Panniers

elyob

Anyone know anything about the Karrimor Aquator Panniers?

Wiggle are offering them at 40% off at the moment (£52). I'm looking for a
new set for touring this year. As usual, I want the best quality/lowest
price!! I'm planning on carrying tent, sleeping bag, clothes etc for 1 week
tours... They also have Karrimor Kalahari 60 Panniers which are 60 litres
(10 litres bigger, but not waterproof).

Thanks

Al C-F

On Fri, 14 Jan 2005 19:57:36 GMT, "elyob" <newsprofile@gmail.com>
wrote:

>Anyone know anything about the Karrimor Aquator Panniers?

Yes. As with all panniers, whatever you are looking for is in the
other one.

Richard Bates

On Fri, 14 Jan 2005 19:57:36 GMT, "elyob" <newsprofile@gmail.com>
wrote:

>
>Anyone know anything about the Karrimor Aquator Panniers?
>
>Wiggle are offering them at 40% off at the moment (£52). I'm looking for a
>new set for touring this year. As usual, I want the best quality/lowest
>price!! I'm planning on carrying tent, sleeping bag, clothes etc for 1 week
>tours... They also have Karrimor Kalahari 60 Panniers which are 60 litres
>(10 litres bigger, but not waterproof).

No experience of the Aquator (clever name) but having used both
Kalahari and AnotherLeadingBrand of waterproof pannier, I would
definitely go with the waterproof ones.

That's not to say that the kalahari is a bad purchase - Mine lasted 10
years, and are still going strong somewhere else in URCland. Any
pannier can be made waterproof by the addition of a liner (Tesco sell
them for about 10p each, and when they wear out they replace them
free), but it is slightly more hassle.

As for size, I'd go for the biggest you can. I don't beleive in
travelling light. Having more space than you need give you flexibility
in balancing the load, and also gives you contingency space (food,
souevenirs, knackered chainsets etc)

Oh, sorry, I haven't helped, have I !
--
Amazon: "If you are interested in 'Asimov's I-Robot',
you may also be interested in 'Garfield - The Movie'.
... erm, how do they figure that one out?

Julesh

Richard Bates wrote:
<snip>
>
> No experience of the Aquator (clever name)

One of those lumpy bits of Dartmoor where it never stops raining?


Julesh

elyob

"Al C-F" <aloysius_cholmondeley_featherstonehawe@hotmail.com> wrote in
message news:arbgu0t1fp5jiqqr738th8fono0q84o21p@4ax.com...
> On Fri, 14 Jan 2005 19:57:36 GMT, "elyob" <newsprofile@gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>>Anyone know anything about the Karrimor Aquator Panniers?
>
> Yes. As with all panniers, whatever you are looking for is in the
> other one.

True.

Jon Senior

Richard Bates wrote:
> No experience of the Aquator (clever name) but having used both
> Kalahari and AnotherLeadingBrand of waterproof pannier, I would
> definitely go with the waterproof ones.
>
> That's not to say that the kalahari is a bad purchase - Mine lasted 10
> years, and are still going strong somewhere else in URCland. Any
> pannier can be made waterproof by the addition of a liner (Tesco sell
> them for about 10p each, and when they wear out they replace them
> free), but it is slightly more hassle.

Your Kalaharis have completed covered part of Martin's LeJoG (Leeds -
John 'O'Groats, quite possibly covering familiar ground again) a
successful heavy loading expedition to my parents over Christmas, and
numerous shopping trips. They haven't replaced the EBC ones for work
(Too big), but have allowed many more touring-esque trips than were
previously possible.

When I finally finish the rebuild (If I ever manage it!), I'll take a
photo of the loaded up bike.

> As for size, I'd go for the biggest you can. I don't beleive in
> travelling light. Having more space than you need give you flexibility
> in balancing the load, and also gives you contingency space (food,
> souevenirs, knackered chainsets etc)
>
> Oh, sorry, I haven't helped, have I !

On this point, I would suggest getting the waterproof ones. Not only
will they keep your possessions dry, but they'll impose a limit on what
you can take. I think this comes down to your style of touring!

Jon

elyob

"Jon Senior" <jon_AT_restlesslemon_DOT_co_DOT_uk> wrote in message
news:1105751006.53819.0@iris.uk.clara.net...
> Richard Bates wrote:
>>
>> Oh, sorry, I haven't helped, have I !
>
> On this point, I would suggest getting the waterproof ones. Not only will
> they keep your possessions dry, but they'll impose a limit on what you can
> take. I think this comes down to your style of touring!

Well, I deleted some of my original text. And that was Karrimor based. On
the South Downs my older green Karri's went through the spokes. Yet I was
carrying more weight than sensible.

The more waterproof the better, I hope. So, I will probably buy the aquator
ones.

My style of touring? Always "far too bloody heavy" when I get on the road.
Thereagain I don't have anyone to spread the load with.

