Bikeforumuser0011

Absolutely! I have yet to find mine, but I'm working on it.

johntrev

Sounds like cost is a consideration. Nashbar has some very inexpensive options, as low as $14. https://www.nashbar.com/webapp/wcs/st...ssociationsCmd

RubeRad

I have those panniers, they are worth $14 for sure! But not too terribly much more. After less than a year of daily use, some of the seams are coming apart. And you should know they're pretty small. It's a great size for me, actually, because for commuting I don't have to take very much at all (fresh underwear, shirt, socks, lunch), and I don't want bulky bags for just that little bit. But if you need to carry a laptop, these won't cut it.

urbanescapee

Somehow I have been unlucky and simultaneously lucky enough that the two times I've crashed (both at the fault of car drivers) were among the very few occasions on which I was not carrying my laptop in my pannier. Had I been carrying it on both occasions, I'm confident I would have had to replace my laptop both times. But apart from not being bullet proof for large electronics, as everyone else here...definitely worth it, even for cheap ones. You effectively go from driving a convertible to a pickup truck (the best analogy I can think of).

tsl

Um, the $14 item is a rack. The cheapest panniers are $20, but are unsuitable for a laptop, as the OP requires.

The Daytrekkers aren't big enough (I own one I don't use and can't give away) and the grocery pannier (Townie Basket) has no top or interior retention system. (I gave mine away after I upgraded.)

Rhodabike

I had my last pair for 23 years, so I got my money's worth out of them. The last time I used them, the left one wasn't cinched up tight enough and got chewed up in the spokes. One of these days I'll get around to patching the small hole in it.

FrenchFit 

I have bag type on my touring rigs and these euro-style panniers for commuting...think I got them from Nashbar 5 yrs ago...hey, they still sell them: https://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product...0052_166983_-1___

They've been excellent for all commuting, and I routinely carry laptops and external drives back and forth. They lay fairly flat when not loaded and they have a little padding built in, two zippered pockets on the outside for keys, personals, etc. Perfect and inexpensive.

gregjones

The panniers don't have to do all the protecting of the cargo.

Pad the laptop in it's own carry case. I got a laptop case, for not much---I wanna say less than twenty bucks, that has a shoulder strap/briefcase handle outer shell with pockets and an inner sleeve that is padded with just a Velcro closed flap. I use the just the sleeve a lot more than the whole case.

I have a pair of permanent, joined-together panniers. As handy as they are I wish I had the option to only have one. Most of the times the pair aren't near full.

I'm thinking of getting one of the "grocery" panniers. Easy off with carry handles. Perfect for most store runs.

dbikingman

OP here you go https://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/bik/4135333437.html

I just switched to Ortlieb and think they are great.

Being in Portland you can use the extra space to carry rain gear and other items. I am finding as I start my first fall/winter commuting I like have the added space for the extra clothes that are needed.

If you don't like them in five months you could resale them.

Bluish Green

If you plan to be a regular bicycle commuter who carries stuff on the ride, a good set of panniers is likely worth it and will solve multiple problems and be an enabler in terms of facing different weather and other challenges.

I have a set of Ortlieb backroller classics that I use every day. They have as much capacity as I need for my clothes and other stuff, and they are waterproof, durable, and high-quality. I have already logged hundreds of commutes with them, and they will be serving me on hundreds more. As someone else on BF said once, I plan to eventually replace my bikes over time underneath this one set of Ortliebs.

Your commute and your conditions will affect what choice of gear might be optimal. But for most regular daily bicycle commuters, panniers can be a good option and "worth it."

tigerteeuwen

i think panniers are worth it for sure, started off commuting this year with a backpack and recently acquired a set of these panniers

https://www.axiomgear.com/products/ge...eymour-dlx-30/

I really like the mounting system, makes it really nice to deal with unmounting them.

RubeRad

I think a sale ended and the price changed. I still have a tab open showing the Daytrekkers on sale for $13.99, but when I open it fresh, they're now back up to $19.99.

And yes, the Daytrekkers are small, but they are the right size for the very small loads I typically carry. As I said, not big enough for a laptop, thus not big enough for many people.

niuoka

I was not sure of what brand panniers I wanted, and budget was limited. So when I was in bi-mart one day (OP is in Oregon, bimart is a Oregon chain) they had the Schwinn panniers on sale for 21 bucks. I thought well Ill gamble. They have been on my bike since then (march) and I commute 100 miles +- a week. I have become addicted to having panniers now.

