Reviews of Ortlieb Back-Roller City Rear Pannier (pair) - Red/Black

Pros

Best panniers on the market. I had my last pair for 8 years, until the plastic latch broke, and was super happy with them.

Cons

Cost more than some, but worth the price

Pros

As always, waterproof. Great fastening system.

Cons

A little heavy and no internal pockets.

Other Thoughts

You can't argue with simplicity and durability.

The Ortlieb panniers fits the rear rack of my VanMoof X2 electric bicycle. Easy on, easy off, completely waterproof, large enough for lots of gear, groceries etc. Highly recommend.

Pros

As said

Cons

N/A

Other Thoughts

None

Easily mounted to my vintage Schwinn Voyaguer rear rack.
Very well made, sturdy pack.

Pros

I bought these for my husband about 6 months ago. He commutes to work via bike and loves these panniers. They are easy to fit onto the bike and they are attached very securely. They are waterproof, can hold his suitcase, change of clothes and shoes, lunch, and have room to spare. He gets compliments on them all the time and for the price, they were definitely worth it.

Cons

I should have bought matching shoulder straps for them too. Will be purchasing those soon.

Pros

great bags no problems

Cons

when bouncing down the trail the bottom clip can disengage. the solution is to use a bungee cord or something to keep pressure inward.
I was on a single track very rough when this happened.

Other Thoughts

4 stars because they should come with carrying handles and down low extra attachment bungee. the bags are super tough and carry a half rack of soda no problem

Pros

Great fit, highly waterproof and durable.

Cons

None.

Pros

Ortlieb panniers are the absolute best product out there. They hold plenty and keep the weather out. I wouldn't trust another product as much as I trust Ortlieb. Second set.

Cons

Can't think of any

Other Thoughts

Miles and miles

Pros

Best locking system I have used so far.
Easy to put on and take off
Even though the paint of my rack has been removed where the locks attach, the locks are in pretty good shape.
Good color makes you visible.
Sturdy bag without signs of wear

Cons

Not as stable as I would like at higher speeds.
Needs to be balanced for heavier loads
I did not receive the adapters which change the locks for thick tube rack to skinnier tube racks. Has worn off the paint on my rack where the locks attach due to significant bouncing. Concerned something might fail due to this (rack or pannier).

Other Thoughts

Some friends think I ride like Mary Poppins (careful, slow, avoiding drops, stairs, and jumps). Others think I ride like a SF delivery cyclist. If you ride like the SF delivery cyclist with heavier loads, fast speeds, on rough roads (or off road when confronted by someone/thing on the road you have to maneuver around) you might want to go with the standard version. So far this pannier has gotten into my wheel rarely (high speeds, jumps (small ones like a curb), or heavy unbalanced loads) and in a few months removed the paint from my rack with all the bouncing.

Pros

Nice durable bags
Works great with standard racks and the QL3 Rack
Love the size and shape

Cons

Volume size refers to both bags, not a single bag.

Other Thoughts

I wish they'd make the rollers in a QL3 design.

Nice bags for the money

Pros

Tough, waterproof, simple, easy to take on/off, lighter than the full featured version with internal pocket. No interference with heels. Leaves room to pack things on top of the rack.

Cons

Heavier than coated cloth panniers, single compartment.

Other Thoughts

I've used a few kinds of panniers, the Ortlieb classic (with an extra internal pocket and this year a fancier mount), 3 kinds of coated nylon panniers, and finally these. I like the single compartment, rugged waterproof design. The mount is the same as last year's Classic and was plenty good then. Simplicity saves a bit of weight and some $$.

Great simple, functional design.

Pros

Waterproof, easily loaded and attached to rack.

Other Thoughts

I have one overnight trip on these. They stay attached and don't rattle going down the road. To improve mine, I bought a bunch of stuff sacks to keep things organized. The roll top is great with no zipper to break.

Pros

Waterproof, secures well on bike rack, spacious.

Cons

No pockets in internal compartment. Can be difficult to carry.

Pros

-Easy to use
-Waterproof
-Spacious

Cons

-No shoulder strap so not the easiest to lug around

Other Thoughts

-Recommend!

Just what I wanted. Good price. Quick delivery. These bags have made my commute much easier. I added a couple shoulder straps that I had laying around.

