Panniers/rucksack ideas.

Velvet said:

Have some altura panniers, and need to work out some way
of attaching them to me while I'm shouldering my bike up a
flight of stairs (or down). Carrying them in the other
hand isn't feasible (I want that hand free for handrail
use to stop overbalancing) and I can't lift the bike with
the panniers on.

I find I can put the carrying handles of my Super Cs over my
shoulder and then pick the bike up with my arms poking
through the straps. This is how I negotiate railway
stations. It's comfortable enough for short distances
including steps. The Super C is a fairly large kind of
pannier; not the biggest by any means but still hefty.

Regards,

-david

David Nutter said:

Velvet said:

Have some altura panniers, and need to work out some way
of attaching them to me while I'm shouldering my bike up a
flight of stairs (or down). Carrying them in the other
hand isn't feasible (I want that hand free for handrail
use to stop overbalancing) and I can't lift the bike with
the panniers on.

I find I can put the carrying handles of my Super Cs over
my shoulder and then pick the bike up with my arms poking
through the straps. This is how I negotiate railway
stations. It's comfortable enough for short distances
including steps. The Super C is a fairly large kind of
pannier; not the biggest by any means but still hefty.

Regards,

-david

I'd have to have incredibly skinny arms to manage that with
my altura panniers - the handle on them really is only big
enough for a hand-hold, and I can't afford to buy new
panniers...

Velvet

Velvet said:

Have some altura panniers, and need to work out some way
of attaching them to me while I'm shouldering my bike up a
flight of stairs (or down). Carrying them in the other
hand isn't feasible (I want that hand free for handrail
use to stop overbalancing) and I can't lift the bike with
the panniers on.

Quoted message said:

Is there anything out there that'll convert standard
panniers into something that can be carried over the
shoulders/back?

I'd buy the bits and make my own straps which would enable
them to be carried as a shoulder bag. I'd shop at a good
climbing shop for webbing and clips (*). Its possible to
make up something which will need no sewing to complete. The
resulting strap can go in a pocket or top of pannier when
not in use.

Webbing in various widths at around £1 per metre. The
plastic clips for rucksacks (eg belts, shoulder adjusters)
are a few 10's of pence each.

I'd be fairly sure a should strap with clips to join it
together could be made for under £5.

(* eg. I recently bought webbing and clips from Needle
Sports in Keswick, they had various widths up to at least
2in wide from large rolls. I paid £1.30 for 1.2m of 25mm
webbing, a closure clip and a length adjusting ring to make
up a trouser belt. )

Hope this helps..

regards,

- Nigel

--
NC - Webmaster for 2mm.org.uk2mm.org.ukOpen ↗ Replies to
newsgroup postings to the newsgroup please.

Jon Senior said:

"Velvet" <[email hidden]> wrote <snip>

You could try:

1) Fitting low-loaders to the front and redistribute thus
rebalancing the bike.
2) Carrying the bike from a different point. With both
panniers (only carrying around 3kgs) I can still carry
my bike, but it does involve changing the balance
point.
3) Rig something from a coathanger and some straps. This
would (hopefully) be small enough to not occupy too
much room in your panniers.

Jon

1 and 2 won't help - it's the weight, not the distribution -
I have to get the bike up and onto the shoulder to carry it
up stairs (I'm short), I can't even lift the bike half-way
there if the panniers are on it, let alone if the panniers
are even 1/3 full!

3 is something along the lines I'm thinking of, straps
attached to the panniers somehow, though it needs to be
strong enough not to bend whatever attaches to the panniers
- wondered if anyone had tried this before and if so what
they'd used/found didn't work.

Velvet

NC said:

Velvet said:

Have some altura panniers, and need to work out some way
of attaching them to me while I'm shouldering my bike up a
flight of stairs (or down). Carrying them in the other
hand isn't feasible (I want that hand free for handrail
use to stop overbalancing) and I can't lift the bike with
the panniers on.

Quoted message said:

Is there anything out there that'll convert standard
panniers into something that can be carried over the
shoulders/back?

I'd buy the bits and make my own straps which would enable
them to be carried as a shoulder bag. I'd shop at a good
climbing shop for webbing and clips (*). Its possible to
make up something which will need no sewing to complete.
The resulting strap can go in a pocket or top of pannier
when not in use.

Webbing in various widths at around £1 per metre. The
plastic clips for rucksacks (eg belts, shoulder adjusters)
are a few 10's of pence each.

I'd be fairly sure a should strap with clips to join it
together could be made for under £5.