I did make Winchester => Brighton in a day and a half, with about 40% more
than I should have taken. I got to Devils Dyke with a Karrimor (old green
one) in my back spokes. Ow.

So, the aqua ones are a good buy? Some people swear by Ortlieb, but I've not
seen any deals. I did want to buy a replacement for my broken pannier, but
it is better to buy them in sets. It is all about balancing the weight?

My surviving Karri pannier is on the wrong side ... I prefer a commuting
pannier to be on the offside. Anyone want a nearside pannier (full of spilt
sunscreen).

I reckon wiggle will get my biz in the next 24 hrs ...

Could do with a new bike too.

Mark Thompson

> The more waterproof the better, I hope. So, I will probably buy the
> aquator ones.

Yeah, waterproof is _good_. The not having to faff about with bags is
definately worth any extra money you have to pay - nice to be able to just
chuck it in there and not worry.

> So, the aqua ones are a good buy? Some people swear by Ortlieb, but
> I've not seen any deals.

The great thing I like about my Ortlieb roller thingies is that when I buy
too much in the supermarket I can go home with the top unrolled and
suddenly get much more space. The downside is that the roll top is a bit
more of a faff opening and closing.

> I did want to buy a replacement for my broken
> pannier, but it is better to buy them in sets. It is all about
> balancing the weight?

The difference in weight between the bags will be dwarfed by the difference
in weight between the things you put in 'em. If you don't get a discount
for buying a set I'd be very tempted to buy the one replacement and have an
objective test of which pannier is better.

Paul Rudin

"elyob" <newsprofile@gmail.com> writes:

> Anyone know anything about the Karrimor Aquator Panniers?

I know they're not Ortliebs

Dave Chadderton

"As for size, I'd go for the biggest you can. I don't beleive in
travelling light. Having more space than you need give you flexibility
in balancing the load, and also gives you contingency space (food,
souevenirs, knackered chainsets etc"


Bad move, someone gave me the same advice and foolishly I listened.
Whatever size you get human nature means you will fill them and the first
decent climb you will regret listening and buying the 'biggest you can'. My
advice would be get the smallest you could manage with and pack them
carefully, it is amazing what you can do without when you have to!

Helen Deborah Vecht

"Dave Chadderton" <davechad@dsl.pipex.com>typed


> "As for size, I'd go for the biggest you can. I don't beleive in
> travelling light. Having more space than you need give you flexibility
> in balancing the load, and also gives you contingency space (food,
> souevenirs, knackered chainsets etc"


> Bad move, someone gave me the same advice and foolishly I listened.
> Whatever size you get human nature means you will fill them and the first
> decent climb you will regret listening and buying the 'biggest you can'. My
> advice would be get the smallest you could manage with and pack them
> carefully, it is amazing what you can do without when you have to!


I disagree. Spare capacity weighs next to nothing. Having space into
which you can put the fleece, which has become too hot when the sun
comes out is nice. So is space to put a day's food, when you decide on
wild camping.

Train yourself to pack sensibly, but don't blame a large pannier when
you take too much gear!

--
Helen D. Vecht: helenvecht@zetnet.co.uk
Edgware.

Colin McKenzie

Helen Deborah Vecht wrote:
> "Dave Chadderton" <davechad@dsl.pipex.com>typed
>>Whatever size you get human nature means you will fill them and the first
>>decent climb you will regret listening and buying the 'biggest you can'. My
>>advice would be get the smallest you could manage with and pack them
>>carefully, it is amazing what you can do without when you have to!
>
> I disagree. Spare capacity weighs next to nothing. Having space into
> which you can put the fleece, which has become too hot when the sun
> comes out is nice. So is space to put a day's food, when you decide on
> wild camping.

Or save yourself extra trips to the shops caused by not being able to
fit everything you need into the panniers in one go.

I'm tempted by these Aquators, but I want something I can get as much
into as my old Karrimor Iberians. I don't suppose anyone knows the
nominal size of these? It isn't marked on them.

Colin McKenzie

Jon Senior

Colin McKenzie wrote:
> Or save yourself extra trips to the shops caused by not being able to
> fit everything you need into the panniers in one go.
>
> I'm tempted by these Aquators, but I want something I can get as much
> into as my old Karrimor Iberians. I don't suppose anyone knows the
> nominal size of these? It isn't marked on them.

How about:

The Aquators + a trailer?

If you don't want to shell out for one. Compare and contrast the B.O.B.,
Kool-Stop Wildebeast and Weber monoporter, then build one. :-)

Jon

Helen Deborah Vecht

Colin McKenzie <news@proof-read.co.uk>typed


> I'm tempted by these Aquators, but I want something I can get as much
> into as my old Karrimor Iberians. I don't suppose anyone knows the
> nominal size of these? It isn't marked on them.

43 litres comes to mind but I can't be sure.

--
Helen D. Vecht: helenvecht@zetnet.co.uk
Edgware.