Review by Maria Luisa Torabi:

I was looking for bags that were spacious enough for me to go to the grocery store and also to carry miscellaneous stuff like clothes, shoes… and this one is just perfect. It measures 12″ long, 10″ wide and 7″ deep. It has a handle for carrying it and is easy to strap it to the rack. However, I leave it on all the time.

It works well with the “Ventura Universal Bicycle carrier rack” (my bike tires are 26 inch.)

Review by A. Walker:

The Good Stuff:

- Lots of room

- Plastic inserts give these bags a rigid construction

- Center Handle for easy carrying

- Adjustable straps for quickly attaching to a bike rack

- They are cheap!

The Bad Stuff:

- These bags would not survive even one crash

- The side straps don’t adjust wide enough to allow the clasps the right angle to stay tight. They quickly release in a headwind making the bags (if empty) flap like wings behind your bike.

- If you don’t have the right kind of rack, one with an open horizontal bar for the center strap… dunno how you’d attach these bags otherwise.

These would work for some folks, but not for me. I’m returning mine.

Review by Tracy Q from St Albans (Herts, UK):

I wanted saddlebags for day trips and occasional shopping. These are great – easy to fit, you do need a rear rack though – but they do include bungee cords on the inside to stop them flapping, this makes it less convenient for quick removal, but I far prefer the stability.

To give an idea of size (if like me you can’t figure capacity in cubic inches) – I was able to fit 2(US) gallons of milk in each large pocket (US gallon = 6 UK pints).

A real reason to be able to get on yer bike (as Norman Tebbitt once said) and beat the gas prices before they get to UK heights!

Review by Jamey Townsend:

I was worried when I bought these that I could not fit everything I needed in it for my commute. I read a review on here that stated they fit 2 gallons of milk in each side, so I decided to get this. I was happy that I could fit a pair of pants, shirt, and undies all in just one side of it. The other side I put my lunch in it with plenty of extra room. I have an electric hub motor assist so my charger fits perfectly into one of the side pockets. The only drawback that I had with this item was the straps to fasten it to the rear bike rack. I wish there were better options as my rear bike rack is not one that can use straps going the legnthwise of the rack. I have a 25 pound battery pack that I place on the back and was not able to strap that in without modifying the Panniers, (placed small cuts to allow the velcro straps to be feed from the battiery pack through the panniers around the rack and back through). All in all the Panniers seem to be working great.

Review by Pink Samurai:

These bags are waterproof- true enough. And they have convenient shoulder straps, etc. But mine constantly fall off my bike….if I hit a bump or something. Maybe they just aren’t all the compatible with my bike rack, but I think there is some sort of design flaw that one needs to be aware of when making the choice to buy these.

Also, they somehow seem really small, too. I still use mine everyday, but I have to strap ‘em on and pack everything in really tight.

If i knew then what i know now, I would’ve gone with a different bag.

Review by Meindert Niemeijer:

I bought these bags about 1.5 months ago. They are sturdy and fit well on my bike, I don’t see them flying off on a bumpy road. The only aspect of these bags I worry about is the waterproofing, I wonder how long they will stay watertight while in daily use. Anyway, so far so good, they are still like new after 1.5 months of almost daily use (commute to work).

Review by NewTourer:

I purchased these panniers for a 550 mile, unsupported, solo trip and the first failure occurred at mile 110. What seems to be missing from the product description is a weight rating. I selected these bags for my trip based on the volume of cargo I was carrying but found they couldn’t handle the weight.

The good: The design is simple and funtional. The bags install easily with the top hooks latching securely on the rack. The bottom hook is a little less functional and somewhat difficult to attach securely. The drawstring closure of the main compartment with overlapping flap is simple and works well. It provides a large opening and seals up to keep everything clean and dry. The rear compartment and extra storage pocket on the top flap are great for keeping smaller items separated, although I’d prefer a longer zipper on the top flap. The rain covers are simple and effective. Everything stayed dry, even in a heavy downpour.

The bad: I had 21 pounds of gear in each bag and after 110 miles the mounting hooks started breaking. By the end of day 3 (240 miles into my trip) only 1 of the 4 hooks were still intact and the bags were held on with bungee cords and duct tape. I was riding on paved roads so it’s not like they were getting bounced around a lot. I stopped overnight at a friends house and we fabricated some rails that we bolted to the bags and secured to the rack with hose clamps. This worked for the rest of the trip but it’s now a pain in the neck to get the bags on and off the bike.

In retrospect, I was carrying more than I really needed, but this was my first bike trip. I did a lot of internet research, though, before the trip and my packing list and total load don’t seem unreasonable based on what I read.