Pros

- Great price for two bags
- Water-proof
- Easy to put on and take off rack
- Plenty of space for treks, daily commute and more
- Two D-rings on closure clips so you can buy your own shoulder strap

Cons

- Can't adjust closure to accommodate for amount of items in bag (this is when your own adjustable shoulder strap can come in handy)

Other Thoughts

I couldn't commute daily without these bags. I usually only need one for my things and my purse slung around my shoulder.

Best of breed and best for the price. These are the older version and don't have the strap that you don't need anyway. They also roll and clip which I think is a better system than the new version. Very waterproof and nothing much that can go wrong. Everything else is a cheap imitation.

Pros

100% water tight. Simple setup and attachment. Reasonable price. Lots of storage.

Cons

Easy for things to feel disorganized because there is only one pocket. There are also struggles even with organization if what you want is at the bottom of the bag.

Other Thoughts

On a four bag setup I personally would opt for 2 large Ortlieb bags. This could cover clothes, camping gear, and other large items. Then I would probably opt for a bag with multiple pockets in the front to keep small items organized.

Pros

* Completely waterproof
* Attaches to bike rack securely
* Lift off the rack easily
* Spacious

Cons

* No quick access; the dry-bag style opening means getting to anything in a closed bag is not a simple task

Other Thoughts

I got these so that I could commute to work without carrying a backpack. I've loved using them. Got caught in the rain one day, but everything in the bags was completely dry!

Pros

Work very well, hold up great in daily use environments, keeps everything dry in the rain. Love them!

Cons

Almost too small for a full size laptop, but it works. Every commuter seems to have the same bag.

Pros

These bags have worked out so well for us, the classic ortlieb panniers just looked too big and bulky for commuting (plus they were almost twice the cost). For about half the price, these were ideal for us. We were really happy with how fast they shipped too.

Other Thoughts

We had to go on youtube to find a video showing the actual product and how big it was in relation to a bike. We were a little confused because the dimensions listed for these "city panniers" were the same as the "classic" version, which just look so much bigger. So we ordered this product not really sure what we were getting but we were really pleased with the outcome and would definitely order from this site again.

Easy on. Easy off. Waterproof. They are simple and dependable.

Pros

Sturdy construction

Cons

Difficult to close, no shoulder strap (there are loops on the clasps, but no strap). Last model had an internal pocket that was very handy (so it's not just a bottomless pit).

Pros

Used them to ride the Great Allegheny Passage and the C & O canal. They performed superbly. Easy to remove and replace, very secure no problems with them coming loose and I had them packed full.

Cons

No compartments so things you may want quickly move shift to the bottom and you end up taking a lot of stuff out looking for things.

Other Thoughts

Use them now for commuting and errands. Work well when using one or two.

Pros

Water proof. Tough material-durable. Easy to attach to the bike frame.

Cons

I haven't found a downside to them yet.

Other Thoughts

I would like to have a pair that are slightly larger, but these have done well for me. The interchangeability about them is awesome. I use them on my mountain bike rack as well as my Pack Wheel. (Pack Wheels are push along hiking carts we use to carry our gear on camping trips instead of on our backs). I don't have to make any adjustments when attaching or switching them to either style rack. These panniers are solid and don't tear when pushing them through oak brush. Above all, they were priced better here than anywhere else I shopped. It was an excellent purchase which I have no regrets making.

Pros

These are great bags - waterproof and easy to mount and use during a trip. Just roll the top and lock it - done. Nice reflective parts of each bag to keep you visible in low light. Tough material to last.

Cons

None

I would give these 5 stars but if you have them loaded they are very difficult to close up. Otherwise very nice quality. Also they should give you shoulder straps so you can carry the bags if you park your bike.

Pros

Waterproof, durable, great price, great product.
Easy on/off the bike.

Cons

None.

Pros

Waterproof
Attractive/Clean Design
Large Capacity
Adjustable to Fit Rack
Quick-release Handle

Cons

Awkward Side Clips
No Compartments
No Shoulder Strap

Other Thoughts

The closure mechanism is awkward and a bit frustrating if you're in a hurry. I much prefer the center buckle style of closure. Otherwise, these are great large-capacity bags that can adjust to fit multiple rack sizes. The handle automatically releases the bag from the rack, which is very convenient.

Pros

ortlieb quality

Cons

actual capacity greatly reduced due to closing mechanism. traded them in for classic back rollers, which has a larger capacity due to adjustable closing mechanism.

Other Thoughts

would be great if cargo is small and always the same. the closing is simple and easy. dont be fooled by capacity, it is much less than other ortlieb panniers.