Author Topic: Panniers - Carradice or Ortlieb?  (Read 24021 times)

tonycollinet

  • No Longer a western province of NĂºmenor
Panniers - Carradice or Ortlieb?
« on: 23 June, 2011, 09:14:45 pm »
Got a wet shirt yesterday - AGAIN!

So I've decided I need new panniers, and I'm not going to skimp. They get used daily for commuting, and I need things to stay DRY.

So, what to go for?

gordon taylor

Re: Panniers - Carradice or Ortlieb?
« Reply #1 on: 23 June, 2011, 09:15:38 pm »
Ortlieb.


Re: Panniers - Carradice or Ortlieb?
« Reply #2 on: 23 June, 2011, 09:23:09 pm »
Altura  ;D

Re: Panniers - Carradice or Ortlieb?
« Reply #3 on: 23 June, 2011, 09:24:36 pm »
Out of the two, I only have experience of the Ortlieb Classics. They certainly are 'the business'  :thumbsup:
If it ain't broke, fix it 'til it is...

Re: Panniers - Carradice or Ortlieb?
« Reply #4 on: 23 June, 2011, 09:27:15 pm »
I've never tried Ortlieb, but my choice is carradura and decent quality plastic bags for stuff that needs to be dry. With the aid of the rain covers in proper rain the outside of the plastic bags has yet to feel wet.

tonycollinet

  • No Longer a western province of NĂºmenor
Re: Panniers - Carradice or Ortlieb?
« Reply #5 on: 23 June, 2011, 09:28:26 pm »
Altura  ;D

Ha - the ones I have now are altura. The design is crap - in as much as the plastic moulding which covers screw heads fixing the side clip on - are such that they wear a neat hole through the water proof lining. I've checked, and new ones are still the same - so Altura are out!

dasmoth

  • Techno-optimist
Re: Panniers - Carradice or Ortlieb?
« Reply #6 on: 23 June, 2011, 09:29:39 pm »
Arkel  :).

But if it's waterproofing you're after, the Ortliebs are very good.
Half term's when the traffic becomes mysteriously less bad for a week.

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: Panniers - Carradice or Ortlieb?
« Reply #7 on: 23 June, 2011, 09:31:23 pm »
Carradice.  Just the best.
Getting there...

Re: Panniers - Carradice or Ortlieb?
« Reply #8 on: 23 June, 2011, 09:32:28 pm »
Ortlieb fan here. Bikepacker Plus. Never got a wet shirt on the way to work and I cycle all year round.

If you're going through fords or anything like that then you'll need the roll top jobs.
Rust never sleeps

jogler

  • mojo operandi
Re: Panniers - Carradice or Ortlieb?
« Reply #9 on: 23 June, 2011, 09:42:06 pm »
ortlieb=mutts nuts

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: Panniers - Carradice or Ortlieb?
« Reply #10 on: 23 June, 2011, 09:45:48 pm »
Yes, but do you know who made your Ortlieb panniers?  Does the Taiwanese sweatshop worker* sign it personally and join a cycling forum to discuss it? ;)




* Note to Ortlieb's Legal Dept: Hyperbole merely.
Getting there...

Re: Panniers - Carradice or Ortlieb?
« Reply #11 on: 23 June, 2011, 09:50:58 pm »
ortlieb=mutts nuts

+1

I ride through storms all day and all night and I'm always sure than my Ortliebs will keep my stuff dry.

You might want to consider Bike Bins instead, if you want some waterproof panniers that you can lock up to keep thieving bastards from stealing your stuff. I use those on my regular bike. They are only lockable if you can close the lid though. Ortliebs are best for carrying lots or odd shaped stuff. But with the Bike Bins, you have a nice big platform if you fit them flush with your pannier rack, which could easily be used for bungeeing big boxes to, as I have done.

The only downside of those two is that they have no pockets, but you could always get around that by making cardboard compartments or something.

I've never used Carradice panniers though.

Re: Panniers - Carradice or Ortlieb?
« Reply #12 on: 23 June, 2011, 09:52:15 pm »
Yes, but do you know who made your Ortlieb panniers?  Does the Taiwanese sweatshop worker* sign it personally and join a cycling forum to discuss it? ;)




* Note to Ortlieb's Legal Dept: Hyperbole merely.

Ortliebs are German, just like my Schmidt hub dynamo and my Cyo. The Germans make some very good cycling kit.

