dschwarz

Hi,

Last October I bought a 2015 Kona Minute which I use 5 days a week to bring my son to school and then commute to/from work. A really nice bike, shame that it's discontinued. But anyway. I have a love/hate relationship with the panniers that come with the bike.

Pros:

* They fold up fairly flat against the side of the bike when not in use.
* When in use, they are BIG. They can easily hold a grocery bag each.
* They are not waterproof but have a top flap that keeps most of the rain out
* I can secure the panniers to the bike with a cable looped through the handle.
* They're not a famous brand like Ortlieb so less of a tempting target to thieves

Cons:
* The buckle system is miserable. You have to re-thread the closure straps through different loops depending on whether you want the panniers to be folded up flat, or unfolded and ready for use.
* The straps and buckles can get caught in the spokes if you don't have the straps threaded right, or if you've stuffed your pannier so full that the top flap can't buckle closed.
* I've managed to break one of the steel pannier hooks that attach to the rack, and no replacement parts are available.
* I am concerned about overall durability of the Kona panniers.

The bike has a nonstandard rack configuration, but I've sourced some nifty pannier adapters that should allow me to attach any standard panniers to this bike.

What panniers should I buy to replace these with? My ideal replacement panniers would be:

* High capacity (like grocery getters) but with a top closure of some kind and collapsible when not in use.
* Easier to close and open than my current panniers
* More durable than my current panniers.
* Ability to secure the panniers to my bike with a cable and have a reasonable hope that they won't get stolen. (I am in NYC and street park my bike for an hour at a time when running errands. The bike is locked up indoors otherwise.)

I'm considering Ortlieb back roller classic, city back roller, and Crosso twists. I have some concerns about capacity and ease of use (opening/closing) with all these bags, and I have concerns about theft of the Ortliebs. I'm open to other suggestions too.

Suggestions appreciated, thank you!

79pmooney

Won't answer the theft issue, but Ortleibs. I shop with the panniers in the cart and simply ask the checker to put my items back in the cart. Then I load the Ortleibs, no shopping bags. Get home and just carry the bags into the kitchen, unload and give a quick wash if needed. Ortleibs come off so easily that there is no reason to leave them on the bike. (In about a half dozen years of regular use, they will look dirty and unattractive enough that the thieves will probably pass them up. My first pair is still going strong (1999) and my 2008 pair are youngsters. I replaced the hardware on the first pair a few years ago. Only issue to the bags themselves was a hole I put in one with a very sharp and big kitchen knife. It now sports a standard raft repair that is quite permanent. (Any rafting company can tell you the materials you need, where to get them and how to do it.)

Ben

Daniel4

I have an Arkel combination panier and backpack.

The backpack straps can be folded and hidden with a zipper cover. So you can take the bag with you quite comfortably. Traditional panniers have this odd rhomboid shape and not a very comfortable way to carry when they are off the bike.

The attachment to the bike rear rack has cams that secure the hooks from the bottom so they squeeze the rack frame.

The hook at the bottom of the bag is free to relocate laterally to secure the bag further to the back of the bike so that it won't interfere with your heels while pedalling. This avoids the odd shape that tradition panniers have.

Papa Tom

My personal favorite is the Topeak MTX Quick-Track pannier/trunk bag combo along with the matching rack. It's a very roomy trunk bag that folds out into an even roomier set of panniers. Best of all, although you'd have to swap out your perfectly good existing rack, this bag/rack combo allows for very easy removal and remounting of the bag so you can simply take it with you when you run errands. The MTX bags come in different sizes and with/without fold-away panniers.

I must have spent over a year shopping for the "perfect commuting panniers" and, in the process, I drove a lot of people on this forum crazy. Now that I've made the decision and had them for some time, I don't know why I ever questioned buying the Topeak MTX and rack. It's a no-brainer, as far as I'm concerned.

dschwarz

Thanks. Unfortunately on this bike, which is a mid-tail cargo bike, the rack is an integral part of the frame. There's no swapping it out, unless you're handy with an oxyacetylene torch :/

Archwhorides 

I love my Ortleib bags and they unlock as easily as other posters have said, but from the photo is does not seem there is clearance on the Kona for the Ortleib to latch onto the rack?

