early panniers - advice please !

[livingdeadhead]

just got some frames for my panniers , the earlier seat belt type fastener ones , is it true they can fall off in use?   anyone know?

[livingdeadhead]

panniers that is! not the frames .....

[Ed Miller]

They shouldn't, but mine don't feel very confidence-inspiring so I use some straps for extra security.  Bob's BMW advertises new ones that supposedly don't need straps, and are larger as well.  

[livingdeadhead]

i have been told that when they are fully loaded it is best to use small ratchet straps .

[Tony Smith]

just got some frames for my panniers , the earlier seat belt type fastener ones , is it true they can fall off in use?   anyone know?

Yes it is true. Flat straps with a simple cinch clip work a treat. Another tip, which I admit does not improves the asthetics of your bike when the panniers are not fitted, is to duct tape some closed cell foam (I used a camping sleeping mat) into the inner "corners" of the pannier frames to restrict the amount the panniers can move.

Out of curiosity, do you have the "big" composite panniers of the smaller injection molded ones (I am assuming your panniers are Krausers). The reason I ask is that over the years I've had panniers splt, hinges fail etc (in addition to a couple breaking because they had a R100 laying on them) but the injection molded plastic ones my wife bought in 1979 are still pretty much as good as the day they were made (although when we used to go away for more than a day or so she used to have to also pack a "sausage" bag across the top of the seat and panniers as they held so little.

[Luca]

Tony, what about attaching the foam to the panniers themselves so that you don't have to look at it with the racks exposed?

[livingdeadhead]

injection moulded , if they flop about dare say i can fit some rubber or foam shims , be nice to finally fit them the frames which are complete with the seat belt brackets cost £65.00 , that good? oh theyre chrome too !

[Tony Smith]

Tony, what about attaching the foam to the panniers themselves so that you don't have to look at it with the racks exposed?

Well, er......Yes.
 
A little bit more difficult, but doable. My panniers tend to live on the bike as I find they are useful for carrying shopping and putting helmet, jacket, gloves and wet weather gear into.

[Darwin_R65]

I got sick of my Krauser panniers bouncing off, I used nylon straps as suggested, but you got to make sure they don't drop onto the exhaust when your opening the panniers.

I eventually got rid of the straps and put a tek screw through each so that they screwed through the back wall of the pannier and into a flat part of the pannier frame.

Crude but effective.
I don't take the panniers off.
The panniers didn't have a very new look to them in the beginning.

John

[livingdeadhead]

ive noticed someone has added some foam shims to the rear of the panniers , left one is snug , right has a bit of play , might try to shim them so they dont wobble , AND get some straps , so they can fall off even when locked? now we know why they lost both world wars ! poor pannier locks!  8-)