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: Panniers - Carradice or Ortlieb?
« Reply #13 on: 23 June, 2011, 10:24:49 pm »
But are they made by Germans?  We know that Carradice are made by Ladies from Lancashire.
Getting there...

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Panniers - Carradice or Ortlieb?
« Reply #14 on: 23 June, 2011, 10:29:10 pm »
Ortliebs (especially in their roll-top configuration) are everything-proof and reliable, and hard to beat for touring.  What they tend not to have (without faff) is pockets, and for commuting, I'd say those were a definite advantage...

I've no experience of Carradice (not the posh stuff anyway, I have a Prima rack bag which doesn't even claim to be waterproof), but if it's reliably waterproof it might be a nicer option.  They certainly appear to be well made.

I quite like Alturas, but Ortlieb do seem to win on durability of design (and compatibility with HPVelotechnik suspension, but that's another story).

LEE

Re: Panniers - Carradice or Ortlieb?
« Reply #15 on: 23 June, 2011, 10:33:59 pm »
Ortlieb are properly waterproof (apparently submersible if you get the roll-tops).

You can leave them outside your tent in the rain knowing everything will stay dry inside.

I would not leave Cotton Duck (Carradice) stood on damp ground overnight (despite loving the look of Carradice Panniers)

I have the Ortleib Bike Packer Plus.

LEE

Re: Panniers - Carradice or Ortlieb?
« Reply #16 on: 23 June, 2011, 10:35:38 pm »
But are they made by Germans?  We know that Carradice are made by Ladies from Lancashire.

If they are made by the same ladies who made my Carradice Barley then this is not a recommendation.

"Made by Germans" would be one of my top requirements.

Re: Panniers - Carradice or Ortlieb?
« Reply #17 on: 23 June, 2011, 10:36:13 pm »
The Ortlieb roll top stuff is airtight. I reckon you could use them as pillows.
Rust never sleeps

Re: Panniers - Carradice or Ortlieb?
« Reply #18 on: 23 June, 2011, 10:36:30 pm »
But are they made by Germans?  We know that Carradice are made by Ladies from Lancashire.

I don't know for certain. But to be honest, I wouldn't care if they were made by cross eyed chimpanzees. They're very good panniers, who or whatever makes them. :smug:

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: Panniers - Carradice or Ortlieb?
« Reply #19 on: 23 June, 2011, 10:37:26 pm »
;D  They are good.  If you don't mind all your stuff in one heap and difficult to find. ;)

Side pockets is where it's at.
Getting there...

LEE

Re: Panniers - Carradice or Ortlieb?
« Reply #20 on: 23 June, 2011, 10:38:47 pm »
My Bike Packer Plus have external pockets.

Re: Panniers - Carradice or Ortlieb?
« Reply #21 on: 23 June, 2011, 10:41:32 pm »
;D  They are good.  If you don't mind all your stuff in one heap and difficult to find. ;)

Side pockets is where it's at.

No no no.
I can't be doing with all that, "Now which pocket was the ..... in?" unzip,  no, zip, unzip, no, zip........ ;D

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: Panniers - Carradice or Ortlieb?
« Reply #22 on: 23 June, 2011, 10:43:26 pm »
More the "Oh bugger, where's me key?" while spreading gear all over the road, then? ;D

LEE makes a good point, but for most Ortliebs, the waterproofing is compromised if you do fit pockets.  So what's the point?
Getting there...

YahudaMoon

  • John Diffley
Re: Panniers - Carradice or Ortlieb?
« Reply #23 on: 23 June, 2011, 10:44:09 pm »
Having your kit in plastic bags keep things dry in any pannier and  work well.

As for choice

Altura if you have a Trek hybrid and your a commuter

Ortilieb if your a Doctor/Medic (well they remind me of them paramedics on pushbikes)or just no nothing about cycling. You only purchased them cos they were the most expensive you could find

Carradice if your older than my grandad or do audax

Any other pannier bag is cool as you don't care and use plastic bags to keep ya kit dry.




Re: Panniers - Carradice or Ortlieb?
« Reply #24 on: 23 June, 2011, 10:47:59 pm »
More the "Oh bugger, where's me key?" while spreading gear all over the road, then? ;D


In my right hand jersey/trouser pocket, where I always keep my keys. Obviously.
I keep the small, fiddly stuff in the bar bag, or in a bag on top of the bulky stuff in the panniers.