halfmile

veganbikes

Arkel DryLites are pretty lightweight and come from a reputable manufacturer. I have the heavy GT-54s and love them (though something lightweight would be neat)

fourfa

+1 Arkel DryLites. A bit hard to parse online reviews because they've made some running changes since they were introduced, and straight up lied exaggerated about the specs for a time. I have two pairs, both are 500g and 25L for the pair. It's hard to beat those numbers; nothing else I've seen on the market comes close.

FWIW a lot of people could fit 9 lb baseweight into soft bikepacking gear, and forgo the rear rack. As it happens I toured with a friend who had an earlier pair of Dry-Lites (~4 years old), and I could not get my 15" laptop (macbook pro) to fit inside. My pairs purchased last year, same laptop fits just fine and rolls down waterproof. I'm a photographer, and I'm not interested in touring without pro camera gear and computer - try fitting that gear in bikepacking bags.

The default attachment method on the Dry-Lites is clumsy though. Be prepared to get a bit creative with scissors, needle and thread, elastic shock cord etc to get them to mount rock solid on your bike without miles of excess velcro and straps.

fietsbob

Ortlieb Plus fabric is a Cordura with a special thick PU coating
the production uses to weld together waterproof seams..

the Classic is more a Truck Tarp fabric also welded seam..
it is a heavier product ...

Mounting scheme is superb, on Ortlieb..
hence they sell very well .






...

Tourist in MSN

With that light of a load, you might consider just using a drybag strapped on top of the rear rack. Maybe something in 20 to 25 liter range if your volume can be kept down that small?

I know a gal that finished the AT with a pack down to only about 12 pounds excluding food and water. If you are at 9, that is impressive, congratulations.

gauvins

Would you think that creativity can make them compatible with (front) low-riders? (eg. Tubus Tara)

fourfa

Sure. They come apart if you undo the main velcro straps. You could forgo those straps entirely and just use the D-rings at the corners - as supplied they're cheap plastic, so you'd want to replace them with something stronger, but the webbing loop they mount to is as strong as the main straps. Or sew some matching velcro onto the fork-facing outer surface, shorten the main strap, and use all 4 mounting points that way. I've been looking into a very simple high-rider setup where the main straps go over a very minimal rack that only extends ~4" front and back of the fork; got some designs sketched out but still need to construct it.

djb

I have to disagree, my older ones, the first generation, went on my regular old rear rack without any issues, just had to figure out how best to loop the velcro through my particular racks parts, and there was no excess velcro or straps to deal with.
The one thing to mention with them though is that they do not come off or go on as fast as regular panniers, and it would be annoying day after day.
I see them as an ul setup, so staying in hotels is possible, so you can just leave them on the bike bringing bike in room.
I personally have always brought my panniers into my tent, so this is their main downside , but they are super light for someone witha small setup, and as said, if you have a rack, other stuff can go on top of rear rack easily in a dry bag or whatever.

djb

I too thought a lot about using them on a front rack, and came to the conclusion that if I were serious about it, I would go the "small platform front rack"route, as I would prefer to use the velcro system as intended, just because I found it to be very sturdy and the bags didnt move around at all.
While improvising something for a Tara or whatever is I guess doable, Im not convinced it would be sturdy in long term...but i guess that depends on how much weight you have in the bags and how well thought out your system is.
Just not my take on it working well.

I think its fair to mention also that they are not as tough as other panniers, so wear damage or "pointy object in them" damage could happen a lot more easily.
Mine have been waterproof as claimed, even in all day rain.

and halfmile--given the weight of your stuff, its great because any reasonable aluminum rear rack will easily work amply well with this range of weight, heck, even twice the stated weight will be fine on a reasonable rack, of which there are many.
Larger area top section ones are handier for putting a tent or whatever on, just more width.

andrewclaus

Let's note that the OP's bike touring weight will be a bit more than backpacking weight. I assume there will be some stuff for the bike--tools, spares, a lock. I carried an extra layer of clothing--in my typically mountainous cycling I spend more time just sitting in a cold wind on pass descents. And I think it's wise to use heavier pack cloth on the bike, given the risk of abrasion. My minimal bike touring weight of about 15 pounds was nearly twice my AT pack weight of eight pounds. That said, it was still light enough that it didn't really matter how I carried it. I was just surprised at how much the bike needed.

Back on topic, I've also been researching lighter panniers, and I just bought a pair of Dry Lites. I've only used them on errands and one supported tour so far. The price seemed okay, too, under US$100. I'm happy with them, looking forward to trying them on a self-supported tour this spring. Of course you're going to sacrifice some utility without clips and springs. I found an easy way to use one pack alone, contrary to other reviews. My set included a couple strips of two-sided Velcro.

