Two or three panniers on long distance riders??

[Ironleg]

I am a newbie, but gotta ask the opinion from more experienced riders;

I noticed that many riders who go for longer distance travels, prefer to ride with only side panniers, and put some kind of bags, or other junk in place of top pannier. I personally find that riding with all three is more useful, so just wanted to hear various advises here on this subject!

Happy trails! IronLeg

 

[BAKERMAN]

Personally don`t like tank bags,

we all end up with too much stuff,

TRY one pannier for personal everyday and other for my be camping or bike maintanace stuff, that only opened mybe once a day or never.

as for top boxes again,

its all very personal, but as you go along in your biking life you will know in the end all you realy need is that little red hankie.

Good luck

 

[Vern]

Simple, the more room you have, the more crap you take.

I always run with one empty, so I've got somewhere to put my gear when I stop to have a wander, and also somwhere for food and drink that you buy along the way.

I can get everything I need for an indefinate stay away in one pannier.

If you drag a woman along with you, well, that's your look out

 

[Racey]

Ironleg...

If the route involves off road or very bad / bumpy terrain it is better to avoid taking the rear top box. Taking and filling one of those puts weight quite a long way back and a bit higher than the alternative "roll bag across the back seat" option...

If you want the security of an aluminium top box, I have seen people move the rack forward so the box sits where the pillion seat would be.

But in my experience, a roll bag across the back seat space, secured by a couple of the packsafe lockable cables is the best option.

On tricky slippery dirt roads getting the weight a bit further forward does make a difference to handling and the longevity of the rear subframes...

On road, I wouldn't worry unduly - although as Vern says, having more space means you'll fill it !!

Happy travels...

 

[mark-a]

Ironleg,
In my humble opinion when camping, if you can stay fed (stove and food) dry and warm (sleeping bag and tent) and mobile (toolkit) everything else is about how comfortable you want to be while you're out there.

my top box usually holds the stuff I need to get at during the day, and the panniers have the 'overnight stuff' because they're side opening and awkward to repack if opened on the roadside.

The more you do it - the better you'll get at learning what kit is essential, what kit is desirable, and what is a non-essential luxury. It's all about personal choice.

Of course the list changes if you're staying in a hotel or b & b.

Enjoy your travels..... oh - essentials - bog roll......

 

[mherkin]

Life Support System

I only load the top box with brew kit and other handy stuff. Like an EWS, FPC workaround, tools etc.

But then I don't go off road.

 

[Canuck]

I take my set of worldbeaters... one for maintenance spares etc and camping... the other one for clothes and the sleeping bag/ground sheet. My topbox is left empty for my helmet at stops and to hold the daily groceries!

 

[(RIP) petcul]

Ironleg...

If the route involves off road or very bad / bumpy terrain it is better to avoid taking the rear top box. Taking and filling one of those puts weight quite a long way back and a bit higher than the alternative "roll bag across the back seat" option...

If you want the security of an aluminium top box, I have seen people move the rack forward so the box sits where the pillion seat would be.

But in my experience, a roll bag across the back seat space, secured by a couple of the packsafe lockable cables is the best option.

On tricky slippery dirt roads getting the weight a bit further forward does make a difference to handling and the longevity of the rear subframes...

On road, I wouldn't worry unduly - although as Vern says, having more space means you'll fill it !!

Happy travels...

+1 Ride Safe

 

[autogs]

i always take the 3 boxes with me,top box almost empty to keep lid and gloves etc during the day,tank bag with snacks and drinks camera and spare visor etc,clothes and other camping gear in panniers.drinks in tank bag mean you can snack as you go along,esp if you have criuse control

 

[NLC]

I have varios and take the top box and sides. I put all my tools, oil in the exhaust pannier and clothes in the top and larger side. I have a pac safe for my helmet but I do find it a pain in the ass so I just use a cable lock. Usually if away for a couple of days I can get away with the panniers on the compact setting. Haven't done much camping yet. My helmet will fit in the larger side which I put it at night. Also pannier bags help especially with at least one shoulder strap so you have another hand free.

