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Bicycle Panniers

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Panniers are bags that attach onto racks on your bicycle. They are most often used to transport camping gear & personal items by touring cyclists. If you do not currenty have racks on your bike, you may want to visit our Bicycle Racks page, or check out your Trailer options.

Bicycle Panniers are bags that attach to front or rear racks on your bicycle. They can be used to carry a variety of items, but are most frequently used to carry camping gear for touring cyclists. Here is a picture of me with my panniers on a week-long bicycle camping trip in Wisconsin. Most people start with just a pair of rear panniers. If they decide they like bike touring, they eventually add a set of front panniers to balance out the load.

After using my rear set for 25 years & the front ones for 15 years, I now have Arkel GT-54s for the rear & GT-30s (superceded by the GT-18s) for the front.

Circle City Bicycles features Arkel Panniers. They are not cheap, but their quality is outstanding. Here are a few reasons why I use them personally & we stock them in our stores:

Top quality materials (Cordura Plus fabric & YKK zippers)
All aluminum suspension system - No plastic that will get brittle with age
Locking swivel to hold bags securely to the racks
Lifetime guarantee on all hooks, nuts, back plate & every single stitch.
Overlock stitching on every piece of fabric so there are no frayed edges.
Rain covers available on most models (Extra charge)
Lots of room & nifty features like the tent pole pocket on the right side pannier of the GT-54s. In the photo with the old panniers I have my sleeping pad, sleeping bag & tent on the top of the rear rack. With the Arkel GT-54s, I put the tent poles in the rear pocket, and can put the tent fabric & sleeping bag in the main pockets. That leaves only the sleeping bag (with minimal weight) on top of the rear rack. Putting the load lower on the bike improves its balance & stability.

For an unbiased comparison of Arkel panniers versus other models, visit LanceRushing.com - Pannier Comparison.

Black	Red	Royal Blue	Black	Red	Royal Blue
T-42 2550 cubic inches 5 pounds $209			T-28 1700 cubic inches 2.7 pounds $155

The T-42 & T-28 make a good set of basic panniers at an affordable price. Both of them have mesh panels (good for drying wet items like towels, swimsuits or washed jerseys). Available in black, red or navy teal.

Black	Black	Black
GT-54 3300 cubic inches 6.6 pounds $379	GT-18 1050 cubic inches (each) 2.1 pounds $135 (each)	GT-18BP 1050 cubic inches (each) 2.2 pounds $159 (each)
Red	Red	Red
Royal Blue	Royal Blue	Royal Blue

The GT-54 & GT-18 make a great set of panniers with all sorts of bells and whistles. They have about 30% more volume than the T-42 & T-22. The GT-54 features a long pocket (right pannier only) for tent poles or a sleeping mattress, a removable fanny pack & a total of 16 compartments. The GT-18 is sized to carry a cookset & has an external mesh pocket. Both have an integrated dry bag in the main compartment & are available in black, red or teal. The GT-18BP is very similar to the GT-18, but it converts to a backpack. Please note that the GT-18 & GT-18BP are sold individually, instead of in pairs like most panniers.

Black
TT-84 5200 cubic inches 7 pounds $489

The TT-84 panniers are designed for tandem touring. You can use them for solo touring, but you really should consider just taking along less stuff. The TT-84 has a bottom compartment that is ideal for heavier items such as a tent body or sleeping bag. Keeping the weight low helps makes your bike more stable. Available in black only.

	T-42	T-28
	Rain Covers are available for all Arkel Panniers. They are made of lightweight nylon & have elastic drawstrings for a good fit. There is a grommet in the bottom of the covers to drain out any water that does get inside. They also have a mesh pocket for drying items when it's not raining. Available only in high visibility yellow. T-42 $40 per pair T-28 $38 per pair GT-54 $44 per pair GT-18 & GT-18BP $19.00 each TT-84 $45 per pair
	TT-84	GT-54
	GT-18 / GT-18BP
	Dry Bags Rain Covers will keep out most of the water from rain, but not all of it. For electronics & other items which must be kept absolutely dry, we recommend Arkel dry bags. They are made of a supple & lightweight fabric, and all seams are carefully sealed with tape. Dry bags come in a variety of sizes (Listed from Top to Bottom): 23 Liter - $21 each: Fits every Arkel rear pannier. 13 Liter - $18 each: Fits every Arkel front pannier. 8 Liter - $17 each: Fits any Arkel pannier. 6 Liter - $15 each: Tube shaped to accomodate a Therm-A-Rest sleeping pad. Fits into the tube pocket of a GT-54 pannier. Keep it dry so you can sleep comfortably at night.
	23 Liter	13 Liter
	8 Liter	6 Liter

We usually have sets of the T-42, T-22, GT-54 & GT-18 panniers in stock, but please call to make sure before you make a special trip to our store. We do not stock the tandem & expedition series of panniers, but will gladly order them for you (deposit required). When purchasing rear panniers, we highly recommend that you bring your bike with you to our store, and try riding around the parking lot with the panniers you are interested in purchasing. You need to make sure that you can pedal without hitting the panniers with your heels. If you have any questions about these items, Please e-mail Roy, or call him at 786-9244.

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URL: http://circlecitybicycles.com/panniers.htm		Copyright © 2009 Circle City Bicycles

Circle City Bicycles - America's Neighborhood Bicycle Shop TM

Bicycle Panniers

Free Shipping on All U.S. Orders Over $100

Dry Bags

Circle City Bicycles - America's Neighborhood Bicycle Shop ^TM