Upcycled Bicycle Panniers DIY

by pixiemaster • 3 years ago

132 64 3 years ago

My panniers: a PVC frame + a backpack--

1 inch PVC tubing. Shaped like an H, with the top & bottom as cross-beams as well. about 2.5 feet by 1.5 feet. With one on each side of my back bike rack, Makes it easy to hang a 60 liter backpack on one side, and 30 liter backpack on the other.

uoaei4• 3 years ago

This is awesome but given all the recent talk about microplastics I can't help but think the most environmentally conscious way to employ this plastic is for power generation via incineration.

toss1• 3 years ago

Yes, but this does make a product that is genuinely useful potentially for years, getting away from the single-use scourge, and can still generate power by incineration at EOL.

duncan_idaho• 3 years ago

Reduce, REUSE, Recycle

uoaei4• 3 years ago

True, I just figured a move back toward natural biodegradable materials (canvas, wax) was going to be better overall but with the other comments (LDPE facts especially) I am more comfortable with this out in the world.

chubbnix• 3 years ago

It would probably be better to incinerate the waste plastic after a chance at reuse. LDPE bottles wont be releasing much aside from that cut across the top to form the lid if not cut with a hot knife. Any reuse could prevent someone from buying a bag that most likely would be made from polyester that sheds incredible amounts of microplastics. Reduce, Reuse and finally Recycle.

I am much more concerned about all the rubber particles on the roadways from tires, especially with the new Japanese research that suggests the microplastics in clouds are a rubber product.

NegativeLatency2• 3 years ago

If you compare this to a car wearing through tires it's still much better, you're not actively abrading the plastic containers, they'll last for years.

fsckboy• 3 years ago

employ this plastic is for power generation via incineration

if we're concerned with trying to figure out ways to do efficient carbon capture, why is it a good idea to do carbon release?

getwiththeprog2• 3 years ago

Nice thought, but just as microplastics leech slowly, incineration spreads into the air very quickly.

And no, the filters do not work.

jmspring2• 3 years ago

There have been versions of reusing plastic tubs for bike panniers for years. Here is another example -

https://www.adventurecycling.org/blog/hauling-it-all-make-yo...

pdxpatzer• 3 years ago

here is another one:

https://www.thebikebucket.com/index.html

blacksmith_tb• 3 years ago

One advantage to using the square food-service buckets as panniers is that you can also use them as stools to sit on when they're off the bike, try that with your fancy Ortliebs! They are kind of bulky though, I have generally preferred to stick with the coated fabric commercial panniers (Arkel these days, though I have a couple pairs of beat-up Ortliebs which I have patched up with Sugru).

mikestew• 3 years ago

Okay, what am I missing? I don't know that I've ever seen these containers. I'm in the U. S., are these common containers in other countries? Or do I trip over a half dozen of them on the way to work and just never noticed? The web page implies that the containers are common, so what is their native environment?

analog312• 3 years ago

I've seen kitty litter containers used for this.

Oops, see sibling post.

tastyfreeze• 3 years ago

These containers a common for bulk fluids. Locally I have seen them in restaurants for cooking oil (usually inside a box) and pool water treatment chemicals. I can get as many as I want from the community swimming pool.

lapetitejort• 3 years ago

Do you just walk up and ask for them?

thereisnospork• 3 years ago

They are UN-compliant jugs for shipping liquids. They are also food grade (in at least some flavors) so are suitable for potable water. They can be bought new for ~30 bucks or so from McMaster, presumably less elsewhere.

Really common if your selling/buying anything liquid in > 1 gallon but less than an IBC (those metal framed plastic cubes). So not so much the consumer space, but lots of b2b or industrial supply type places use them. They are also quite rugged so they make a good candidate for reuse.

Angostura• 3 years ago

Don't see them that much here in the UK, but anyone who drives a diesel will probably get their Ad Blu in these things

momirlan• 3 years ago

They are in Romania. Good design, guys !

imp0cat• 3 years ago

Those look very similar to the ones for distilled water, amongst other things.

ska3• 3 years ago

I don't know that I've ever seen these containers. I'm in the U. S.

They are pretty common in both industrial and wholesale contexts, but you aren't going to see them much in retail goods.

You've almost certainly been near a bunch of them.

neilv• 3 years ago

Personally, in the US, I'd go for food-grade plastic. If being frugal, I'd get used food-grade buckets that have only been used for food. For example, I've heard of people requesting empty frosting buckets from cake-decorating stores.

yborg• 3 years ago

Had the same reaction, really like the design but at least in the central US here I've never seen any in any context, even as waste around commercial establishments.

