If you are carrying light loads (or your bike doesn’t have pannier rack mounts) then you can easily get away with one of the best cycling backpacks. For larger loads, or even just to avoid a sweaty back, the humble bicycle pannier is a perfect and well evolved system.
It is also my firm belief that the pannier is superior in all respects besides weight to the best bikepacking bags. Higher capacity, easier to pack, no wobble, no straps to rub your frame. They are also far easier for smaller riders to use, as there is no issue of clearance between saddle and rear tyre. There’s a reason the pannier has been adopted so widely by shoppers and commuters to round-the-world explorers.
Given that panniers have been around for donkey’s years there are a tonne of options out there. Some are better for the daily commute, some for heading off for a month on two wheels, and many are great do-it-all options.
If you’re stuck, head to the bottom of the page where I’ve put together a handy guide to help.
Quick list
The best do-it-all option. Sturdy, waterproof, reliable. Will stand you in good stead for getting to the office or heading off on an adventure.
Elops Waterproof Bike Bag 900
For the price, it’s hard to beat. A little thinner than the Ortlieb, but big capacity, easy setup, and an aesthetic that’s more premium than many more expensive options.
All-round reflectivity, plus mounts for lights on both sides for maximum visibility. Not the biggest, but big enough for getting to and from work.
Just a big ol’ plastic tub. Its simplicity is its strength and makes it perfect for shopping runs where you can just chuck things in. There’s a net for the top, too.
Yes, this isn’t a pannier. If you want proper crash protection for your laptop then ditch the built in sleeve and just use a dedicated laptop case instead.
The Pedal-Mate is a decent pannier in its own right but includes a pocket specifically designed to carry an e-bike battery. Perfect if you need a spare, or take yours with you.
The best bike panniers you can buy today
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Best Overall
1. Ortlieb Back-Roller
Best Overall
Specifications
Waterproof: Yes
Laptop Sleeve: Yes – Small
Tools Needed: No
Capacity: 20L
Light Mounts: No
Colour Options: Black, white, orange, red, yellow, grey, blue, high-vis yellow, hi-vis black
Reflective Details: Patches front and rear
Reasons to buy
Tool-free installation
+Gold-standard waterproofing
+Myriad colour options
Reasons to avoid
Bit floppy when empty
–The strap can be a bit fiddly
–Pairs only for colour options
There’s every chance that when you think of a bicycle pannier you are picturing one of these. The Ortlieb Back roller is the archetypal pannier and will serve you well if you’re commuting or if you’re bike touring.
The exterior is a brightly coloured, rubberised canvas on the front, with black on the sides that has a little more flex to it. It is just a void with little in the way of organisation save for a laptop sleeve and a little zipped mesh pocket for valuables, and as will become a theme my advice is to just use a dedicated laptop sleeve.
Setup is an absolute breeze, with no tools needed at all. The two upper clips are on toothed sliding rails, so the bag can be unclipped, slid, and reclipped to adapt to different racks, and the lower stabiliser bar is moved and tightened by hand.
It’s a little floppy when not full, but that’s a criticism that can be levelled against many in this list. Once plumped out it’s plenty shapely, and the reflective details front and rear are decently sized too.
The strap which holds the rolltop closure (the only way to go for true waterproof-ness) down also doubles as a shoulder strap. It’s a little fiddly to set up, but it’s generously long and easy enough to carry to get you up the office stairs.
Annoyingly if you want a single pannier you can only have it in black – the colourful options are only sold as pairs, and 40 litres is simply too much for commuting loads.
Best Budget
2. Elops 27L Waterproof Bike Bag 900
Best Budget Pannier
Specifications
Waterproof: Yes
Laptop Sleeve: No
Tools Needed: Screwdriver
Capacity: 27L
Light Mounts: Front and rear
Colour Options: Sage green, yellow, black
Reflective Details: No
Reasons to buy
Big value on offer
+Cheerful aesthetic
+Light mounts
Reasons to avoid
No laptop sleeve
–Materials quite thin
The Elops is from Decathlon’s ever-increasing and ever-improving lineup of cycling products. It’s perfect if you’re on a budget, and at the time of writing it’s reduced too so it’s even more of a bargain.
