Improve bike pannier design

GJG

Hi

We are looking to improve on the design of Ortlieb cycling bags to produce something that is more convenient and easy-to-use for cyclists.

We've set up a website to accept any suggestions on how to make a better bicycle bag, and we promise an update and a discount to anyone who contributes when the design is ready.

Please contribute if you can. thanks!
http://better-than-ortlieb.com/

spen666

a pannier that is made from sides filled with helium so they don't add weight to the bike

kieranb

well when I have over packed my ortlieb rollers I would like something to fasten over the open top to stop things from falling out.

How about an external lock clip on the side for holding a bike lock?

Add in a little strap/loops for a pump as well?

How about a little fold out base/stand to stop it falling over when upright and fold s back against the back of the pannier when in use on the bike?

sketchley

How about one that shrinks into a rack bag when you don't need to carry as much. I've seen this the other way round i.e. a rack bag that has drop down side pockets but they are a bit rubish.

Easy removalable racks as well so you don't have to keep rack on when not using it.(i know top peak already do this).

shouldbeinbed

What do I get for my ideas?

GJG

GJG wrote:

Hi

We are looking to improve on the design of Ortlieb cycling bags to produce something that is more convenient and easy-to-use for cyclists.

We've set up a website to accept any suggestions on how to make a better bicycle bag, and we promise an update and a discount to anyone who contributes when the design is ready.

Please contribute if you can. thanks!
http://better-than-ortlieb.com/

Hi

Firstly I want to thank people for the comments submitted on our website today, making suggestions for an improved cycle bag. They are very useful, and as I write they are being sent to our engineers I am sure that many of them will be included in the final design.

We will certainly have a real reward for people who contribute ideas, but I'm sorry that I can't confirm what this will be just yet.

In the meantime, please feel free to make suggestions for an improved cycle bag on our website. You are welcome to post them here on the forum also, but it is more helpful for us to recieve them on our website at www.better-than-ortlieb.com

davis

spen666 wrote:

a pannier that is made from sides filled with helium so they don't add weight to the bike

They'll still add mass, which is just as important as weight for handling.

First.Aspect

Ortlieb might be working on something better than Ortlieb as well.

http://worldwide.espacenet.com/publicat ... 45A1&KC=A1

desweller

davis wrote:

spen666 wrote:

a pannier that is made from sides filled with helium so they don't add weight to the bike

They'll still add mass, which is just as important as weight for handling.

Handling is not really one of my concerns when I'm hauling 15kg of luggage up some hill. In fact I can't think of an occasion when handling a loaded bike has ever been a massive problem (except when I've taken the panniers off and been caught out by how much twitchier the bike becomes without them!).

wyadvd

ive used my ortlieb rollers on two tours now. I am of the opinion ( having bought cheapo halfords jobbies for my sons which had a few of the previously described bells and whistles, but broke after two days, requiring some heavy duty cable tie treatment to get us to bristol!) that ortliebs are great as they are..... They dont break, they hook on easily and stay on , they are abrasion resistant, and if you set camp while it is raining, then you know theres somewhere things are staying dry. and thats all you need.

Aidy

I suspect the answer is "less money than Ortlieb".

For what it's worth though, pockets/some sort of organisational capacity would be nice, if it doesn't sacrifice waterproof-ness. It's not a massive issue though, bags inside bags work well for sorting stuff out.

Other than that, I'd like to see some work done on aerodynamics...

davmaggs

Aidy wrote:

I suspect the answer is "less money than Ortlieb".

For what it's worth though, pockets/some sort of organisational capacity would be nice, if it doesn't sacrifice waterproof-ness. It's not a massive issue though, bags inside bags work well for sorting stuff out.

Other than that, I'd like to see some work done on aerodynamics...

I sound like a salesman for the firm, but Vaude Aqua are the way to go for that. They put a pocket on the outside of the bag and a net one inside the main rollup one too. Kind of souped up Ortleibs

I have to say that I don't really see much scope for improving pannier design if the focus is on the bags themselves. It seems most things have been covered, but as a niche market it comes down to distribution (and wider business issues) meaning the same old ones are on general sale.

I would like to see a rack that didn't need bolting onto the frame so permanantly. I ahve ideas on how to do that.

GJG

GJG wrote:

Hi

We are looking to improve on the design of Ortlieb cycling bags to produce something that is more convenient and easy-to-use for cyclists.

We've set up a website to accept any suggestions on how to make a better bicycle bag, and we promise an update and a discount to anyone who contributes when the design is ready.

Please contribute if you can. thanks!
http://better-than-ortlieb.com/

Thanks again for all the contributions on the website. We are moving forward with the design ideas, but we will leave the website up at least for a few more months so people can put in their ideas.

All opinions are read carefully, and we will keep anyone who wants advised of developments.

Feel free to add your comments if you haven't done so yet:
http://better-than-ortlieb.com/

reformedfatty

wyadvd wrote:

ive used my ortlieb rollers on two tours now. I am of the opinion ( having bought cheapo halfords jobbies for my sons which had a few of the previously described bells and whistles, but broke after two days, requiring some heavy duty cable tie treatment to get us to bristol!) that ortliebs are great as they are..... They dont break, they hook on easily and stay on , they are abrasion resistant, and if you set camp while it is raining, then you know theres somewhere things are staying dry. and thats all you need.

It doesn't take too much imagination to improve upon them really - just little details like the ortliebs shoulder strap can work loose when riding unless you tension it up every time which then requires adjusting again to use as a shoulder strap - and then its set so you have the side with the catches on against your leg, which is where most of the road grime ends up so if you are wearing trousers they get dirty, or the catches do exactly that.

Also, of absolutely bloody vital importance that I forgot to mention filling in on the 'better than ortlieb' website is a clear waterproof window atop each pannier for you to put in either a label telling you whats in it to save the innumerable 'damn, wrong side' incidents whenever you go to take something out, or to act as a handy place to put a map