Everybody Loves a Lovely Bicycle

Sometimes, between trying to squeeze in 30-mile rides, obsessing about components and taking close-ups for product reviews, I forget the big picture: Beautiful bicycles can lift our spirits.



These two ladies areIsha Ware and Caroline Robinson, from the neighborhood, and they reminded me of why I like bicycles in the first place.



Today I fitted my bikeMarianne with a very funky new set of dressguards (from Simeli) and dragged her outside to photograph. On three separate occasions, women walking down the street stopped to ask me about the bicycle. They were clearly happy to see such a bike - eccentric and undeniably "girly", with a colourful "thingie" on the wheel, flowers on the handlebars, and a shiny bell. Isha (pictured above) was wearing an outfit that was the exact same colour as Marianne's frame, and so naturally this had to be documented.



One young woman (not pictured here) told me that she wanted to buy a bicycle, but found bike shops to be male-oriented and intimidating. I remember lots of stories like this from 1-2 years ago, but I thought that things were a lot better now. Apparently they are not completely better; at least not yet. One of my main goals for Lovely Bicycle, is that ladies who have been disappointed or intimidated by bike shops can find the information they are looking for here.



A nice bicycle can make even people who are not into bicycles at all - just people who are passing by - smile and want to pet it. The very form of a nicely designed bicycle is welcoming; the texture of its components inviting. Maybe it's a "woman thing". Or maybe it's universal. But it sure is nice. Lovely bicycles for all!

Jacqueline in the Light of Day

Hopefully these daylight pictures of Jacqueline will do her more justice than the blurry ones from the previous night. These were taken yesterday in my courtyard. I rode her around Vienna all day in a state of disbelief. She rides wonderfully and the folding basket-panniers are amazingly functional. It does not matter what I am wearing, what I am carrying, and where I need to go - this bicycle is ready for anything.

As mentioned previously, Jacqueline is a lady's Steyr Waffenrad - which is one of the oldest (if not the oldest?) Austrian bicycle manufacturers. In my previous post someone commented that this is "the Austrian version of a Dutch bike", but while it's true that these are generally referred to as "Hollandrads", I do not think that is really the case. Waffenrad was established in 1895, and was influenced by the British roadster manufacturer BSA rather than by anything from the Netherlands. It later became a generic name used to describe a certain kind of bike, and the most popular manufacturer of these was Steyr. I have been told that at one point Austria had over 180 bicycle manufacturers. Sadly, most are no longer in business.

Jacqueline is a 1980s model, though its components are from a variety of time periods. The frame design is a "swan frame": The downtube curves around the front wheel and the top tube forms a complimentary curve. Put together, they form a "swan's neck" shape.

To my eye, the lugwork on the headtube resembles swan as well, though I may be imagining things.

Lugged connector between the downtube and the toptube.

Is the bicycle equivalent of "hood ornament" a "fender ornament"? This bike has one in the shape of a wing-like art deco "W" - appropriated from a German Wanderer bicycle.
Both the headlight and tail light are dynamo powered. I have never ridden a bike with a bottle dynamo (only hub), and based on what I'd heard about old dynamo bottles I expected it to be pretty bad. In fact it works splendidly. There is a distinct hissing sound of the bottle rubbing the tire, but it does not feel any harder to pedal. To de-activate the light during daytime, simply push the bottle sideways away from the tire. To activate it at night, press the release switch and it pops back into place. Easiest lighting system I've ever used, and the bottle feels extremely durable.

The beautiful tear-drop tail light. I very much want one of these for one of my bikes. You can see the little wire coming out from under the fender and running along the rusty stay, zip tied to it. The winged "W" logo is once again from a Wanderer, though the fender itself is native. Notice the holes that have been drilled into the fender for the original dressguards. You can also see the double kickstand (I prefer this one to the Pletscher) and the rear coaster brake hub. It is not a Sturmey Archer; in fact I saw no markings on it at all.

The coaster brake functions extremely well, but the front (hub) brake is mostly decorative - It works when you're stopped at an intersection and want to prevent the bicycle from rolling forward, but doesn't really make an impact when the bicycle is in motion. The coaster brake is plenty though, and I quickly got into the habit of simply ignoring the front brake lever. The hub gears are operated via the "Torpedo" shifter. The gears are widely spaced, similar to the Sturmey Archer AW hub on my Raleigh. Parts of Vienna are quite hilly and I anticipated using the 1st gear a lot - if not getting off the bike altogether in some areas. But to my surprise, I have mostly been using the 3rd and 2nd gears. I by no means have legs of steel, but old 3-speed hubs seem to be magically versatile.

