5 Things to Consider When Buying New Bicycle Panniers

When I was brand new to the world of bicycle touring and commuting I had no idea what to pay attention to when buying new bike bags. I just went on Amazon and purchased a set of panniers with relatively good reviews. I wish I watched a view or two, as it would’ve saved me some money in the long term. But … we live and learn.

Here’s my attempt at demystifying the process for those new to the world of commuting and exploring by bike.

Intended Use

What are you going to be using the panniers for? Commuting or touring? An average commuting distance (based on my unscientific poll on Reddit) is about 13km/8mi one way, which translates to about 130km/81mi weekly (5 days).

I’m curious, how long (km/mi) is your typical bike commute? Let’s narrow this down to commuting to work (pre pandemic, if you currently work from home). from bikecommuting

While on tour, you could ride that distance in a day, which means that your panniers are exposed to a lot more wear and tear while on tour, than when commuting. This brings us to the second point, durability.

Material, Durability and Waterproofness

Typically bicycle panniers are made from nylon or polyester materials. Some panniers have an additional coating added to make them more durable, or waterproof. There’s an ongoing debate on whether you need waterproof panniers. Personally, I used water-resistant panniers for commuting – they came with a waterproof cover, and switched to waterproof panniers for touring. There are pros and cons to everything and here are a few points to consider when “engaging” in this debate:

Pros	Cons
keep water out	can trap moisture inside the pannier leading to mould formation
no need to fiddle with external covers (which are easy to misplace)	material may not be breathable, leading to moisture accumulation and mould
streamlined design with some internal organization	lack of organizational components – external pockets
will protect expensive gear from water damage	can be expensive
water beads off the material and doesn’t soak the pannier	depending on material and design – can get heavier if water seeps through the top layer and is trapped between the top and the waterproof layers of the material

Capacity and Design

How much space do you need? Panniers typically come as a set of two, typically, but not always. A 30L pannier system consists of two 15L bags. It’s difficult to know exactly how much space you might need, especially if you are just starting out. A 30L pannier set would work well for commuting purposes. If you are more of a minimalist, then 25L panniers are an option as well.

While material contributes to the durability of the pannier, the overall bag design does as well. Cheaper, budget panniers will start showing wear and tear faster and the added reinforcement components will not be available.

An additional point to consider is whether you need organizational features – pockets. Do you need external or internal pockets, or are you OK without any organizational features? Do you need a laptop sleeve? Would you like for that sleeve to be removable? Do you need water bottle pockets? Do you have enough clearance for those on your bike? (make sure your foot doesn’t hit the pannier with any external bits attached). Figuring out your needs and wants will help you narrow down the best pannier for you.

Attachment System

There are a number of different attachment systems available on panniers, with the most common ones being hooks. Some attachment systems are fully adjustable, like Arkel’s cam lock, others offer limited or no adjustability. Consider the rack you are going to be using the pannier and if the pannier will fit the rack.

For my very first commuting setup, I ended up buying both the rack and the panniers to make sure everything fit well. The Ibera PakRak panniers have one hook that adjusts horizontally or vertically, and while this is limiting, it worked well on the Ibera rear rack. What I found is that the panniers don’t install well on other racks due to their inability to adjust.

An additional point to consider is the durability of the hardware used. Are the components made from cheap plastic, or are the components made from robust materials? The attachment system is one of the most important components on the pannier as that is what will keep the bag attached to your bike, and your contents secure. You don’t want the pannier flying off your bike mid-ride.

Warranty and Repair Services

If you want to keep your panniers for a long time, you may need to dip into potential warranty claims or seek repair services for the bags. Are those available, and how easy is it to reach out to the brand reps? For example, the Ibera warranty process is slightly more convoluted than the Arkel one. Additionally, the Ibera warranty is a limited 2-year warranty that is only available for the original owner, whereas the Arkel warranty is a lifetime warranty and can be transferred if you decide to sell the panniers. This is another piece to consider when you decide to spend your money on a product.

In Conclusion

The points in this post were ones I should have considered when buying my first set of paniers, but in reality, I saught the collective experience of Amazon.ca in deciding on my first set.

I’d love to hear from you – what do you consider when buying new panniers? What is important to you?

Thanks for reading!

⚠ Some links in this post are affiliate links, which means that I will get a small commission if you make a purchase. This is at no additional cost to you.