Luggage

[L CC]

I have Ortleib panniers. They're fab, waterproof, heavy duty, capacious.

They're completely rubbish for my current commute. I ride 10k, strip lights & wedge pack from the bike, sit on a train for 20 minutes, go to the gym, then go to work.
That means in my pannier I have 2 sets of clothes, a fat-tastic lunch, a pair of trainers and a bag of stuff .
I'm forever emptying my knickers on the train or dropping my jelly at the gym and struggling to find the keys at work. I've tried filling the Ortleib with bags for each purpose but then I have to rummage through bags to get bags.

I want a bag that clips to the rack, is easy to carry over your shoulder, has lots of BIG pockets/compartments, is waterproof. And is cheap.

Any suggestions, apart from carradice, which I rule out as I Just Don't Like Them?

[Tewdric]

You need the touring pannier for the Brompton you also need!

[Kim]

How about those commutery ones from Altura?  The ones with space for a laptop.  May fail on cheapness, though.

If it's only 10k of cycling, I'd probably go for a rucksack.

I agree that Ortlieb, while excellent for touring, are distinctly suboptimal for this sort of thing.

[tiermat]

Creak2peak? I have a large pair that you can borrow, if you like, to see if they are suitable.


Eta: forgot to say they have a top pocket, a side pocket and a front pocket, as well as rain covers.

[L CC]

I had a choice: bike to work scheme bike or a season ticket. Given the winter I've just suffered through I nearly went for option 3: interest free car loan. Brompton might be on the wish list but isn't cheap.
I'll have a look at the others and may take you up on that loan, tiermat.

[L CC]

If it's only 10k of cycling, I'd probably go for a rucksack.

If I can get away with leaving the trainers at the gym I might try it, but really, I'd much rather not, even half an hour will give me back ache and turn me sweatier than a sumo wrestler in a sauna.

[Robh]

You may be interested in the Orkneys that I've just put up for sale in Classifieds.

[Morrisette]

I have a couple of Basil panniers (not two the same, that would be too simple) which may be the type of thing you're after. I got mine from Amazon as they're a Dutch company with limited availability here in real shops. They do all sorts, mostly with pockets - the thing I was after was a OUTSIDE pocket to put keys, phone etc in to avoid having to open the whole bag and rummage. They fit the bill perfectly for that, as well as being good to carry off the bike as a normal bag. Think my large one was about 40 pounds. Mine would not fit trainers but they do bigger sizes. Not 100% waterproof but the rain cover I had for an Altura rack bag fits over them, (and was under a fiver) and they're fine in drizzle/mist/light snow/hail (all the usual commuting conditions!).

[mrcharly-YHT]

I have some basic Creak2Peak panniers. They are a bit sh!t, cheap hooks etc.

However, they were cheap, they have proven to be very robust. I just cable-tie them on the bike and drop a rucksack in. Get to station/shop, lift out rucksack.

[Sergeant Pluck]

I'm always amazed at the prices Ortlieb are able to charge for their stuff. I do have a pair of old style Ortlieb roll top panniers but if I was choosing again I'd go for another brand, Vaude perhaps.

For your needs, the Vaude 25 rucksack / pannier would do the job, if they still make them (random google: they don't but they do a 22 and a 28):

http://manchestercycling.blogspot.co.uk/2011/01/vaude-cycle-25.html

However, it's not cheap.

But this is: I make my Ortliebs slightly more user friendly with one of these in each -

http://www.cyclestore.co.uk/productDetails.asp?productID=15692

While they don't look like much, at least they are relatively cheap, and it gives you somewhere to put your keys and perhaps a few small items - keeps them separate from the rest of your stuff, fairly easy to get to, and doesn't affect the overall space available. 

[Kim]

But this is: I make my Ortliebs slightly more user friendly with one of these in each -

http://www.cyclestore.co.uk/productDetails.asp?productID=15692

While they don't look like much, at least they are relatively cheap, and it gives you somewhere to put your keys and perhaps a few small items - keeps them separate from the rest of your stuff, fairly easy to get to, and doesn't affect the overall space available.

Current Ortliebs (those made in the the last couple of years, anyway) have something similar built-in.  All my roll-closures have them.

[L CC]

I have a couple of Basil panniers (not two the same, that would be too simple) which may be the type of thing you're after. I got mine from Amazon as they're a Dutch company with limited availability here in real shops. They do all sorts, mostly with pockets - the thing I was after was a OUTSIDE pocket to put keys, phone etc in to avoid having to open the whole bag and rummage. They fit the bill perfectly for that, as well as being good to carry off the bike as a normal bag. Think my large one was about 40 pounds. Mine would not fit trainers but they do bigger sizes. Not 100% waterproof but the rain cover I had for an Altura rack bag fits over them, (and was under a fiver) and they're fine in drizzle/mist/light snow/hail (all the usual commuting conditions!).

Spot on.
I done bought one of these:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Basil-Unisex-Adult-BAS17344-Single/dp/B0029LDA46

[andrew_s]

I'm always amazed at the prices Ortlieb are able to charge for their stuff..... If I was choosing again I'd go for another brand, Vaude perhaps.

What makes you think that Vaude are cheaper than Ortlieb?

[LEE]

I have Ortlieb.  They have an external mesh pocket but I wouldn't trust my keys to them.  Inside they are as fboab says, a big void.

However, I wouldn't want to buy anything else, so I would buy some form of internal organiser or some more Alpkit Colour coded bags and an Ortlieb Rucksack adapter.  I wouldn't be too proud to wear a bum-bag either (for keys, wallet and such), it could live in the Ortlieb until you arrived at destination.

I'm basically always looking for an excuse to buy an Ortlieb rucksack adapter.

Also, is there a "Euphemism of the day" thread?

I'm forever emptying my knickers on the train or dropping my jelly at the gym

[Morrisette]

Excellent, hope Basil are going to send me my cheque now.

[Woofage]

How necessary is the over-shoulder thing? Couldn't you get some other panniers that clip and unclip more easily? Won't be cheap though.

[Wild Rover]

I'm forever emptying my knickers on the train

My mind is very much boggling...

[L CC]

How necessary is the over-shoulder thing? Couldn't you get some other panniers that clip and unclip more easily? Won't be cheap though.

It's not over the shoulder or clip-unclip I'm objecting to. It's being unable to organise my stuff. The Ortleib are, like Capt S says, a void into which everything falls, mingles and swims. The pannier carrying walk is onto the platform from the bike store, and maybe 500 yards to the gym.
I just want pockets, and lots of them.

I'm forever emptying my knickers on the train

My mind is very much boggling...

Are you telling me you've never rummaged in the bottom of your pannier for your ipod mp3 player and come out with a pair of knickers? It's like being a bad magician.

[LEE]

Are you telling me you've never rummaged in the bottom of your pannier for your ipod mp3 player and come out with a pair of knickers? It's like being a bad magician.

Not a lot.