Friday, November 12, 2010

Bike Panniers And How To Get The Most Out Of Them

The word pannier is derived from the Classical Latin word meaning "bread basket". As you can already imagine, old Frenchmen used to cart around loaves of bread in bike panniers back in the olden times. These days, the pannier can mean a variation of compartments ranging from basket to bag or box, all of which are containers that are fastened to the bicycle. Just like how there are a whole variety of bike users around the globe; there are also all kinds of panniers to suit the rider's mood and style.

Your Bicycle Has to be Balanced
Probably the most important thing to remember about bike panniers is that it is best to pack your items as low as possible. This is because bulking up a bicycle's load that way will also lower its centre of gravity, thereby making it more stable. The second most important thing is to always ensure that the load is packed evenly on both sides of the bike. The key to meeting both of these requirements is to have an adjustable pannier made up of impact resistant plastic. Cyclists can also opt for panniers made up of upper hooks and lower straps as well because even though those methods are not adjustable, they are however, flexible enough for repositioning.

Your Goods Should Be Safe at All Times
Just like the rest of the bicycle, bike panniers should be able to withstand arbitrary weather so you should consider either getting waterproof or water-resistant panniers. The problem with the weather proof pannier is that while it is made up of PVC, water can still get to your items via seams, pockets and zips attached to the pannier. Generally speaking, value-for-money pannier should be long lasting and steadfast as the last thing you want to happen is to have your pannier break and give way when it is overloaded with stuff. Finally, it is also important that the container is easy to attach and detach as you may not want to be lugging your pannier around all the time.

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