With pannier and gear on a bicycle tour
How about the R1 European Cycle Route from Calais to Helsinki by bicycle? Maybe you want to explore the Silk Road via historical trade routes? Or just cycle with your family along a river cycle path? There are many adventures that a bike can take you on. If you don't want to ride with a backpack on your back, you should take a look at luggage transport on your bicycle before you go on a bike trip. Racks and lowriders - i.e. front wheel racks - can be your trunk for everything you want to carry with you on your next tour. The possibilities are endless with a rack and panniers/bag for every situation.
All Racks, Panniers & Bags
Here you will find all the luggage carriers and bags/panniers from our range that will accompany you on long and short journeys, in everyday life and on holiday. Browse through our assortment and be inspired for your next vacation or find out about the various fastening systems for luggage transport on your bike - from the simple hook system such as the Ortlieb Quick-Lock system, which can be attached to any rack model, to special solutions for attaching baskets, crates or other luggage solutions to your bike.
Decrypted: The labyrinth of fastening systems
You might think that racks are pretty mundane. It should sit firmly on the bike and bring your load safely to its destination, be it your luggage on journeys or your shopping in everyday life. If you take a closer look, however, you will quickly see how diverse the market for baggage transport solutions has become. For a while now there has been much more than the classic stay frame with a simple spring clamp that seldom held a basket well between it and the rack. The market is large and diverse requiring you answer this crucial question: Do you want to be able to hang your luggage flexibly on any bike with a luggage carrier or are you looking for a special solution that allows you to attach baskets or suitcase-like bags to your bike securely and stably? The flexibility of hook-style panniers, which can usually be attached to almost any rack using a three-point attachment, is accompanied by the disadvantage that the connection between pannier and carrier is always somewhat susceptible to rattling and wobbling. On cobblestone or rutted country lanes these style bags make themselves noticeable. Although quality manufacturers always offer spare parts for their products, in some situations the decision for a rack system may be inappropriate, especially if the belongings (e.g. sensitive photo or film equipment) are to be fastened as vibration-free as possible or baskets, crates or stable suitcase-like bags are desired. In this case, however, you have to choose one system if you don't want to fall into the compatibility trap all the time.
Here we show you the most common baggage systems and briefly explain how they work. This will help you find your way around the labyrinth of fastening systems more quickly and you can put together the perfect equipment for your next bike trip.
The hook system: flexible and uncomplicated
The most widely used system for panniers is the hook system, which allows it to be attached flexibly to almost any rack. This usually works by means of three hooks which can be moved in their position and which lock around the stays of the racks and are thus fixed in place.
An example of this is the Quick-Lock fastening system from bicycle bag specialist Ortlieb. The system makes it possible to attach the waterproof bags quickly and securely to all common luggage racks with one hand. The self-locking mount opens by lifting the bag by the strap. The weight of the pannier helps here. The Quick-Lock system is now available in three different versions:
Quick-Lock 1 is the classic from the Ortlieb. An Allen key is required to adapt the hook attachment to different rack shapes. The Quick-Lock 2 system can be adapted to different rack designs without tools - very practical when the pannier is to be used on different bicycles. Quick-Lock 3 has been specially developed for office bags with the aim of reducing the number of hooks on the bag so that they do not interfere with carrying. For this purpose, however, a separate mount must be attached to the rack, which is included with these types of bags.
Ortlieb always has a large number of spare parts available so that any defects that may occur to your bags can be repaired easily at any time. In addition, the German manufacturer also supplies other bag brands with its fastening system, such as the English Brooks brand. Other manufacturers have developed their own systems, but these are similar in design and can be attached flexibly to different racks as well.
- Hook system
- Can be mounted left and right on rack
- One-hand operation
- Compatible with all common racks and lowriders
- Good spare parts availability
Racktime SNAPIT
SNAPIT is the fastening system of the Racktime brand and can only be used on their system racks. It is the result of a cooperation between Racktime and Rixen & Kaul. SNAPIT is a four-point attachment in which the pins of an adapter plate attached to the respective bags, baskets or boxes dock precisely into the corresponding counterparts on the rack. With an audible click, the system engages automatically and is then firmly and securely connected to the bicycle. The (usually red) button is raised to release the bag and the respective piece of luggage can be removed to the rear. Optionally, the unlocking mechanism can be secured with a lock to prevent theft. SNAPIT is designed for loads up to 12 kg.
- Four-point pin mount
- Can only be used in combination with Racktime racks
- Adjustable width: With swivel hooks for narrow and wide Racktime racks
- Easy release at the touch of a button
- Lock can be retrofitted
Rixen & Kaul KLICKfix
KLICKfix is an adapter system for fastening bicycle bags/panniers and baskets from Rixen & Kaul. The KLICKfix handlebar adapter was the beginning for the German family business from Solingen, now in its second generation. This first product developed into a whole series of quick-release adapters that can be used to attach a wide variety of accessories to bicycles, from baskets and bags to mobile phones, and can be removed at the touch of a button. Many bag and component manufacturers make use of the KLICKfix quick fastening system, which now also offers solutions for fastening panniers and other bags to rear racks without adapters.
- Click system
- A large number of accessories are equipped with the KLICKfix system
- Push-button release
- The KLICKfix adapter can be mounted on all common racks
- Good spare parts availability
Topeak MTX QuickTrack
MTX QuickTrack™ is the name of Topeak's bicycle bag fastening system. The rail system is easy to operate and designed for attaching the Topeak baskets and bags (TrunkBag) to the rack. The suitcase-like bags are pushed onto the corresponding rail until they audibly snap into place. With an unlocking button the bags can be released again from the rack. Other bags from other manufacturers, such as Ortlieb, can be attached to the side struts of Topeak luggage racks.
- Rail system
- Especially for attaching Topeak baskets and bags
- Push-button release
- Topeak-specific system, not convertible
The classic: Just 'buckle' a strap
Of course, the classic strap fastening is still available. Depending on the manufacturer, the straps are made of leather or synthetic materials, with buckles or hook and loop fasteners. These bags can be attached to the handlebars or rack.
- Belts / straps fasten the bags
- Can be attached to any bike and rack