The handlebars are what people today usually refer to as "Porteur" style, but actually they are similar to the version of North Roads that are put on Raleighs with rod brakes. The bar is mostly flat, with the grip areas curving sharpishly upwards and towards the rider. I prefer these to the classic North Road/Albatross bars, which are curvier and more flared to the sides. The plain grips are also surprisingly comfortable. That stuff in front of the handlebars is a folded-up front rack, with a beefy cable lock hanging off it. It all looks like a tangled mess here, but I find it a very comfortable set-up.

Here is the view from the front, with the rack unfolded. The rack is bolted to the stem and strapped to the handlebars with aged leather belts. It is not supported enough to carry heavy loads, but it is a convenient place for things like extra layers of clothing that might be removed and then put back on during a ride.

The rear basket panniers, on the other hand, can pretty much take anything you want to put in them. My large work bag fits into these perfectly, as do grocery bags (2 in each). The ride quality is hardly effected when the basket panniers are loaded. I think I need to install these on one of my bikes. The tires are 28" cream Schwalbe Delta Cruisers, just like on my Raleigh at home. They roll fabulously and swallow cobblestones without a peep - wonderful.

The one thing I would change about this bicycle is the saddle (just looking at these plush Selle Royals is painful!), but that of course is an easy fix (if only I'd brought one of my vintage Brooks from home!). Ideally, I would also like a full chaincase - but the chainguard here has been effective so far.

Overall, I feel that every part of this beautifully rusty bicycle has been extremely well thought out by its owner Wolfgang. Everything from the puncture resistant tires, to the super-stable kickstand, to the self-sustaining lighting set-up, to the roomy collapsible panniers, has a feel of perfectly functional design to it. I love Jacqueline. How will I give her back?

2 Raincoats: Nau Succinct Trench and Lululemon Ride On Rain Jacket

It's been raining here all week, so the timing seems right to review some raincoats. For three years now I've been looking for a lightweight, waterproof, breathable raincoat that works well on a city bike, but found nothing. Now I've suddenly come across two. On the left is the Succinct Trench by Nau, purchased by me a few months ago via a discount website. On the right is the Ride On Rain Jacket by Lululemon, sent to me for review by the manufacturer. Both raincoats fit my requirements well.






The Lululemon "Ride On" Rain Jacket is a rather avant-garde looking raincoat that hits a few inches above the knees in the front and an inch or so below the back of the knees in the rear. It has the same Edwardian theme as the blazer reviewed earlier, but here it is consistent and harmonious throughout the garment. The jacket is very thin and feels suitable for temperatures in the mid 40°s - mid 70°s Fahrenheit.





The jacket is waterproof and breathable,lined with a soft, thin fabricthroughout. Lululemon uses cryptic proprietary names to describe their fabrics, and the stuff this jacket is made of is called "atmosphere." It is crinkly and easy to scrunch up and stuff into a pannier when not in use. It weighs very little. An inner drawcord at the waist makes the fit of this jacket adjustable. Overall the fit is pretty loose, but tightening the drawcord gives it a tailored, flattering look. Another drawcord controls the hem.





When the hem is let out, it is pretty flowy. Tightening the drawcord offers better protection from the rain.






The sleeves are extra long, featuring cuffs with reflective detailing.






There is an inner and an outer zipper, the purpose of which I do not entirely understand. Lululemon calls this a "double zipper." However, neither of them are two-way, and the jacket cannot be unzipped from the bottom.






The front pockets have smallish zippered openings outlined with reflective ribbon They are very roomy inside and are lined with a soft, pleasant fabric. There is also an inner pocket.





The collar zips up high and can be used in leu of a scarf. The hood is large enough to fit over a bicycle helmet, of so desired. It is is adjustable via a drawstring, but is not detachable.