Conclusion: Delta should include a weight rating for the panniers. 21 pounds clearly exceeds the strength of the mounting hooks.

Review by Matt Sears:

I like to carry a lot of stuff on my 3.5 mile commute. On the 10th trip I had a laptop, one book and some clothes and the plastic clip broke when I hit a bump. I was very disappointed. I shopping for a different brand now. Can we get some info on weight capacity for any of these???

Review by Rick V:

Background you can skip

I bought these Panniers in conjuntions with an M-Wave rear pack carrier (10$ see elsewhere) since wifey wanted start doing her grocery shopping more frequently and by bicycle. New bicycle paths in our area allow for a safe bike trip to and from the grocery store. So I set out to buy the largest cucbic inch panniers for the money without breaking the bank.

These have almost 2,200 ci and we’re less than 40$ at time of purchasing so we went with it.

About these Panniers

They are not asl large as you might think. Albeit sizable, they are not so bulky that it looks like you’re biking across Europe for a week with all your gear. By itself that is great but for grocery shopping the compartments are oddly shaped. There are 2 main ones on each side and smaller ons on top of that (clearly visible in the photos) and then there is the top pack. This is where it is not perfect for groceries. I could fit 1 gallon of milk or so in each side compartment but the weight of that pulled the top compartment flat (bread turned into flatbread in there). I.e. you can fit 2,200 ci of groceries, HOWEVER, make sure it consists of all canned stuff or all lighter stuff otherwise you’re doomed!

As far as non-grocery stuff: I can absolutely see how this is perfect for books and some clothing items etc. No issues there, but we bought it especially for groceries… We have since moved onto adding a grocery basket onto the front of her bike which seems to work much better. Now we want to add a grocery basket to the rear as well (foldable) as this is not well suited, as I said. Buy it for everything else though!

Pros

- Good value

- Good quality (reinforced polyester)

- Good shape / size

- Plenty of compartments

- Easy fixing on to rear carrier pack

- Appears to be rainproof

- Reflective stripes

Cons

- Compartments only work well for non-grocery type stuff (books, towels, clothing, lunch box, beach gear)

- Heavy items in side compartments can push against wheel and flattens top compartment, i.e. item is not well suited for that

Overall verdict:

A great price/quality bargain but make sure you buy it for the right use. We’re keeping it as it will come in handy but for grocery shopping you’re better off buying the basket solutions (back and front).

Go for it!!

Review by Frog:

I bought this set of bags Avenir Metro III Panniers (2, 165 Cubic Inches Total)

Conn:

1. I found they are not good in the rain. I live in Bellevue Washington, USA and it is our rainy season. Rain Rain and more rain. put the bags on my bike it was pouring Elephants and Lions, forget the cats and dogs, LOL they got rained out LOL. When I got home checked and I had an inch of rain in each side after 45 minutes, and 5.5 mile ride. and the top bag was soaked. I have since sprayed them with Scotch Guard now they just get damp. Either need another coat or a better repellent.

2. Other reviewers hit on this the top bag gets pulled down I fixed this alittle I took a old cutting board, cut off the ends, screwed them on to the ends to give the hight of a carton of eggs. Now I have a place to put eggs.

Pro’s:

1. Lots of room

2. extra pockets handy on sides

3. Reflector strips

4. Easy to install

5. Makes bike look nicer

6. Affordable

7. Extra clip on back of each bag near the top makes it easy to lock them to the bike so someone can’t just undo them and walk off.

Over all these bags are OK. manly gave them 3 stars cause of the lack of water repellent, and lack of top bag supportOther then that I really like these bags.

Review by E. D. Hance:

I wanted a saddle bag to go over my rear bike rack. I found this product on Amazon and it was what I had been searching for in bike stores. I like the reflector strips on the back. The bag has a durable, black heavy nylon fabric which is easy to clean. You get mud splatters and road dirt from ridding in rain. The bags fit over the rear wheel and hangs down to about the middle of the rear wheel. I put items in the bags when I go out for a day trip. When I stop there are five zippered pockets so I can get things out without unpacking the whole pack. I highly recommend this product.

Review by R. Matteson:

These bags seem to be well constructed and fairly heavy duty. The price is also right. My only complaint is that they are a little cumbersome to install and remove from the bike rack. I also want to get two short bungee cords to keep them against the rack when they are empty so they don’t flap. This is the only set of panniers I’ve had so I don’t know how other manufactures handle the mounting.

