Self opening panniers

[Darwin_R65]

I went to a schol sports day for the kids the other day, and went straight from work on the bike to meet them. As a result of coming from work I still had my backpack and laptop.
At 5:00 pm After the races I jumped on the bike to head home, I got around the corner and thought my right pannier is not done up properly so i stopped and adjusted it, took off around one corner, 300 yds another corner, 100 yds a roundabout and then noticed my shadow on the road looked like something was flapping.
I looked down and the right pannier was wide open and empty.

Shiiit!!!!

I stopped did it back up raced back but no laptop in sight. Kids walking everywhere leaving the sports day.

I did another 6 laps of the route but definitely found nothing. I thought "bugger someones taken it, and thought of all the work I had lost as i had my laptop backed up onto a hard drive, but that was in my backpack. (not good in hind sight)

I went down to report it the police in case it turns up, and I'm obligated with work to report it. I ring our Computing manager as well and admit I've lost a laptop.

Then at 9pm I get a phone call "Hi, my names Jody, you don't know me but I have your laptop."

They found it on the road and picked it up, they must have missed me by 5 seconds but said they didn't see it fall, just found it on the road. They had to go into Darwin CBD and forgot about the laptop, and remembered when they got back home.

I was so glad to have all my work back, and now have an octopus strap that helps hold everything shut. I have bought some tounneau cover elastic loops and will install them this weekend.

I just don't think I can trust the latches on the pannier again.

John

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

If those are the Krauser saddlebags, then yes, they do have a tendency to self-open and sometimes to leave the bike altogether.

It was standard procedure in the '70s and '80s (and today) to run a strap all the way around the saddlebag and mount, keeping it shut and secure.

I was lucky this never happened to me, in over 20 years of riding with Krausers.

Around 2003 or so, I bought a set of (used) BMW's touring bags, and have been much happier.


I'm so glad an honest person found your bag!  

[Mike V]

Good on Jody!!!  If she worked for the CA DMV she would have charged you for it and cited you for unsafe luggage that didn't meet CA Luggage Safety Regulations without the approved sticker.

Sorry...couldn't resist.

[Melena]

Whew!  Thank goodness you got that laptop back.  There are good people in the world besides us here on the R65 forum.

It was standard procedure in the '70s and '80s (and today) to run a strap all the way around the saddlebag and mount, keeping it shut and secure.

Exactly, Rob.  I have straps for my bags that I've used from when I first got my bike.  I'd heard too many stories about losing the bags.  Can't remember exactly where I got these, but I might have picked them up at REI or some other outdoor sporting goods store.  They have a good adjustable buckle on them and then I do half hitches back around the buckle area with the excess strap.  Works well and easy to undo and put back on.