steve-in-kville 

There have been times when I really only needed one of my panniers. I've been tempted to ride to work with just one on the left side. Does anyone do this on a regular basis? Can you tell a difference in the ride?

jimc101

Most of the time I ride with only one, and don't notice any difference in the ride which ever side it's on.

himespau 

Never panniers, but frequently with folding baskets that had my bookbag in them. I used to go with only the right basket because I always walk/put my leg down to the left (if I'm wheeling the bike, I stay on the left side so as not to get chain grease on my pants), but then someone here convinced me to go on the left when I only have one so that, if the weight causes the bike to fall (less likely when standing at a light because I'm standing on that side), it will fall on the side opposite my RD. If it's really heavy, I notice the weight when standing, but not while riding once I get going.

no motor?

I usually don't use panniers, but when I do I usually only use the right one. I notice the drag form the pannier, but not the weight as I usually don't carry a heavy load.

kcherney

I almost exclusively ride with one pannier. It's loaded with textbooks and notebooks + food and whatever else I need, and I can feel the lack of balance when I get out of the saddle on hills, but it's no big deal. I also hang it on the right side... less stuff sticking out towards traffic is good.

MMACH 5

I only use one pannier, unless I'm camping. I've never noticed a difference in handling or balance.

jdswitters

At one time I had the commuter set up with a folding basket on the right and a waterproof pannier on the left, I may do this again this winter. The bag is on the left for three reasons.

I usually get off on the left side and put away or get out winter clothes as necessary.

I read somewhere on this forum that the bag increases your profile on the road side and may at times get passing cars a little further away from you.

The bag stays cleaner if it is not on the drive side.

The only time I notice weight would be maneuvering in parking lots with a full load of groceries on one side only.

modernjess

I only have one. I use it every time I commute. I can tell a little difference in the ride if it's really packed, but honestly it's nothing.

ben4345

I use only one, unless I know I'll need another. Only difference when there is enough weight on one side that I can't ride without hands.

sauerwald

Almost always ride with only one, no issues.

noglider 

It's weird how imperceptible it is. Why is that?

flipped4bikes

I do this most commutes. And on the left (road) side. Doesn't seem to matter how heavy the load is, doesn't affect the way my bike handles.

weshigh

I ride mostly with one pannier too, no issue. However, I ride with it on my left side, it has a reflector on it, and I figured it might make my left side look larger to traffic, thus them giving me more room. Nothing to back this up, but just my reasoning. Also puts it on my non-drive side, which I feel like is a better balance.

redeyedtreefr0g

I have one homemade bag. I always hung it on the left since it feels weird to me to be on the right side of a bicycle. That thing could be loaded up stuffed with lots of heavy things and I only really notice it when stopped standing at a light or other stationary or low-speed times. Once rolling, the bike behaves no differently than usual.

Recently I switched sides, but the bag used to hang on the left. My reasoning was just like weshigh's- might make the bike look bigger to traffic, and also I'm always standing on the left. I switched things around because I was adding stuff anyway, and I thought having the bag on the right with the chain case and stuff would make for prettier pictures. I honestly have no trouble getting into the bag over the top of my rack, or I can walk around to the right once I'm parked.

gerv 

Same reason you don't notice a dynohub dragging very much. Or why some riders don't particularly notice heavy Schwalbe tires. (Me included in both categories...)

I guess a gentle wind in your face or rough road conditions or other road conditions might distract you from noticing.

zacster

I only have one pannier and I always use it on the left. It caused one problem once. I slowed to a stop and was lowering a foot but the bike was leaning the other way from the weight of the bag and knocked me over into something. At least I wasn't clipped in. Ever since then I try not to carry my laptop when I don't need it, but that is still only about half the time.

Mostly I just don't notice it.

cplager

Wait. You can put on two panniers at once? Huh. Didn't know that.

Or, at least, I've never actually done that - I own two just in case, but have only ever used one at a time.

And, clearly you put it on the left side. (O.k. I can't see how it makes much difference either way except that if you use a kickstand that leans, having it on the opposite side may make a difference when parking the bike).

Cheers,
Charles

pdlamb

Use as many panniers as the load takes.

I snorted (hard) when reading Grant Petersen's "Just Ride" when I got to the part where he says, roughly, "Never ride with just one pannier, it looks funny." The king of funny looking stuff on a bike (not to say he's always wrong, mind you!) says This You Shall Not Do, because it looks funny to him? What the ... ?

chas58

one is no problem for me either

Your muscle memory adapts to the change in ballance very quickly, so at no time at all you don't notice it is there. With the gyroscopic self correcting affect of the wheels, it tends to minimize the torque to the side anyway (ever try to move a gyroscope away from its intended path?)

MMACH 5

I hang it on the left, since all of my bikes have kickstands. That way, if I have an unusually heavy load and park the bike, it doesn't try and fall away from the kickstand.

bent-not-broken

Same here

fietsbob

If front panniers , i have to correct steering constantly with 1 .

i never notice just 1 on the back rack.

nelson249

If I'm heavy I like using both panniers. If I ride with one I generally stick it on the left side to stick out into traffic. My panniers have reflective strips and having it there encourages motorists to give me a little more space. Been tempted to augment that with a sideways mounted orange flag.

CptjohnC

I have ridden extensively with two, and recently started riding with only one. I notice little or no difference. Far bigger handling issues are caused by, say, my lock moving somewhat freely on the side of my rack, or any other shifting load. The relatively static load of a pannier, whether balanced side to side or not, is pretty much not noticeable.

SouthFLpix

It's noticeable if you mount the pannier in the front, but in the rear it doesn't make a big difference.