# Panniers for road bike?



## damacl6 (Aug 15, 2011)

I have been riding my Felt Z95 to work the last few weeks. This is my first road bike and I only have a couple hundred miles on it so I'm still figuring things out. Riding in 90 degree heat with a backpack on is horrible. Can I put panniers on a road bike? If so, what the heck would you attach them too? I don't have any idea what to look for, so would appreciate suggestions if anyone has any.


----------



## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

Hard to tell from website pics, but your bike doesn't look like it has eyelets, so you'll probably need something like the rack I linked to below.

Note that it can't be used with CF posts.
TransIt Pannier Seatpost Rack - Bike Racks


----------



## 10ae1203 (Jan 14, 2007)

p-clamps.

P-Clips

get 'em at the hardware store.


----------



## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

Without getting into semantics, sure.

I actually have a rack that's designed to attach to a quick release skewer. It's a fairly common workaround for bikes without eyelets.

Having done a single stay bolted to the seatstay bridge and two stays attached to the seatstays with P-clamps, I recommend the two stays/P-clamps option. While I haven't tried P-clamps to the seat stays for the bottom of the rack, that experience suggests to me that it would work fine. Good thing to bring up with the shop if you're worried. Since the seat stays are aluminum, they have to be pretty thick and they should be pretty good in compression... but again, talk to your shop (or email Felt) if you're worried.

For panniers, since that bike has a little racier rear triangle than a purpose-built tourer, make sure the connection of your rack to the frame is stiff and look for smallish panniers. I have the Seattle Sports Titan panniers and they worked pretty well on the last, sportier bike I was using to commute on. They're even better on the more tour-oriented frame I have now, which I attribute to longer chainstays on the bike. Anyway, you may have a little trouble with heel clearance and with heavier loads making the tail whip around some, so be conservative about the size of your panniers.

It's worth spending enough for at least mid-range panniers. Cheap ones have crappy attachment hardware. Some of the ones sold for commuting sit very high on the rack. The ultimate pannier would sit quite low, for better stability, stay perfectly and rigidly attached to the rack in use, and lift right off. While the real world is different from that, you can have some of those features for a reasonable price, and get closer to the impossible ones with better hardware.


----------



## brucew (Jun 3, 2006)

The other guys have pretty much covered the available options.

I'd lean towards a standard rack mounted to the QRs at the bottom and to the brake at the top or P-Clips. I've had cheap racks and I have top-of-the-line racks. The difference is in rigidity. The cheap racks I've owned all wiggle under load. The good ones do not and it's noticeable on the ride. 

I was pleasantly surprised that the $50 Bontrager rack I bought recently compares favorably in quality, strength, mounting and rigidity to the $180 Tubus I have on my main bike. Both are far and away better than the cheap racks I used early on.

I've never used a seat-post rack, but I'm suspicious of their rigidity.

Andrew's spot-on WRT pannier choice. Smallish ones will clear your heels better, and cheaper ones don't have the best attachment systems.

At the low end, I've used the Nashbar Daytrekker. These were almost too small, but still usable. The point about mounting hardware is well taken. The Daytrekker's mounting system, while simple, is fussy. They pretty much go on and stay on. They aren't really made to carry in to work with you from locking-up at the bike rack. Still, for $25 on sale, they're a good buy. I got four years out of mine before upgrading and they're nowhere near worn out

At the other end of the spectrum, I currently use Ortleib Sport Packer Plus. It's a touring pannier on the small side--made for the front of a touring bike. While more than double the capacity of the Daytrekkers, it's still a smallish pannier that doesn't give me any heel-strike problems. They are absolutely, positively, completely waterproof (although not immersible like Ortlieb's "Roller" series). The mounting hardware is designed specifically for quick attachment and removal. Just lift the handle and they pop right off. Hold the handle up, line up the bottom clip, and they drop right on.

For an idea of capacity, with the Daytrekkers, I carried clothes, lunch and snacks back and forth daily. With the Sport Packer Plus, I carry a pair of jeans and four shirts in one side, four days of lunches and snacks in the other, plus my U-lock, and I still manage to wedge in a couple of library books. (That part's an occupational hazard.) So I now use the panniers only at the beginning and end of the week.


----------



## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

brucew said:


> I've never used a seat-post rack, but I'm suspicious of their rigidity.


To clarity, I haven't used the rack I linked to, either. Given the OP's predicament, it was offered as a possible option. 

Re: the rigidity, if the reviewers of the product are any indication, the level of stability seems to be related to the purchasers ability to 'enhance' the units design, which (IMO) signifies that while it might be a _viable_ option, it might not be the _best_ option for the OP.


----------



## brucew (Jun 3, 2006)

Wait, there's an pannier option we all left out, convertible briefcase/panniers and backpack/panniers.

At the top end, Ortleib and Arkel made several models. there are plenty of other choices in the mid-range and low-end.


----------



## brucew (Jun 3, 2006)

PJ352 said:


> To clarity, I haven't used the rack I linked to, either. Given the OP's predicament, it was offered as a possible option.
> 
> Re: the rigidity, if the reviewers of the product are any indication, the level of stability seems to be related to the purchasers ability to 'enhance' the units design, which (IMO) signifies that while it might be a _viable_ option, it might not be the _best_ option for the OP.


And also to clarify, there are many reports in the forums by happy seatpost rack users.


----------