 

[robjet]

I travel 2 up and we use the panniers for all the camping gear , topbox for clothes etc , and the tank bag for food, drinks, camera and an extra light layer to go under the biking jacket if it gets cold . your probly not suppose to but I also strap stuff on as below we did 2000miles like this with no problems

 

[Mutley]

I'm just back from a European trip with a mate. It was supposed to be all road riding so we used panniers and yop boxes. If it didn't fit in the three boxes we didn't take it so the bikes could be left secure.

We both had small tank bags that we used for essentials like spare gloves, wallets, cameras, sun glasses etc.

 

[Goose]

I'm just back from a European trip with a mate. It was supposed to be all road riding so we used panniers and yop boxes. If it didn't fit in the three boxes we didn't take it so the bikes could be left secure.

We both had small tank bags that we used for essentials like spare gloves, wallets, cameras, sun glasses etc.

I agree 100% - nothing like the feeling of being able to walk away for a wander without having the stress about something being nicked off the bike!

Also if the wife goes with.... we sometimes need a trailers as well....

 

[Farmer Palmer]

My take on what to carry depends if i'm on my own or with Mrs P.

Smaller size exhaust side pannier for her clothes and sleeping bag etc.
Large pannier for my clothes and sleeping bag etc.

Tent and Thermarests on top of each pannier in rolltop Ortleib bags.
Topbox for Trangia stove, thermos, food etc.

Tankbag for maps guidebooks, cameras and other bits and pieces.
Touratech crash bar bags for waterproofs, spare gloves and hats for both of us.

If i'm on my own then I don't take near as much stuff and if i'm not camping then a topbox and tankbag would be enough space for what I need.

The problem is when you tour in the colder 'arctic north' as you need extra warm clothing including thermals and waterproof walking boots etc which all uses up space. We toured in 'southern' to us Europe in June and it was over 30 degrees C at times and we even had the liners out of the jackets and trousers to keep cool when normally we'd be dressed for the winter.......!

FP.

 

[alandpia]

Ironleg,
In my humble opinion when camping, if you can stay fed (stove and food) dry and warm (sleeping bag and tent) and mobile (toolkit) everything else is about how comfortable you want to be while you're out there.

my top box usually holds the stuff I need to get at during the day, and the panniers have the 'overnight stuff' because they're side opening and awkward to repack if opened on the roadside.

The more you do it - the better you'll get at learning what kit is essential, what kit is desirable, and what is a non-essential luxury. It's all about personal choice.

Of course the list changes if you're staying in a hotel or b & b.

Enjoy your travels..... oh - essentials - bog roll......

Agreed, but essential...........bottle opener

 

[Hexme]

Agreed, but essential...........bottle opener

+ The smaller pannier for larger...

 

[STUBBS]

daily use topbox only

trips away side panniers and bag across rear seat

 

[ghost]

top box only as much as possible,travel light

 

[Canuck]

I agree 100% - nothing like the feeling of being able to walk away for a wander without having the stress about something being nicked off the bike!

Unless its raining .... I tend to leave all my gear hanging off the bike with my boots and socks sitting under the panniers (so if it rains they don't fill with water). My theory is that a passer by would assume that no idiot would leave all of their gear just laying there... and are therefore not very far away. No one has touched anything yet but saying that I haven't left it like that in any seemingly dodgy places.

 

[Rasher]

It has to depend on how you travel, the requirements for one-up using Hotels are vastly different to two-up camping.

I mainly tour two-up and we always use Hotels / B&B's.

Se gets large Vario, I make do with small one, the top box carries light stuff we may need on a daily basis so we can ditch panniers if we wish.

In the box goes spare gloves / spare visor / visor cleaning kit / earplugs / first aid kit / Spare FPC / thermal jumper / Maps / Documents.

On a long tour I may take small tank bag, but for weekends away we do not need this.

To stash gear when between locations (i.e. panniers full) we use a Pacsafe, for quick stops a retractasafe is great for locking up lids for a short time so you don't have to carry them around motorway services / into restaurants etc. We also have a more sturdy pacsafe cable if leaving lids for longer.

A small retractasafe is used to lock tankbag to handlebars, and holiday suitcase locks keep tankbag zip locked, none of this would stop a determined thief, but for a quick stop in a busy area should be enough to stop someone casually walking off with your lid / tank bag.