For many people, especially those starting their adventures with bicycle trips, packing panniers turns out to be quite a challenge. And although it looks quite simple at first, because all the equipment can be thrown into the panniers at will, this approach will mean that we will be constantly frustrated during our bicycle trip and we will not be able to find anything. Below, we have gathered our many years of experience and summarized them into neat points that will make every trip a pleasure.
Rule No. 1 – the center of gravity must be as low as possible and coincide with the axis of symmetry of the bicycle
Before you decide to go on your first trip and buy panniers, read the text about choosing bicycle panniers. Where you plan to go and for how long determines what equipment you need. Poorly distributed weight in the panniers will make the bike simply uncomfortable to ride and will push you to one side.
The left and right panniers, especially at the front, should weigh the same – poor balance seriously complicates cycling, when, for example, one of the front panniers contains very heavy equipment and the other, for example, only clothes, we will feel discomfort when maneuvering the steering wheel. It is also important that the heaviest equipment is placed as low as possible and close to the inner wall of the bag.
For longer trips, we recommend mounting the panniers also at the front on a low-rider rack. This makes the bike better balanced and much more stable. About 70% of the weight should be on the rear rack. Too heavy front panniers will have high inertia, which makes more dynamic bicycle maneuvers difficult. Much depends on the geometry of your bicycle, so you have to choose the optimal load distribution yourself.
Once you have your load properly balanced, remember or write down what items go into which pannier – this will help you avoid unnecessary work re-packing the next day or desperately searching through all the panniers for something. This often happens in the first days of the trip, but later it becomes part of our blood and we intuitively know where everything must be hidden.
Rule No. 2 – we pack thematically
Try to pack your bags thematically, that is, in such a way that you do not have to open all the bags to prepare a meal. For example, in the left front pannier you have all your food, and in the right front pannier, for example, all electronic equipment that weighs similarly. You can carry a sleeping bag and a sleeping pad in the right rear pannier, and clothes in the left rear pannier. However, remember to separate clean and dirty clothes by putting them in plastic bags, which will additionally protect them against moisture. Also avoid putting wet or very sweaty things into panniers, even in plastic bags – it is better to place them under the flap of the rear pannier or attach the tent wheel to the rear rack – many people transport their tents this way, because they usually have long straps that do not fit to any of the bags.
Rule No. 3 – secure things, especially liquids
Protect items with sharp edges by wrapping them, for example, in a linen shopping bag. For example, we transport canned food at the bottom of the left front pannier this way – they are heavy but protected in such a way that they do not rub the inside of the panniers, especially when driving off-road.
Make sure that all bottles (e.g. oil, shampoo, sunscreen) are tight and, for safety, always put them in plastic bags that you collect in the kitchen after shopping.
Always place gas containers for the stove far from the outer wall of the bag to protect them from being crushed, e.g. during a fall. The same rule applies to delicate equipment, e.g. laptops, tablets, e-book readers or cameras.
If you use a gasoline stove, store the stove and fuel separately from non-hermetically packed food (e.g. bread) to avoid the risk of poisoning or unpleasant taste sensations…
In bad weather conditions, when, for example, frogs moult from morning to evening, pack your sleeping bag in a solid plastic bag. Although all our panniers (rolled three times) are waterproof, the sleeping bag will catch moisture from the air when you open the pannier. The same goes for dry clothes. There is nothing worse than a bad-smelling sleeping bag that has started to smell in a tightly closed bag.
Rule No. 4 – always have the most necessary things at hand
Don’t forget to put the most needed things on a given day in the top of the panniers, e.g. a raincoat under the rear flap of the pannier, or snacks for the road, etc.
Always keep your tools, first aid kit and other emergency accessories in a place where you can quickly access them – a good place is to place them in pocket bags attached to the back of the rear pannier. However, if someone does not have modular panniers, they can sort these things into framebags mounted on the bicycle frame, which also ensures quick access.
Particularly valuable items such as photographic equipment, documents, money or telephone are best placed in a small bag that can be easily and quickly removed during stops, attached to the handlebar, or if we have more of this equipment in one of the front bags, which can always be easily unfastened and taken with us. myself to the store. Important! When going abroad and needing a passport, make a photocopy of it and store it, e.g. somewhere at the bottom of the rear bag, away from the originals. If you are going to a country where cash is still king and after exchanging 100 Euro you get a bag of banknotes, spread them out in different bags and keep some of them handy for your current expenses.
Rule No. 5 – the style of the trip determines how much luggage you need
It is no big secret that if you go on a week-long bicycle trip with the option of sleeping in a tent, you will pack in a similar way to someone going on a six-month bicycle trip along the Silk Road to China.
If you want to take little luggage with you on a week-long trip around Poland, you simply have to assume that you sleep in private accommodation / agritourism and eat in restaurants along the way. In this way, we do not have to take all the equipment related to the kitchen and accommodation, and this is the vast majority of the bag keeper’s equipment.
The second thing that greatly affects the volume of our luggage on a bicycle are the climate zones and seasons you encounter during your trip. If you are planning your summer trip along the Mediterranean coast, you will need much less equipment than a person who wants to leave Poland in August to make a loop around the Scandinavian countries. In the first case, we are guaranteed constant weather and plenty of tourist infrastructure along the way. In the second case, you cover summer and autumn, which, especially in Scandinavia, may end with snow on the local passes. The weather in Scandinavia is also less stable and the tourist infrastructure boils down more to the right to freedom to camp almost anywhere and take a lot of provisions with you so as not to die of hunger in these wastelands.
If you have any questions or thoughts on the topic or comments on our advice – write in the comments and we will answer them. If you are still looking for inspiration for your first bicycle trip, check out this map – there you will find reports of bicycle travelers from the farthest corners of the globe and from neighboring countries.
Good luck and always have the wind at your back!
