# Panniers ... single or double?



## coffeejo (1 Jul 2011)

Finally getting my arse in gear and researching the different panniers out there but keep reading mixed reviews about whether to get one or two. I don't have a car - shopping trips (inc groceries) have a maximum weight limit of what I can carry whilst walking round the supermarket / town. Am I right in thinking that a load spread between a pair of panniers would be better than just one - even if it is perfectly possible to adapt one's balance?


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## potsy (1 Jul 2011)

The panier fashion police will be after you if you have a single one only Jo


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## Alcdrew (1 Jul 2011)

For many years on my hybrid bike I have had 1 single pannier on the righthand side, however now I have a cyclocross bike the balance feels all wrong with just 1 pannier, so I'm looking to getting 2 smaller ones to balance it back out. So I would say it depends on the bike!


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## coffeejo (1 Jul 2011)

potsy said:


> The panier fashion police will be after you if you have a single one only Jo




I'm on their Top Ten Most Wanted list for a whole host of crimes








Alcdrew said:


> For many years on my hybrid bike I have had 1 single pannier on the righthand side, however now I have a cyclocross bike the balance feels all wrong with just 1 pannier, so I'm looking to getting 2 smaller ones to balance it back out. So I would say it depends on the bike!



So you're not the person to ask when I want some string measured?


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## Crackle (1 Jul 2011)

Nowt wrong with one






Though for shopping I use two.


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## Dayvo (1 Jul 2011)

Doesn't really matter, but TWO for touring (or four if you're doing a round-the-world).


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## HLaB (1 Jul 2011)

I usually use just one pannier and never had an issue with stability there, even with the Ortlieb's filled well over capacity  I think I like buying two, even if I hardly ever need the other one, its just good to have it there for the odd time I do.


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## slowmotion (1 Jul 2011)

I usually have just one on the hybrid. Some people have pointed out that this "single-pannierism" is a perversion and an abomination, but it doesn't bother me. As others have said, you can load up a single pannier quite heavily and you still don't feel unbalanced at all. Strange that.


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## Dan B (1 Jul 2011)

potsy said:


> The panier fashion police will be after you if you have a single one only Jo



It's ok, the pannier fashion police rarely stray from the CTC forum


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## ufkacbln (1 Jul 2011)

Single pannierism is the work of Satan........ Simples!


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## GrumpyGregry (1 Jul 2011)

Odd numbers of panniers are a little odd. One is tolerable. Three downright weird. I once managed five but the fifth wasn't really mine (her rack had broken and one had to do the gallant thing).

The thing with one is that it is okay if it was bought, and better still designed, to be used as a singleton. But if you buy a pair, and then just mount one of a pair, well, that is just wrong.

Now here's the thing.... does anyone ride with a mismatched pair? I have, but was very nearly blackballed by my companions for my pains, and they insisted I ride 100m behind them, and refused to acknowledge me at café stops.


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## _aD (1 Jul 2011)

Once you get a pannier you'll realise how much other stuff you could be carrying. I can assure you, you'll need two :-)


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## HLaB (1 Jul 2011)

GregCollins said:


> Now here's the thing.... does anyone ride with a mismatched pair?



Occasionally, I usually use a Ortlieb Sports packer but when my other one isn't quite large enough I've used my Large Ortlieb Briefcase Pannier on the other side :-)


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## battered (1 Jul 2011)

Buy a pair. I generally run around town with one, the RHS one because I like to annoy motorists who want to pass too close. The other one comes in handy for shopping. I don't know how you get a decent amount of shopping into one pannier, let's be honest, a box of cereal, loaf of bread and a bag of apples and one is full already.


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## Dayvo (1 Jul 2011)

battered said:


> let's be honest, a box of cereal, loaf of bread and a bag of apples and one is full already.




Not surprised! And that's a posh way of saying you're stuffed!


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## corshamjim (1 Jul 2011)

My bike is that heavy I rarely notice the difference having only one pannier.  One pannier only is great if you're going to be wondering around the shops - especially if it converts in to a rucsack. Carrying two panniers around off the bike is a bit of a pita.

My 'money-no-object' favourite pannier for general gadding about is the Arkel Bug.

It looks like they've updated the design and added a range of colours since I got mine too.

http://www.arkelpanniers.co.uk/uk/all-categories/laptop-bicycle-pannier/bug-cummuting-bag-1.html


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## battered (2 Jul 2011)

Took me a while to work that one out. Doh! 

Needless to say I'm not suggesting that you eat a box of cereal, a loaf of bread and a bag of apples all in one go. That would be inpressive, and more than a bit dull as a diet. You wouldn't get fat though.


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## GrumpyGregry (2 Jul 2011)

corshamjim said:


> My bike is that heavy I rarely notice the difference having only one pannier.  One pannier only is great if you're going to be wondering around the shops - especially if it converts in to a rucsack. Carrying two panniers around off the bike is a bit of a pita.
> 
> My 'money-no-object' favourite pannier for general gadding about is the Arkel Bug.
> 
> ...



That website doesn't say a word about choosing the left pannier, but has a whole section on choosing the right one ....


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## numbnuts (2 Jul 2011)

it has to be two it looks odd otherwise


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## Moodyman (2 Jul 2011)

Two definitely


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