Karrimor EH20 Global Panniers

[Roy White]

I am hoping to go on a short cycle camping holiday with my wife and 4 kids next year, and so am
looking for the biggest panniers I can find. Does anyone have any experience of the Karrimor EH20
Global Panniers? I have seen them advertised as having 50 and 60 litre capacity. Which is it?

Roy

 

[Tony Raven]

ROY WHITE wrote:
> I am hoping to go on a short cycle camping holiday with my wife and 4 kids next year, and so am
> looking for the biggest panniers I can find.

I don't think you will find any pannier big enough to fit a wife and 4 kids in ;-)

Seriously though, why do you need such big panniers. When we go touring with 2 kids we manage with
one normal Karrimor pannier each and a barbag. Its all down to being ruthless about what you really
need to take with you. The children actually enjoy the challenge and even manage to fit in a
favourite cuddly toy.

Tony

--
"If you tell the truth you don't have to remember anything." Mark Twain

 

[Peter Clinch]

ROY WHITE wrote:
> I am hoping to go on a short cycle camping holiday with my wife and 4 k=
ids
> next year, and so am looking for the biggest panniers I can find.

For really big loads panniers can unbalance the bike's handling pretty=20 badly. Well worth thinking
about a trailer if you want to carry as much =

as possible. If you are sticking to panniers, big loads are best split=20 4 ways rather than two, so
get a mix of front and rear.

> Does anyone have any experience of the Karrimor EH20 Global Panniers? I have seen them adver=
tised
> as having 50 and 60 litre capacity. Which is it?

No direct experience, but note that EBC list then at 25l each and,=20 perhaps more to the point, are
selling a pair at =A350 rather than the RR= P=20 of =A375.

Pete. --=20 Peter Clinch University of Dundee Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Medical Physics,
Ninewells Hospital Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net [email protected]
http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

 

[Tony W]

"ROY WHITE" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I am hoping to go on a short cycle camping holiday with my wife and 4 kids next year, and so am
> looking for the biggest panniers I can find. Does anyone have
any
> experience of the Karrimor EH20 Global Panniers? I have seen them
advertised
> as having 50 and 60 litre capacity. Which is it?

Ruthless content reduction and increased number of panniers would be my recommendation. After all
you have six bikes to spread the load around. That is (potential) 4 panniers for you & your wife and
then 2 or 4 per child depending on age and endurance.

Personally I would expect even a little one to have to take some share of the load -- even if it is
a very small share.

T

 

[Roy White]

I perhaps should have said that next summer my 4 girls will be 10, 8, nearly 6 and 5. I' ll be
taking Kate (8) on the tandem, and towing Ramona (3) in a trailer. My wife will take Charlotte (5)
on a trailer bike, leaving Ellen(10) on her own bike. Thats the plan anyway. I don't have unaminous
agreement yet!

"ROY WHITE" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I am hoping to go on a short cycle camping holiday with my wife and 4 kids next year, and so am
> looking for the biggest panniers I can find. Does anyone have
any
> experience of the Karrimor EH20 Global Panniers? I have seen them
advertised
> as having 50 and 60 litre capacity. Which is it?
>
> Roy

 

[Johnb]

ROY WHITE wrote:

> I perhaps should have said that next summer my 4 girls will be 10, 8, nearly 6 and 5. I' ll be
> taking Kate (8) on the tandem, and towing Ramona (3) in a trailer. My wife will take Charlotte (5)
> on a trailer bike, leaving Ellen(10) on her own bike. Thats the plan anyway. I don't have
> unaminous agreement yet!

That's pretty close to the ages gaps of mine and we did very much the same as you before they moved
on to their own bikes. (they are presently 15,13,11 and 9, three girls one boy)

We have been going cycle-camping regularly since the first one was six weeks old and have gone
through the stage you are at with tandems and trailers, at one time using exactly the set up you
have, although we usually preferred two tandems to using a trailer bike. We have camped in much of
Europe and most of the UK, usually 'wild' camping.

I'd advise definitely don't go for those enormous bags. They won't be necessary. All you will do is
to fill the available space with unnecessary items. If you restrict your luggage capacity you will
be forced to restrict what you take which will make the cycling so much more enjoyable.

We managed on six small/medium sized panniers and put the tent into the back of the trailer or on a
rack top. The trailer was also used for the day to day shopping and was useful in that it meant
essential items such as cream cakes didn't get crushed.

What is important is to make sure you have the best and the lightest camping equipment though. It
will pay for itself many many times over.

John B