TheLululemon "Ride On" Rain Jacket works well for cycling because it is lightweight, waterproof, breathable, stretchy, makes minimal rustling noise, has longer than standard sleeves, and provides good rain coverage via a combination of its length and drawcord hem. At the same time it is sufficiently elegant to wear as part of an everyday, non-technical wardrobe. As far as criticisms: I found the fit of the hood to be less than optimal, with a slight tendency to obscure my peripheral vision unless I move it out of the way or push it back a bit. Hi-viz lovers might be disappointed by the subtlety of the reflective details, but this jacket is also available in orange (and black). The $298 price tag may or may not be a deal breaker, depending on what you are used to. And of course the flowing, Edwardian style is not everyone's cup of tea. Would I have bought this jacket for myself? Not at full retail price, but yes if it went on sale and if I did not already own the Nau trench (see below). After this review I will be giving it away locally. You can read another review of this jacket by Dottie on Let's Go Ride a Bike.




The Nau Succinct Trenchresembles a classic Barbour-style English field coat. It hits mid-thigh and is gently tailored at the waist. Made of an ultra-thin shell material, it is waterproof, breathable and lightweight,suitable for temperatures in the mid40°s - mid 70°s Fahrenheit. The fabric is described as "recycled polyester."






The jacket shown here is the model and the colour of the current model is a little different: The latter has black buttons instead of silver and a very subtle black-on-black plaid pattern. In all other ways they are the same (I asked the manufacturer).







The Nau trench is simple, compact and decidedly utilitarian in design. Those who do not like to fuss with drawcords and adjust things back and forth, will enjoy its intuitive versatility.






The two-way zipper and rear vent make it easy to adjust the width of the hem for pedaling, walking, and other activities .





The roomy, covered pockets feature both zip and snap closure, allowing both easy access of weather-proofing.





The stand-up collar can be buttoned up to protect the neck from rain and wind, or let out.






The waist is adjustable.




Only the upper 3rd of the trench is lined, reducing weight and bulk.






The detachable, visored hood features both a zipper,snap closure and a hidden draw-cord, allowing for a number of micro-adjustments for optimal fit.





The NauSuccinct Trench works well for cycling because it is lightweight, waterproof, breathable, easy to move in, makes minimal rustling noise, has longer than standard sleeves, and provides coverage of the derriere and upper thighs. A classic design, it is sufficiently elegant to wear as part of an everyday, non-technical wardrobe and is unlikely to go out of style over the next few years. The detachable hood offers extra versatility, and does not obscure peripheral vision. As far as criticisms: Making the trench slightly longer would provide better rain coverage for cyclists. Adding a few reflective elements will be attractive to those who require that their rain jacket be hi-viz. Personally I would love to see this jacket in a classic colour other than black - for instance olive green. The $275 price tag may or may not be a deal breaker, depending on what you are used to. I bought mine for 40% off via a discount retailer at the end of last season, and those who find the retail price too high can always wait, stalk, and do the same.



I find both the Nau Succinct Trench and the Lululemon Ride on Rain Jacket to be flattering, practical, and cycling-appropariate, assuming that you ride an upright bike and are looking for a raincoat that is suitable as everyday clothing. The Lululemon jacket is probably the more stylish of the two considering current trends, but it is also the more likely to look dated a couple of years down the road. For me, that skews things in favour of the Nau trench, but others' preferences may differ. Both raincoats are good examples of cycling-appropriate apparel. By comparison, my older raincoat is considerably bulkier and more constricting on the bike. I am glad to have finally found a replacement.

First Alpine route - Paciencia 8a, Eiger nordwand

On the crux of Paciencia, Eiger north face. All photos thanks to the talentedAlexandre Buisse




June and July were some of the most busy and challenging days of my life, none of which involved any climbing. The death of my father Norman was not a good time. Not wishing to talk about it much more on this, my climbing blog, all I should say is that at least I was able time to spend time with him first.




There wasn’t much time before other life events called for action. Claire, Freida and I moved house. Just ‘round the corner’ to Roybridge. We now have a great base for Freida growing up and it was a pleasure to put my back into working on it and preparing it for my family. Each day, I got up early, worked until the wee small hours and repeat…




So my planned trip to the alps with Calum Muskett crept up on me. I’d done next to no climbing for several weeks with everything that had gone on. A few fingerboard sessions, a couple of TCA sessions, that’s it. I could still one arm a first joint edge. But endurance was nil.











Here mate, is that the Eiger?




