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 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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