Recommend some shopping panniers...

[thecaptn]

Hi All,

I've been looking for some new panniers for picking up groceries, the Ortlieb Roller Classics I currently use are a little fiddly to open/close and as with all Ortlieb panniers cumbersome for carrying around by hand due to a lack of a central carry handle.

Can anyone recommend a pannier which may better suit my needs? Increased capacity could be ok too although I always seem to be able fit what I need into the 40lt bags.

Much thanks,
Peter

[just4tehhalibut]

The Ortlieb Bike-Shopper pannier has carry straps that are quite comfy although maybe a little short if you want to sling the bag onto a shoulder. I liked it over the Back-Roller panniers because it had a wider mouth, I could just throw in a full shopping bag. Only hassles were that it used a plastic slider instead of a metal-teethed zip and you had to be carefull not to jam anything in the slider beads as it damages easily (and needs the occasional lubrication), and it didn't really stand up on its own.
BNA has a review of this pannier here.


I've however gone to using shopping panniers that I can lock onto the rack and walk away to shop. I have an old shopper pannier that Arkel doesn't make anymore but still pops up on Gumtree, non-folding, rigid support frame, a zipped lid with a pocket. I keep that secured to the rack via hidden velcro straps. The mouth was the same shape and a tad larger than the base of a regular Coles chilled shopping bag, they just slide straight in. The 'pull out' Coles bag is what I take into the shop. I'd recommend looking around for something like this Arkel. On the other side of the rack I have one of those generic folding shopper panniers cable-tied permanently on, folded down flat until needed. These folders generally don't have a lid but the bag works for overflow from the Arkel and larger items, I just cover it up with a backpack slip-on raincover that I got from Kathmandu or somewhere. Soma's Fillmore is the better of these folding shoppers although I got a generic from the LBS for $10. Neither bag is as waterproof as the Ortlieb but I can live with that. And of course a small flat rack up front. That's my shopping system.

[thecaptn]

Thanks for the detailed reply. I thought these could be ok
https://www.bikebagshop.com/racktime-bu ... -1609.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Made by Tubus and with the Ortlieb QL2 attachment system.

Alternatively I find some baskets or bins which fit an average sized shopping bag and make a way to attach them myself.

[A_P]

I have these.
http://www.bicyclestore.com.au/tioga-cl ... -bags.html
They have been surprisingly hard wearing. Not very waterproof but gave a good soak with some fabric waterproofer in the can stuff
They open up wide enough. Zips and clips etc are still working after a few years of use.

[just4tehhalibut]

...I find some baskets or bins which fit an average sized shopping bag and make a way to attach them myself.

Some of the local recumbent trike riders here have made panniers out of plastic buckets, even the steel bulk olive oil cans. Here's someone's try. I've also refurbished some of those Tioga panniers to handle a load better replacing the plastic rear backing with a marine ply board, brass nuts and bolts, beefier plastic hooks - but in the end I didn't like panniers that needed drawstrings and buckles. If like me you run a dedicated shopping runabout bike then you can do what you please with it, give it a go.

Those Racktime panniers could work, just can't say if they're robust, waterproof or big enough inside, definitely leaning towards narrow but. Bike24 appears to have them cheaper (if you like black) but it looks like they'll be discontinued next month along with most of Racktime's bags.

[silentbutdeadly]

What about the Ortleib Velo-shopper http://www.bogong.com.au/ortlieb-austra ... gle-1.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; no zip in that one...and cheaper at Bogong in Melbourne than from Rose Bikes

[OldBloke]

Wahat about:

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Basil-Catani ... 1887178357" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



OB

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