When I started to drive south from the highlands, the extent of the problem with this started to dawn on me, since our discussed objectives were basically a list of the hardest routes in the alps. Top of the list was Paciencia, the hardest route on the north face of the Eiger. First freed in by Ueli Steck and then repeated just once by David Lama in . Reading Lama’s blog made me wince. He rated it one of the hardest routes in the alps and said he was utterly exhausted by the time he reached the top. Although the pitch grades don’t too bad; 6b, 6a, 6a+, 7c, 7c, 7a, 8a, 7a+, 6b+, 6a+, 6a+, 7c, 7c+, 7b, 7a, 6a, 7a+, 7c, 7a, 6c+, 6b, 6b, 6c+ Many of the pitches are tad on the sandbag side. For instance, one of the 6b+s we thought translated to E4 6b.




On paper it was completely ridiculous for me to go near it. However, predictably, after meeting Calum in Chamonix we decided in about 2 minutes we’d head straight to the Eiger for the first route. It would also be my first alpine route.









Another great 7c pitch, full of north face atmosphere




A day later we were scrambling up the classic 1938 route to the foot of Paciencia. It was misty, damp and cold and after a drippy bivi I woke up ready to fail. Thankfully, our intention was just to have a recce and get our bearings on the Eiger. That day we hung about on the first few 7c and 8a pitches and I tried to give myself as big a workout as possible. I achieved that goal with ease.




I wasn’t sure about going back up. Perhaps it would be better to do a few easier routes first? I couldn’t think of a good way to even suggest that to Calum, who is already an accomplished alpinist, just a couple of years younger than me at 19. So we went back up, taking the photographer Alexandre Buisse with us for the first day. After soloing back up the 38 route in the afternoon we bagged the first few 7c pitches before dark and settled into our bivi, ready to go for the 8a in the morning. The morning however, was mostly spent melting snow to fuel some serious tea drinking on our ledge. Once we got started, we both dispatched the brilliant 8a pitch with much enjoyment. What an amazing pitch in spectacular surroundings.









Calum on the rather thin first 7c pitch




Our clear objective was for both of us to free the entire route with no falls, whether leading or seconding. All of the many 7b and 7c pitches were very hard to onsight, as we already knew from reading David Lama’s account. So we decided to give ourselves three full days to climb to the top since we would need the extra time for both of us to succeed on each of the 23 pitches. When we reached the second bivi below the Czech Pillar, we spent the following day both climbing the hard pitches that followed, before descending for one more night on the ledge. Both of us were tired that day, and I almost fell right at the end of a 7c+ pitch, where I knew Lama had also fallen. I knew I didn’t have the energy for another go within the hour, so I just held on like my life depended on it when a foothold broke 4 moves from the belay ledge. While Calum worked on the pitch, a helicopter appeared, hovering close by. The door opened and a long lens popped out and took some pictures of us. I thought to myself, that doesn’t happen in Scotland.









8a, or more tea?




We rose at 6am the next morning both feeling rather better than anticipated. Just as well, since the first task was to jung and haul the bag back to our highpoint before commencing the final 8 pitches, including one more of those nasty 7cs right near the top. We both climbed strongly on that pitch and we carried on that momentum all the way to the end, pulling into sunshine at 6pm on the top. The crux was yet to come for me however. I’d had blisters on my toes from wearing boots that didn’t fit my feet on the recce day. Nearly 4 days in my rockshoes had made them considerably worse. The walk back down to Grindelwald was a teeth gritter. Of course, now I’m sitting in a cafe the next day, everything feels better.









I learned a lot some new beta on big walling tactics from Calum, and was certainly inspired by his confidence, backed up with skill and problem solving ability. He took the route very much in his stride, as I’m sure he will many more harder routes. Thanks to Ueli Steck and Stefan Siegrist for opening the route. It must’ve taken a lot of effort.




So, where’s my boulder mat...

Rodney, the Distinguished Older Gentleman

Though I was very happy to reclaim the Raleigh Lady's Sports from my parents' house, doing so created a distinct velo disbalance betwen myself and the Co-Habitant. Clearly my Lady needed a Gentleman. Well, with New England being Vintage Bicycle Heaven, it did not take long for the right Gentleman to come along.

Meet Rodney, the Raleigh Roadster! According to the date on the hub, he was produced in 1972.

Rodney is a tall gentleman, with a 24" frame and 28" wheels. The Co-Habitant likes big bikes, and one of the reasons he chose the Roadster over the Sport is the larger frame size and wheels.


Original Sturmey-Archer 3-speed hub. Like all Raleigh Roadsters, this one has rod brakes. They look wonderful and are simple to maintain. But rod brakes make me uneasy, because they have close to zero stopping power in the rain.