Like most of the rolltop options, it’s a simple void, and a little larger than the Ortlieb. The material of the main body is a little thinner feeling though, and as there is no reinforcement on the bottom there may be longevity issues if these get heavy use, either for touring or commuting.
The KLICKfix mount system is the same as found on many more premium options and works well, though does need a screwdriver to set up. It’ll fit all rack sizes without any adapters, but you need to remember to press the red lock button under to hold it in place securely.
As well as no lower reinforcement there are no shoulder straps, and the carry handle is pretty thin. You’ll probably end up cradling it like a brown paper bag of groceries to get to your desk, but such is the price to pay for netting a bargain.
Best For Commuting
3. Altura Thunderstorm City
Best bike pannier for commuting
Specifications
Waterproof: Yes
Laptop Sleeve: Yes – Small
Tools Needed: Screwdriver
Capacity: 20L
Light Mounts: Front and rear
Colour Options: Black, hi-vis yellow
Reflective Details: Yes
Reasons to buy
All-over reflective details
+Light mounts front and rear too
+Perfect commuting capacity
Reasons to avoid
Semi-sewn closure makes stuffing it a little harder
–Indexed closure means the rolltop can be loose
When I say ‘best for commuting’ I mean primarily that this has the most reflective detailing. My test unit came in black, but if you want the most visibility then I think you should go for the high-vis yellow option. It still has the same reflective details, but… is bright yellow too.
It’s another drybag-style option, but you do get a sleeve for a small laptop. the 20-litre capacity is the sweet spot for commuting too. Enough for a laptop, change of clothes, toiletries, and lunch.
The closure at the top is slightly sewn shut, so as to help the rolltop fold down, but it makes stuffing it with things a little more tricky, and if you have a large laptop you might struggle.
Rolltops are great, especially for keeping water out, and not having plastic buckles is one less thing to break, but an indexed, non-adjustable hook and loop ladder closure means you can be between positions, leaving the rolltop a little loose.
The upper hooks also have no adjustment, though should fit the majority of racks with no problem.
Best For Laptops
4. Mous laptop case
Best for laptops
Specifications
Waterproof: No
Laptop Sleeve: Yes
Tools Needed: None
Capacity: 1 Laptop
Light Mounts: No
Colour Options: Many
Reflective Details: No, that would be odd
Reasons to avoid
Is an additional purchase
I use a big MacBook for work, so generally speaking most of the laptop sleeves in panniers are too small for me anyway. Regardless, the protection offered by panniers that do have laptop sleeves is relatively minimal.
My advice if you want to protect your laptop is to just use a dedicated laptop sleeve. I use one from Mous, a brand perhaps better known for making super protective phone cases. The inside is lined with a non-newtonian foam that hardens as greater force (i.e. an impact) is applied.
There are myriad options on the market, and the best bet is to find one suited to your own laptops dimensions. Your laptop will be prone to moving about a little more, but this can be overcome if you are worried by the judicious application of sticky-backed Velcro to the sleeve and the inside of the pannier.
In reality, though I’ve found a pannier that has my office clothing in more than keeps it in place for my commutes.
Best For Shopping
5. Specialized Coolcave
Best bike pannier for shopping
Specifications
Waterproof: No
Laptop Sleeve: No
Tools Needed: Screwdriver
Capacity: 19L
Light Mounts: No
Colour Options: Black
Reflective Details: No
Reasons to buy
Easy to throw things into
+Can store tall items (baguettes)
Reasons to avoid
Obviously everything gets wet if it rains
The strength of the Specialized Coolcave is its simplicity; it’s just a plastic bucket, with the only additional feature being a clip-on elastic net to go over the top. If you’re living #CarFree and do your shopping by bike then this is certainly an excellent option, and more than most works as a fit-and-forget permanent addition to a utility bike.
