Key considerations when choosing a pannier bag for city riding or commuting
I'm Murakami, a pannier bag enthusiast.
Pannier bags allow you to carry a large amount of luggage alongside your bike's wheels.
While they might have a strong image of being exclusively for bicycle touring,
they actually come in very handy for commuting and everyday outings too.
Here, I'll introduce four pannier bags that I particularly recommend for city riding and commuting, out of the many available.
【Table of Contents】
- Points to Consider When Choosing a Pannier Bag
- Pannier Bag Installation is Easy
- A "Carrier" is also Required for Installation
- 4 Recommended Models
○Points to consider when choosing a pannier bag
When choosing a pannier bag for the first time, you might not know what criteria to use.
There are three main points to check when making your selection.
1. Storage Capacity
Pannier bags often appear large, but there are also models with smaller capacities. If a bag is too large, it can lose its shape and look unsightly, so choose the optimal size for your needs.
2. Waterproofing
For those who go on long rides or tours, rain and dirt are inevitable. Therefore, many products are made from highly waterproof materials.
This is also an important point for business use, as it can be very effective if it suddenly starts raining on your way home.
3. Durability
When riding a bicycle, it's common to accidentally scrape against a curb or fall, causing damage.
For durability, refer to materials and reviews and choose the highest possible quality. After all, if you're going to buy something, you want it to last a long time, right?
○Pannier bag installation is easy
All the pannier bags introduced here are "hook-type" bags that can be attached and detached by simply pulling them upwards.
This is an important point since they are frequently attached and detached every day.
○A "carrier" is also required for installation
Pannier bags cannot be attached to a bicycle on their own.
You will need a carrier that can accommodate panniers.
Some bicycles may not be able to accommodate them.
For example, road racers and MTBs with frames that lack eyelets for carrier attachment cannot have them installed.
Before considering a pannier bag, check if your bike has eyelets.
If you have a steel frame, Grumpy can also weld eyelets for you.
○4 Recommended Models
Based on the points above, I'll introduce four pannier bags that are ideal for commuting and outings.
First up:
1. FAIRWEATHER - Pannier Bag
Made from durable canvas fabric, this design is very easy to coordinate for those who ride in casual clothes.
It has a waterproof film on the back, so it protects the contents from light rain.
This pannier is Murakami's personal favorite. It blends in with the city and is easy to use, so I highly recommend it.
2. ORTLIEB - Sport-Roller Plus (Pair)
This model features a casual material and lightweight design, made from eco-friendly PVC-free material.
It boasts high waterproof performance, with a completely dustproof structure and IP64 rating, meaning it's protected from water jets from any direction.
Thanks to ORTLIEB's unique QL2.1 system, it can be attached to any commercially available carrier.
When it comes to panniers, this is a classic brand. If you're unsure which one to choose, you can't go wrong with this.
3. North St. - Micro Pannier Bags
Weighing only 380g.
This is the most minimalist pannier bag among those introduced. Its simple design, which blends well with city use, allows for smart and effective use.
Despite its appearance, it's quite tough thanks to its X-Pac material.
Excellent compatibility with MTBs.
4. BROOKS - SCAPE PANNIER
Brooks, known for its leather saddles.
Made with IPX4 waterproof material, it completely blocks water intrusion.
You can add the SADDLE POCKET BAG from the same series to the side to increase capacity.
The SADDLE POCKET BAG is just the right size to store puncture repair kits and similar items.
How was it?
I hope this was helpful in choosing the best pannier bag for you.
See you!