Picture for reference. I plan on credit card touring with a light pannier setup (~10kg) and no bags on the frame/front.
Are there any possible downsides that I should be aware of?
I heard that its generally good to distribute the weight throughout the bike and not put it all on one place.
by KevsterAmp
8 Comments
i think w that geometry, your body will easily balance the negligible weight of small panniers 🙂
it can be a little rough if you need to be on singletrack / rocky trails. I think it may be a little less aerodynamic than other setups too, but we’re here for distance, not speed, yeah?
Only downside i can think of is if you have to push the bike as they tend to get in the way.
If they are small, absolutely fine, if they are really heavy, your front can get a bit light on the uphill and it’s awkward to carry as the bike balances behind the seatpost and you have to lift it by the rack.
I find it more difficult to take stuff out from panniers vs top tube/frame/handlebar bags. So I prefer having at least one of those bags for quick-access items.
Loving the new wifi drive tech.
Panniers can be a pain on very rough off road terrain and focus the weight of the bike to the rear complicating handling and the rear wheel. If that’s not your intention then panniers are actually easier to live with than bikepacking bags. I would consider a handle bar bag if I were you though, they are super handy to stash phones, cameras and snacks on the road.
The only downside I experienced was that they stuck out extra far due to carrying so much gear which made it hard to fit through the entry on some bridges in New Zealand.