Altura Ultralight Panniers

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
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Remaerd
Posts: 16
Joined: 18 May 2015, 6:55pm

Altura Ultralight Panniers

Post by Remaerd »

Anyone using the above panniers?
Are they as flimsy as the ultralight tag makes me think thet could be.
mnichols
Posts: 1465
Joined: 22 Apr 2013, 4:29pm

Re: Altura Ultralight Panniers

Post by mnichols »

I bought some from wiggle, and sent them back without using them.

The first pannier fits securely, but the 2nd one clips into the first, and doesn't seem secure. The first is strapped to the rack. Neither is locked to the side of the pannier, there is just a small hook for the bottom. I didn't like the fitting

It had no pockets, so no quick and easy access to camera, phone, waterproof or wallet

I didn't use them to comment on whether they are waterproof or robust

In the end I decided to stick with what I have, the extra features are worth a bit of weight
ElaineB
Posts: 304
Joined: 9 Apr 2011, 6:15pm

Re: Altura Ultralight Panniers

Post by ElaineB »

I also bought a pair of these and returned them for a refund. The instructions were telling me to do something I knew was impossible as the straps did not tally with the picture. I then realized that one of the straps was sewn on the wrong way, so it wasn't me being dippy after all! I went on the Altura website to report the problem but it tells you to 'go back to the dealer'. It appears sadly that Altura really do not want to know about any 'problems', the problem was actually their's and not really mine.
I then ordered a pair from Evans cycles and picked them up from my local store just to check they were not another duff pair, which they weren't. I fitted them on my bike pannier rack and they are great, they do take a bit of fiddling to get the straps tight but they certainly do not move about now, also if you roll the bag shut this tightens the hook at the base, which I noted another 'buyer' at Evans had had trouble with. (he sent his back and sadly gave them only 1 star in his review).
I wonder how many 'duff' pairs there may be out there, whoever made my first pair certainly was not paying attention to what they were doing! (Quality control Altura??)
I have not tested these panniers in the rain but I would be very surprised if they let in any water, the are not really meant for 'heavy' touring but I think they would make excellent lightweight touring panniers. One pannier is strapped on to one side of the rack (the opposite side) and the other one clips into that one, so although one comes off very quickly the other one takes a bit more time. They fold up very small and are extremely light,(480g for the pair and 550g with the shoulder strap). I also think they look great on the bike but if you are used to 'quick release' you may find these a tad fiddly. I would put a photo of them on this website for you to see them but I have never been able to do it without the help of kind 'Vorpal'! So if you are thinking of getting these panniers I would say they would be excellent for lightweight use, they are only 32L between the two so you are not really going to be able to pack too much in them anyway, like you would the Ortlieb's. I think Altura have come up with a great little pair of panniers but be realistic as to what you need them for! I love my pair.
mnichols
Posts: 1465
Joined: 22 Apr 2013, 4:29pm

Re: Altura Ultralight Panniers

Post by mnichols »

I agree Elaine, I think they would be great for a weekend but can't bring myself to trust them for a month. I may buy another pair at some point, as i like them for a single pannier solution also.

Might put them on my birthday list, or wait for a sale..not sure their worth +£60
ElaineB
Posts: 304
Joined: 9 Apr 2011, 6:15pm

Re: Altura Ultralight Panniers

Post by ElaineB »

Not sure if I should say this but Wiggle now have them for £49! So may be you can have an early birthday present after all!
mnichols
Posts: 1465
Joined: 22 Apr 2013, 4:29pm

Re: Altura Ultralight Panniers

Post by mnichols »

I think I'll still wait for an offer, or some competition. They are essentially 2 drybags with 50p of extras
jqdsffjdsoge
Posts: 76
Joined: 24 Jun 2013, 9:31am

Re: Altura Ultralight Panniers

Post by jqdsffjdsoge »

Remaerd wrote:Anyone using the above panniers?
Are they as flimsy as the ultralight tag makes me think thet could be.


My wife has four on her LHT. She loves them.
--
Just a bloke
2008 Surly LHT | 2013 Surly LHT | 2014 Genesis Flyer | 2015 Giant Defy Advanced 3
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foxyrider
Posts: 6044
Joined: 29 Aug 2011, 10:25am
Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire

Re: Altura Ultralight Panniers

Post by foxyrider »

mnichols wrote:I think I'll still wait for an offer, or some competition. They are essentially 2 drybags with 50p of extras

possibly more than 50p!
I made some bags using 2 drybags and a set of Ortlieb mounts and used them on last years tour. Light yes but not very durable and in use, pretty shapeless which means they hang very low. Probably more suited to a 'raid' rather than a fortnights holiday - i'll be back to my Ortliebs this year!
Convention? what's that then?
Airnimal Chameleon touring, Orbit Pro hack, Orbit Photon audax, Focus Mares AX tour, Peugeot Carbon sportive, Owen Blower vintage race - all running Tulio's finest!
Woorna
Posts: 1
Joined: 10 Jun 2015, 3:44pm

Re: Altura Ultralight Panniers

Post by Woorna »

We recently bought a pair of these altura ultralight panniers for a mini trip over from great langdale to wasdale head. The plastic buckle fixings to buckle the 1st one on then 2 push clips to attach the other one to it over the top of the rack seemed a little cheap, and I expected to be modifying this system as the belts frayed over the rack in the near future. They attached surprisingly well and felt reasonably reassuringly stable thanks to the carbonfibre rod in the belt welded (not stitched) to the back of the watertight material. Naturally if you've ever been to Wasdale head on a bike it began raining and continued all afternoon but on reaching the campsite everything inside the ultralights was dry as a bone. (which is more than can be said about the old karrimores i was using.)
After a night of rain it was still raining and we set off to return the new ultralights living up to their name felt half the weight of my old, still sodden karrimores. All went well until descending the last hill, one of the ultralight came off. Liz wasn't going fast and the hook luckily detached so it wasn't dragged far. The welded on strip which contains the carbonfibre rod and the buckles had separated completely from the surface of one of the bags. I had descended quarter of a mile by this point so Liz used the spare innertube to thread through the rolled over top and one of the clips to re-attach it to the top of the rack instead and gingerly descended the rest of the way down to the car at langdale. There was 1 night's lightweight shirt, baselayer and pants. sleeping bag and rollmat and half the 1.5man tent in the 2 bags.
The chap at the store said he'd not had any others returned. We got our money back and bought something heavier.
willem jongman
Posts: 2750
Joined: 7 Jan 2008, 4:16pm

Re: Altura Ultralight Panniers

Post by willem jongman »

I was wondering if there have been other experiences. I am interested in the quality of more recent production, and also in the actual size. I have a pair of quite similar Arkel Drylites and they were rather smaller than advertised, i.e. smaller than a pair or Ortlieb frontrollers. What I need is something in between the size of Ortlieb frontrollers and Orlieb backrollers (25 and 40 liters conservately measured). 32 liters could be the sweet spot, but only if measured like the the Ortliebs.
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