The original Raleigh grips have been replaced with cork grips, which will soon be shellacked. A Japanese bell was added.

The Brooks B72 saddle had hardened with age, but it has now been treated and laced. The bicycle itself was in great shape. No parts needed to be replaced. Cosmetically Rodney looks excellent. The vintage black saddlebag was included in the purchase. CatEye Opticube LED Bike Light have been added (see front wheel).

The Co-Habitant says that the vintage Raleigh Roadster feels considerably lighter and "sportier" than his Pashley Roadster Sovereign. The Pashley, however, is a more comfortable ride (and can be safely ridden in the rain).

What a gorgeous pair of Roasters he now has, old and new! And the velo-balance in our household has been restored.

Featured

Yesterday I was pleased to learn that my mad little velo-world was featured in an article called "Bicycle Glamour: Everyday Cycling vs. Competitive Sport" on deepglamour.net. This was most unexpected - first, because Deep Glamour is not a bicycle-related publication, but even more so because I am familiar with the author's writing.

Deep Glamour is a weblog run by Virginia Postrel, who is a contributing editor of the Atlantic Monthly and the author of several books including The Substance of Style: How the Rise of Aesthetic Value Is Remaking Commerce, Culture, and Consciousness. I like Ms. Postrel's work very much, and so you can imagine how nice it was to discover that she wrote about my website. To my further delight, the article mentioning Lovely Bicycle was not only interesting in itself, but quoted me properly and did not distort the meaning of my words. I've had bad experiences with journalists in my non-bicycle life, and frankly I expect the worst when anything is written about me in publications - so Hurray for journalistic integrity!
Deep Glamour is a cultural commentary blog that "explores the magic of glamour in its many manifestations" - something I suspect many of my readers might find appealing. I appreciate Ms. Postrel's writing about bicycles in the way they deserve to be written about - in the context of glamour and romance.

Pannier Mounting Systems Compared: Ortlieb, Arkel, Basil and Fastrider

As I've mentioned earlier, I am considering getting a custom commuter pannier made to accommodate all of my bikes, including those with short chainstays and small racks. And I've been looking at different quick-release mounting systems in attempts to determine which one would be most suitable for such a project. I'd already tried Basil and Fastrider panniers, but not many others. So I stopped by the Wheelworks, in Somerville, MA and asked to examine and photograph the panniers they had in stock, which they most graciously allowed me to do. I now bring you a comparison of several different mounting systems, which I hope you will find useful.



Ortlieb panniers are made in Germany. They are waterproof, rugged and distinctly utilitarian-looking. I found myself attracted to this neon-yellow pannier and I think it actually looks kind of good on my Gazelle. But still, overall the design is not really for me.



The mounting system, on the other hand, is fantastic. Most of the currently produced Ortlieb panniers use the QuickLock2 (QL2) system, which accommodates the stout tubing of traditional Dutch and Roadster racks, and is extremely simple to use.



The QL2 mounting system consists of a top rail with hooks and a lower support hook - both of which are adjustable without the need for tools.



The top hooks release automatically when you pull the handle, and close around the rack's tubing when you let go of the handle. The placement of the hooks on the rail can be easily adjusted, as can the position of the rail itself. This comes in handy for those planning to use the same pannier on multiple bikes with different racks: Depending on the spacing of the perpendicular slats on the rack, and depending on the length of the bike's chainstays, the adjustability allows you to control the pannier's positioning. While the top hooks alone are enough to secure the pannier to the rack, the lower hook will prevent it from moving altogether. If only this great system was attached to more classic-looking bags! How about an olive satchel with brown trim, Ortlieb?



Arkel panniers are made in Quebec, Canada. The look is similarly utilitarian, though the styling is distinctly different from that of Ortlieb. The design of the bags doesn't really speak to me, but again these things are a matter of taste. While Ortlieb makes it difficult to purchase their complete mounting kit, Arkel sells it readily - which makes it a good resource for those looking to make custom panniers with a reliable and well tested mounting system.



Arkel's Cam-Lock attachment system works similarly to Ortlieb's QL2, in that there is a top rail with adjustable hooks that release via lifting the handle, and a lower hook added for stability. However, the hardware is aluminum (Ortlieb's is plastic), and the lower hook is attached via a bungee cord. Tools are required to adjust the position of the hooks on the track. To my eye, the Arkel system looks kind of rough in comparison to Ortlieb and takes a bit longer to figure out. Also, the aluminum hooks have sharp-ish edges and I could see them scratching up the paint on a rack.



