The Sewing Place

Anyone made panniers before?

rowe1311

Anyone made panniers before?
« on: September 06, 2018, 21:28:55 PM »
I am hoping to get back on my bike a bit more, and would really like a pannier/bag to use, rather than big waterproof ortlieb bags. 

There are some very lovely panniers on this site.  https://www.cyclechic.co.uk/shop/bags-baskets-panniers/linus-sac-bike-pannier-bag-khaki-navy and https://www.cyclechic.co.uk/shop/bags-baskets-panniers/linus-sac-bike-pannier-bag-khaki-navy

I want to have a go at making one and wondered if anyone has had any experience on making panniers and what bits and pieces do I need to buy to go with it?  The cyclechic panniers look like very straight forward bags with extra bits for the panniers.  Any diy pannier tutorial I have found online uses a wood panel to strengthen it, but this wouldn't work so well if you then want to take it off and use it as a bag. 

One of the bags says it is made from waxed canvas and the other from water resistant canvas.  I don't have any waxed canvas but would quite like to use some old army kit bags that look like this, and I am not sure if they can be waterproofed with a nikwax product.   http://www.discountarmy.co.uk/products/hardwear/87~british-army-kit-bag

Any ideas as to how to begin, what I might need to buy, or whether you think the old canvas would work? 

Mr Twingo

Re: Anyone made panniers before?
« Reply #1 on: September 06, 2018, 22:21:08 PM »
The panniers on my bike are quite old and the waterproofing has decayed. My cheap solution was to line them with blackout fabric, which works very well.


Marniesews

Re: Anyone made panniers before?
« Reply #2 on: September 06, 2018, 22:28:24 PM »
That's a nice looking bag & fairly straightforward construction for the bag itself. How would you plan to suspend it from the rack? My purchased panniers have a rigid plastic bar across the back of the bag that hangs on clips from the rail. It's screwed through the bag to a similar bar inside the bag. Have you had a look at a variety of bags in the cycle shops?

Some rigid material is used for a backplate in the diy makes that I've seen such as this one but there must be materials other than wood that would work. Believe it or not, a far from cheap pannier bag that my husband had (and was very stylish) turned out to have a rigid piece of card in a plastic pocket hidden inside the back of the bag inside the fabric lining. He used it for a long time before it gave up the ghost.

I was also thinking about the lightweight plastic boards often used for cheap temporary signage (it has a vertical air cell running top to bottom like a miniature version of the cheap plastic roof option in some conservatories). On its own it's far too weak and would simply bend along the line of the air cell but if you cut two pieces to run at right angles to each other, that would be far more resistant to damage and very light. You could always design in a zip so that it could be replaceable after wear and tear.
Hopefully back more regularly! Ballroom sewing may be permanently paused but bag making is the current focus.

DementedFairy

Re: Anyone made panniers before?
« Reply #3 on: September 06, 2018, 23:01:23 PM »
I thought you meant these

how disappointing!
C'est moi!

BrendaP

Re: Anyone made panniers before?
« Reply #4 on: September 07, 2018, 00:22:56 AM »
@DementedFairy that's much more interesting, and she is balanced with one each side!. 
Brenda.  My machines are: Corona, a 1953 Singer 201K-3, Caroline, a 1940 Singer 201K-3, Thirza, 1949 Singer 221K, Azilia, 1957 Singer 201K-MK2 and Vera, a Husqvarna 350 SewEasy about 20 years old. Also Bernina 1150 overlocker and Elna 444 Coverstitcher.
http://paternoster.orpheusweb.co.

Missie

Re: Anyone made panniers before?
« Reply #5 on: September 07, 2018, 07:56:15 AM »
I thought you meant these

how disappointing!

