BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

Ortliebs are great, I think well worth the money. I've had a pair of roller classics now for about five years. They've been on a few bike tours and a fair amount of commuting. The mounting system is very convenient, and they're about as waterproof as it gets. I have a pair of Axioms I use a front panniers that are ok but not as nice -- they've developed some small holes after a lot less use, and the mounting system isn't as good.. I wish I'd spent the extra money to get Ortliebs.

To quote Chris from thick today: "You could throw ortliebs in the river and your stuff would be ok." I think I am gonna get them next pay

Yeah, Ortlieb also makes dry bags for boaters that are literally designed for that.

I've had a pair of Ortliebs and have used them for two years through winter, heavy rains etc. They haven't failed me and show no signs of wearing out.

Ditto on the Ortliebs. I've got their briefcase-style pannier, and it is awesome and completely waterproof.

I just got a pair of backroller Ortliebs and am pretty amazed at how easy it is to put them on & take them off. They look snazzy, too.

+1 on the Ortliebs. They also have one of the better attachment systems.

I had a Banjo Bros waterproof pannier, but it is smaller than the Rollers. I also have a Delta/REI pannier, which has worked well for many years now.

I use back roller classics that I bought for about $120 for the pair. They hold 40L total and I love them. That being said, I think if I were going to buy them again today I would opt for the bike packer classics that my father bought instead. The difference is that the "roller" has a roll-top closure while the "packer" has a snap closure. At the time I bought them I figured the roll-top would be more durable but I underestimated how much of a pain they would be to lock down every time I needed to get something out. On the other hand, they're great for hauling because you can leave the top unrolled which gives you an extra 10-20% of storage volume for those unwieldy grocery runs.

I prefer the "classic" to the "plus" -- I think the PVC-coated fabric is going to be more durable and waterproof in the long run, although stiffer and heavier than the new Cordura bags. Of course, I've never used anything made from Cordura, I just assume the thicker fabric will last longer.

One thing to check for is heel clearance. If I'm not careful about how I lock mine down I kick the bag on every pedal stroke. Granted, I don't have a long rack, and I wear size 12 shoes, but this is a reason to fit these to your rack if at all possible before you buy.

http://www.ortliebusa.com/CartGenie/prod-26.htm

About heel clearance though, the ortlieb bags are highly adjustable. I say that as a Long Haul Trucker rider though, but I got mine pretty far back on the rack.

+1 with the ortlieb and lht, doesn't get much better

"+1 with the ortlieb and lht, doesn't get much better"

They do work well together-

Looks like a nice place to be.

I'll join everyone else here in singing the praises of Ortliebs. I have a pair of the back roller classics. I've never found the roll up to be annoying as mpm has, but I will certainly agree about the space and room for groceries. You can fit a huge amount of gear or groceries into them.

Typical well thought out, top-notch German design and engineering. I've always been a believer in buying gear as good as you can afford. You usually do get what you pay for. The Ortleibs aren't cheap, but my experience has been that they are worth every penny that you pay for them.

HV and stefb, I don't think you'll be disappointed if you buy them.

And like rsprake said, it does look like a nice place to be.

Ortlieb made a "grocery" pannier--basically the Backroller but with a zip-lock top, rather than the roll top. Still waterproof, but easier to deal with.

so it looks like the ortlieb bike packer classics are the current front-runner. does anyone see any advantage to the roll top over the snap top?

and also: where can i get a pair?

you can get them at both REIs (South Side or Settler's Ridge) or order direct from ortlieb online for the most color choices. you can also order from iron city bikes. they might have some in stock soon/now.

the bags never seem to be on sale, so i bought from rei because of the dividend & return policy.

if you only need one, my guess is that it'd be pretty easy to find someone here to go halvsies with you. they can be easily adjusted to either side if your rack is asymmetric.

You can also get them at thick. Chris usually has at least one set in stock.

Not too long ago there were half-price Ortliebs at Best Buy.

Pretty sure Pro Bikes carries Ortlieb stuff too.

Yesterday, I posted a couple links here to locations where Ortlieb panniers can be bought online. I guess that post was eaten by the spam filter. So for anyone else who is having issues with the spam filter, here's what you have to do: post a message with no links in it and plenty of text. Then edit your post to add the links. I'm not sure why this is, maybe someone who runs the board can answer that. It's not as though I'm a new user.

Edit:

http://www.probikekit.com/display.php?code=B0128

http://www.probikekit.com/display.php?code=B0031

you know, i should've been more specific with my question, i think. i had already looked at the ortlieb website and saw all the local dealers. but, the way my bike is set up, especially now, i pretty much have to get the blue ones. so is there a place i can go that might have them in stock, or can special order them in less time than it takes me to get them directly from ortlieb?

call thick.

But, the question of the day is: do they hold up against golf ball size hail?

But, the question of the day is: do they hold up against golf ball size hail?

As a matter of fact, they do.

Sweet. I'm sold.

Yeah, but does Ortleib make a jock strap/cup combo specially for 'bent riders caught in hail storms?

I was on the Bianchi today, which meant I didn't end up with a lap full of ice. (Pro tip: when riding 'bent and caught in snow/sleet/hail, use one hand to pull your jersey/jacket/shirt forward and taut, lest you end up with a close moral equivalent of a Slushee sloshing about your chamois.)

Being a general pannier novice here...can the Ortlieb panniers fit on just about any rack? I have a Topeak rack (the one with the slide-in piece), but wasn't entirely sold on their panniers.

They have a very adjustable mounting system. The top hooks adjust along a horizontal axis independently with 3 inserts for different sized rails, and the bottom hook can be orientated 360 degrees in maybe 5 degree increments, as well as being able to move around an oval shaped thing. I'd expect they would work with most racks.

Ok. That sounds doable. Thank you!

@greenbike: I have the slide-in topeak rack and the ortliebs fit it fine. they come with some easy snap-in inserts (as dwillen mentions). Depending on what you're sliding in to your topeak rack, it might bump the top of your ortlieb's or make it a pain to roll/unroll, so test that out first if you want to want to run, say, a trunk bag with the panniers at the same time. I've only tested it with the slide-in basket + panniers, and that was not a good combo.

Thanks, Pseudacris. I thought about getting the trunk bag and a set of panniers, but I'm not totally set on that yet. I'll make sure to measure it. In fact, I was debating getting a basket vs. a trunk bag, and I might avoid the basket now!

Just to add a note regarding Ortlieb customer service:

I had ordered a couple of their document pouches last month, but the order somehow got jammed up in their system. Gave 'em a call a few minutes ago; the service rep (Ian) got it sorted out, physically went to the warehouse to grab the items, bumped my shipping to expedited 2-day, and threw in a tee-shirt for the inconvenience.

@greenbike,

Try the topeak stuff before buying if you can. Depending on your height and/or the clearance between your saddle & the topeak basket or bag...you may not have a comfortable amount of clearance for your bum. I only use the basket for brief trips because of this.

I'm short. This may not be an issue for taller people. The ortliebs do work on that rack regardless of whether you buy anything else from topeak.