Kriega tail packs as panniers and a rather interesting bike club

[Austin]

now I have donated my TA's panniers to fit my wife's 700 I was thinking about some soft luggage for it instead. After looking at a Kriega US20 tail pack I wondered if it could be adapted to fit on a pannier loop - so I asked Kriega the question. I got the following reply:
Hi Austin,


Sorry for the delay..... thought I'd already replied to you. Yes some people have used the US-20 packs as adventure panniers. I've attached a newsletter from the Great Escape club with a mini review/test. We are currently working on Adventure soft luggage which will fit the standard hoop style racks like yours. No intro date yet.... should be in next 2012 catalogue.


Best regards, Dom

So the particularly good new is that some adventure bike specific soft luggage from Kriega will be out soon. I am a big fan of their stuff having a couple of US5's attached to the crash bars, a R20 rucksack, and waist pack a tool roll and a couple of other little pocket things. Build quality is awesome and my US5's are exposed to rain and spray from the front wheel but never leak.



The PDF attachment has a short article on US20's as panniers, but also describes the antics of a very interesting adventure bike club - The GEA MCC.

[angelo]

2012 catalogue! That's a wait

[jasonbc]

I use one of there 5L bags on my front mudguard for tubes and maps etc they are very well put together.

The club seem quite interesting bit like a bunch of civvy's that go on make beleive military recon missions, strange bunch not that it is a bad thing to be individual

[Whealie]

For soft luggage, I just bought two of these Ortleib waterproof panniers (just found this even cheaper site). I only have photos of them, unloaded, on my DR. They have handles and a shoulder strap each and unclip easily. And, even on H&B rails, which are wider than some others, do not stick out as far as the handlbars. They have a solid plastic internal to retail their shape. Other than that they are like bicycle panniers in style. You adjust the hooks to fit your rails.

I originally tried the set in this thread but they require straps over the seat, which would get in the way for a pillion, so I sent them back.

I have a Kriega tail bag and will see if it fits but my experience with my Kriega bumbag is that, despite supposedly being waterproof it leaks like a sieve in every single part. Ortleib is known to be waterproof.

The Ortleib bags on my DR:

[Whealie]

I should add that you can buy for a tenner, a little locking device to secure then to you rails to prevent easy theft, allowing you to leave them on the bike.

[icenian]

detailed Kreiga information, that I saw recently:
Kriega Drypack Luggage Review - webBikeWorld

[Ashley M]

John and myself did a weekend map reading event with them last year. Very well organised would love to do more with them. One thing to remember they would prefer you don’t use a tent and after you build your shelter they walk round and inspect it.(all in fun) But they did put a great B&B on the Saturday night.

As for soft luggage I have use Andy Strapz very tuff and there stayed waterproof for the first 3 years not bad considering the hard life they have had If they do rip they can be sown with just a sail makers needle and thread, handy if you are in the middle of nowhere.