Royal Enfield panniers…. A little watch out

[Wapping]

I wondered why one of the pannier lids wouldn’t open more than a few inches.

Somehow, the restraining cable had looped down and around the grey plastic tightening ‘nut’. When I lifted the pannier lid, the looped cable tightened, reducing its length, preventing the lid from opening more than a few inches.

Luckily, there was just (and only just) room for me to slide a hand in to loosen the ‘nut’, remove it, and free the cable. Had the gap been any narrower, I’d have been forced to somehow cut the cable.

 

[OnHellas]

At least you avoided the snip.

 

[Wapping]

True.

That I was also (only just) able to pull my waterproof soft bag of overnight clothes through the narrow gap….. which meant I could leave working out what had happened until the morning… was a bonus, too.

 

[Arsey]

Should have got Lomo panniers

 

[Wapping]

I do have the alternative of my soft (hard core Adventure * bikermate) Magadan bags, too


* With a capital A…..

 

[Northern jock]

I do have the alternative of my soft (hard core Adventure * bikermate) Magadan bags, too


* With a capital A…..

Ive just fitted mine to my old XT for a trip to the Orkney islands, fit for a proper Adventure. I've dragged them round the garden, get some Central Africa type mud stains on them.

 

[steve hughes]

Hi Richard , what about putting a short length of cable tidy wrap like this around the retaining cable.

Spiral Wrap Cable Binding Tidy Leads on TV / PC / Home Cinema / CCTV Wires Hide | eBay

Cable Tidy. Perfect for Tidy wires and cables. Manufactured from halogen-free polyethene. Individual cables can enter or exit the cable wrap at any point along its length. Conduit Non-Split Black & White Flexible Cable Tidy Tube Trunking PE.

www.ebay.co.uk

It would keep the loop “ more rigid” and probably cause the cable to lie on top of the knurled wheel rather than get caught under it.?

 

[Wapping]

That’s a good suggestion, thank you. I did think about making the cable longer, to allow more lid lift.

I think the problem might have been caused by the soft waterproof bag. Maybe, on lowering the lid, the bag forced the cable to the right, against the wall of the pannier. Then, on raising the lid, the cable was pulled beneath the edge of the grey wheel.

It was a bit of a bugger, as to see inside the pannier, I had to raise the lid. Raising the lid, tightened the loop around the wheel. I could not unhook the cable from the wheel, as it was pulled too taught. Lowering the lid, to relax the cable meant I couldn't then get my arm in.

Finally, I managed to squeeze my arm in from the front of the pannier, the cable taught, but just (and I mean, just) enough to remove the black friction nut (thank you, spanner) and the grey nut, so the grey nut fell free, releasing the cable.

The only other method I could think of on the spot, was to make a hook out of a wire coat hanger, drop the lid as far as possible to still see the cable (not easy as it’s dark in there) to pull the cable free…. But I didn’t have a wire coat hanger to hand.

 

[Deleted account 240831001]

This just goes to show that you should always have a Leatherman that has pliers with wire cutters built in with you when travelling.

Top tip: don’t leave it in the bottom of your pannier.

 

[Wapping]

Top tip: don’t leave it in the bottom of your pannier

That space is reserved for the spare bike key. Or it was when someone I know dropped their keys and one glove down a very deep French gorge. “Don’t worry, I bought my spare set. It’s in my….. locked…. pannier”. Oh my, how we did laugh.

 

[Wapping]

I beaten Touratech to the ‘Must have’ cable fisher….

 

[Deleted account 240831001]

I’d probably put some gaffer tape over the big nut so it gave a smooth transition over the nut if the cable dropped where you don’t want it.

Apart from that you’ll be pleased to know I’m off to my workshop shortly to a) look for some kit I need this week and b) tap holes in some plastic.

 

[Wapping]

Apart from that you’ll be pleased to know I’m off to my workshop shortly to…. b) tap holes in some plastic.

Selfless in his service he is. Selfless.

 

[DevonAl]

Get a couple of small stainless bolts, nuts and washers and move the restraining cable to the other side, problem solved.

Al.

 

[Wapping]

Get a couple of small stainless bolts, nuts and washers and move the restraining cable to the other side, problem solved.

Al.

A good suggestion, but I like my wire puller thing. It has a certain ‘Side of the road, self-help, rugged Adventure (with a capital A) bikermate’ feel to it. It’s what I would have made out of a tacky wire coat hanger, when I was away in Luxembourg. But, as I wasn’t in some cheap Northern B&B, the Luxembourg hotel’s coat hangers were of the finest wood.

 

[andysdad]

Get a couple of small stainless bolts, nuts and washers and move the restraining cable to the other side, problem solved.

Al.

Or just swap the lids over? IIRC they should be OK as the lock is in the middle.

But I could be wrong.

Again.