(* eg. I recently bought webbing and clips from Needle
Sports in Keswick, they had various widths up to at least
2in wide from large rolls. I paid £1.30 for 1.2m of 25mm
webbing, a closure clip and a length adjusting ring to
make up a trouser belt. )

Hope this helps..

regards,

- Nigel

Ooh, another excellent idea, I may be taking a trip further
than I expected at some point this week then, in search of
webbing and stuff...

Velvet

Velvet said:

I'd have to have incredibly skinny arms to manage that
with my altura panniers - the handle on them really is
only big enough for a hand-hold, and I can't afford to buy
new panniers...

Ah, right. The Super Cs have very spacious, adjustable
carrying handles, which makes this technique possible.
Howabout a big mesh shopping bag (folds flat) with a
shoulder strap? That could live in a pannier pocket until
you needed it.

Regards,

-david

David Nutter said:

Velvet said:

I'd have to have incredibly skinny arms to manage that
with my altura panniers - the handle on them really is
only big enough for a hand-hold, and I can't afford to buy
new panniers...

Ah, right. The Super Cs have very spacious, adjustable
carrying handles, which makes this technique possible.
Howabout a big mesh shopping bag (folds flat) with a
shoulder strap? That could live in a pannier pocket until
you needed it.

Regards,

-david

Ah, that's not a bad idea! I might look for something
like that..

Velvet

On 19/4/04 6:02 pm, in article
[email hidden], "Velvet"

Quoted message said:

Jon Senior wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

3) Rig something from a coathanger and some straps. This
would (hopefully) be small enough to not occupy too
much room in your panniers.

Quoted message said:

3 is something along the lines I'm thinking of, straps
attached to the panniers somehow, though it needs to be
strong enough not to bend whatever attaches to the
panniers - wondered if anyone had tried this before and if
so what they'd used/found didn't work.

You could try a camera or laptop bag strap. This would just
clip onto the carrying handles.

Or a climbing sling and a couple of karabiners (clips)

..d

On Mon, 19 Apr 2004 16:13:25 GMT, Velvet <[email hidden]>

wrote in message : said:

Have some altura panniers, and need to work out some way of
attaching them to me while I'm shouldering my bike up a
flight of stairs (or down). Carrying them in the other hand
isn't feasible (I want that hand free for handrail use to
stop overbalancing) and I can't lift the bike with the
panniers on.

A carabiner from your local outdoor shop. Hook the two
carrying loops on, throw over the shoulder the bike is not
on, one pannier in fornt and one behind, robertus avunculus.

--
Guy
===
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after
posting. chapmancentral.co.ukchapmancentral.co.ukOpen ↗

88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at
Washington University

Don't they have a shoulder strap? That's whay I do with
mine. I have to carry my bike two floors, so what I do is
hang the panier on my left shoulder, across my chest and
with my free hands and arms, carry the bike. Did I explain
it correctly?

Vivian
-------
"We learned more from a three minute record than we ever
learned in school". No Surrender

"Velvet" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:YzTgc.2951$0T1.28883191@news-
text.cableinet.net...

Quoted message said:

David Nutter said:

Velvet said:

Have some altura panniers, and need to work out some way
of attaching them to me while I'm shouldering my bike up
a flight of stairs (or down). Carrying them in the other
hand isn't feasible (I want that hand free for handrail
use to stop overbalancing) and I can't lift the bike
with the panniers on.

I find I can put the carrying handles of my Super Cs
over my shoulder

and

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

then pick the bike up with my arms poking through the
straps. This is

how I

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

negotiate railway stations. It's comfortable enough for
short distances including steps. The Super C is a fairly
large kind of pannier; not the biggest by any means but
still hefty.

Regards,

-david

I'd have to have incredibly skinny arms to manage that
with my altura panniers - the handle on them really is
only big enough for a hand-hold, and I can't afford to buy
new panniers...

Velvet

Vivian said:

Don't they have a shoulder strap? That's whay I do with
mine. I have to carry my bike two floors, so what I do is
hang the panier on my left shoulder, across my chest and
with my free hands and arms, carry the bike. Did I explain
it correctly?

My Altura Orkney Panniers came with removable shoulder
straps. Velvet's are the Arran or Skye models neither of
which have shoulder straps. What might work for carrying
them is some webbing with a hook on each end that could then
attach to the carrying handle of the panniers.

Simon Proven said:

My Altura Orkney Panniers came with removable shoulder
straps. Velvet's are the Arran or Skye models neither of
which have shoulder straps.