Fezzik• 3 years ago

These look similar to, though much more rigid than, the 5 gallon containers Costco sells bulk cooking oils in (I buy quite a bit of peanut oil for deep frying). Come to think of it, I may give those a try - they are rigid enough to hold gear but flexible and sturdy enough to ratchet down a little bit. Could be a fun project.

Edit: grammars

the_third_wave3• 3 years ago

The 'lanthandel' close to us (Swedish country store, they sell farming necessities as well as food, some ironware and a large scale of oil products) sells oil in bulk in these containers. We use them (cleaned) to carry water to horses, two of them (~50l) fit in a bicycle cart.

jerrycruncher• 3 years ago

This is reminiscent of the coroplast fenders and bike bags that Kent Peterson has been making for years:

https://kentpeterson.substack.com/p/coroplast-handlebar-bag

http://www.carsstink.org/peterson/FendForYourself.html

discard_0000001• 3 years ago

It's probably possible to use replacement ortlieb latches for a more secure rack connection (fully closed latch instead of hang-on) with quick release.

For example: https://www.ortlieb.com/usa_en/ql1-hooks-16-mm-with-adjustab...

jrockway• 3 years ago

Those are nice. I remember using my first set of panniers about 20 years ago; they did not have this locking mechanism, I went over a bump, and all of my groceries spilled all over the street. I ordered a set of Ortleib panniers a few minutes later, and have not been disappointed in the intervening 20 years.

NegativeLatency2• 3 years ago

Feels like a copy of the original: http://thebikebucket.com/index.html

scottlamb• 3 years ago

I love the design considerations they described here: <https://rackhackers.com/diy-pannier-parts-kit/>. In some ways it even sounds superior to my Ortlieb Back-Roller Classic panniers. [1] In particular: the Ortlieb Quick-Lock2.1 might not be quite as snug at the bottom (it's just a plastic hook), and the roller bags' straps can have a loose section depending on how full it is and how much care you've taken to get it right.

[1] https://www.ortlieb.com/en_us/back-roller-classic+F5301

nikau• 3 years ago

Best option with ortliebs is to add a second hook which stops any chance of the hook jumping out over rough terrain

Too• 3 years ago

Well, it doesn’t look bad for what it is. But I can’t see how this beats the ortlieb, other than cost and availability. They can really be put on and off in a single motion and still be secure. There is no need for a permanently attached mount on the bike. How would I even get my hand in between the bag and the wheel to tighten that grip? Without getting dirty?. The mount appear to have sharp metal edges exposed when the bag is not attached. Will the lid be tight from water coming underneath? When biking it’s not just rain from above.

Ortlieb has other variants of the bag that are easier to open without loose straps. If you are happy with requiring a special mount only for your own bike there is the 3.1 series with even more snug fit and less protruding hooks on the bag.

rngname22• 3 years ago

I have some Watershed drybags that I really love that I want to figure out the best way to use as bicycle panniers, does anyone have suggestions?

This is the model: https://www.drybags.com/product/assault-pack/

The backpack straps are removable and the bag rolls down quite a bit like most rolltops do. I think the loops where the waist strap is fed through may be a good attachment point but part of me thinks I'd need almost need side baskets or netting or a harness on either side of the rear rack that could just accept a a large bag without the bag itself having any great attachment points.

bunabhucan• 3 years ago

Ortlieb sells most of the hardware to fix a rubber bag to attach to a rack as spare parts. Alternatively buy a used Ortlieb pannier and use the parts as a donor. The "trick" is having a stiff "plate" inside the bag for the mating hardware and bag to all attach to. You need to be very focused on heel clearance with a soft bag, ideally clinching straps pulls the bag corner nearest your heel taut. Also be careful of the location of the shoulder straps when the bag is mounted on the bike, I had the lugnut on a dublin bus inching forward in traffic pull off a strap. They need to stay out of your spokes but also not hang out to catch on passing vehicles either.

Or just buy an ortlieb with the backpack kit.