However, the bigger problem is that the Arkel hooks are not large enough to fit over the tubing of my Gazelle's rack. I am certainly glad to have discovered this before having a custom pannier made using this mounting system. Looks like Arkel is just not an option for me.



I have already described how the DutchFastrider panniers work in my review of the one I own, but will reiterate here - as well as say that the more I use this pannier, the more I appreciate its design.



The Fastrider mounting system features 3 heavy duty hooks that are plastic with metal bolts and springs. The central hook closes all the way around the rack's tubing, and the two outside hooks are for additional weight support. While the distance between hooks is not adjustable, the outside hooks pivot - which means that they can be mounted even on the curved portions of a rack, allowing for greater versatility of placement.



Here is what I mean by that. Notice that the left hook is attached to the curved rear portion of the small constructeur rack quite comfortably. Though there is no additional lower support hook like in the Ortlieb or Arkel systems, I find Fastrider's 3 hook attachment to be quite secure, with minimal swaying. For a commuting pannier, it is certainly sufficient. And the hooks are versatile enough to fit both skinny and stout rack tubing - perfect! Unfortunately, Fastrider products are not widely available in North America at the moment. The Bicycle Muse carries a few of the shopper panniers, but not the entire line.



Basil, on the other hand, is a Dutch manufacturer whose panniers are now easily available in North America. Their bags range from classic to utilitarian to quirky and they offer a great deal of choice.



This is what the mounting system looks like: Two hooks that may be either alloy or plastic (I can't tell) with a strip of velcro in the middle.The hooks are wide, non-pivotable, and the distance between them is not adjustable - which makes them incompatible with some racks. Like on the Fastrider, there is no lower support hook - which, again, I think is just fine for commuting if the upper hooks are sufficiently secure.



I also like it that the Basil's system is designed with a zipper flap that covers the hooks when they are not being used. The panniers look like regular bags when not on the bike, and the hooks won't catch on your clothing as you carry them.



But to be honest, I find it difficult to trust the Basil mounting system, because it seems to me that their design causes the hooks to be stressed every time they are used: The hooks have to be spread when attached to the rack, and spread again when detached.Is that not bound to cause fatigue when done over and over again? It does not help that I saw a couple of Basil panniers with broken hooks in local bike shops back in and have read comments from a few owners reporting the same experience (see, for example, here and here). To be fair, the majority of Basil owners I know are happy with their panniers. But I'd have a difficult time trusting my laptop to their mounting system.



Another brand of panniers I've been seeing lately is Bontrager- an American manufacturer affiliated with Trek.Their city pannier (above) resembles the Basil Mirtemodel, and features a similar mounting system.



As I understand it, these hooks will only fit Bontrager racks, or racks with similar tubing.



And finally, there is the hooks + bungee system used by OYB (see review here). Swift Industries, Axiom, and Jandd use similar configurations, but with larger hooks.



This system consists of two open metal top hooks that attach to the rack's platform, and a bungeed S-hook that attaches to a lower part of the rack. All three hooks must be used in order for the pannier to hold up securely, as the top hooks don't wrap all the way around the rack's tubing.



Depending on the size of the hooks, they may or may not fit your rack's tubing. Since both the hooks and bungees are readily obtainable in a hardware store, this method can be a great DIY solution. But keep in mind that if you use small hooks and a thin bungee cord, the system will not support a great deal of weight.



I know that there are other quick-release pannier mounting systems out there, and if you have one to recommend (or one to warn against), your comments would be most welcome. We all have different requirements and preferences that will inform what we consider to be our ideal system, and for me the best option seems to be Ortlieb, followed by Fastrider. Their mounting systems are easy to use, secure, and will fit racks with a variety of tubing diameters - from heavy duty transport racks to skinny constructeur contraptions. If I were making a pannier from scratch, I'd try to get my hands on either their mounting kits... though looking into it, this has proven to be no easy task! Ortlieb sells some, but not all of the parts needed to assemble a full QL2 kit, and I've not yet been able to determine whether Fastrider sells just the hooks alone. Will keep you updated with news on that front, and in the meanwhile I hope this comparison has been helpful.



Thank you again to theWheelworksfor allowing me to photograph the Ortlieb, Arkel, and Bontrager panniers.