Looking for the right cycling saddle bags for a bike tour.  Bike touring can be pretty demanding on you, your bike and your gear.  Therefore choosing the right cycling saddle bags is important and it includes getting the right bike rack, the right cycling saddle bags and more.  This short video from a guy at Expert Village and YouTube do a really nice job of giving you a lot of information packed into a short video.

He goes into nice detail about the racks and the types of features you want form the rack and also from your bike.  For example, he rightly talks about the low rider front rack for stability.  This is for sure hitting on the cycling saddle bags and needs for touring.  This goes along well with my short article on Cycling Saddle Bags also.

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These are cute bike panniers for around town and feminine

Have you been thinking about purchasing a set of bike panniers but not really sure what to get.  I know I have been in that same boat myself.  I was looking on Amazon, REI and other bicycle accessories sites and just could not make the decision to pull the trigger on any one set.  You see for me I use my bike for multiple purposes and that is what made it so hard.  Unfortunately and strangely fortunately at the same time before I could finally pull the trigger and buy any one set of bike panniers my wife got a set for my birthday and that was a done deal.  Did it all work out in the end sure.  Yet in this post I will detail the three main functions for bike panniers and what those three functions might mean for you and your search for the ideal bike pannier for your situation.

Around Town Shopping Bike Panniers

With gas prices sky rocketing and the green house effect happening with the earth more and more people are turning to riding their bikes.  Of course I am kind of preaching to the choir right if you are here you probably already ride a fair amount.  One way that people log a good number of miles and house on their bike is just running their errands around town.  The bike pannier they will need of course is a lot different than someone going touring in a foreign country.  That is just kind of common sense isn’t it.  For a around town bike pannier that will carry groceries and other assorted items you want something with a good deal of room.  You will also want something most likely with an open top and it doesn’t really need to have any closure or weather proofing features.  The two big saddle bags in the back that are open and easy to access is probably best for your situation.  One alternative you might want to consider is looking for a convertible bike pannier that can be a saddle bag while you are riding but then comes off from the pannier rack and turns into a backpack or messenger bag.

The Bike Commuter: Bike Panniers

Now the bike commuter is typically making a bit more serious commitment to the number of hours they will be riding and also the amount of stuff they will be caring in their bike panniers.  In this case they might need a closure on the top and some light weather proofing for those mornings with fog or a slight drizzle out there.  In this case they don’t need the biggest saddle bags for the bike ever but something in the mid range size that does have some closure.  Often they are looking for something that can carry the contents of a briefcase in other words some papers and books etc and then also maybe a place to store a jacket and even a change of clothes.  In this case for the commuter the pannier should be medium size, with light weatherproofing and a closure on top so things don’t fall out.

The Touring Bicyclist

The touring bicycle rider probably needs a medium to very large capacity saddle bag with at least light weather proofing if not full bombproof water tight saddle bags and bike panniers.  It really depends on the conditions of the ride but most likely if you are looking at this level or riding you are pretty serious and spending a good deal of time on your bike so it pays to spend a little extra money and go for the bike bike panniers that are bombproof and water tight.  That way on your back road trip through China you don’t have to worry about a little mud or rain running your sleeping bag.

So What?

Well, you might be asking so what is the best solution and which ones should I buy.  Essentially it comes down to projecting how you will use the bike panniers and finding the best option for your intended use that you can afford.  Of course more expensive is better and many, (myself included) think bigger is better as you have room to grow.   In the end you are likely to get bitten by the cycling bug once you start and inevitable you will end up with two or three sets of bike panniers depending on the situation.  So how does the story end?  What did I get?  As I mentioned they were bought for me as a gift so I didn’t have much choice.  With that being said my wife bought a nice mid range with light weather proofing and moderate size.  It is a middle of the road set of bike of bike panniers but it works perfectly for me.  I might have gotten something more expensive and bigger if I purchased them myself but the fact of the matter is I have not needed anything more and I have done all three of the activities listed above with the bike panniers
I have.

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Here is the Ortlieb Panniers For Bikes

Panniers For Bikes

There are many different types of panniers for bikes and bike rack options.  Choosing the right one for you will really depending on how you are planning to use them.  Of course panniers for bikes originally came from bike touring when the touring cyclist had to keep all of the cycling and camping gear with them as they rode.  That is still one of the most major uses for panniers even to this day.  However, so many more people ride now and there are so many other uses for panniers so choosing the right one for you can be a bit more difficult.