Fricken• 3 years ago

There is a variety of cargo cages on the market designed to support drybags on the forks, however the majority require that your forks have the proper mounts:

https://bikepacking.com/index/cargo-cages-anything-bags/

nicbou• 3 years ago

Since they ship a few parts, how does the environmental impact compare to buying new bags from Decathlon, or used ones on a classified ads website? The latter seems like a better option to me.

ulnarkressty• 3 years ago

They look interesting but are they durable? I can see the bolts ripping through the plastic if riding in rough terrain. All panniers that I've used have the mounting points reinforced so that they are not loaded in only a couple of places.

abeppu• 3 years ago

How does this plastic do with UV exposure over time? How does it fail?

E.g. I made the mistake of using some plastic bins to store plant-related stuff on a mostly-shaded corner of my balcony. One day, when I tried to pick one up, the portion of the lip I grabbed just broke off under pretty light pressure; the whole thing had become weak and brittle. I would hate for a pannier to fall apart and dump whatever I'm carrying at some point in the future when I hit a bump or something.

mongol• 3 years ago

"High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) is an ethylene-based polymer plastic which is created by exposing petroleum to extreme heat and pressure. It’s among the most commonly used plastics worldwide, and in addition to UV resistance ..."

https://protoplastics.com/uv-resistant-plastics/

strken• 3 years ago

From experience, the 20L HDPE water cubes will last years in direct sunlight.

Might need to use bigger washers around the anchor points in this design? I imagine the holes would be the weakest points, and increasing the contract area would spread the stress out over more plastic.

benbojangles• 3 years ago

I must have like 20+ of these containers on my allotment. These canniers could help transport my garden equipment, tools, and plants nicely on my daily ride to the garden plot.

wly_cdgr• 3 years ago

The things itself is cool enough, I just wish they weren't so comically pretentious and holier-than-thou in presenting it.

brenainn• 3 years ago

Reminds of me of strapping a milk crate to the back of your motorbike or scooter. In Australia at least, it seems stranger to me to see a Honda CT110 without a milk crate bungee strapped to the back than with.

pxtail• 3 years ago

I simply don't get it - is this just to show off, to be ostensibly and pretentiously 'green'? Why should I strap big, ugly, bulky, noisy, inconvenient garbage to my bicycle instead of buying and using something actually practical and convenient? I mean isn't bicycling to grocery store and back with regular panners already "enough" and even much more compared to let's say Ursula von den Leyen taking private jet to fly 30 miles?

xtiansimon2• 3 years ago

“I simply don't get it … instead of buying…”

You’re talking like a consumer, but the title says DIY. So the target audience is makers. You might as well ask why people make things for their bikes rather than buy.

Not for nothing, I have a motorcycle and go moto camping. I have panniers, but needed a way to carry firewood or additional luggage. So I made a luggage rack out of a MOLLE synthetic frame [1]. It works great…so far. Could be it’s own website. And you might ask if I’m a military nut, but it’s just materials.

In the DIY community you may get satisfaction from finding a ready-made object which is well made and also slated for the trash heap. Long before it was fashionable and hip to call this enlightened social response, there was simply utility and economic kudos, like you might find on a rural farm.

[1] https://www.reddit.com/r/MotorcycleLogistics/comments/xp0rs1...

getwiththeprog2• 3 years ago

Buying is too easy. You gotta make stuff to be cool.

the_third_wave3• 3 years ago

While I do somewhat agree in that they seem to make a big deal out of something which has been done in many ways by many people for many years already I do have to point out that these types of practical DIY projects are far more useable than any factory-made bike bags. They fit more stuff, they are cheaper and if they ever get damaged or destroyed you simply make another one/pair instead of having to buy something new.

The fancy presentation of this project/product fits with the 'cycling for the planet' crowd while the actual concept of strapping a pair of 25l cans to the carrier is more in line with those who use their bikes because that is just what they've always done without any thoughts of 'enough' or 'climate' or 'environment' or 'virtue'.

the_third_wave3• 3 years ago

When I went to school in the late 70's in the Netherlands I had a Curver 'Unibox' [1] strapped to the back of my bike, in the beginning using bungee cords but later in more refined way using eyelets screwed into the holes where wheels are meant to be mounted on those boxes. Some of the more insecure kids tried to make fun of me with my 'bakfiets' but that never came to anything. Instead of having to strap m bag to the back of the bike for the daily 34 km migration (17km there, 17km back) I could just drop it in the back.

I still have a crate of some sorts on most of my bikes, ranging from a large wooden vegetable crate on one to something like that 'Unibox' on my daily ride. A bike is just so much more handy with one of those.

[1] https://www.gamma.nl/assortiment/curver-unibox-30l-classic-z...

Upcycled Bicycle Panniers DIY

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