Best bike panniers for groceries?

September 10, 2021 11:33 AM

I would like to add a rack to my bike and get panniers so that I can carry more and heavier groceries. I do not want a bike cart at this time. What panniers do you recommend?

I currently have a mountain bike but usually (when supply chains aren't messed up) have a road bike. I bike in all weathers and ride a lot. Sadly, I live and shop in an area where there's a lot of theft, so panniers must either be permanent so they can't be stolen while I'm in the grocery store or easy to remove so that I can take them into the grocery store - if I leave them on the bike and they are easy to remove, they will be stolen within a trip or two. I am amenable to using some kind of security leash to lock them on.

posted by Frowner to Shopping (28 answers total)

I've used Ortleib and Banjo Brothers panniers for grocery shopping. I like big single-pocket panniers for groceries (touring/camping-specific panniers tend to have multiple smaller pockets, which isn't great for groceries). And both are easy to remove from your rack (most panniers are).
posted by entropone at 11:44 AM on September 10, 2021

I've had good luck with Wald's folding baskets. They're not perfect, but they aren't attractive to theft and hold 2-4 cloth shopping bags, depending on how high you pile them. (Adding a bar across the back to keep them from sagging toward the wheels when heavily loaded is useful. A thick cardboard tube with zip ties works. A metal pipe with a few holes drilled in it is better in the rain.)
posted by eotvos at 11:44 AM on September 10, 2021

(Also, should you choose to go with the wald's baskets, these $5 waterproof bags fit in them surprisingly well. They also smell so bad you won't want to keep them inside your home.)
posted by eotvos at 11:58 AM on September 10, 2021

I would second Banjo Brothers. They have paper-grocery-bag sized/shaped panniers. They detach and attach very simply (crudely even; your rack will get scratches). I directly use them as my shopping basket/bags inside the stores, carried with the shoulder strap.

I've also literally used them twice to carry little lost dogs to their home. The open top is good for weird shapes.

I originally bought some because the price was right for my first-ever bag. I've graduated to "better" waterproof bags. Waterproof and roll-top is important for bike touring, but they're inferior for the act of shopping.
posted by Snijglau at 12:21 PM on September 10, 2021

I use Ortleib panniers regularly (the Back Roller Classic).

They're quick on, quick off, and can hold a ton. I bring them in, throw them on the bottom of a shopping cart, then pack right into them as the cashier scans my purchases. They're separate (but sold in pairs), so if you are just taking a few things somewhere, you can just use one (which is what I do to commute), or double up for the heavier and larger loads.

They're waterproof and tough, and have handled anything I've thrown at them.
posted by BevosAngryGhost at 12:22 PM on September 10, 2021

Here’s what I have done. I use the basic Ortlieb waterproof roll top panniers. They can fit a lot of groceries when unrolled. I’ve carried about 15 lbs on each side and it feels good even on small hills. When I arrive at the store, I lock the bike up and take the panniers with me. I place them in a large grocery cart and do my shopping with it, being careful to control what I buy so the items will fit. Don’t try to carry the panniers on your shoulder, it’s very uncomfortable.

I am at the point where I can eyeball it, but for the first few times you may want to actually place the items in the panniers as you shop. When I check out, if there is a bagger, sometimes they will place the items into my panniers. Sometimes , I ask for items to be placed into paper bags and then I adjust and rebalance the items to my own liking when I return to the bike and slide the paper bags into the panniers.
posted by oxisos at 12:25 PM on September 10, 2021

I recommend the Ortleib Back Rollers as well. They come on and off really easily, like the first time I put them on my rack (them being maybe the 4th set of panniers I've owned) I was amazed by the mechanism. According to Ortleib they are rated to carry 9kg/20lbs each but the consensus online seems to be that they can handle whatever you can fit inside them. The roll top is nice because for longer items you can just leave the top open.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 12:28 PM on September 10, 2021

I have the Axiom Seymour panniers that I got on ebay secondhand for about half the retail price. They clip on and off and sometimes clip to grocery cart sides (depends on the cart style/size.) Without the top rolled, they each hold about a full paper grocery sack's worth of stuff. They are also stable without the top rolled, like a big bucket for tall things. I love them, they are my main commuting/get around solution. The clip is unobtrusive so you can also strap stuff to the rack after they're clipped on. Pretty sure they're waterproof enough to haul water in.
posted by blnkfrnk at 12:46 PM on September 10, 2021

I like ortlieb stuff as much as the next, but diy bucket panniers are not only dope and indestructible, but cheap to replace if they do happen to walk off. They’re kinda sketch enough that they probably won’t. They’re waterproof and largely bash proof. Specifically for hauling groceries, I prefer rigid panniers like buckets to softer ones. Too many things have shifted and squished in softer panniers I’ve used.
posted by furnace.heart at 12:47 PM on September 10, 2021

I own the Ortlieb ones. They are very, very good, I love them. They are also expensive, but for all-weather, you can't beat 'em.
posted by Tomorrowful at 12:50 PM on September 10, 2021

