Rack and pannier for commuting

jordan_217

I'm looking at fitting a rack to my Ribble 525, for commuting duties. I've been using a 15 litre rucksack so a 15-20 litre, single pannier bag should be fine.

I'm currently favoring the Altura Arc 20 bag and the Tortec Ultralite rear rack but would like to know if they're any good or if there's other options I should be considering?

The bag must be waterproof and will be staying fitted to the bike once I arrive at work so it doesn't need to have regular bag abilities. I won't' be carrying a laptop. Budget is £50-75 for both the bag and rack.

Thanks in advance

mikenetic

Can't comment on the bag, but Tortec gear is normally very good, in my experience.

As an alternative, might be worth seeing if you can pick up (second hand) a Carradice Nelson or Nelson longflap saddle bag and the rack support that hangs from the saddle. They are about that capacity & I find them way more convenient than panniers.

ugo.santalucia

Ortlieb are outstanding... pricey yes, but they last a lifetime and they work a treat

rolf_f

mikenetic wrote:

As an alternative, might be worth seeing if you can pick up (second hand) a Carradice Nelson or Nelson longflap saddle bag and the rack support that hangs from the saddle. They are about that capacity & I find them way more convenient than panniers.

Plus one on this. I use a Carradice Super C Audax. It's not huge (9 litres - you can get a larger version) but it is enough to carry a rolled up shirt, trousers, wallet, phone, lightweight windproof, Leyzne mini trackpump, spare tubes, toolkit and the odd bit of shopping. The bag unhooks from the bike in moments (using an SQR mount on the seatpost - if the bag stays attached to the bike though the method mikenetic uses will be fine) and it will last several lifetimes! And it was made by Andrea in Nelson, Lancashire!

wrayste

I'm currently using a ToPeak rack and bag with the sliding action for attachment. I've been pretty happy with it, the bag is shower proof but there is an optional rain cover (a bit of hassle but sometimes better than dedicated waterproof bag). One of the zips is a bit dodgy after 1.5 years of daily commuting which is a bit disappointing.

For my next bike I will probably do without the rack and just get a Carradice saddle bag like suggested above. They go big enough and I think they look better than the rack. It also means you don't have the rack if you want to take the bike out without the bag.

Otherwise Ortlieb are probably the best if you want a rack still but might be out of budget, but they probably will last a lifetime.

It was great getting the backpack off my back on commutes, it is much more enjoyable cycling.

ugo.santalucia

wrayste wrote:

I'm currently using a ToPeak rack and bag with the sliding action for attachment. I've been pretty happy with it, the bag is shower proof but there is an optional rain cover (a bit of hassle but sometimes better than dedicated waterproof bag). One of the zips is a bit dodgy after 1.5 years of daily commuting which is a bit disappointing.

I saw it in Halfords... it looks tidy, but the bag is like 2 litres or so... you would hardly be able to fit a pair of shoes in it

wrayste

ugo.santalucia wrote:

wrayste wrote:

I'm currently using a ToPeak rack and bag with the sliding action for attachment. I've been pretty happy with it, the bag is shower proof but there is an optional rain cover (a bit of hassle but sometimes better than dedicated waterproof bag). One of the zips is a bit dodgy after 1.5 years of daily commuting which is a bit disappointing.

I saw it in Halfords... it looks tidy, but the bag is like 2 litres or so... you would hardly be able to fit a pair of shoes in it

http://www.topeak.com/products/bags/MTXTrunkBagDXP

Mine is 22.6L fully expanded which gets all my clothes + shoes for a week in, lunch for a day and all the other small bits. Then on the other days of the week i have the side pods closed away which is useful.

jordan_217

Thanks for the responses, very helpful.

Aesthetics aside, whats the benefit of the Caradice, under saddle mounted bags over the rack mounted pannier? I know you dont have to put up with the rack when no bag is fitted but does it make any difference to how the bike rides? I like the look of the Caradice, like with Ortlieb, I'm sure you get what you pay for.

rolf_f

jordan_217 wrote:

Thanks for the responses, very helpful.

Aesthetics aside, whats the benefit of the Caradice, under saddle mounted bags over the rack mounted pannier? I know you dont have to put up with the rack when no bag is fitted but does it make any difference to how the bike rides? I like the look of the Caradice, like with Ortlieb, I'm sure you get what you pay for.

With the SQR setup, you have a plastic block mounted on the seatpost and a metal bar frame that connects the bag to the block. When you remove the bag from the bike, the frame goes with it so you are left with a fairly unencumbered bike - no rack weighing it down when you aren't using it.

The pay back is that the bag isn't exactly practical to carry round much off the bike but for whipping it off the bike and taking it up to the office from the bike box in the car park its fine.

It doesn't really affect the way the bike rides - there's not that much weight in it usually. I've managed a 266 mile ride with it well packed and didn't think about it twice! Without the bag and frame on, the bike is fine for club rides or sportives.

Another positive aspect of the saddle bag is that, assuming you have mudguards on, they don't get wet. Even waterproof panniers can get wet inside - the saddlebag doesn't and is less vulnerable to damage anyway.

Both have their place but I only use panniers on my proper touring bike. With that, I can carry a proper load of shopping if I want.

jordan_217

Rolf F wrote:

jordan_217 wrote:

Thanks for the responses, very helpful.