The Schwinn are ok bags. you do have to be gentle with the zippers so when mine are loaded I pinch the bags closed and then do the zipper...not using the zipper to close a tight bag. ( I messed up a zipper, first week, took it back and got an exchange set of panniers) During the first heavy rain, I learned I needed to dry em out and scotch gaurd them. Yet still during the rain, I put everything in plastic bags. they do hold a fair amount of stuff. I will someday up grade to a better bag, which brand I do not yet know. So if you really want to go cheap for a few months to see if you want to stick with panniers, go check em out.

HydroG33r 

I sincerely hope to do the same...

I've been using my Ortlieb Backroller Classics for a few weeks now; super happy with them so far. In addition to all the positive reviews I've read online, I also polled fellow cyclists that I would pass who were using them. Never heard a bad word (aside from the price). $153/pair isn't half bad though, and if you get 'em through REI you get another 10% of that back as a dividend. Also, as dbikingman states, you could always sell them if you don't find you'll need them after the 5 months.

Artkansas 

I have a pair of SunLite Grocery Getter panniers. They are tough. One even survived being run over by a semi truck.

As for laptops. I always carry them in a backpack so I can rise off the pedals in case of a bad bump, and my mass keeps the bumping down.

In my youth, I rode IC chips on my bike between different plants of a company I worked for. Some of the chips carried directly on my bike went bad. None of the ones carried in my backpack did.

Frenchosa

Ortlieb backroller are great, sure they are a bit pricey ... but what is the price of a comfortable ride, and a healthy back. Plus they are 100% waterproof.

Leebo

Can you leave the laptop @ work? Take the days work on a thumbdrive and work from home? What about a tablet to carry? Any other work arounds?

starkmojo

One thing that comes to mind are all the people talking about using your spine as a vibration reducer. I mean its your SPINE right- repairs to it are pretty pricey. Seems like if vibration was a concern there must be more cost effective methods of protecting your computer.

A fellow list member has offered me the use of a pannier for a few months. I guess I will try it out and see how it works.

starkmojo

I work in a remote office that is not considered a secure location. Rules require I take it with me. I tried that already.

robert schlatte

Yes. As others have said, you will find many uses for panniers in addition to your commute. I commute with one pannier everyday and I do not notice any appreciable difference in how the bike handles. I also carry a pannier everytime I ride. I carry tools, rain gear, spare clothing, etc. Panniers don't have to be expensive. The one pictured here is from a pair that I purchased at Performance for probably $40 to $50. I since purchased Ortliebs but the ones from Performance are still perfectly serviceable.

swwhite

I have one version of the Banjo Brothers grocery panniers. They are nice, but there are two issues. You can't use them in the rain (a non-issue probably since who wants to go grocery shopping in the rain), and, because of their rectangle shape, there can be a heel strike issue. Regular panniers have a non-rectangular shape so the heel misses the bag, but the grocery panniers are shaped like a grocery bag so they enter into the heel-travel area. It's not a bit deal for me because the grocery store is not far from home.

arsprod 

in other words, yes

DX-MAN

For me, no; pannier rack for MTB is $$$$! Until I can work out the details of my own design, I can't even try panniers. But my experience to date with carrying cargo on the bike instead of on ME is: not in favor of it. I can manage the weight better when I can control it with my body movements, as opposed to tweaking the bike to compensate.

If the day comes that I AM able to try them, I'll likely get something mid-priced; I have a distrust of Nashbar.....

the sci guy 

i'm assuming you mean a duel suspension MTB? as that would certainly make attaching a regular rack from the seat stays to the rear wheel hard. if it's just a regular MTB though, racks a plenty, man. my hardtail MTB i use for commuting, i got the topeak MTX rack for like $25 on amazon.

what about a seat post rack?

AusTexMurf

Worth it ?
Yes.
Ortlieb Shoppers are perfect around town.
And I use a Racktime Workit Pro for laptop/office style pannier. Works well, also.
We also have Ortlieb Roller Classics, great panniers.

And 2 models by Detours.
And 1 Koki.
Used by the girls in the fam.