Fashion advice - pannier colour :-)

EnglishChris

Ok I suspect this may attract some derision but I can't make up my mind so am putting it out to the community... I'm about to buy my first full set of proper panniers. I've decided on Ortlieb Front and Back Roller Classics.

After perusing t'interweb I have come to the conclusion that there are 4 schools of thought on pannier colour:

1) Whatever matches your bike. Or jacket. Or hair.
2) Flourescent yellow because it *may* just attract the attention of the sleepy hgv driver behind you. Though the Ortliebs aren't actually coloured on the back.
3) Black or dark grey so that when you are somewhere less well off you don't have a big shiny sign saying "Come and steal my bright shiny stuff" and also for stealthier camping.
4) Light coloured ones because the dark ones make it hard to find stuff inside.

The bike is black.

I wish I'd just bought the first set I saw because now I've been thinking about it too much and can't make up my mind!

I think the choice is between black, grey, neon yellow and orange. I don't really like the red (a bit Postman Pat) or the blue and not really sure about the white at all.

Cast your votes.... :-) Piccie below (hopefully):

salopcyclist

I have the yellow ones but I think my favorite colour is brown which I saw a german cyclist had, have never seen them sold in this country though!

Hoopdriver

I always prefer darker colours for just the reason you mention - it is less conspicuous, and when you re stealth camping you can blend in more easily. It's why I like dark bivvy bags etc too.

EnglishChris

salopcyclist wrote:

I have the yellow ones but I think my favorite colour is brown which I saw a german cyclist had, have never seen them sold in this country though!

You can get them but only on the 'Plus' version:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ortlieb-back-ro ... -panniers/ (and look down the options list)...

I like them too but I think its a lighter fabric and more expensive....

EnglishChris

Hmm. The results are somewhat inconclusive so far...! Anyone else??

xilios

Is the bike all black? maybe a picture?
Look of the bike is everything

EnglishChris

xilios wrote:

Is the bike all black? maybe a picture?
Look of the bike is everything

It's an On-One Inbred in black with gold detailing. The forks (for now) are RockShox Reba in black with red and gold detailing. The may change to a fixed fork in black. Honey Brooks B17 saddle. SLX drivetrain so a bit of that gunmetal on the cranks etc. Tyres are black ;-)

xilios

OK, I've chosen Red, wife says Orange (and I agree) it would also look nice. I'd stay away from White or Yellow, we've seen them dirty on other tourers and they look bad.

Plod

I have Vaude panniers which are excellent (similar to Orleibs I think). I chose red because my bike is black with the occassional red bit. I look like a postie. A kid of about 5 ponted one morning and said "the postman!". Oh well. 8)

nwallace

Black, or Black and Grey.
I may be a Dundee United fan but I keep Tangerine to match days.

ralex

Has to be black I think. Shame they stopped making them in dark green which would have got my vote had it still been available.

EnglishChris

nwallace wrote:

Black, or Black and Grey.
I may be a Dundee United fan but I keep Tangerine to match days.

Ah Niall.... How the devil? Fancy seeing you here :-)

I think that I am coming back to the idea of black, which was where I was before someone said "but you can't find anything in them when its dark!"...

nwallace

I looked at that bike list and never twigged!

If it helps more, I have a bright orange cut down bivvy bag and 3 light grey rucksack liners for my panniers. Which doesn't really help with visibility as I've always worked on the basis that if I need it quick it's going to be at the top or in the bar bag, otherwise it's going to get hauled out for wearing at work or spread a cross the tent and repacked to find what I want.

EnglishChris

Hmm that could be a plan.

I too had thought that red might look a little Postman Pat-like, though I suppose that's only an issue in the UK!

I think I may go with the majority and go with ultra stealthy black...

redrobbo

Carradice. Ortlieb is soo this year. Carradice is where it is going to be at. You can have any colour except not black.

EnglishChris

redrobbo wrote:

Carradice. Ortlieb is soo this year. Carradice is where it is going to be at. You can have any colour except not black.

Argghhh don't add any more variables into the equation!! ;-)

The Mechanic

I have Creek2peak panniers rather than Ortliebs but they are still black.