Given its rigidity, and lack of padding, I wouldn’t really suggest it works as a solid commuter option, and as it has no lid then rain will naturally cover your contents. There are no drainage holes either, so don’t leave it out in the rain for too long or you’ll end up with a small puddle sloshing about.
If you’re buying baguettes, leeks, or anything longer than would ordinarily go into a pannier then this is where you should be looking.
Best For E-Bikes
6. Ortlieb Pedal-Mate
Best bike pannier for ebikes
Specifications
Waterproof: Yes
Laptop Sleeve: No
Tools Needed: None
Capacity: 16L
Light Mounts: No
Colour Options: Blue, black, brown
Reflective Details: Yes
Reasons to buy
Dedicated battery compartment
+The boxy shape holds out even when empty
Reasons to avoid
Small capacity, especially with battery in
The Pedal-Mate (also sometimes listed as the E-Mate) is a dedicated e-bike pannier. It’s the most boxy of the bunch on test, and holds its shape even when empty (it’s empty in this picture), with more of a lid than a flap.
Like the other Ortlieb options on test, the installation is tool-free, so there is zero risk of rounding off any small screw heads.
As a general use pannier I don’t think it’s quite big enough. 16 litres is a little on the small side for a commute sometimes, but if you’re riding with an e-bike and either want to store a spare battery for extra range, or you take your battery with you when you park up for security reasons it’s certainly a better solution than having it loose in a standard pannier.
The shoulder strap, unlike the rest of the Ortlieb panniers here, is detachable and doesn’t form part of the closure mechanism, so if you tend to leave the pannier attached to the bike all the time you can just take it off for a cleaner look.
Also Tested
7. Ortlieb Back-Roller XL Plus
Biggest bike pannier
Specifications
Waterproof: Yes
Laptop Sleeve: No
Tools Needed: None
Capacity: 35L
Light Mounts: No
Colour Options: Black, red/orange
Reflective Details: Yes
Reasons to buy
Massive capacity
+Extra mesh pocket for wet things
+Tool-free installation
Reasons to avoid
Pair only
–Expensive
–Too big for general use
The Back-Roller XL Plus is the bigger version of the Back-Roller XL, which itself is the larger version of the Back-Roller. It is massive, and as you can only buy a pair of them you are getting 70 litres of capacity, which is more or less the same as large hiking backpacks or decent-sized suitcases.
This capacity is bolstered by an expanding mesh pocket, into which you can stow things you want easy to hand, or wet clothes.
These are firmly a long-distance, high-capacity option. They are simply too big for commuting, evidenced by the lack of a laptop sleeve inside.
The mounting is the same for the Back-Roller, though. No tools are required, and the same sturdy strap doubles as a shoulder carrier. The material is a little thinner than that of the Back-Roller, presumably in order to keep the weight down.
With panniers this large you need to pay attention to the maximum weight allowances of your rear rack, as well as the total system weight allowances for your frame and rear wheel. If you aren’t using one of the best touring bikes with a full pair of these it may not be able to cope with the torsion on the frame, resulting in some pretty horrible handling and safety implications.
8. Tailfin system
Best bike panniers for bikepacking
Specifications
Waterproof: Yes
Laptop Sleeve: No
Tools Needed: Hex keys
Capacity: Various
Light Mounts: Yes
Colour Options: Black
Reflective Details: Yes
Reasons to buy
Modular
+No rack mounts needed
+Aero and light
Reasons to avoid
More fiddly than a standard pannier system
–Can induce speed wobbles
The Tailfin AeroPack system is excellent. I’ve used it for bikepacking trips in the past, and this is where it excels. The modularity is brilliant, allowing you to use just the top aero pack bag, or add extra capacity with clip-on bags on the side, or even bottles if you need extra hydration.
