[Closed] Recommendations for Pannier Rack and Panniers

No recommendations?

My recommendation would be to avoid putting a laptop in a pannier unless you have very smooth roads.

Tubus racks.
Otlieb Panniers.

Ortlieb panniers for sure. I have a pair and they are amazing quality. Can't recommend a rack as my bike has it integrated, but Tubus are supposed to be the best.

Tubus stainless rack lovin mine 8 years old looks like new and has been a fit and forget item that has not once coursed me an issue and has a high load weight.

I tried a Tubus rack on my Amazon and it wouldn't fit due to the disk (despite having a disk mounting kit). Super Tourist DX Disk was fine.

Ortlieb are great for touring but can be a bit baggy and featureless if you are carrying the likes of a laptop. They do a lovely office/briefcase style pannier but I still reckon there are ti many shock issues carrying a laptop there.

I carry a laptop in my Ortlieb but it's 13"- I reckon a 17" my be a bit big. Haven't broken it yet.

Is the laptop thing due to vibration damage or safety?

I have used Ortlieb panniers for commuting, and they're bombproof, but I think I'd be a bit unsure about putting a laptop. No unless there's a good bit padding in there. Surely it would shake it to bits?

<flameproof jacket on>...

I don't like Ortliebs for commuting.

Faff to open and close, no external pockets, mine haven't been that durable, and I don't like the rack attachment - it's fiddly to setup and the panniers can just be lifted off your bike by a crimo' whilst you are at the lights.

I prefer a decent pair of "normal" panniers with external pockets and Rixen-Kaul Klickfix attachments. In my case some 56 litre Creek 2 peak ones, but ALtura etc. look similar.

The Ortliebs are very waterproof though, and kept everything bone dry when they were left out in a storm whilst camping on the west coast of Scotland.

Ortlieb Downtown and a Tubus QL3 specific rack. If you don't like the Downtown, you can get a city bag that is a little more trendy.

Linky here
https://www.cyclestore.co.uk/ortlieb_singlebag_ql3_and_tubus_minimal_pannier_and_rack_set-ID_66210

Carried my 15 inch laptop in a Downtown pannier without any issues for the past four years. It sits in a neoprine sleve. I would hesitate to use a full pannier (I have backrollers too) as they are rather large.

Tubus stainless and Ortlieb panniers.
I've fitted Tubus racks on two different frames with seat stay disk brakes, just using spacers where necessary to get the required clearance.

Could you not get a full frame bag and put it in there?

I use a Carradice saddlebag and SQR block. Happily carry a laptop but not sure of the size.

http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m2b5s73p51
http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m2b5s73p1040

I carry a laptop in a pannier.. Doesn't seem to be as big of an issue as all that. The bag is padded and the flopiness of the fabric seems to cushion it.

The bag is the carradice bike bureau, which I would not recommend at all.

Ortlieb panniers and an axiom streamliner. On the rear.

The rack was low profile and didn't get in the way when riding without bags. I'd recommend it.

The bags are great, but they're not so secure. They bounce around whilst riding. They're cavernous inside and the bouncing around is amplified if they're not packed down. I carried a 17" laptop for years in it without much issue. However that was my work laptop (management approved this) I wouldn't carry my personal laptop, in case I crashed and smashed the laptop.

Also consider halti bags, tubus racks and man mountain racks.

I'd get panniers with a laptop compartment, for sure

The bags are great, but they're not so secure.

Hmm, I've had the opposite experience, my Ortliebs have always been very secure. Weird...

the clips would slide along the plastic rail of the bag. So they'd need adjusting and resetting. It could have been solved by fixing permanently with hot glue, but i didnt want to tamper with it. Also, the inner diameter of the clip (which fastens to the pannier rack) was 5-6mm larger than that of the pannier rack tubing. So the bag bounced around.

They've survived over 3000km commuting and loaded touring over snow, ice, gravel roads, sandy beaches, tarmac ad 30cm kerb drops. But they did bounce around.

IIRC, Mark Beaumont used the same bags for his world tour. He broke a couple of clips, but they were fine otherwise. He wasn't carrying a £1500 laptop though, which may be damaged internally by repeated bashing and bumping.

I used one of the high end big altura ones (afraid I forget the name) for a few years commuting. It was plenty waterproof, loads of room for shoes etc if needed and had a nice gear pocket on the front (not properly waterproof but pretty good.

I think it would fit a laptop but I can check if you want?

Heavy though. These days I dont need much for work so just use a rucksack

Ok, my laptop is 375 by 250 mm and fits in either orientation, but there's not a lot of spare room. Not tight, but you'd be forcing it in if it was much bigger.

, the inner diameter of the clip (which fastens to the pannier rack) was 5-6mm larger than that of the pannier rack

Hans, the clips don't come undone on mine, no glue needed, maybe you aren't doing them up properly? Also as above, use the correct tube size adapter.
I would not hesitate to recommend Ortlieb. They may not be the lightest though.

My Ortlieb pannier (think it's a Back Roller Classic) has a large internal sleeve, with a small zipped mesh pocket. When I occasionally transport a laptop in it, I just put it inside the sleeve. A padded sleeve would probably be a good idea for extra protection if you are commuting regularly.

All the Ortlieb panniers I have owned either had the QR hooks, which have a positive locking detent, or the bolted hooks, and I've never had sliding hooks on either system. The Ortlieb locking system is very convenient and secure, in my experience.

Another vote for a carradice sqr block and a carradice saddlebag. I had rack and panniers before (tubus and ortlieb) and were ok but when I moved to a bike with no rack options, carradice was the only option.

Ortlieb supply adapters for all common diameters of rack tubing.

I run a Blackburn rack, bomb proof. I think the are certified to carry a child seat which shows how strong they are.

Ortlieb panniers. Not cheap but you only but once.

As above I wrap some inner tube around the rack and secure with electrical tape as the little inserts always fall off. It's a far better fit and stops rattling and rubbing.

Okay, I'm going to go with a Tubus rack (either the Fly, Carry or Airy as these are the ones with the single central connection used by the Niner) What's the main advantage of the much more expensive Carry over the Airy/Fly?

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Carry:

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Fly:

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Airy:

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I prefer additional pannier loops (like the carry) as there's less wobbling. Removing the clip-on point from the top platform also makes it more usable. Most panniers end up higher than their clips and it's a bugger trying to strap anything on the top with panniers in place

Super tourist DX rack here. Rack pack most days, altura morph rucksack when I carry my laptop

I have a brand new (unused with tags) Altura Morph if interested. Will do for £10 less than whatever the current wiggle/CRC etc price is. I bought it with the Ortlieb panniers, but have never used as the Ortlieb are so good!