Petro

I have had good luck with Axiom brand panniers. I bought a set 3 years ago for less than $90 and they still get heavy use. The attachment system is customizable that I can use it on 3 of my bikes with drastically different geometry. I like them so much that I am in the market to get the updated version this year. Not due to necessity, but I like them that much.

dschwarz

Right. That's why I bought the pannier adapters on Etsy. They provide the correct size rails with clearance for the hooks. The Etsy site shows the panniers in use with ortleib back rollers. The one possible drawback is that the adapters don't attach permanently to the rack, so if you remove the panniers the adapters must be removed too. (Zip ties or hose clamps might solve that issue)

Aubergine 

Another vote for Ortliebs. They are waterproof, durable, easy to open and close.

dschwarz

Thanks everyone. I just bought a pair of Ortlieb back rollers, used, on eBay. I figure that if I don't like them, I can sell for roughly what I paid.

FargoRider

What model of Axioms do you have? They have quite a few to pick from. Looks like the Seymour looks to be their "commuter minded" bag? Any experience with these?

globie

I'll echo the Ortliebs advocacy. My rollbacks look brand new after about five years of daily riding. They are definitely worth the higher initial investment.
This winter, the male ends of the top closure each cracked, about a month apart. I think it must have been the extreme cold we had for a couple weeks. Ortlieb sent replacements fairly promptly, but until they arrived, I substituted the ends of the shoulder straps, which I never use.
High capacity, tough, very simple to use, mount and remove.
I previously had Axiom bags, but they weren't waterproof, and they faded and got soft and saggy after a few years.

Harhir

I also vote for Ortliebs. Yes they are expensive but they last. My backrollers are from 1994 and are still in use today on a daily base. One of them holds my laptop bag and the other one my tools, replacement tubes, rain gear, ...
Almost 24 years old and no rips, no tears. Still waterproof. They hold a lot, can be removed within in seconds and can easily been swapped from bike to bike.

noglider 

I'm another supremely satisfied Ortlieb customer. I have the small ones, I think intended for front use. I read enough about how they're worth the money, and they have been for me.

Petro

I am using a pair of Seymour's from 3 years ago. I remember paying around $75 for the pair. They have great attachment points witch work on my 26" mtb, 29" mtb and both my 700cc bikes. Theu are not as robust as the Ortliebs. but they have served me well. Especially for the price paid.

tubed

Surprised no one mentioned Timbuk2 paniers. I have a set that cover all your needs. The look small when empty, and can hold vast amounts. Each one can hold a 12 pack - if that helps (also a requisite for me). They are quickly removed from rack and turn into a shoulder bag instantly. really cool. They're expensive ($129) but often go on sale at places like REI. Timbuk 2 seems to be moving away from bike stuff. They used to be featured on their website and now I can barely find them (and I think they changed their name). Anyway, sounds like it's too late for the OP but if anyone's reading this I would strongly consider.

Tombaatar

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Satisfied with my Thule. Pictured are the small size.

fietsbob

I got a close out deal years ago on the original sport packer, they have 4 D rings on the top flap ..
I now use them on the front of my bike Friday and as an over the wheel rack allows gain top loading..

I can hook a stretch net for Pizza boxes and such.. using those D rings..

dschwarz

So, update.. my back rollers arrived from the eBay seller yesterday. A few scuffs cleaned right up with a rag. They look great. Mounting is a hassle due to the nonstandard adapters I must use. Another minor disappointment, they appear to be QL1 not the advertised QL2.1. But now that they're on, I can see why people swear by them. Definitely quality. And the straps and attachments are well designed.

On the down side, they are a bit smaller than the Kona panniers. The Konas are extremely wide, taking advantage of the extended wheelbase. No heel strike issues, ever. I used the Konas like one would use a car trunk. The panniers stay on the bike always and I place my backpack, grocery bags, etc. in the panniers, then take them out at my destination. Can't do that as easily with the back rollers. My backpack won't fit, although my son's pack fits just fine. I don't see myself taking the back rollers on and off the bike all the time. I may just have to get myself a smaller pack that fits in the back rollers and use that instead.

Riveting

+1 for the Topeak system, though making it theft resistant is up to you.