Ortlieb panniers

Tried and tested, Ortlieb's Classic range of heavyweight panniers have been perfect for the profusion of torrential downpours, sandstorms and every other condition that's been thrown at us. Leant regularly against mileposts, trees and walls, they've stood up well to the inevitable day to day abrasion. 100 percent waterproof, we've never had to worry about the paraphernalia of electronic gear we carry. The excellent reflectors kept us visible at dusk.

Due to the limited space capacity of a tandem, we've run two larger ' rear', bags at the front, an Ortlieb holdall strapped to the rear panniers and an Ortlieb canoe bag bungied on top. Together with the excellent and rugged bar bag, perfect for an SLR camera, it's proved a good combination. Due to the heavy handling of a fully loaded tandem, we tried to keep our bulkier, lightweight possessions up front, balancing Rosal's lighter body weight with the heavier camping equipment, books and spares stowed at the back.

One point we've noticed recently is that the XT skewer on the front hub has started to wear through the back of the pannier on the lever side. This could be due to the fact that the panniers are designed to be carried on a rear rack which is set higher than a front rack - we believe Ortlieb's smaller front panniers have a hard plastic panel to prevent this. As a solution, we have added an Ortlieb patch to the worn area as an extra layer, which has worked fine.

The panniers themselves are easy to repair in the event of broken bolts and straps, and spare clips are available. Ours, however, have been more than durable enough for the ride.