Originally Posted by
Brian25
I disagree that everyone using 70 q panniers will fill them with junk, thus they will be heavy. I have 70 q panniers and just got back from 2 weeks in Colorado. For the bulk of the time they had a lot of extra room, but a trip to the grocery store and the fact that I like being able to put my cycling shoes in a pannier while walking with the bike was a huge plus. I actually against having panniers with only one compartment (sort of the same reason that I would not put all of my kitchen wares into one big box in my kitchen and have to dig for silverware, bowls plates etc...) I prefer to limit digging for stuff in my panniers. I don't think you need such waterproofing that your gear will stay dry even if submerged under 20 feet of water ( I am not familiar with such waterproofing needs with bicycle touring) Having many pockets outstrips the need for waterproofing by a long shot.
Why have 70
liters of capacity then? Ideally, panniers should small enough so that what you carry will fit in them precisely without a lot of extra room. If you have 70L bags and only fill them to 40 L, why carry the extra space for almost double the capacity? Why not just go with 40L bags? It takes a lot of discipline...usually earned over years of bike touring...to avoid filling the space you have with stuff that could make the ride easier, better, more comfortable, etc. I
still end up mailing a lot of excess home when I tour because I just had to have X piece of equipment that I haven't used in several weeks.
As for pockets, I've been that route. Pockets are mostly useless. They are either too large or too small for the items I carry so they either don't get used or they are just a place to put the stuff that I'll eventually mail home. One large pocket is very useful but who just throws their stuff into that one large pocket? When I travel, I put items in stuff sacks or ziplock bags and everything is organized and has a place in that one large pocket. Stuff that I need while riding either goes in the handlebar bag or on top of the small bags because they don't shift much.
As for waterproofing, I'd rather have it then not. My wife and I got hit by a wall of water on the Tay Bridge outside of Dundee. The host at the bed and breakfast...back before "bed and breakfasts" became posh and was just what it says...didn't want us to use her drier so we had to hang soaking wet clothes all over her guest bedroom. I've since gotten caught in downpours and all day rains with waterproof Ortliebs and I rather like not having to dry everything out after a rain.