How To Choose Panniers For Bikes

The way you choose is to first stop, think and take a few moments to really plan out how you will be using the panniers.  Now it is understood that your planned usage might change and you might have to at some point in the future get something else.   However, just plan based on what you are doing right now and how you will use the bicycle saddle bags right now.  Also if you are planning on using the bags for dual purposes then try to split the difference and get something that is in between.

Typical Types Of Usage
Below you will find three different categories of bike riders.  These of course are somewhat broad strokes and there are some people who participate in two or three of these categories.  However, by categorizing your typical bike usage you can pick the ideas panniers for bike that you need.

The Around Towner
This is the person who is a casual but committed rider.  Someone who goes to the store by bike and likes to take long rides on the weekend.  Sometimes they even ride daily around town.  Pick up the groceries, drop off the recently watched video and maybe even pick up a new book.  They will often ride for fun and fitness both.  These people need rather small set of panniers or even just a bike basket.  Ideally they need something that is big enough o carry a few sacks of groceries but not so large and cumbersome that it slows them down.  Also ease of access to get things in and out is crucial for this group.

The Bike Commuter
The bike commuter is a lot like the around towner except puts on a little more miles typically in a week.  They need little bigger bags that can hold a change of clothes and any things they need for work like a laptop computer or books and etc.  They often need about the same size pannier or saddle bag as the around towner or possible a little bit bigger.  Avenir makes the Metro series that works perfectly for the bike commuter.  They also do not need a full set of panniers including the front fork and back over the rear tire set.

The Touring Cyclist
Now the touring cyclist puts on lots of hard and long miles while riding.  They also have the most needs in terms of space and weather requirements.  They will typically be carrying a tent, camping equipment, food, clothing and other essential items.  They need a full set of bike panniers including a set for the front forks, the back tires and any other bags they can fit onto the bike.  They need the biggest space capacity possible and the best for weathering the elements.

Panniers For Bikes Companies

Below are a few of the most well respected and known companies that make and sell  and saddlebags.  These are just a few of the most common and it is not an exhaustive list by any means.

Ortelib
Ortlieb is one of the best and well known producers of bike panniers especially for those who are planning on touring and working the long distances.  They have great weatherproofing and are incredibly durable yet spacious inside.  They are like the Cadillac version of bike panniers and especially crafted with the bike touring in mind.  Expect to pay between 200 to 300 per set or about 800 to 1000 for an entire outfit for the whole bike.

Jandd
Jandd is a smaller company working out of Santa Barbara California and they have an outstanding product.  They are not as well known or as expensive as Ortlieb.  However, they make an outstanding product and a wide variety of products to fit different levels of riders.

Aviner
Aviner is a more mass produced and a bit cheaper the above two products.  They typically make pretty strong products that work well for entry level and light usage.  These products are best suited for the around town rider and the bike commuter.  You can save a good deal of money and get something with a nice set of features.

Axiom
I have not had any experience with Axiom products but they look to be in a very similar category as Aviner.  They are a good entry level product that provides and inexpensive price and a lot of features but don’t have the long term durability as some of the above products.

Other Options Panniers For Bikes
You always have a few other options.  For the seriously committed rider there are small companies that custom make or at least limited production sets of bike panniers.  These are high quality and often featuring an outstanding level of hand crafted workmanship.  If you don’t have the money to get a set from any of the above sellers you might try your hand at sewing your own.  Typically they are not very complicated and you can save a decent amount of money. So what panniers for bikes will you choose depends mostly on how you will use them

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Here is a great Bicycle Cargo Trailers

Here is a great video showing how a Bicycle Cargo Trailers can be quickly and easily added to the bike.  This one in particular looks super awesome because they come with a full pannier or saddle bag set. They are big enough to hold everything for longer trips yet as you can see form the video they stay right with the rider even on single track at speeds. Incredible.

The Bicycle Cargo Trailers Video

More On Bicycle Cargo Trailers

This is just one video but there are many options for bicycle cargo trailers and also many different uses.  Of course if you are planning on doing touring and long distance bicycling you might opt for the traditional saddle bags or panniers.  However, these bicycle cargo trailers are great because you do not need to worry about balance on the bike as much and they have more cargo space for carrying your camping and equipment essentials.

