homemade pannier bags

Homemade Wachovia soft cooler mtb panniers photo set:

 click image to enlarge

Finally got the panniers done. These are soft coolers I made into panniers. Involved putting a thin aluminum plate inside the material and making hooks to mount to the rack. The cooler is meant to hold ice so the main part is waterproof, or at least the inside compartment is, the fabric is not, but cooler bag is a plastic, and the top has plastic so water will not get into main compartment, but will get between the interior and the outer shell, but nothing is stored there.  outer pockets will get wet so I use ziplock bags for items that need to stay dry.

Finally got the panniers done. These are soft coolers I made into panniers. Involved putting a thin aluminum plate inside the material and making hooks to mount to the rack. The cooler is meant to hold ice so the main part is waterproof, or at least the inside compartment is, the fabric is not, but cooler bag is a plastic, and the top has plastic so water will not get into main compartment, but will get between the interior and the outer shell, but nothing is stored there.  outer pockets will get wet so I use ziplock bags for items that need to stay dry.

I loaded it full and remembered how odd the bike handles with weight on the rear. now to get some weight up front for balance. might have to buy a bar bag for that. Edit: here is my dis-satisfaction , see the bottom of bag curling around the rack frame? not good. need to raise the bag higher so bottom is against bottom of rack. ugh! Im taking those zipper pulls off too, too heavy ad too noisy.

I loaded it full and remembered how odd the bike handles with weight on the rear. now to get some weight up front for balance. might have to buy a bar bag for that.

Edit: here is my dis-satisfaction , see the bottom of bag curling around the rack frame? not good. need to raise the bag higher so bottom is against bottom of rack. ugh! Im taking those zipper pulls off too, too heavy ad too noisy.

I was not happy with the mtb panniers. so redid it all. the aluminum sheet is to stiffen up the side that attaches to the rack. In a perfect world I would use a high grade aluminum that was not flimsy, but this thin sheet I had (a lot of), and used in first attempt. It needs help.

I was not happy with the mtb panniers. so redid it all. the aluminum sheet is to stiffen up the side that attaches to the rack. In a perfect world I would use a high grade aluminum that was not flimsy, but this thin sheet I had (a lot of), and used in first attempt. It needs help.

and put this shape into the metal to make it stiffer using this tool

and put this shape into the metal to make it stiffer using this tool

All the shaping and bending yielded this. it goes inside the green bag. seems to work and is very stiff now. hooks and attachments bolt through the plate and outer bag.

All the shaping and bending yielded this. it goes inside the green bag. seems to work and is very stiff now. hooks and attachments bolt through the plate and outer bag.

Finally figured it out. I needed a way to quick release the bag without getting complicated and without tools. Requirements are to hold the bag from popping up and from swinging out, and to lock it into place tool free. I want to b able to pull up to camp spot, remove bag and have it in tent, or by camp spot for cooking or whatever. It's a pain to have it stuck to the bike all the time. I used a thin steel angle piece, bent up a flap - it keeps the bag from swinging out and keeps it from bouncing up (since the top brackets are just hangers). It is very secure and easy on/off, even with gloves. I had a feeling that whatever I figured out would be stupid simple, and it is. I know it looks simple and junkie, but this took many many hours of thinking to resolve. All my other ideas were good, but too complicated.

Two reflector brackets hold a corrugated plastic sheet to the bar. The weight rest on the brake levers and stem faceplate, and the straps go over the bar so no pressure on the brackets, and no interference with the brake or shifting lines. Christmas straps go through the plastic so they don't slip.

bar bag: sleeping bag and pad. It's a down bag, and with this set-up I dont need to use the compression straps to shrink the bag, but just have it to help secure the bag to the system. edit: bike handles bad with any weight up front. for dirt roads its fine, or sorba trails, but anything technical and I do not want anything up here. I fold the sleeping pad to replace the back support pad in backpack and strap sleeping bag to rear rack, or in a pannier.