Strengthening Panniers

General cycling advice ( NOT technical ! )
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Moodyman1

Strengthening Panniers

Post by Moodyman1 »

With canvas panniers I found they always tore at the bottom first.

I've now been given some Vaude panniers and they look very durable, but I can see that carrying tins of beans (or similar) will eventually tear the base. Any ideas for protecting the base and sides?

I've got some linoleum left over from fitting the bathroom and was thinking of using that.
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meic
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Re: Strengthening Panniers

Post by meic »

I have a pair of very lightweight panniers that have the back and bottom lined with "estate agent signboard", it gets bent and the edges curl but it still gives enough shape and protection to the material.
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Mick F
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Re: Strengthening Panniers

Post by Mick F »

+1
When I had thin nylon panniers, I reinforced them with thick lightweight plasticated cardboard.
As well as protecting them, it also gave them rigidity because they were quite floppy when empty.
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CREPELLO
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Re: Strengthening Panniers

Post by CREPELLO »

I've used lightweight foam sleeping mat with some success. You can buy these for as little as £5.
thirdcrank
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Re: Strengthening Panniers

Post by thirdcrank »

A lot of tradesmen's tool bags have a so-called "hard bottom" made out of a moulded pliable plastic material. I've seen children's schoolbags with the same thing. This info is no use for strengthening existing panniers but it would be good if the likes of Carradice gave it a try.
Bicycler
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Re: Strengthening Panniers

Post by Bicycler »

I guess the Vaude's are probably waterproof but with my old canvas ones a good, thick waterproof liner performed two functions; keeping dry and protecting the pannier. The panniers lasted a lot longer like that.
Tonyf33
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Re: Strengthening Panniers

Post by Tonyf33 »

I lined (sewn in) my panniers with yeast bags after they had split. Very tough material
Last edited by Tonyf33 on 9 Jan 2014, 6:07pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Strengthening Panniers

Post by Vorpal »

I would have go with the linoleum and see how it works.

I have used a lighter, but similarly stiff plastic card in the past. There was a thread about this a couple of years ago.

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Re: Strengthening Panniers

Post by thirdcrank »

Cotton duck (as used by Carradice) is vulnerable to damage by abrasion; this is often most obvious on the side pockets of saddlebags. Super C panniers are reinforced internally with what's been called estate agents' corrugated plastic board and while that's an excellent internal support which minimises flopping, it does nothing to protect the outside surfaces. IME
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Cunobelin
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Re: Strengthening Panniers

Post by Cunobelin »

Beware that with stiff materials like linoleum or coroplast a sharp angle or sharp edge can destroy a pannier by abrading a hole
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gaz
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Re: Strengthening Panniers

Post by gaz »

meic wrote:I have a pair of very lightweight panniers that have the back and bottom lined with "estate agent signboard", it gets bent and the edges curl but it still gives enough shape and protection to the material.

:mrgreen:
Edit - pics

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003.JPG


Halfords right hand pannier, £1 a pair off ebay, I wore the hole in it later. At first I tried just lining it with a "bag for life" but this also developped holes. The bag is not waterproof and is often left damp at both ends of the commute, any fabric liner would be doomed to fail.

The estate agent board was picked up off of the road on my commute. I fashioned a box, shaped to match the bottom of the pannier. Attempts to staple the sides of the box to the base weren't entirely successful, so masking tape was added to keep it all together.

Very succesful at keeping everything inside. If the hole gets too big I'll start using its left handed brother but the box will be fitted at the outset.
Last edited by gaz on 9 Jan 2014, 2:22pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Strengthening Panniers

Post by bumper »

As mentioned above, your best option is the fluted plastic sheet.

It comes in colours too, if you're a colour matching tart. Go to your local plastic supplier or sign shop and ask for corex sheet or twin flute sheet. An 8ft x 4ft sheet in 4mm is approx. £10!
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simonineaston
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Re: Strengthening Panniers

Post by simonineaston »

You mention tins (my NY's R is to read the original post...), so I'm thinking regular shopping. If I used my bike to carry my shopping and I bought a lot of tinned food I would probably use a basket or similar hard-sided device into which to pop my shopping bags, and save using the panniers for softer items, like clothing and other items made of fabric.
There are some hard-baskets out there that are designed to clip on to racks.
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QUIST
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Re: Strengthening Panniers

Post by QUIST »

Trty cutting cardboard boxes such as those which fruit is delivered in to size - they have always worked very well for me
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Re: Strengthening Panniers

Post by mercalia »

I have karrimore panniers - to stop them drooping and fouling the derailleur when not very full or has say a bottle of milk in, I use a thick layer foam rubber with corrugated cardboard on top side all held together by lots of plastic tape duck tape I think its called, bottom moulds it self to bottom of bag.

Oh i had to repair the back of the pannier as it cracked used Glassfibre - messy but effective -
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