Bicycle Panniers Commonly Asked Questions

Cyclists love the freedom of the road, the feel of the wind touching their skin, and the health benefits of riding a bicycle. However, riding a bicycle is not convenient when it comes to storage for travel or commuting. Bicycle Panniers bring storage and cargo capacity to a bicycle without the bulkiness and awkwardness of bags, backpacks, and trailers.

If you are considering using your bike with bicycle panniers, you may have some questions. Here we have answered some of the most commonly asked questions regarding bicycle panniers.

Bicycle panniers come in all shapes and sizes, many different materials and colors, and many storage configurations. Typically, bicycle panniers are broken up into three major categories, Commuting, Touring, and All Purpose.

Commuting bicycle panniers are designed for a home to work to home ride in mind. The storage compartments are sized for items such as laptops, folders, books, and other work related items. Commuter bicycle panniers are often colored dark to hide splashes of mud and road grime.

Touring bicycle panniers were created for cross-country riders who need to store a lot of essential items for a long trip. Storage compartments on touring bicycle panniers are design to hold camping equipment, clothes, spare bicycle parts, and other various items.

All Purpose bicycle panniers are usually simple in design and lack many features found in commuting and touring bicycle panniers. All purpose bicycle panniers are great for carrying oddly shaped items, groceries, and shopping bags.

Bicycle panniers are better than backpacks, bags, trailers, and bins when it comes to carry multiple items and heavy weights. Panniers allows a rider to remain agile when riding and not restrict movement that other storage apparatuses may cause.

Since bicycle panniers are located on the sides of the bicycle, the best practice is to keep a symmetry for the bike. Place the bicycle panniers on either side of the front and back wheels and never on the same side of the bicycle with out a pannier on the opposite side.

It is also a good idea to distribute your cargo in the bicycle panniers by weight. By having the weights of the panniers equal, from side to side and front to back, your bike will stay in balance and your ride will be less strenuous.

Often bicycle panniers are attached to the bicycle racks by snaps, hooks, or straps. These connections are secure, but also easily fastened and unfastened. This allows bicycle panniers to be mounted and unmounted in a matter of moments.

Bicycle panniers also may come with carrying straps and handles to convert them from panniers into carrying bags away from the bicycle.

Though there are many types of fabrics and designs that make up bicycle panniers, often they are classified into two types, Waterproof and water resistant. Waterproof bicycle panniers will keep your cargo completely dry, even when submerged into water. Water resistant bicycle panniers will keep your cargo dry from rain, and other wetness, but not when submerged.

Bicycle panniers are also securely attached to the bicycle and will not fall off under normal to moderately rough riding terrain. Most bicycle panniers use latches, zippers, and draw strings to keep your contents from accidentally exiting the compartments.

By using panniers on your bicycle, you become more apparent to motorists on the road. The solid shapes of the panniers on the bicycle combined with their colors and reflectors are significant warning to oncoming vehicles. Bicycle panniers can also act as a small side bumpers in case of an accident.