Other Options

Even if you are not planning on doing any bike touring or long distance bike riding a bicycle cargo trailer that is more suited to your needs might be perfect.  For example if you want to carry recycle materials that you have collected, or you are a bike commuter and want to make sure you have a change of clothes and essential items for your work a bike trailer can be just the thing.  Even for the average bicycle rider that is trying to use their car less a trailer can be great for stuffing groceries in.  Another option is to get a trailer that will fit your sporting equipment like a kayak or a surfboard.  Do you need a bicycle cargo trailer?

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Check out these hot Ortlieb Bicycle Panniers

The Ortlieb bicycle panniers line of products or just the bicycle saddle bags are one of the best known for long distance bicycle touring especially if you plan on getting wet or dealing with any rain or bad weather. These are most known for being complete water tight and bombproof panniers. This is a nice video where he explains the bags in great detail. Again this is for the serious touring freak and not the commuters out there.

And Now The Ortlieb Bicycle Panniers Video

So What Do You Think Ortlieb Bicycle Panniers Or Something Cheaper?

What did you think.  I know the video was a little cut short and I thought to myself I would like to see more.  Honestly I use Avenir saddle bags and not the ultra cool ortlieb bicycle panniers.  However, I am not a hardcore bicycle touring kind of guy I am more a commute to work and use a smaller set of bicycle panniers or saddle bags and that is why the Avenir work well for me they were pretty inexpensive and I did not need the waterproofing of the ortlieb bicycle panniers that was kind of over kill.  Especially since I am a wimp and when it rains I just take the care.  I am embarassed to admit but it is the truth.

The thing that you can learn from all of this is buy your saddle bags be they aviner panniers of the ultra cool waterproof Ortlieb bicycle panniers buy what fits your needs and budget.  Don’t go for broke and then never use them.  Instead go with what you are doing now and use them all the time.  You can always buy more if you decide in the future that you need it.  So if you are going to use them go for the Ortlieb bicycle panniers.

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Here is an example bicycle saddlebags

Well, let me first start by explaining that there are bicycle saddlebags and then there are bicycle saddle bags.  Kind of sounds like I am repeating myself.  What I mean to say is there are the under the saddle or bicycle seat saddlebags that are great for carrying small essentials.  They are like your emergency kit.  Then there are the large sized saddle bags.  These actually can go on the front and most frequently on a framed rack on the back of the bike.  The confusion here is in the use of the term saddle.  Saddle can mean the bicycle seat.  It probably came from a horses saddle.  Thus the saddle bags referring to either one came from the bags that cowboys and ranchers would use when going long distances on a horse.  So the term saddle bag originally meant a large sized bag used to carry stuff for overnight and longer trips.   However, over time street cyclists and even mountain bikers just started caller their smaller emergency kit or bag that goes under their seat a saddlebag also.  It is also unclear on the spacing is it saddle bags or saddlebag?  I find that most often when people are referring to the under the seat bag it is written as bicycle saddlebag.  Then the ones you carry for a long distance bike touring trip is a saddle bag.

Now on with the video.

How To Pack Your Bicycle Saddlebags

How To Pack A Bicycle Saddlebags

Just to recap and make sure everyone is on the same page.  Obviously Steve Madden of Bicycling Magazine here was talking about how to pack the bicycle saddlebag that goes under the seat.  This would be used for short rides or day trips but nothing longer then one day.  He covers the essentials for an emergency kit since typically the under the saddle bicycle saddlebags are very small and only for a few key essentials.  if you missed anything here is what he says you should carry.

1. Bike tire
2. Tire Irons
3. Multi Tool
4. Bike pump or compressed air
5. Energy drink or gel
6. 20 dollars
7. cell phone

This is a pretty good list.  I noticed he left off any kind of bike locking device which is a great idea.  This way you can go into a store and get a snack or whatever you need and know your bike is secure.  He probably left it out as it does not typically fit in the bicycle saddlebags but then neither does the bike pump so who knows.  However, this is a pretty good description and detailed list of essentials to pack in a bicycle saddlebags

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Here is the best selling Bike Handlebar Bag

You might be wondering what the deal is with bicycle handlebar bag and do you really need one or not.  Honestly it is a matter of opinion and experience and even more importantly what you will be doing.  If you are a casual rider, a daily commuter or a long distance bicycle touring freak your needs are different.   In this video  bicycle tourist Darren Alff responds to a question sent to him by a reader or follower of his videos.  In it he gives some good suggestions about who would benefit from a bike handlebar bag.  He has a great deal of experience with touring and his comments are more slanted towards the bicycle tourist and not the commuter.  However, many of the same thoughts on bike handlebar bag would fit even for the commuting bicyclist.