Review by J. Black:

My wife and I use two of these with the Topeak baby carrier rack. They are fantastic! Lightweight, easy to get on and off, sturdy, and can hold a lot – a very full standard canvas bag will fit in each one (or two gallons of milk). With the shoulder straps, you don’t even need to bring a separate bag to the store. It also has two regular handles along the long edges.

It attaches with two rubber-coated clips on top and an elastic bungee that you clip down near your rear axle. Takes 5 seconds to put on or off.

Perfect for trips to the grocery store whenever weather will allow. When snapped “closed”, you can still slip a bike lock or letters into it and they’ll stay secure. The bottom has a sturdy piece of plastic to keep it flat, and the sides have support rods so your stuff doesn’t move all over the place.

Only drawback is it’s not waterproof – the sides are a mesh and the top is wide open.

Review by Bikeler:

I purchased two Avenir Metro 2.0 Shopping Panniers and am very pleased. They are the perfect size to hold grocery bags. I use reusable cloth grocery bags but they work great with regular paper grocery bags and plastic bags as well. Besides trips to the grocery store, I use them to commute to work and to go to the beach and park with my kids. They work great to hold my shoes, lunch, beach towels, toys, etc. They are very easy to attach and they stay secure. The interior zippered pockets are great for holding the keys to my bike lock, my garage door opener, extra sunglasses, etc. The panniers also fold up easily while attached to the bike when you don’t need them. Very convient and easy to use and priced well. I highly recommend them!

Review by moon:

So far I am pleased with my M-Wave Pannier. It has a good amount of space, and is easy to attach and un-attatch to my bike. I purchased the M-Wave “bicycle carrying rack” with it, which was a good choice, as there is an aspect that specifically helps this unit connect. Kind of like a hinge that fits specifically to both the bags and the carrying rack. The top bag can slide around a little, but that can be easily adjusted and tightened. The top bag easily fits my laptop, which most other bags fail to do. For , it was a great purchase and I am very happy.

Review by cww58:

I’m very happy with these saddle bags. The two that hang on ether side of the rear tire have plenty of room. They do have tapered side’s toward the front of the bike. This keeps you from kicking the bag as you peddle. The top bag has simple click an lock clips. It also comes with a shoulder strap, to carry around by.

The only thing I didn’t like was the lack of instructions on placing the bag inserts. The wider one’s go in the saddle bags. The other are for the top bag. It is easiest if you bow the inserts away for the side of the bags. Then insert the ends into the pockets inside the bag. After both ends are in place, just push the bow to the side of the bag.

Review by N. D. Zamora:

The good: 1) The materials used are good quality and feel like they will hold up under use. 2) The construction is good. It is a well put together bag. 3) The ease of use with the Topeak rack. It fits easily and securily. It is a good system that Topeak has. 4) The top is lightly insulated. Good spot for putting my lunch during the commute.

The bad: 1) The price. There are several less expensive options out there. 2) No exterior easy to reach pockets for phone, wallet, keys etc.. 3)The panniers should be a couple inches wider and taller. The bags are a little undersized.

In the end I would have rated it higher if the bags were just a little larger and if it were just a bit less expensive. Also, I had problems ordering directly from Amazon. The order was filled by Amazon with an expected delivery date of 3-5 business days. Two days after the order was placed I went to track the shipment and it hadn’t even picked up yet. It stated that there was a problem getting shipped out. So I had to pay the extra for expedited delivery. That was disappointing. I didn’t even get a notice from Amazon that there was a problem.

That was my original review but after 7 months my opinion has changed. I would not give it 3 stars. I am currently on my 2nd bag because I had to return the original after 3 wks. The bag began to come apart at the seems. Now my second bag has the same problem. I only put clothes in there so it’s not that I overload it. This is something you might consider if you are using this for your daily commute.

Review by M. Myers:

I use this bag/pannier for grocery shopping and carrying my commuting gear, and it works fine. The best part about Topeak’s stuff is the Quick Track system that allows the bag to connect to a Topeak rack easily. No mucking about with Velcro—just slide it into place and click it down. Is the bag perfect? No. The trunk gets compressed when the pannier’s elastic straps are hooked to the rack. The nylon fades badly in sunlight, and it isn’t really waterproof at all. But it’s cheap enough, and works well.

Review by davedisc:

I have used these for 6 months or so biking to work (2-3 x week). They have held up well and have plenty of room. I can usually use just one, but when I have a lot to carry use both.

Review by Moogy:

Good quality at an attractive price. Somewhat small carrying capacity but that is exactly what I wanted for my light touring of 2 – 3 days.

They fit my rack well (Topeak)and remain secure at speed.

Purhased the optional rain covers which fit nicely and are a bit expensive at .00 but are a nice option.