Banjo Brothers Saddlebag Panniers

Had to switch from from my old Banjo Brothers Saddle pannier to this one because the style was changed. Not as big as my previous one from the same company. It is new and cannot really say the durability. The previous one was extremely durable. Shopped a lot before purchasing this one.

I wanted some storage on my bike that was easy to take on and off and that didn't require I purchase a particular rack for it to work with. This fits the bill and I am happy with it but for a few issues w/ regard to how it attaches to my bike rack. It seems to be overall quite well made and is roomy and easy enough to carry loaded for short distances.The functional size of this is bigger than I expected from the pictures. I can easily fit my lunch and a folded up tweed jacket in one side w/ plenty of room to spare and then my u-lock and metal cable for the back wheel barely make a dent in the other side's storage so there's plenty of room for spare tubes, a small pump, etc. Plus there are little pockets on each side that I use to store a couple bike tools. It is wide enough that a six pack of bottles or cans sits in the bottom nicely and significantly longer and taller than that. I also have no trouble throwing my helmet in there after I've taken it off the bike.The problem with it is that the means of attaching it to the bike rack leaves something to be desired. (You can find a pdf on the Banjo Brothers website that shows how this is done.) It works but I feel like I have to fiddle w/ it nearly every day and even then there is a danger of it coming apart.The little hooks you install to lash it down w/ had holes that were too small for the screws that were supposed to hold them on my bike. I had to put them in a vice and drill them out before installing them. This one time effort would be no big deal if the system worked great otherwise but there is also an issue w/ the strap that holds the sides of the bag to your bike frame. It is easy for it to come out of the little guides that hold it in place which is an inconvenience but worse than that is part of the strap is just a thick coated elastic band that's just tied in a knot. On my bike, this band is not quite long enough to both have a solid knot tied and have the strap be long enough on both sides to attach to the bike frame. I make it work but if I forget to check it every couple rides, it can and does come apart, which is potentially disastrous.Eventually, I plan to make a few modifications to the system for attachment as it comes on and off my bike pretty easily when it's working but it does annoy me basically daily and has caused a close call or two while riding before I realized I had to check it all the time. This said, it is a relatively inexpensive solution for what I needed and works for me for the most part. It is cheaper than a specialized rack w/ clip on panniers, larger than most trunk bags, more convenient than trying to just bungie a backpack or something on the rack and nobody tries to use it as a trashcan as sometimes happens with a basket (some people!). I might consider spending a bit more and going for a higher end rack and panniers if I was to buy again but w/ a little effort this will get the same job done for cheaper.

First: The photo shown on the Amazon product page is outdated. There's a new design that has small pockets set into the top flap of the bags. The bags also seem to be a slightly different shape. They came with a short shoulder strap that can be hooked on to metal loops on the top of the bags.I like the design of these bags. They're huge! The connection system is convenient. My bike rack doesn't have the little "tails" the bungee straps are designed for, but Banjo Brothers included hardware (a couple hooks) that remedy that problem. The bags feel sturdy and it's easy to take them on and off.Unfortunately, they're TOO huge. With the bags set squarely on the rack, my heels strike the bags. I have a 470cm frame, and my feet are 25cm long.I did find a solution... sort of: My bike rack has a protruding circular piece of metal underneath the back side. I think it's for attaching a rear light. Anyway, if I slide the panniers back about an inch, I can hook the rear shoulder strap loop to the underside of the rack. If I do that, the panniers are anchored slightly further back, and my feet can clear the panniers... most of the time. I use flat pedals without cages, so my feet shift position sometimes and strike the bags again.It's really unfortunate because I think these bags a really good value. I'm still trying to decide if I want to return them and get a different brand's slightly smaller bags, or if I want to try and deal with the panniers as I've jerry-rigged them now.

These comments are in regard to the medium (1500 cubic inch) Banjo Brothers panniers. These panniers are a basic sack design made of ripstop nylon with a smooth vinyl coating inside for water resistance. Each pouch has a fold-over flap that clips shut with a nylon buckle that can be cinched to an appropriate height. There are no extra pockets or pouches. As noted elsewhere, the Amazon product photo shows a red reflector or flasher that is not included. There is a short piece of strap sewn on at that location to which a safety device can be clipped. I weighed these panniers at 2 pounds 13 ounces. For off-bike carry, there are two 5/8-inch wide nylon strap handles as visible in the Amazon product photo. Not shown, but also included is a separate 35-inch long by 1.5-inch wide nylon strap with snap hooks that might be intended for use as a shoulder-carry strap but is of dubious merit as it is neither adjustable for length nor padded for weight distribution. I have small feet (men's 8) and my heels clear the bags by an inch or two. My bike frame measures 17.5 inches (450 cm) center crank to center rear axle, and I have 175 cm crank arms. With these particular dimensions, there is approximately 9 inches (230 cm) distance between the center pedal pivot point and the leading edge of the bag at the crank's closest rotational point, when the panniers' center mounting panel is flush with the aft edge of a generic rack (5 x 12.5 inches). I decided to purchase these panniers after reviewing similarly styled and priced bags and inspecting some at brick-and-mortar stores. I wanted a basic, two-bag design (but beyond grocery carriers) that had maximum utility and a minimum of potential failure points (e.g., zippers seem to be a common complaint). I wanted an item that could be repaired at home should that become necessary, and these are simple enough to do so. I am happy with my choice.