Bike Panniers and Bags – How to Choose the Right Bike Ones for Your Needs
Whether driven by environmental concerns, the desire to live a healthier lifestyle, or simply the high cost of gasoline, more people than ever are relying on bicycles for transportation. Once you start using your bike to replace your car, you quickly find that having the right bags for hauling things like groceries, work clothes, and your laptop PC, becomes critical. Pannier bags, along with smaller trunk bags, can be ideal solutions.
Panniers (the French word for “baskets”) are bags that attach to the sides of bike racks that mount over the rear (and sometimes, front) wheels. Panniers are typically sold in pairs so you can balance your loads on either side of the wheel. They attach to the racks using systems of hooks and springs (or webbing). They tend to be the largest, most spacious bags available for commuting and touring. Capacities range from 500 to 3,200 cubic inches per pair. Some models are waterproof and others are designed specifically for carrying groceries and can even be used as shopping bags while in the store.
Whether you are a bike commuter, getting into bike touring or just need a simple bag for tooling around town, you should start thinking about what will work best for your needs. In fact, if you are planning to use your bike a lot for transportation or touring, you should consider putting together a system of bike bags that can be adapted to specific tasks. Start out slowly, purchasing one or two bags for your immediate needs, and then add more storage options as those needs evolve. When deciding what kinds of bike bags to buy, the following guidelines are helpful.
Capacity
Start out with small bike bags (like handlebar bags or small to medium-size panniers) for day trips and light loads. You can purchase larger bags (such as trunks that mount on a rear rack or larger panniers) when you find that you require more storage capacity. If you start by simply going out and purchasing the largest bags you can find, you may quickly find that they won’t be able to securely hold small loads and they will be cumbersome on the road. Even for longer trips, you will find that smaller bags can come in handy. Sit down and make a list of the items that you are most likely going to be hauling on your bike and figure out how many cubic inches of space they will require. If you are going to use your bike for grocery shopping, think about the largest items that you typically buy (e.g., case of beer) and determine how big a bag you would need to carry these items.
Adjustability
Look for bags that adjust to handle different-sized loads. Features like expandable pockets, extending collars and compression straps will allow you to use the same bags for a variety of different uses.
Accessibility
You also will need to consider how many openings the bag offers, how large these openings are and how they are secured (e.g., latches, zippers, ties). Also, look for features such a s dividers, pockets, compartments, and internal stiffeners, that help keep gear organized inside the bag. Purchase at least one small bag that is easy to reach as you ride. Such a bag gives you easy access to snacks, your wallet, your mobile phone, and maps without forcing you to stop and dig through larger bags.
Balance
The key to maintaining good balance even with a full load is keeping your gear as low and as centered as possible on your bike. Choose bags that make this easy, especially if you have lots of gear to carry. This doesn’t mean you can’t buy one or two bags that sit higher on your bike, but focus on installing most of your storage down low and balance it as much as possible from side to side. Again, panniers are ideally suited for balancing loads side to side.
Water-Resistance
Most modern bike bags are made out of coated nylon to protect gear from moisture. Read product descriptions and reviews carefully. Typically, they explain what type of materials the bag is made from, often describing it in terms of deniers. A denier is a unit of fineness for nylon and polyester fibers, based on a standard mass per length of 1 gram per 9,000 meters of yarn. It is a technical textile term for measuring the bulk of a fiber. As rules of thumb, a larger denier, polyester bag is not stronger than a smaller denier, ballistic nylon fabric made with a two-by-two basket weave. Also, ballistic and Cordura nylon materials are superior to polyester fabrics. Manufacturers will also typically indicate whether a bag is water resistant or waterproof. In addition to the materials, the specific design will also make a big impact on water-resistance. If you plan to be riding in the rain, make sure that you check all of the openings to ensure that they can be closed securely, and that all zippered pockets are protected by rain flaps. Obviously, fewer openings mean less risk of leakage.
Extra Features
Look for extras like water-bottle pockets, carrying straps, handles, removable fanny packs, mesh pockets for wet gear, clear plastic map pockets and so on. Also look for bags that can be converted into grocery bags, daypacks, book bags or briefcases when you reach your destination.
Attachment
Make sure your bike bags are easy to attach and tighten down. Some manufacturers, like Topeak, have special attachment or mounting systems for attaching bags that require special racks, while others include mounting hardware with bags that are designed to work on most racks. Be certain that the bags don’t get in the way, even when fully loaded.
More Information
For a complete selection of bike panniers, bags and accessories, please check out Bicycle Panniers.