So did I and then discovered it was bike panniers....ugh!  0_0

Bodgeitandscarper

Re: Anyone made panniers before?
« Reply #6 on: September 07, 2018, 09:45:43 AM »
You can buy spares from Ortleib, so could get the clip bar and bits from them?  I have a feeling maybe you can from Altura as well, may be cheaper?  If you get very heavy canvas, like the army bags, will you be able to waterproof the seams easily?

rowe1311

Re: Anyone made panniers before?
« Reply #7 on: September 07, 2018, 14:06:23 PM »
I had a quick look on ortlieb and saw their spares, but couldn't find a price, and they might be a little bulky. 

Looking at the cycle chic panniers, I am trying to work out what they are using for the strength.  Are the clips just attached to a strip of fabric?  I like the idea of the plastic boards but don't have any to hand.  I wonder if a bit bit of boning would work which then gets slotted into a fabric strip?   https://www.cyclechic.co.uk/sites/default/files/imagecache/mouseover_zoom/images/products/52-6997.jpg.  I also don't know where to buy the clips from.  I have had a look at pennineoutdoor but they don't seem to sell any of this.   

As for waterproofness.  I was thinking of washing it in some reproofing stuff that I use for jackets.  It doesn't have to be that waterproof as I would use the ortlieb panniers if I had to cycle when it was chucking it down. 

Bodgeitandscarper

Re: Anyone made panniers before?
« Reply #8 on: September 07, 2018, 15:26:54 PM »
Carradice also sell parts here.

Bodgeitandscarper

Re: Anyone made panniers before?
« Reply #9 on: September 07, 2018, 15:33:06 PM »
Evans Cycles have some Ortlieb parts here.

WendyW

Re: Anyone made panniers before?
« Reply #10 on: September 07, 2018, 18:39:22 PM »
I've not done that style, and don't have a clue about hardware. I did make a pair for my hubby's motorcycle, modeled after a set of canvas horse saddlebags that he wore out. For a fabric, check a hardware or camping supply store for waterproof canvas tarps. Very good prices, and a camping store will also have stuff to waterproof the seams, as tents often need that done.

rowe1311

Re: Anyone made panniers before?
« Reply #11 on: September 08, 2018, 09:04:55 AM »
I have had a look at the links you sent, thank you.  It is all a bit baffling with different systems for different brands, but I think this would work https://www.carradice.co.uk/products/accessories/pannier-quick-clip-system.  I am not sure if it would be a bit bulky though. 

I had a look at old panniers we have and all of them have a had back panel, but I don't know if it is necessary.  I found this on eBay https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tourbon-Waterproof-Bike-Panniers-Bicycle-Bags-Saddle-Clip-on-Rear-Packs-Cycling/263232259270?epid=2267782956&hash=item3d49dd84c6:g:cGAAAOSwxuha4U0C.  This seems to have a hard back panel, but the clips look a lot more basic.  How important do you think the back panel is?  I would rather not have it, so that it is more comfortable when I use it as a normal bag. 

Bogwoppit

Re: Anyone made panniers before?
« Reply #12 on: September 08, 2018, 10:38:36 AM »
I think you'd need some sort of stiffening on the back to make sure none of the bag gets poked into the spokes.

So glad you posted this after my husband bought new panniers as he'd been suggesting I could mend the old ones. Material had been worn away along the top the fixing bar bit. I deemed it beyond my skills.
Lurking in Lancashire, improving my sewing when life gives me time.

Bodgeitandscarper

Re: Anyone made panniers before?
« Reply #13 on: September 08, 2018, 10:41:47 AM »
For the back panel, how about some of the foam bag stiffening type stuff you can get?  That might be enough to give body so it can't get in the wheel, but still ok for use off the bike? 

It's probably worth getting decent hooks as they are what hold it on the rack - and cheap ones may bounce off.
« Last Edit: September 08, 2018, 10:44:24 AM by Bodgeitandscarper »

wrenkins

Re: Anyone made panniers before?
« Reply #14 on: September 08, 2018, 10:45:09 AM »
I know nothing of panniers but if you need a thin, lightweight, waterproof sheet of support why not try one of those really thin cutting boards? Like this
They come in different sizes and would be easy to cut.
Harbouring resentment is like swallowing poison and waiting for the other person to die!