Tuesday 27 October 2009

Touring Pannier Update

I've been living with the touring pannier for over a month now, so I thought it about time to share my findings!
The touring pannier has been an invaluable addition to my Brompton, in fact it has been so good I'm thinking of buying even more luggage; in the form of the C-Bag. The pannier has allowed me to do my shopping, carry ridiculous amounts of lunch, carry books, cat beds, spare clothing just about any load I could possibly imagine (upsettingly I did have to move some bags of gravel by hand/car, but they were about 20kg). The only initial downside was a slight sluggishness in the otherwise nimble Brompton steering, I soon got used to this and it is now fine. I sometimes have to remember that I can't fit in tiny spaces as I would otherwise do without the pannier on. i.e. between bumper to bumper traffic, it can be a little snug. The included rain cover can be a nightmare to get on due to its elasticy nature, but once its on its on and the rain doesn't get in and that's the main thing.
            Now, the reason I'm considering getting a C-Bag is for the smaller trips. I have read some excellent things about the C-Bag, mainly that it is easier to find things in than the touring pannier due to the yellow liner (this can be a problem with the touring pannier as it is like a tardis, I found a multitool which I'd totally forgotten I owned). The C-Bag offers a far more streamlined shape. I thought some talk I'd read of luggage affecting the streamlining of the Brompton to be fairly laughable, but after a slog home in a strong headwind I wasn't laughing!
           So I thoroughly recommend the Brompton touring pannier, if you carry a lot regularly it will be invaluable, but if you carry less and don't have thighs like Chris Hoy then you may want to consider the C-Bag! The C-Bag will definitely be on my Christmas list this year!