New Croix de Fer just about on the way and thinking of getting rid of carradice SQR slim and replacing with proper rack and panniers for touring weekends. So what’s good, not too heavy, durable. Will probably be on Santa list 🙂

I got some of these, to replace 25yr old super c which had died.
used my new ones for a tour so far, seem ok for the pittance in comparison to some of the other names.

http://www.crosso.pl/pages/en/products/panniers/dry.php

got mine from the bike shop in tadcaster.

These from the Edinburgh Bike Coop are very good:

Daughter’s been using a pair for years – no issues.
Made by Vaude, apparantly.

I’ve got some Ortliebs, which are fine, but if I ever have to buy another pair I’d go Carradice, just because they’re five miles up the road.

I’ve used Blackburn and Topeak racks – prefer the Blackburn tbh.

just to add, I bought some new super c before the crosso’s.
I returned them to carradice because of the pretty shoddy quality, I bought they would have lasted 25 months this time.

I’m a big fan of Ortlieb panniers. I’ve probably had about 10,000 miles of laden touring out of mine and they are still like new.

Racks? I used the original Jim Blackburn ones and they were brilliant. Mme McMoonteresse used them for the Trans Am ride. I bought some Tubus racks which have been rock solid. I’ve since picked up others on ebay and the CTC classifieds.

Thanks for all the ideas so far

Those edin bike co ones look good at £70 against the ortlieb ones at £105….

Those edin bike co ones look good at £70 against the ortlieb ones at £105….

Keep an eye on the CTC classifieds unless they have to be new. I bought a lightly used pair for £40 from there, I lent them to a friend who just rode from Aviemore to Budapest.

Good plan mcm. Those Blackburn racks look ideal too, so one of them already on the list now !

I hear an unloved Kona Jake sobbing in your garage… 🙄

LOL @ dowshep 🙂

One of the guys in the club is interested in it which would be ideal !

The EBC ones are goog VFM but not as nice to use as Vaude/Ortlieb. I have some Super Cs which I like but they are pretty dated and not as easy to use. I love my Vaude as it has a shoulder strap which makes carrying around off the bike a million times easier (and avoids the Roy Cropper look).

Panniers can last years and years, even daily commuting, I’d spend the £££.

Most racks are fine, we (EBC) do a few cheaper ones that are good, most folk don’t need anything fancy like Tubus etc. I’d save money here and get a £15-20 EBC one.

al – thanks for that, very useful, cheers

Vaude back / front rollers.

found a Blackburn EX1 rack at a smidge over £20, so thats on it’s way. Wiggle seem to have a good deal on a pair of Ortlieb’s plus saddle bag bundle, so may go for that, but will keep looking, Vaude etc aswell.

Thanks

Used a Ortlieb Front roller classic for commuting for years.

Needed some bigger ones a couple years ago for touring so bought some Vaude Discover Pros from wiggle. Used them for a week’s wet touring in Scotland and they leaked. Returned them (wiggle were good about it) and bought some Ortlieb Back rollers plus (which I shouldve done in the first place). Been fine ever since.

Ortlieb gets my vote.

Blackburn EX1 and Ortlieb back roller plus here. Been using them for over 5 years now and no issues.

tonyd, and other Ortlieb users – looking online, is it worth paying the extra for the back roller plus over the back roller classic ? Thanks

Look at Spa for Ortleib’s. Last time I bought, they were cheapest.

Thanks all for ideas

Carradice super Cs. Mine did a tour through Spain and France and are solid as a rock. Plus you get old skool kudos.

Ian, I can’t really remember the differences to be honest, it could just be the material used and the mounting system. IIRC a friend who had just cycled across South America with the back rollers recommended the plus. For me the tool less mounting system on the plus works out OK as I move them between two bikes with different racks so can adjust them easily. If you’re using just the one rack then maybe save a few pennies, I can’t imagine it would be that difficult or time consuming to change the mount even if you were using two different racks.

cheers tony, think I’ll get teh Plus ones, cheers

Yeah the plus use more modern materials, 250g lighter (I think that’s each, but might be for the pair). Not a lot in itself but when you are going touring all those little amounts can start adding up to kilos.

I have used a pair of Ortlieb fron t roller classics for a sixish years. Fitted to the back occasionally thought a bigger size may be usuful but the smaller front size means one can be used as a general purpose bag.

After daily use they look almost the same and function perfectly.

What about frame bag/saddle bag/bar bag instead?

+1 for Ortlieb Back rollers. Very tough and still looking good after a year of commuting 5 days a week.
Survived an off on the road better than I did.
I’d suggest getting some small bags to divide items up inside the bag.

Managed to get mine for £20 each from Rose Bikes in a sale. They have maps of Sweden printed on them, but at that price I wasn’t going to say no.

Use a Freeload rack, now owned by Thule. [Edit: Thule Pack N Pedal Tour Rack. Tough and light.]

The main difference is the fabric. The Pluses are a fine cordura which is a bit lighter than the PVC (think lorry curtainsider curtains) of the Classics.

The Classics are supposed to be almost indestructible but as a fellow bike tourist found out, not racoon proof 🙂

Having written that, I’m still using a pair of KS100e and another pair of Silvaguard panniers from the mid 80’s so other fabrics do last. They are not welded waterproof though.