Ortlieb Panniers Are Perfect For A World Cycling Tour – Ortlieb Pannier Review

You can trust us. We only review items we use on long-distance cycle trips or hikes. Or, items that made the shortlist for our trip's kit list; all items were heavily researched by us.

Our experience with Ortlieb's panniers

Ortlieb panniers have been our go-to panniers for more than five years. Truly, we think they are fantastic. We take Ortlieb on every single bike ride. With these brilliant panniers we've cycle toured JOGLE twice, the Outer Hebrides, from the UK to Vietnam and from Vietnam to New Zealand. We'll be carrying all of our belongings as we complete our tour around the world using Ortlieb panniers.

And of course, Ortlieb panniers have accompanied all of our smaller rides, be it a weekend spin, a work commute or even just a trip to pick up the groceries.

Ortlieb pannier review

If it's not obvious already, our review of Ortlieb panniers is five stars.

Why we love Ortlieb panniers

There's a lot to love about Ortlieb panniers, below we've broken down what we love by category. If you want to know the ins and outs of our five-star review of Ortlieb, this is it.

Design and materials

Zoe particularly loves the classic cycle touring look which Ortlieb panniers are synonymous with. But there's more to the incredible design of Ortlieb than aesthetics.

Material quality and durability

Ortlieb panniers stand out for their incredibly durable, waterproof materials that can withstand years of cycling adventures. We've cycled in torrential rain and blissful sunshine and our belongings have never suffered thanks to Ortlieb's durable and waterproof materials.

In Ortlieb's own words, the bags are made of 'robust polyester,' and nylon. The material is interwoven with thick fibres that provide strength and durability without adding excess weight. The bags are known for its supreme abrasion and puncture resistance. On our world tour in particular, we've overloaded our panniers and had bits poking at the sides and there's never been a split.

Ortlieb takes the innovative approach of welding rather than sewing their seams. The thermo-welding technique fuses the fabric together into one solid piece, eliminating any threads or holes where water could potentially seep in. This is a major advantage over traditional stitched seams that can leak over time when subjected to rain and moisture. The welded seams enhance both waterproofing and long-term durability.

The seams on the bags and the straps are no short of incredibly well engineered. Our bags have travelled thousands upon thousands of years and over that time we've pulled and tightened the bags with everything we've got and they're still going strong today.

Functional design elements

Beyond just material quality, Ortlieb panniers feature intelligently designed functional elements for enhancing the touring experience. Their panniers utilize a unique mounting system that allows quick and stable attachment to racks via two sliding hooks and a bottom fixation point. The hooks have metal inserts to prevent rack abrasion while the base securely prevents swaying and misalignment when loaded.

Compared to frame bags, Ortlieb panniers are incredibly easy to load on and off the bike. In fact, Zoe can load her bike in half the time Stew can due to the ease of the mounting system. Of course, all bags have their place and purpose!

Inside the pannier, there's large internal pockets, one with a zip, and dividers. You can remove these if you want to. We tend to remove most of them but keep one or two because they help us organize our gear. Paperwork (visas for example) is especially useful stored in the pockets.

Aesthetics

While prioritizing utility and durability, Ortlieb manages to give their bags an understated aesthetic appeal as well. The panniers are offered in various stylish colorways from neutral black and grey to eye-catching neon hues. We love the yellow for its extra reflectiveness and visibility at night.

The sleek, minimalist look works well on virtually any setup from a road bike to a touring rig. While not flashy, Ortlieb bags have an undeniable classy, professional look perfect for those who prefer function over form. In our opinion, they are some of the best-looking waterproof panniers out there, achieving the ideal balance of aesthetic appeal and technical excellence.

Sincerely, whenever we overload our pannier or pull the strap to tighten it, we comment on the incredible engineering behind Ortlieb panniers. They are worth every penny.

Waterproofing

The waterproofing of Ortlieb panniers seriously never ceases to amaze us. Our kit has quite literally _never_ gotten wet, no matter the weather.

Waterproofing technology

Ortlieb pulls out all the stops to make their panniers 100% waterproof. It starts with their proprietary PS10 polyurethane-coated nylon fabric. The inside of the fabric is laminated with a microporous polyurethane film. This creates billions of tiny pores per square inch that block liquid water molecules while allowing interior condensation to escape.

