Single Pannier on the left or the right ?

[whoof]

My husband and I have shared a pair of Carradice Super C's for many years. He prefers the left, I prefer the right, so we're both happy!

Myself and Mrs Whoof have toured for many years with a single rear each. If we go up a mountain I often take hers as well therefore we have one side each. I've also commuted for decades with a single pannier. Other than where you have positioned your rear light or which side you lean your bike against a wall it makes no difference at all which side you choose.

[pwa]

When I cycle with one pannier I tend to choose the right one. It probably makes little difference, but as I have to choose one I choose the right one because it makes me look more like an obstacle to be avoided, and because on the left it would be more likely to get caught in brambles etc if I had to tuck in to the left for any reason. But mostly I feel it makes next to no difference.

[The utility cyclist]

I'm a single right sided pannier user fairly often.

I don't see the logic of standing a bike in the road if you're going to be off the bike long enough to need to dig into a pannier so the having it kerbside for that doesn't seem to be of any great advantage. I think the psychology of increasing size of bike on the right might not make a huge difference but it would IMHO make more difference than it would if out of sight on the left.

[gaz]

I had a set of panniers that were clearly left and right side..... I used the right one only until it started to wear out then switched ...

Similar story here. Shortly after I started commuting I decided my Overlanders were a little too worn for the office so I bought a pair of basic Halfords panniers on ebay for a £1. It took me seven years to thoroughly wear out the right hand one, at which point I started to make regular use of the left.

It didn't last long as my primary commuting pannier. A Carradice Bike Bureau came up on ebay at a price where I wasn't saying no.

The CBB turned out to be a left hander, it obscures the rack light from that side. I have a seatpost mounted light to ensure all round visibility.

[drossall]

My CBB is left-handed because my Altura Clothing Carrier is right-handed. So I used odd panniers for many years. These days I commute into London, by train and Brompton, in office wear, hence the single front pannier in the photograph I posted.

[Psamathe]

I always use left because I have a bar end mirror on my drop bars and a pannier can slightly obstruct the rear view with the mirror.

Ian

[Redvee]

My single Ortlieb bag is on the right hand side mainly because my bike lives under the kitchen window and the right hand side is easier to get to, my bike leans against the sheffield stands in work on the left hand side usually so when I leave it's just drop the bag on the rack and unlock the bike and ride off into the sunset if there was one. I've recently added an old Cateye which hangs from the buckle clip and swings in a small arc.

[hondated]

I often use only one of my panniers and always mount it on the right of the rack but have recently been wondering if it may be better off mounted on the left (kerbside),
My thinking has been that mounted on the outside it projects a little further into the road and possibly encourages cars to give a few more inches of space as they pass. However my rear dynamo light attaches to the rear of the rack and is I believe partially obscured by the pannier. I do also use an extra light fixed to the rear of the saddle which is clearly visible.
I see plenty of other cyclists riding with one pannier mounted on the left and am wondering if there is any convincing argument for me to change?

If I need a pannier I always fit it on the left, why ! Because unbelievably my right pannier fell off on a bike ride and I didnt realise it until I got back home
I really can be an idiot at times

[flat tyre]

I only use a pannier on my shopping bike and it's always on the left. This is because the kickstand is on the left and as long as the shopping load isn't too heavy the bike will stand quite well on the stand with the pannier.

[mjr]

Don't worry! Kickstand users are regarded as nearly as bad as unipannierists on here, so you may as well double up the sins!

[LollyKat]

If I need a pannier I always fit it on the left, why ! Because unbelievably my right pannier fell off on a bike ride and I didnt realise it until I got back home

Why would you be any more likely to notice a left pannier falling off?

[drossall]

You may be looking at it the wrong way. We already know that hondated won't notice a pannier falling off the right side, so it makes sense to try the other, surely?

[hondated]

You may be looking at it the wrong way. We already know that hondated won't notice a pannier falling off the right side, so it makes sense to try the other, surely?

You've got it drossal. Still amazed that I didnt hear it come off. Just thankful I didnt drop my wallet into it as I nearly did.

[LollyKat]

[pjclinch]

On the 'bent or Moulton I'll often use a single pannier, but just use whichever one I pick up from the pile (these are Orts with the retainer hook set so they engage better with the rack on one side than the other).

On the MTB I almost always use a right hand bag, as laying the bike down transmission-side-up (often nothing to lean it against) I still have access to the bag.

Pete.