Panniers - Arkel?

From write-ups fantastically tough but NOT waterproof.

In article <[email hidden]>,

(Bob Kastigar) said:

Anybody with experience with Arkel panniers? Specifically,
I'm considering the GT-54 model.

From the web site they are "zip up" panniers. I personally
prefer the flex of top loaders, you can always (well almost
always) get something else in. Jaand makes nice, large,
almost water proof, and almost bomb proof panniers that they
call "Large Mountain" panniers. These with a pair of Ortlieb
backrollers (which are fully waterproof) on the front make a
great combination.

Tom Gibb <[email hidden]

Vaude and Ortlieb are roll top and are 100% waterproof. Bike
Nashbar makes a large and small set that are just like the
Vaude for about a
1/3 of the price. I have had mine for a couple of years with
excellant service. I have been in some horendous rain and
everything stayed completely dry. Rool top panniers are
not very fancy looking. Just one big bag, no pockets and
other gadgets. But they never leak.

In article <[email hidden]>,

(Bob Kastigar) said:

Anybody with experience with Arkel panniers? Specifically,
I'm considering the GT-54 model.

Thanks.

I've got a set, love them. Had some way bad Cannondales.
1500 mile still doing great. Lots of pockets for the little
stuff. Well thought out. Hoping to score some Arkels for the
front, the Performaces are nearly dead. You can often find a
dealer in Canada and get a little bit of a price break
because of the currency rate. My two cents, Joe

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Gearóid Ó Laoi/Garry Lee said:

From write-ups fantastically tough but NOT waterproof.

Well yes, but ... they are extremely water resistant.
Then if you get the rain cover and put over them then
they are even more extremely water resistant. We rode
last month is a heavy rain storm with very high winds; my
Arkel's stayed bone dry.

- rick

On 9 Mar 2004 20:16:30 -0800, [email hidden] (Peter M

Spirito) said:

Vaude and Ortlieb are roll top and are 100% waterproof.
Bike Nashbar makes a large and small set that are just like
the Vaude for about a
1/3 of the price. I have had mine for a couple of years
with excellant service. I have been in some horendous
rain and everything stayed completely dry. Rool top
panniers are not very fancy looking. Just one big bag, no
pockets and other gadgets. But they never leak.

Better say VauDe in the past tense. Try to find any lately?
Vaude USA is gone. If you check the German website, no
bicycling related products - all gone. Tents, sleeping bags,
backpacks, but no panniers, handlebar bags, etc. Figuring
that if our VauDe's go south there will be no
repair/warranty service, esp. since the US sales and
marketing arm is gone.

Oh, and not all Ortliebs are dry bag style rollers.

- rick

Rick Warner said:

On 9 Mar 2004 20:16:30 -0800, [email hidden]

(Peter M Spirito) said:

Vaude and Ortlieb are roll top and are 100% waterproof.
Bike Nashbar makes a large and small set that are just
like the Vaude for about a
1/3 of the price. I have had mine for a couple of years
with excellant service. I have been in some horendous
rain and everything stayed completely dry. Rool top
panniers are not very fancy looking. Just one big bag,
no pockets and other gadgets. But they never leak.

Better say VauDe in the past tense. Try to find any
lately? Vaude USA is gone. If you check the German
website, no bicycling related products - all gone. Tents,
sleeping bags, backpacks, but no panniers, handlebar bags,
etc. Figuring that if our VauDe's go south there will be
no repair/warranty service, esp. since the US sales and
marketing arm is gone.

Oh, and not all Ortliebs are dry bag style rollers.

- rick

That is wrong. There is loads of cycling stuff on
www.vaude.de. Select 'Germany' as country, 'Produkte' then
'Produktkatalog' then 'Bike & Trek'. You may need to reset
any cookies but I'm not sure.
--
Michael MacClancy Random putdown - "His mother should have
thrown him away and kept the stork." - Mae West
www.macclancy.demon.co.uk www.macclancy.co.uk

Michael MacClancy said:

Rick Warner said:

On 9 Mar 2004 20:16:30 -0800, [email hidden]

(Peter M Spirito) said:

Vaude and Ortlieb are roll top and are 100% waterproof.
Bike Nashbar makes a large and small set that are just
like the Vaude for about a
1/3 of the price. I have had mine for a couple of years
with excellant service. I have been in some horendous
rain and everything stayed completely dry. Rool top
panniers are not very fancy looking. Just one big bag,
no pockets and other gadgets. But they never leak.

Better say VauDe in the past tense. Try to find any
lately? Vaude USA is gone. If you check the German
website, no bicycling related products - all gone. Tents,
sleeping bags, backpacks, but no panniers, handlebar
bags, etc. Figuring that if our VauDe's go south there
will be no repair/warranty service, esp. since the US
sales and marketing arm is gone.

Oh, and not all Ortliebs are dry bag style rollers.

Quoted message said:

That is wrong. There is loads of cycling stuff on
www.vaude.de. Select 'Germany' as country, 'Produkte' then
'Produktkatalog' then 'Bike & Trek'. You may need to reset
any cookies but I'm not sure.

Was not there last week. Looks like they have added it back.
But Vaude USA *IS* non-existent at the moment so .. out of
luck in the US.

- rick

Rick Warner said:

Was not there last week. Looks like they have added it
back. But Vaude USA *IS* non-existent at the moment so ..
out of luck in the US.

- rick

Good business opportunity for someone who wants to be the
distributor?
--
Michael MacClancy Random putdown - "A modest little person,
with much to be modest about."- Winston Churchill
www.macclancy.demon.co.uk www.macclancy.co.uk

I have a pair of a Arkel's -- the "executive" model (or
whatever it's called). Sort of silly, really -- designed to
look like a briefcase when you take them off the bike.

They are TOUGH, good for laptops (hard back, and they come
with a padded laptop pouch) and have a nice adjustment gizmo
that locks 'em against a rear carrier rack.

I've never bothered getting covers for them, but I've found
them to be waterproof enough.

And the company is very decent. I also got Arkel's handlebar
bag (square & tough and rigid); and when I busted through a
few of the clips (until I learned how not to over-tighten
them) Arkle sent replacements to me for free. The handlebar
bag is a bit tricky, though -- if the clips are set just
right, it works great (slipping the bag on and off); but
getting them set just right isn't easy (but as you've
gathered, mechanical adeptness isn't my strongest talent).

Arkel -- nice company.

- Charles

On 12 Mar 2004 09:50:14 GMT, [email hidden] (CharlesK--remove SNOW

for email) said:

I have a pair of a Arkel's -- the "executive" model (or
whatever it's called). Sort of silly, really -- designed to
look like a briefcase when you take them off the bike.

They are TOUGH, good for laptops (hard back, and they come
with a padded laptop pouch) and have a nice adjustment
gizmo that locks 'em against a rear carrier rack.

I've never bothered getting covers for them, but I've found
them to be waterproof enough.

And the company is very decent. I also got Arkel's
handlebar bag (square & tough and rigid); and when I
busted through a few of the clips (until I learned how not
to over-tighten them) Arkle sent replacements to me for
free. The handlebar bag is a bit tricky, though -- if the
clips are set just right, it works great (slipping the bag
on and off); but getting them set just right isn't easy
(but as you've gathered, mechanical adeptness isn't my
strongest talent).

Arkel -- nice company.

And you can find them on the Web at:

panniers.companniers.comOpen ↗

(How's that for an easy-to-remember URL? Smart
thinking, Arkel.)

Martha Retallick Tucson, Arizona, USA

Postcards and note cards for bicyclists:
cafeshops.comPostcarderOpen ↗