The system is light, and given the load sits mostly behind your body it’s the most aero option out there. It also doesn’t require that your bike has pannier mounts, though it does work with them if it does. This makes it perfect for adding to race bikes, or mountain bikes and has been used to great effect on the biggest ultra races on the planet.
A word of warning though: Do try and pack light, and balance the load. On bikes not designed to handle loads the system can induce speed wobbles due to the added inertia at the rear. This is massively improved by balancing the rear load with some over the front, with either a large bar bag, fork packs, or both.
9. Carradice Super C
Best bike panniers for classic bikes
Specifications
Waterproof: No
Laptop Sleeve: No
Tools Needed: Screwdriver
Capacity: 27L
Light Mounts: No
Colour Options: Black
Reflective Details: Yes
Reasons to buy
Incredible classic vibes
+Will age beautifully
+Repairable
I am an unashamed Carradice fan. I use its saddlebags regularly, and given that my pannier-enabled bike is of a certain aesthetic – canti brakes, Brooks saddle, downtube shifters, steel etc – riding with a pannier made of waxed canvas over plastic feels right.
The Super C range is the brand’s touring stuff and only comes in black. The outer is cotton duck, a hardy canvas that has been waxed to keep the water out. It isn’t officially waterproof, but when it gets wet the fabric swells slightly and the pores close up and it becomes pretty close to waterproof, easily enough to shrug off a shower, but not a sustained drenching.
Inside is just a void, with a drawstring top. The lid straps are generously long so you can stuff it super full if needs be, and the additional pocket at the rear is good for spares.
The best thing for me, besides the aesthetics, is the fact that it’s reparable. Any holes can be sewn up, they can be rewaxed easily with a hairdryer and some Fjallraven Greenland Wax, and you can add patches to them to make them your own. They will also look better with age as the creases of many miles bed in, the opposite to the rest on this list.
10. Revelate Designs Nano Panniers
Best lightweight panniers
Specifications
Waterproof: No
Laptop Sleeve: No
Tools Needed: None
Capacity: 9L
Light Mounts: No
Colour Options: Grey
Reflective Details: No
Reasons to buy
Superlight
+Versatile mounting system
Reasons to avoid
Not waterproof
–Velcro mounts
If you’re into packing light, and the tailfin system is just a little too bulky for you, then Revelate Designs’ Nano Panniers could be the ones to look at. At between 7 and 11 litres, depending on how stuffed they are, they are easily the smallest on test, and definitely for light packers. Revelate also makes some superlight packing pouches to help you organise too.
The outer fabric is a lightweight polyester, and while they aren’t waterproof there are very few seams and the lower seams are double taped to resist spray from the wheels and add durability.
In order to save weight there are no heavy solid plastic mounts, just a pair of velcro straps at the top and a Voile strap to tension the system at the base. Velcro isn’t my favourite as it will eventually wear out and can gum up with crud, but this hook and loop is allegedly good for 10,000+ cycles, which should be more than enough.
Not a commuting option really, but for adding additional lightweight capacity to a bikepacking setup they can be excellent, especially paired with a superlight titanium pannier rack.
11. Specialized Tailwind
An aero bike pannier
Specifications
Waterproof: Yes
Laptop Sleeve: Yes – 17″
Tools Needed: Screwdriver
Capacity: 17L
Light Mounts: No
Colour Options: Black, high-vis yellow
Reflective Details: Yes
Reasons to buy
It’s aero
+Modern aesthetic
Reasons to avoid
Small in size
–Small opening
Air resistance doesn’t just switch off because you’re commuting, so why not get an aero pannier? The Specialized Tailwind is left/right specific thanks to a smooth, rounded leading edge devoid of any seams.
As well as improving your speed on a normal bike, being a bit more aero will also improve the range of your e-bike too, if that’s a consideration.
The whole thing is boxy, and holds its shape well even when empty (it’s empty in the picture), so as to stay aero all the time. The closure is a waterproof zip, and you can fit a laptop up to 17″ in the internal sleeve.