If you want a larger, mid-weight pannier with more features, look at the Axiom P35. I found a set on eBay for under $80 and they seem okay, too. I think they'll be a little better than the Dry Lites for errands around town, or for trips when 25 L may not be enough.They won't be as durable as the high quality stuff for which you spend several times more. I wouldn't bring them on a world-class expedition.

gracehowler

We snagged a set of Arkel drylites when they first came out, after over four years of credit card touring use, we love them, we typically carry about 18 lbs, my wife gets the left one and I use the right. We do use an "ultralight" waterproof stuff sack on the rack for shoes, spare tire, ect. , I will concede you have to take extra care with anything that is "ultralight", but we prefer a lighter touring setup.
Tandem tourers
R&J

fietsbob

Pick up a copy of Nick Crane's journey to the center of the earth.. read it.
they cut toothbrushes short to save weight.. minimal gear.

3speed

reppans

Leebo

The lightweight solution is bikepacking gear, no racks. Handlebar bag, frame bag, seatbag.

djb

very much so, although a 25 buck aluminum rack and drylites at maybe 80 is a pretty cheap setup, throw a tent and campmat on top of rack in a drybag or not, with bungees, a handlebar bag and you'd be set.
Bikepacking stuff is nice too, but it seems to me that good framebags and seatbags are easily in the 150 each range no?

bottom line is that there are all kinds of neat options out there to consider. Some waterproof, some not, at varying prices and qualities.

comes down to adding up prices and seeing what stuff can hold how much and the varying pluses and minuses.

Leebo

^^^^ Light, cheap, strong, pick two. Yes, can be pricey, my medium revelate frame bag is well thought out in detail, and waterproof. Was like $80 on sale at REI. Look at fork cages too.

djb

stuff up here tends to be a fair amount more expensive.
revelate frame bag is 144.95 plus 15% taxes, so about 165.
revelate terrepin seat bag, $230 plus 15% taxes, so about 260
we're up to 425,
add in some sort of handlebar bag--an ortlieb plus med is 170 before taxes, so 195 total
a gas tank bag is 90 bucks
throw in some front rack cages too.....

pertty easy to spend well over 7-800 bucks on a backpacking setup, although again, this is top notch stuff, so will last a really long time.

but yes, well made stuff costs, and is usually worth it as it lasts longer and doesnt break.

lots of ideas for this fellow or lady.

jefnvk

Any reason you specifically want rear mount panniers? At 9# you can probably get away with something like a Carradice saddlebag that mounts right to the seat, and save a few pounds in racks and bags.

saddlesores

9 pounds? go with a small set of front bags and a front rack....platform type you can bungee the tent to if not stuffing into a frame bag.

TimothyH

Apidura bags are simply designed and extremely light.

https://www.apidura.com

They are an option for those who don't want panniers and racks.


-Tim-

3speed

djb

Tim, that Apidura website is really cool.
Sure, they are selling stuff and all, but the "why we race" blurb is actually a very well written piece and even as someone who has generally done the "fully loaded" deal and am slow because of that (and frankly not as hard core, type A as these folks) I can totally get the lighter and faster mindset, or at least appreciate (from afar) the hard ass take on hammering it on a long trip.

its a good read for anyone who gets the appeal of more of a "race" atitude.

and also for those interested, go to the website of my favorite pro cycling podcasters, The Cycling Podcast, and look at the two or three recent "exploring, or adventure"series , with interviews about The Transeurope race, and a guy who biked across Australia. Pretty nuts but fascinating hard core events and accomplishments.

revcp 

yes, it tends to be very expensive. The best price to quality ratio I have found is Alpkit out of the UK. I amnusing their Fuel Pod top tube bag and Stem Cell feed bags on my fat bike. They often bundle popular items together on good sales, and shipping to US and elsewhere is reasonable. I've used Revelate, but I just don't think the quality warrants the premium price. Salsa, the same. I do like and recommend my Bedrock Bags saddle pack. An Ortlieb seatpost bag I auditioned was a spectacular fail.

gauvins

Interesting perspective.

But is it touring? Running a marathon in Rome is not the same thing as walking the streets in Rome (or any city, region, country, continent).

There's something odd with the idea of getting thru as fast as one can, be it on foot, bicycle or motorized vehicle, vs taking in as much as possible.

Consider a meal. What's the idea? The time required to eat your food? What is the meaning of "performance eating"?

Certainly a personal choice that i respect. But I don't get the "performance touring" idea.

Funny thing is that i am attracted to the idea of ultra light touring. But always end up thinking that it is odd, and possibly counter productive.