Pannier with a hole
Hack and Repair

Pannier-repair

Traveling on bike means you are exposed to all kinds of weather. Usually, weather-worries tend to focus on the possibility of wet conditions, making waterproof bags and panniers the cyclists’ “wet dream”. Waterproof panniers made from PVC/PU-lined fabric with welded seams by german Ortlieb have long been the prefered kit for bike world travelers and rain-or-shine commuters.

The hole in the pannier
The hole. Previously patched with gaffer-tape. It worked a while, but also left a not-so-nice gooey mark.

Having used my Ortlieb panniers for almost every bike trip the last 10 years, carrying everything – from the laptop and papers on the daily commute to the office, carrying powertools, touring, and everyday shopping.

The workplace
You need a workplace with plenty of ventilation and no draught nor sunshine (makes the glue dry up to quickly).

What finally did my panniers in was carrying binders with study literature. The metal reinforcement on the binders simply cut a hole in the bottom corner of the pannier as I put them on the floor.

You might argue that a hole in the bottom of the pannier is acctually not  critical since it provides important ventilation, thus keeps your clothes from becomming stuffy. Anyhow, it is like a bucket with a hole…

Luckily you can buy repair-kits for your panniers, and breathe another ten – or so – years of life into them, saving the environment for the production and transport of new ones (eventhough the new ones come in such nice colours and with new fittings.

The tools
You need: an adjustable key, a screwdriver with torx 10, a repair set (the rather expensive “pro” kit contains patches in the right material), and some quickgrips to add pressure when the patch is attatched
Using an adjustable key to hold the nuts while undoing the screws from the outside
Using an adjustable key to hold the nuts while undoing the screws from the outside. This photo is taken inside the pannier
With all screws and fittings removed, the pannier is turned inside-out before the patch is added.
With all screws and fittings removed, the pannier is turned inside-out before the patch is added.

 

using powergrips to press the patch onto the bag.
The patch on the inside. To ensure it will last pressure must be applied. Putting painters tape on your quickgrips prevents them from being glued to the bag permanently due to spill over of glue.

The environmental side of repairing the panniers might be outweighed by the glue, that smells like thinner and chemical industry together. But then, my panniers are made of PVC which is defined as hazardous trash, and has to be disposed properly of and since I already have them there is little need in buying new ones.

Then the only thing that is left now, is waiting 24 hours for the glue to harden, then patch the outside, and reasemble the whole thing.

Patched pannier
After 48 hours the pannier is patched on the in and on the outside it should outlast the rest of the pannier. The dryed in excess glue can be brushed away by brushing very gently with a steel brush. But the pannier is ready to be put in action.

It is not really a quick patch, you apply on the go.