Aero comes at a price though, and 17L is a little on the small size, so either pack light or spec a pair. The closure is only on the top and rear edge, too, so packing is a bit more difficult compared to panniers that have big rolltop closures.
12. Restrap Pannier Large
Another solid touring option
Specifications
Waterproof: Yes
Laptop Sleeve: No
Tools Needed: Screwdriver
Capacity: 22L
Light Mounts: No
Colour Options: Black, olive
Reflective Details: Yes
Reasons to buy
Big void
+Larger capacity than Back-Roller
Reasons to avoid
Floppy when unladen
–Can foul on derailleur
The large Restrap Pannier is another great option that is best suited to tourers rather than commuters. The bag is a void, devoid of any organisation, in much the same way as the Carradice Super C, and with a similar sort of aesthetic but with modern materials.
The bag is really floppy when unladen, and the material is a lot more flexible than it appears in photographs.
These definitely fit a similar market segment to the Ortlieb Back-Roller, but the additional capacity, especially for a pair, will be of benefit to some and is a good bridge before going to something like the Back-Rller XL Plus.
It’s a really well-made bag, made in the UK if that is of any interest, with a big, solid bumper on the rear to protect the bag from where it rubs on the pannier rack.
The restrap mounts the lowest of all the bags on test, so much so that on my rack it was in danger of fouling on my rear derailleur, so make sure if you go for these that you have a tall enough rear rack.
13. Thule Paramount Pannier
Both a backpack and a pannier in one
Specifications
Waterproof: Yes, with waterproof cover
Laptop Sleeve: Yes – 16″
Tools Needed: No
Capacity: 26L
Light Mounts: Yes
Colour Options: Black, olive, tan
Reflective Details: Reflective cover
Reasons to buy
Genuine 2-in-1 functionality
+Plenty of organisation
Reasons to avoid
Big size for small main compartment
I am an unashamed pannier evangelist, but they are a bit of a pain to lug around off the bike. If your commute involves some more extended periods of time off the bike then the Thule Paramount Pannier could well be a great solution. You can use it as a pannier to get to a train station for example, and then with a quick flip of the rear panel, you can wear it as a backpack for the rest of the day.
There is a tonne of organisational pockets, and space for a large laptop and a tablet too, though all this organisation does slightly reduce the size of the main compartment so the 26-litre capacity is a little misleading. If you’re a poorly organised stuffer then this may well be kill or cure for you.
The transformation is pretty easy from one to the other – a simple zip means it can be done in a matter of seconds. Again, the mechanism does eat into the internal capacity a bit, so the whole bag is larger than many options with similar capacity, but none of the others can be worn on your back.
It’s relatively weather sealed, but not totally waterproof. In a little pocket underneath though resides a fully reflective waterproof cover for when the heavens open, or for when you just want to be more visible.
14. Topeak Drybag Pannier
Fastest to setup
Specifications
Waterproof: Yes
Laptop Sleeve: No
Tools Needed: None
Capacity: 16L
Light Mounts: No
Colour Options: Black
Reflective Details: Yes
Reasons to buy
Easy and fast installation
+Really solid buckles
+Thick material
Reasons to avoid
On the smaller size
–No adjustment means it may foul on some racks
If you’re constantly in a hurry, or you simply cannot be bothered with the moderate faff of setting up pannier clips from the box then the Topeak Drybag pannier is the way to go. It has no adjustment on the top clips. Simply lift it out of its packaging, drop it onto your rack, and away you go. The supporting lower bar adjusts with the press of a button too.
As the clips don’t slide it may bump into some bits on some racks, but they are narrowly spaced so it’s unlikely to be an issue for most setups.
The pannier itself is boxy and feels extremely solid. The material is thicker than most, with externally welded seams, and a decent bumper to protect it from rubbing on a derailleur/bolt heads.
The buckles on the side are also some of the best I’ve come across. Bulky and solid, but easy to use, with a locking mechanism for the straps to ensure they don’t slip when it’s stuffed full.
