Looking for Panniers

Don't forget to buy a rack as well. I have a pair of Jandd panniers that I like for commuting. They detatch from each other so I can take just half of the panniers if I want. I'm finding that the more I commute, the fewer things I cart back and forth on a regular basis.

After looking around for awhile, I think I like this:

Topeak - MTX Trunk Bag DXP

It's got a ton of space, but if I'm not using it, the Panniers zip up and out of sight. If I do go along with this, I'll probably get the matching Topeak rack.

And the best thing about it all? It's all available on Amazon. 😉

personally, i'd recommend sticking with the delta panniers and get a trunk rack later if you need more space. beside the kind of funky design of the trunk bag, the load will be sitting quite high, making the load itself unstable and your bike less stable as well. for that price, i doubt that you'll find anything much better as far as panniers go. however, don't expect the coated packcloth to be waterproof, even from the get go.

I'm thinking that I'd never expand the top of the Topeak trunk bag, so at its highest, it will reach 9 inches. Even at 9 inches, I doubt I'll load it chalk full of stuff (at least not before utilizing the panniers on the side). Anyone out there own anything by Topeak that can speak for if this would be a wise purchase?

philso said:

personally, i'd recommend sticking with the delta panniers and get a trunk rack later if you need more space. beside the kind of funky design of the trunk bag, the load will be sitting quite high, making the load itself unstable and your bike less stable as well. for that price, i doubt that you'll find anything much better as far as panniers go. however, don't expect the coated packcloth to be waterproof, even from the get go.

That would be true if both you and the bike are very light.

If you are a normal to "robust" build then you'll very quickly get used to it and you will find that the weight is insignificant.

Scotty

Thanks for the tip, I just ordered my Delta set along with the rack!

scotty72 said:

That would be true if both you and the bike are very light.

If you are a normal to "robust" build then you'll very quickly get used to it and you will find that the weight is insignificant.

Scotty

scotty - wasn't talking about the weight at all. a trunk is a box whose walls are supported by open-cell foam. if all you'd be carrying were clothes and such, you could strap or duct tape them to the top of your helmet without much difference in the ride. what i was talking about is that it wouldn't adequately support anything of mass such as a laptop or stack of books or business files. and once you have it, it WILL get filled.

also, in normal situations, having your load higher rather than lower won't make much if any difference as long as you're riding in a straight line and turning as most situations require, but on a rainy day and having to swerve suddenly to miss a car, it can definetly make the difference between avoiding or skidding out into it.

beyond that is the funky design. simple and solid is always the way to go in equipment. bells and whistles excite the uninitiated, but generally have little to nothing to do with the function and longevity of the product.

philso said:

scotty - wasn't talking about the weight at all. a trunk is a box whose walls are supported by open-cell foam. if all you'd be carrying were clothes and such, you could strap or duct tape them to the top of your helmet without much difference in the ride. what i was talking about is that it wouldn't adequately support anything of mass such as a laptop or stack of books or business files. and once you have it, it WILL get filled.

also, in normal situations, having your load higher rather than lower won't make much if any difference as long as you're riding in a straight line and turning as most situations require, but on a rainy day and having to swerve suddenly to miss a car, it can definetly make the difference between avoiding or skidding out into it.

beyond that is the funky design. simple and solid is always the way to go in equipment. bells and whistles excite the uninitiated, but generally have little to nothing to do with the function and longevity of the product.

good point

Just to let you know, I ended up going with the slightly smaller Topeak trunk bag found here:

MTX Trunk Bag EXP

I went with this one because I like the design and from what I've read, Topeak makes a quality bag. I'm a pretty good sized rider (6'0", 205lbs) so I don't think that my few pounds of clothes and other commuting items are going to be a big deal for normal riding. After the bag arrives in the mail, I'll let you all know how it works out for me.

Thanks for your help.