I sucked it up and got the good stuff. The Ortlieb Backroller panniers. I picked them up at REI . I like their return policy… Anyhow back to the subject at hand. I bought two different REI brand panniers and none of them really did it for me.
It is quite rainy in Pittsburgh and I need waterproof panniers, plus who wants to worry about carrying a rain cover etc… So these things are a snap to set up, easy on, easy off and gigantic.
Pics of them mounted, notice the reflectors built in:
They are cavernous! I rode to the climbing gym with them, and I do not trust dirt bag climbers, so while there I stuffed all my crap in one of them and it held no prob, that consisted of:
Pair of cycling shows
helmet
Mittens
harness
jacket
fleece vest
nite rider light
Thats a lot….
And the strap used to close the roll top can be used as a handy shoulder strap.
From the vendor:
With 3D welded seams, these paniers will keep your gear dry on rainy rides.
* Constructed with welded seams for strength
* Designed with an easy access, roll-top closure
* Replaceable, adjustable, quick-release security catches mount panniers quickly and easily on racks–also removed easily
* Lifting on pannier carrying strap automatically releases the QL1 system security catches, while releasing the strap causes latches to lock in place
Specs:
Ortlieb Backroller Panniers
Specification Description
Material PVC-coated Cordura
Dimensions 16.5 x 12.5 x 9.1 inches
Volume per pair 2441 cubic inches
Great Review! I got a set of these, and I am now combining them with the Matias Laptop Armor (meaning I just dump the laptop in its case into the cavernous bag) for a worry free ride to work with my Laptop. Ortlieb just got it all right with this product
Thanks for the review. Especially thanks for the picture of how the shoulder strap works.
Yeah these bags really are great. I have been using them for 2 years now with almost no signs of wear.
I used them to do a tour back in June and it really paid off, as we were caught in a crazy downpour for four hours.
tour pics here
Thanks for reading the blog.
-Joe