The 16-litre capacity is at the smaller end of the size spectrum, but if you’re an efficient packer then it’s certainly an option.
14. Brooks Scape
Classic looks with modern tech
Specifications
Waterproof: Yes
Laptop Sleeve: No
Tools Needed: Screwdriver
Capacity: Yes
Light Mounts: 20L
Colour Options: Black, green
Reflective Details: Yes
Reasons to buy
Classy aesthetic
+Neat strap clips
+Outer pocket
Reasons to avoid
Feels a little flimsy for the price
Brooks is a name you likely associate with its leather saddles – for good reason, it must be said – but it also does a line in classically styled bags. Aesthetics has clearly been at the forefront, as even the KlickFix locking buttons that are usually red have been swapped for grey here to preserve a certain look.
It’s not all about the looks though. The Scape is a solid 20-litre pannier that fits the same sort of niche as the Back-Roller. It’s just a void, with no internal organisation, though an external pocket for small items is handy and much easier to access than an internal one.
The material feels quite thin however, a similar thickness to the Elops bag, so I’d be wary of using these if you’re particularly rough on equipment. There is a solid lower bumper though, to protect it from rough ground.
The straps are a hook-and-loop arrangement, though they can be cinched down, and the excess strap can be rolled up and wrapped in a neat Velcro clip. I wasn’t a huge fan of the carry handle though, which is quite thin; another one to cradle if it’s heavily laden.
How to Choose
Choosing a set of, or a single pannier, is an investment. They tend to be made pretty durable so they’ll likely be with you for many years unless you’re particularly abusive. With that in mind it’s key to get something that fits your needs, so be honest about your use case.
There’s no point buying a 27-litre touring pannier if you’re commuting once a week to the office, and conversely, there’s no point buying a 16-litre commuter pannier if you’re planning on riding off into the sunset for three months.
How big should a bike pannier be?
For commuting, anything between 16 litres and 20 litres is about right. Any smaller and you risk not fitting in what I think of as ‘random contingency items’, and any larger and there will be a lot of dead space, which is annoying and could leave things like your laptop slopping around over bumps.
What are the best panniers for touring?
If you mean normal, run-of-the-mill touring then the Ortlieb Back-Roller is my pick. It comes in pairs, and a 40-litre combined capacity is ample, especially if you bolster it with a bar bag. If you want more then the Back-Roller XL Plus is about as big as one can feasibly get, but unless you’re riding a dedicated touring bike I’d advise against this as you can easily overload the maximum system weight of a bike or the rear wheel.
Do panniers fit all bikes?
Most panniers will fit more or less any pannier rack – that’s the easy bit. Not all bikes have the necessary mounts for a proper, bolted-on pannier rack though. In recent years there are a greater number of universal options that clip to thru-axles and your seatpost, opening up the world of panniers to more riders.
Be aware though, just because you can fit a pannier rack to a bike doesn’t mean you should. Lightweight, race-oriented road and gravel bikes simply aren’t designed to have a large mass with a lot of inertia sitting behind the rider, which can impart a lot of torsion on a frame.
Can I use panniers for bikepacking?
Absolutely. Personally I think panniers are preferable to bikepacking bags except perhaps over the roughest terrain where straps coming loose is a less bad outcome than bolts shearing off. For smaller riders, whose bikes simply don’t have the same space in the frame or between the saddle and the rear wheel, panniers are a brilliant lifeline and shouldn’t be overlooked because they aren’t ‘bike-packing-y’.
How much do bike panniers slow you down?
Once you’re up to speed unless you’re riding uphill, the main way panniers hold you back is through aerodynamic drag – they do stick out far more than a backpack or teardrop saddle bag. Uphill, too, there is a penalty, as there is when pulling away at lights.
Once you hit cruising speed they are only a little bit slower than the alternatives if you’re carrying an equivalent load, and for commuting and touring the comfort, simplicity, and lack of bag-wobble more than make up for any speed deficit.