And now with no further adieu

Bike Handlebar Bag

www.bicycletouringpro.com In this video Darren Alff chimes in with his thoughts on bicycle handlebar bags. In the video he describes what he believes to be the two major benefits of using a bike handlebar bag.

Bike Handlebar Bag For The Commuter And Cycle Touring

In the end a bike handlebar bag is a nice feature to have.  It is great for keeping your essentials up front with you where they can easily be accessed.  Things like a digital camera for taking pictures a cell phone for emergencies and even a small mp3 player or ipod for music.  Also maps and a journal are super nice to have up and front for quick usage.  If you are a bike commuter you will want a smaller version and it will mainly keep things like the cell phone and your mp3 player.

One issue that gets brought up in the comments on this video is what to do about a handlebar light?  Often a the handlebar bags will block the light from working.  The light can either be mounted to the bag itself or a helmet light can also work.  If you choose the helmet option you might want to keep the light in your bike handlebar bag when not in use.

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When conducting a bike tour, place essential materials in the handle bar bags in order to maintain steering stability. Pack the handle bar bags efficiently with tips from a bike tour guide in this free biking video. Expert: Aaron Phillips Bio: Aaron Phillips teaches at the University of Utah and has lead several bike tours. He’s also logged multiple wins as a cross-country racer. Filmmaker: Mike Phillips

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Here is the MWave Bicycle Saddle bag.

If you are planning on taking a long touring bicycle trip then you will definitely want a set of good bicycle saddle bags.  There are several things you will need to know to make sure you purchase the right ones for you and your situation.  How and where you are planning to travel.  How long your trip is and how much weight you will be carrying.

Bicycle Saddle Bags For Shorter Rides

For a shorter ride you really don’t need a whole lot of extra space.  For the easy trips that can be completed in one day and average around 70 miles or so you can get away with a simple bicycle saddle bags that goes under or behind the seat.  In it you will only carry a few essentials like a cell phone, bike tire, multi tool and maybe a small pump.  You can always add a pack to your back if needed and carry a few extra food items in your bicycle jersey.  So you honestly do not need a huge over stuffed bag that just adds weight.  Think light and fast.

A good behind the seat bag will sit right behind the seat and just attach the seat itself.  A good handlebar bag can also work.

Under The Top Tube Bag
These are a great option for day trips also.  It will carry essential items detailed in the paragraph above.  The benefit of a under the top tube bag if it also functions as a shoulder padding or strap when carrying your bike.

Bicycle Saddle Bags For Longer Tours

You will be carrying much more gear and weight.  Trying to carry all of the things you will need in a behind the seat or handle bar bag will often end in disaster if they are over stuffed.  Therefore you will really want to look into a good set of bicycle saddle bags or panniers.  These attach to the back of the bike on a small frame and also can go on the front fork again on a frame.  They help distribute the weight evenly across the bike for a balanced ride.  These allow you to carry the weight much more safely.

In the end deciding which bicycle saddle bags you need is really a question of how much weight you will be carrying.

http:www.BicycleSaddleBags.net In this video we talk about how to choose the right bicycle saddle bags to fit your unique needs.

So what bicycle saddle bags will you choose and what is right for your situation?

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The crisp and clean mountain air will be the first thing you notice when you strap on your bike panniers or bicycle saddle bags and prepare for your ride.  Unless, you live in Colorado high country you may require a little time to get used to the high altitude as well.  But once you start taking in the beautiful vistas, green meadows, and snow capped mountains you’ll soon realize it was well worth it.

For more advanced cyclist you can even ride up the steep and windy Mammoth mountain road that will lead you right up to the base of the famous Mammoth Mountain ski slopes.  You’ll give your lungs and legs a serious work out as you crank your way slowly up this beautiful road.

On the other hand, if you love mountain biking on dirt roads you can take on the challenging Mammoth Mountain itself.  During summer months you can even ride the gondola up the mountain, bike in tow, and descend this challenging mountain.  Just make sure you have front shocks on your bike or you may find your vision blurry as you bump along the rocky trails.
In typical Mammoth Mountain fashion, no one is left out, there’s even a BMX style bike track at the base of the mountain.  If you’re lucky you may even see competitions and demonstrations on an amazing challenge trail.  Fixed gear mountain bike/ BMX hybrid bikes hop from log to log and perform amazing feats of balance.

So if you’re looking for a great place to a great place to tour in California, look no further than Mammoth.  You’ll be glad you did.

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