5 reasons to use a pannier
- You can carry much more; shopping, gym kit, the kitchen sink…
- No back-ache or sweaty back from a rucksack
- They look great and add character to your bike
- Keep your laptop safe and secure when cycling
- You will be safer – without bags hanging from handlebars or swinging around your body.
When I first started cycling as an an adult, it became obvious to me that I would need a practical way to carry all my stuff on the bike. I wasn’t keen on the lacklustre bags and panniers on offer in my local bike shops and hunted down a vintage pannier from a second hand shop in Hoxton. It was very pretty but the straps were broken and I used to bungee it to my rack. It looked nice but was a a little awkward and did fall off once!
I knew when I started Cyclechic, all those years ago, stylish yet practical panniers would be very useful for people like me and we have always been on the look out for such things and now have a extensive range of bike bags and panniers that actually look good.
The big plus point of using a pannier is that your bike is carrying the weight not you. This will leave you cycling with no extra strain and avoid sweaty back syndrome caused by wearing a rucksack or dealing with the dreaded ‘swing-round’ of a shoulder/messenger bag that just won’t stay in place.
Here’s a little rundown of the different types of panniers and some of my current faves.
The Double Pannier
This is the traditional style of pannier and will be spotted a plenty if you travel over to Holland. Double panniers straddles your rear rack and usually have Velcro straps that secure the middle section to the rack. You have a bags either side so the capacity is large and they can work really well for filling up with shopping or the robust styles can be great for touring.
The limitations of a double are that they are not so easy to take off the bike. They work best if your bike is parked somewhere safe and you can leave them on.
They do look awfully pretty, our new faves being the Flamingo Bay Panniers or if you want something more robust the beautifully made waxed canvas Market Bag Double Pannier from Linus are particularly charming.
The Single Pannier – The Commuting Queen
We are big fans of the single pannier here at Cyclechic and they tick both our boxes for stylish and practical. The great thing about the singles is that once off the bike, they simply become your bag. We particularly like models that have a shoulder straps and a cuff that covers the hooks so they’re comfy to carry around. They also come in some great styles and colours so you can co-ordinate with your bike outfit, even your front door! (Pictured: Deluxe Shopper Neon Pink)
The wonder of the pannier bike bag is how easily it comes on and off the bike, no faffing with straps or attachments, most have hooks that simply slide on and off your rack, taking literally seconds, leaving you time to grab a coffee beofre you get in the office.
Some of our faves at the moment are the very smart scandi style Weathergoods Tote Pannier Bag. I have been testing this out on my daily commute and it works very well, ideal if you want something a little smarter and it has a special padded compartment for your laptop which is a godsend. I’ve found it particularly useful in the summer months when you have bottle of water in your bag and you don’t want any leakage getting into your laptop. It also has numerous other pockets so you can keep phone and keys within easy reach. If you want a laptop pannier bag, have a look at our full range, most have a padded compartment similarly to the Weathergoods.
Another pannier bag we are loving is The Linus Linden. Unlike some panniers the Linden opens up really wide. It’s the ultimate shopper as you can really pack it full with groceries. It’s also very lightweight so great for using off the bike. And the colours are divine. The Navy & Mustard is totally doing it for me this summer.
And for something a bit more high end, we have the beautiful satchel style panniers from Hills and Ellis. This brand has become very popular with London commuters as they are sophisticated with a hint of vintage and will last you a lifetime. They even have a pannier specific for the Brompton.
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