The PU coating provides a fully waterproof barrier even under pressure. Sealed thermo-welded seams provide a second line of defense by fusing the fabric pieces together into one impenetrable surface. The unique Ortlieb QL2 mounting system also prevents water ingress at the rack contact points.

Additionally, Ortlieb engineered the closures on their bags to be equally water-resistant. The roll-top closure is secured by Velcro and buckles to form a watertight seal when closed properly. The zippers utilize tough water-repellent coils while storm flaps block water spray. Even the fabric overlaps provide redundancy if closures are left open accidentally.

With their defense-in-depth waterproofing approach, it's no wonder Ortlieb confidently backs their panniers with a 5-year warranty against water damage. Rain and river crossings are no concern for these rugged bags; trust us, we've tried it!

Real-world performance

In the real-world, Ortlieb's waterproofing has proven itself repeatedly. The worst rain we experienced was probably when we cycled across Slovenia. It rained solidly for _days_, yet not a single drop got into our panniers.

We've unintentionally pressure-tested the bags (and our own resilience) by crossing streams, covering them with mud up Gordezi Pass in Georgia and they still look and perform good as new. When torrential rain hits, you can pedal confidently knowing your gear will stay bone dry inside.

Durability and Lifespan

We've owned our Ortlieb panniers for more than five years now and in that time they've done a lot.

Practicality for long-term touring

By the time we finish our world tour, our panniers would've been with us for 24,000 miles. How's that for durable! Here's a bit about what makes Ortlieb panniers so resilient.

Ease of use

Ortlieb panniers are designed for utmost ease of use, a useful feature for long expeditions; living our of panniers can be a bit cumbersome and tiring, but Ortlieb do make it as easy as can be.

Their QL2 mounting system allows tool-free attachment and removal in seconds without fumbling while tired or rushed. The single-handed opening from multiple sides is equally convenient when grabbing bags with ease.

The thoughtful design really enhances the overall touring experience. Zoe especially loves the Ortlieb design. Although frame bags are incredible for bikepacking, Zoe much prefers the ease of a one-pull to remove luggage from the bike. Stew is a bit more chilled...

Versatility and adaptability

Equally important is the way in which Ortlieb's panniers handle touring loads. The roll top design means you can adapt the volume for various loads. The more you have, the less you roll. We always aim to get three rolls to keep the panniers waterproof.

The long strap also makes the bag double up as a shoulder bag if you need it to! When we fly we simply remove the mounting bits and take the pannier as our carry-on bag.

The history of Ortlieb

It's fair to say that Ortlieb know a thing or two about durable, waterproof and practical bike kit. Looking at their history in the game, it's no wonder...

The origins of Ortlieb

The Ortlieb brand has its roots in Germany, founded by Hartmut Ortlieb in 1982. Based in Heilsbronn, Ortlieb started out producing seat bags and handlebar bags aimed at touring cyclists.

In the early days, Ortlieb faced challenges breaking into the market dominated by established brands. However, Ortlieb's focus on innovative waterproof designs helped the company carve out a niche.

Milestones and innovations

Over the years, Ortlieb introduced many innovations that transformed bike-packing bags and panniers. In 1984, Ortlieb patented its PS10 roll closure system, providing a watertight seal for bags. The brand was also an early pioneer of welded seams and waterproof coating technologies.

Other key innovations include the QL2 mounting system launched in 1995, making it easy to attach and detach bags. Ortlieb's robust fabric technologies like Cordura also set new standards for durability.

Fun fact, we met someone who was pretty instrumental in developing that QL2 mounting system!

Ortlieb today

Today, Ortlieb is well-established as a leading bike-packing gear brand. While maintaining its quality focus, Ortlieb continues to adapt to emerging cycling trends. Recent innovations include lightweight bags, expandable capacity, and urban cycling features.

Ortlieb's commitment to cutting-edge technology and German precision engineering keeps the brand at the forefront for touring cyclists and bike-packers. The company continues to thrive by sticking to its roots while evolving for the future.

The way I see it, if you see someone riding with Ortlieb panniers, they're probably doing something cool. You should ask them what they're upto.

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