqr bags, they clip onto a little block that sits on the seatpost. Less guff on the bike when you’re not using the bag. 2 seconds to clip/unclip the bag.

16 litre, A4/laptop size, waterproof (as long as you close it properly) keeps the spray off your back too if you’re caught without guards. You need a sleeve for a laptop, because there are bolts protruding into the

Top pick for a commuting bag IMO.

By all means get “waterproof” but pack stuff in plastic bags anyway. At least, valuable and sensitive stuff.

I have ortleib and caradice panniers. Ortleib are completely waterproof and robust, very easy to get on and off the bike but heavy and rattly. Expensive

Carridice are almost as waterproof ( keeps the rain out totally but won’t survive a trip in the canal) fiddly to get on and off but thus more secure from thieves and a chunk cheaper iirc

Ortleib front are bigger, but Carridce rear are bigger than ortleib

So for me one key thing is are they going to be left on the bike semi-permanently if so get carradice but if you are going to carry your kit into the office in them get ortleib

I prefer panniers to seatpacks but thats pretty personal thing

As Ned says for me. Wouldn’t use panniers again.

apologies and slight hijack but postierich, what rack is that?

looking for one for my Genesis day one, but want to keep it slim

I’m running a pair of Ortlieb Sport-Packer Plus’s and a Tubus Airy Ti rack on my Tripster for versatile and lightweight commuting.

It’s a totally waterproof setup that easily fit a 15″ Macbook Pro, a pair of shoes and a change of clothes, with plenty of room left for other bits and bobs (i.e. bike parts sent to the office!)

Tortec Velocity rack is nice and slim, use it on my road bike for that exact reason!

schmiken – Member

Tortec Velocity rack is nice and slim, use it on my road bike for that exact reason!

I was looking at that but think that I need the hybrid version as the Genesis has 35mm tyres

Have you looked at the Axiom range?
Great racks and waterproof panniers, get great reviews and cheaper than Ortlieb!

I’ve got an axiom streamliner rack, it’s ok, but it does feel like it’s wagging the bike a bit.

I’m tempted to stick it on again over the winter though for a bit of extra present carrying capacity. The SQR is great, but I nearly fill it every day.

In your position I’d buy the Orlieb panniers. They’re the most popular option that I’ve seen (commuting in London)

Personally I use a rack pack for all my commuting. My laptop, if it gets carried, goes in a side pocket that opens out or a laptop pannier bag.

The rack pack has never leaked despite riding in all conditions and not using a cover for it – probably to do with the fact it’s behind me?

I have a couple of cheap Aldi/Lidl panniers that I use for the supermarket run every now and then

Have ortlieb’s here. Waterproof? Yes, very. But…

Ortliebs have over half a dozen plastic/metal fasteners that protrude into the inside of the pannier

Mine fell to pieces last week on a big trip and I know a mate has had problems. I’d recommend thread-loc’ing all the bolts that hold the bag to the frame – look at the bike-facing panels, you’ll see what I mean – a load of torq bolts. They work loose and mine sufficiently so that 3 of the four had loosened and it was hanging on by one bolt.

I made an emergency fix using zip ties which, actually, I might leave in place because they’re not coming loose any time soon.

For a rack, I would recommend the same as mine – Tubus Fly but check AlpKit – they do a nice looking, similarly minimal one which is much more favourably priced. Here.

Another vote for Ortlieb and Tubus. The Ortliebs have a roll top which, when used properly, basically turns them into a dry bag – I’ve seen them “float” when thrown into a river and keep the contents dry when fully submerged. They seem to be the choice of seriously long-distance all-conditions tourists and definitely a very popular choice down here in That London. But, like everyone says, make sure your gear inside is protected from all the fixings that can protrude into the space – a bit of gaffer tape over the nuts is usually enough.

Tubus racks, similarly, seem to be the standard that others are measured by. Strong, light, well-made. They will eventually wear out if you let the panniers rub against them (well, the aluminium ones) but so will all racks. They make a good range of problem solver racks like the Fly that will fit bikes that aren’t designed to have a rack attached.

Two important considerations:
1) if your bike isn’t designed to carry a rack, it may feel a bit weird and twangy if you start carrying heavy panniers on the back of it – touring bikes can feel _very_ stiff when un-laden because they’re designed to be strong and comfortable when fully loaded; standard road bikes are designed to be strong and comfortable without a rack on the back and can feel downright wobbly if you bolt a rack on and load it up.

2) we’ve seen spates of thefts in London where a motorbike with a pillion passenger pulls up alongside a cyclist with panniers, often at traffic lights, the pillion rider grabs the panniers, releases them from the rack, and the motorbike speeds off. Relatively easy to prevent with zip ties / straps / old inner tubes / cable locks but a bit of extra faff if you take your panniers off and on a lot, rather than just leaving them on the bike. Check that whatever panniers you buy have extra loops or rings you can use for this. Ortliebs do.

My first set of Ortliebs lasted 10 years of daily commuting. My second set have worn out after two years – the material isn’t as thick as it used to be, and I won’t be buying them again.

As an alternative, UPSO. Made by Carradice from re-used lorry tarps. A brilliant idea: http://upsobags.co.uk/recycled-bike-bags/panniers

Just received the Alpkit rack recently, to go on the Mrs tourer; it’s rigid and minimalist, with a mounting plate for rear lights. Seems very good. I’ve one of their pannier bags too but can’t report on waterproofness as a) it’s still fairly new and b) it hasn’t been rained on yet! I’m sure autumn will arrive eventually…

Has anyone used Arkel panniers? They seem to be slightly more robust than Ortlieb.

Its hard to see past Ortlieb though, especially as Arkel are more expensive!

Arkel cordura is really well made. I have one of their bar and rack top bags. Neither are 100% waterproof but they come with rain covers.

I’d go for Ortlieb every time. I’ve done some epic tours on mine and they still look and function as new. A couple of friends from Idaho are a year and a half in to a two and a half year round the world trip, they are using Ortlieb bags.

I have both Ortlieb and Altura.

The Ortlieb roll-tops are very basic (unless you get one of their more sophisticated panniers) and can be a pain for organising stuff. They are waterproof, e.g. submersible but IME a tad uneccessary for commuting.

Altura Drylines are more than adequate in terms of waterproofing but will leak if sumberged. They do have some organising pockets and the main body of the pannier is padded as well. You’ll still need to put your laptop in a sleeve.

The 17ltr is more like a laptop bag that doubles as a pannier, whereas the 20ltr is more like a tradfitional pannier.

I’d definitely reccomend getting to a shop with all your gear to see how it all fits.

My first set of Ortliebs lasted 10 years of daily commuting. My second set have worn out after two years – the material isn’t as thick as it used to be, and I won’t be buying them agai

Hmm. I’m personally not that impressed with Ortlieb panniers. We sell them at work and I think they feel flimsy. I wouldn’t swap my Vaude panniers for them, put it that way. After 3 years heavy use commuting, touring and shopping both sets we have are virtually as new.
They’ve never let any water in either.
Look at Vaude…..