Aesthetics aside, whats the benefit of the Caradice, under saddle mounted bags over the rack mounted pannier? I know you dont have to put up with the rack when no bag is fitted but does it make any difference to how the bike rides? I like the look of the Caradice, like with Ortlieb, I'm sure you get what you pay for.

With the SQR setup, you have a plastic block mounted on the seatpost and a metal bar frame that connects the bag to the block. When you remove the bag from the bike, the frame goes with it so you are left with a fairly unencumbered bike - no rack weighing it down when you aren't using it.

The pay back is that the bag isn't exactly practical to carry round much off the bike but for whipping it off the bike and taking it up to the office from the bike box in the car park its fine.

It doesn't really affect the way the bike rides - there's not that much weight in it usually. I've managed a 266 mile ride with it well packed and didn't think about it twice! Without the bag and frame on, the bike is fine for club rides or sportives.

Another positive aspect of the saddle bag is that, assuming you have mudguards on, they don't get wet. Even waterproof panniers can get wet inside - the saddlebag doesn't and is less vulnerable to damage anyway.

Both have their place but I only use panniers on my proper touring bike. With that, I can carry a proper load of shopping if I want.

Thanks Rolf, thats very helpful. I'm trying to find some Caradices that (a) are in stock (b) are in budget. Will look on ebay too. More options to consider....

rolf_f

jordan_217 wrote:

Thanks Rolf, thats very helpful. I'm trying to find some Caradices that (a) are in stock (b) are in budget. Will look on ebay too. More options to consider....

One neat thing about the SQR setup is that the mounting on the bag itself is as traditional as it can be - the buckled leather straps (though I've replaced the third with a velcro strip. These are threaded through a dowel in the bag and round prongs on the mount. What this means is that any used saddlebag from Carradice made in the last 50 years will fit! The Super C ones like mine are more recent (and convenient because of the quick release plastic buckles) but you shouldn't need to wait too long for a traditional used Barley of any age at a cheaper price which is just the same as mine but uses leather straps and traditional buckles (and look rather nicer for it!).

ugo.santalucia

Rolf, what's the maximum weight you can realistically carry on that thing without a rack?

rolf_f

ugo.santalucia wrote:

Rolf, what's the maximum weight you can realistically carry on that thing without a rack?

Carradice say 10kg. I'd maybe want an alloy seatpost for that much! That said, the mount is immediately above the seatpin collar and I only weigh 59kg so an extra ten in that position isn't really anything to worry about.

ugo.santalucia

Rolf F wrote:

ugo.santalucia wrote:

Rolf, what's the maximum weight you can realistically carry on that thing without a rack?

Carradice say 10kg. I'd maybe want an alloy seatpost for that much! That said, the mount is immediately above the seatpin collar and I only weigh 59kg so an extra ten in that position isn't really anything to worry about.

Is 10 Kg that high up on the bike not going to throw you off balance when you stand on the pedals? The reason I like panniers is that they sit low down

rolf_f

ugo.santalucia wrote:

Is 10 Kg that high up on the bike not going to throw you off balance when you stand on the pedals? The reason I like panniers is that they sit low down

Swings and roundabouts. You'd have to be carrying something very dense to load my 9 litre bag to 10kg - but the bigger ones are 24 litres. Personally, I'd perhaps go for panniers if I was carrying a lot more though I think there is an argument that says keeping the weight high avoids the bike becoming too stable - fine for a tourer but maybe less so on the commute. Ultimately, 10kg is not so much in human body weight terms. I've not tried the bigger bags so I don't know but they are popular so I guess they work.

jordan_217

After a speaking to a few people from my club and my brother who does a bit of light touring on his CX bike. I ended up going for the Tortec Velocity rack and a set of Ortlieb Back Roller City panniers. I'm planning on doing some overnight rides in the Yorks Dales/Moors soon and I think this option gives me a little more versatility. I've also heard a couple of (first hand) horror stories about cheaper panniers that have failed at the mount points and the owners have just bit the bullet and forked out for some Ortlieb's.

I did initially think that Ortlieb looked expensive but I didn't realise that the advertised price is usually for a pair of panniers.

They arrived today and everything seems really well made. I'll fit tonight/tomorrow and should hopefully get to use them later in the week.

Thanks for the responses.

ugo.santalucia

Good choice... they are excellent panniers

tangled_metal

I got the classic ortliebs on my super tourist Dx rack for my hybrid (also to be used touring). They've taken some rain without any damp getting in. Someone made a comment about the saddlebags not letting water in like panniers. If you don't open the ortliebs up in the rain they seriously won't let any water in, assuming you roll them 3-4 times like the instructions.

I think you have made the good choice for you. My concern about weight being higher up comes from using a child seat with a 13kg child on it. I find that is really noticeable and it is not that much higher than the 10kg maximum with the seat at the same level as a saddlebag would be on my bike. I am rolling on a Spesh crosstrail XXL bike so I am probably in a worse situation with it being such a big frame anyway. Back in the day the Blackburn CTC group used to say you had to have mudguards and a carradice saddlebag to go on day rides with them. That was when I checked them out to join. Ended up taking up Kayaking instead, don't like the prescribed kit choice as I was a student at the time. Couldn't afford guards and a carradice!!!