My older Orkney's didn't have shoulder straps... but it's
easy enough to add your own as there's a securing loop at
each end of the hook rail. But even if the other models
don't have this all you actually need is a loop of tape: Do
the lid up over the loop to keep it in place so the ends
emerge either end of the lid and voila, one shoulder strap.

Quoted message said:

What might work for carrying them is some webbing with a
hook on each end that could then attach to the carrying
handle of the panniers.

That should work, but by going under the lid you don't even
need a hook/karabena etc.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch University of Dundee Tel 44 1382 660111 ext.
33637 Medical Physics, Ninewells Hospital Fax 44 1382 640177
Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net [email hidden]
dundee.ac.uk~pjclinchOpen ↗

Peter Clinch said:

Simon Proven said:

My Altura Orkney Panniers came with removable shoulder
straps. Velvet's are the Arran or Skye models neither of
which have shoulder straps.

My older Orkney's didn't have shoulder straps... but
it's easy enough to add your own as there's a securing
loop at each end of the hook rail. But even if the other
models don't have this all you actually need is a loop
of tape: Do the lid up over the loop to keep it in place
so the ends emerge either end of the lid and voila, one
shoulder strap.

Quoted message said:

What might work for carrying them is some webbing with a
hook on each end that could then attach to the carrying
handle of the panniers.

That should work, but by going under the lid you don't
even need a hook/karabena etc.

Pete.

Oooh, now that sounds like a very good idea. I might still
need something to keep both on one shoulder - my bike goes
on the right (stronger arm) but my left shoulder is
generally inept at keeping anything actually on it.

I knew you lot would be creative and come up with some
good ideas!

Velvet

Velvet <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Have some altura panniers, and need to work out some way
of attaching them to me while I'm shouldering my bike up a
flight of stairs (or down). Carrying them in the other
hand isn't feasible (I want that hand free for handrail
use to stop overbalancing) and I can't lift the bike with
the panniers on.

They're not the largest altura panniers, I forget which
model, but medium sized, medium quality. Use that nice
adjustable quick-release latch on them (big red button,
two hooks, and plastic finger for stability down the
bottom of the pannier).

I've googled but can't find anything for the altura
panniers to convert into a rucksack. The thought of
bungying them around me had occurred but the weight
through a narrow cord over my shoulder doesn't appeal.

Is there anything out there that'll convert standard
panniers into something that can be carried over the
shoulders/back?

I do have a rucksack that would potentially fit the
panniers into, but I'd not then be able to fit rucksack
into panniers, and it's extra weight I don't need, and I'm
not prepared to cycle with rucksack (empty) on my back -
too restricting for looking over shoulder.

TIA,

Velvet

Try dog collars fastened through the pannier straps, they
are soft so won't bang about damaging the bike and wide/soft
enough not to chafe the skin. Roger

On Tue, 20 Apr 2004 18:26:25 +0000 (UTC), "Roger Hainsworth"
<[email hidden]> wrote in message
<[email hidden]>:

Quoted message said:

Try dog collars fastened through the pannier straps, they
are soft so won't bang about damaging the bike and
wide/soft enough not to chafe the skin.

I'll ask the vicar if he has a spare one when I see him this
evening...

--
Guy
===
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after
posting. chapmancentral.co.ukchapmancentral.co.ukOpen ↗

88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at
Washington University

Just zis Guy, you know? <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On Tue, 20 Apr 2004 18:26:25 +0000 (UTC), "Roger
Hainsworth"
<[email hidden]> wrote in message
<[email hidden]>:

Quoted message said:

Try dog collars fastened through the pannier straps, they
are soft so

won't

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

bang about damaging the bike and wide/soft enough not to
chafe the skin.

I'll ask the vicar if he has a spare one when I see him
this evening...

When you collar him, don't hound him for one, perhaps he'll
have an old dog-eared one to spare, if you lead him in the
right direction! Roger ;-)

Roger Hainsworth said:

Just zis Guy, you know? <[email hidden]> wrote
in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On Tue, 20 Apr 2004 18:26:25 +0000 (UTC), "Roger
Hainsworth"
<[email hidden]> wrote in message
<[email hidden]>:

Quoted message said:

Try dog collars fastened through the pannier straps, they
are soft so

won't

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

bang about damaging the bike and wide/soft enough not to
chafe the skin.

I'll ask the vicar if he has a spare one when I see him
this evening...

When you collar him, don't hound him for one, perhaps
he'll have an old dog-eared one to spare, if you lead him
in the right direction! Roger ;-)

*groan*

Someone slap that bloke ;-)

Velvet

PS. And that bird who replied to him... ;-)