I shop on my bike often, and use the Banjo brothers folding basket grocery panniers. They're just big square baskets, so hold a lot of stuff with minimal shape limitations. I've tried using the panniers more suited to touring and commuting and I can never seem to fit a full grocery run in them without some awkward squishing. They're easy to remove, and have a shoulder strap to make it easy to haul around. They also have snaps to keep them folded shut when they're not full or even when there's a smaller thing in there you want to secure.
posted by rhiannonstone at 12:55 PM on September 10, 2021

Bucket panniers. Get square buckets. I have used pickled ginger (smelled amazing) and kitty litter (some yellow and red brand). They're more spacious than they seem like they would be. They are 100% waterproof (you might want to put drainage holes in the bottom for spills and unexpected rainstorms where you left the lid off. They are super cheap and easy to make (instructions all over the internet) and nobody is going to bother stealing them.

Bonus: great for bumper stickers.
Bonus #2: if you overload them, they won't sag into your wheels. All those expensive panniers will sag into your wheel if you overload them.
posted by aniola at 12:56 PM on September 10, 2021

The Ortleibs are nice for terribly rainy weather, but I second eotvos on the excellent cheap utility of the Wald baskets. Being able to fold them up and make the bike narrower just wins over buckets for me.
posted by clew at 2:01 PM on September 10, 2021

Are you concerned about keeping the groceries protected from the elements, like rain? Like a lot of folks here, I bring my Ortleib panniers to the grocery store regularly and bring them in the store with me. They go on and off easily, as easily as any panniers I've seen. I've used mine regularly for something like 8 years now, with no signs of wear except that the shoulder pad wore out, but it wasn't all that important because these bags aren't great to carry on your shoulder anyway.

Ortleibs are great because they're large open bags you can keep up or roll closed, and they'll keep out rain and snow. They are more expensive, but well made and will last for ages.

I've also used some of the grocery-style folding panniers. That's handy if you have two paper grocery bags and want to put them in the panniers. You probably won't be able to carry as much this way, and your groceries are in the elements. These haven't lasted as long for me. I bought them a few years after my Ortleibs, didn't use them much, and they've both broken.

During the pandemic, I've been going to the grocery store less often and found I was driving more and riding less because I was buying more than I could comfortably carry on my bike. That's less true now, but I did buy a simple flatbed trailer to be my grocery-getter. That's pricier, and you can definitely get used trailers, especially kid trailers, for a lot less (like $100-$150). You'd have to lock it up, of course.

I suppose you could lock on panniers, but it seems easier to take on and off (that's what most folks I know do).
posted by bluedaisy at 2:04 PM on September 10, 2021

I've loved the Duchy 22L Pannier from Green Guru. Very easy to pull off and haul into the grocery store, and they upcycle old billboards for the exteriors which I've found make them pretty water-resistant.
posted by saramour at 2:22 PM on September 10, 2021

I’ve been using the same pair of Ortlieb roller panniers for over 10 years and love them. They’re super easy to detach at the store and bring inside, and I load them up directly at the checkout line. They fit a ton of stuff, though obviously way more if it’s not raining and you leave them open on top (I often have baguettes and tortilla chip bags sticking out of mine).

Don’t forget about getting a good rack, though. I previously used lightweight basic Planet Bike racks on various bikes, but when I switched to a Burley Kazoo rack for my kid’s tagalong I realized that all the noises I thought were random bike rattles were actually bike RACK rattles. My ride has gotten so much quieter and my load feels stabler with a quality steel rack.
posted by Maarika at 2:46 PM on September 10, 2021

an (inferior?) alternative to panniers that avoids the theft problem is to use a backpack. but you're probably already using a backpack to haul groceries, and are interested in backpack + 2 x panniers for more capacity. i spent a number of years using a 40 ish litre berghaus bushwalking daypack to haul weekly groceries on a road bike -- that daypack literally lasted about 20 years, with regular use. but i was mostly shopping for one, hence didnt need much capacity.
posted by are-coral-made at 2:49 PM on September 10, 2021

I need panniers to feel stable enough when hauling heavy groceries. Dense in the panniers, lighter in my backpack, delicate in my handlebar basket.

... delicate things having probably gone through the store in my overturned helmet so as not to get squashed among the others.
posted by clew at 3:40 PM on September 10, 2021

Orleib panniers are quick to clip on and off racks, and they hold off the rain perfectly, but just a warning that they are too narrow to hold a typical paper grocery bag. You'd need to bring them into the grocers and bag at the checkout counter — which sounds like one of your criteria, anyway.
posted by They sucked his brains out! at 5:22 PM on September 10, 2021

If you have bosses to set up a front-mounted rack, I have found that putting the heavy stuff at the front, divided over two bags on either side, is a good way to have a stable ride.
posted by They sucked his brains out! at 5:23 PM on September 10, 2021

Another person here who caved and spent the money on the Ortleib Back Rollers and doesn't regret it. It made a huge improvement to my quality of life (what I'd been doing previously was a backpack and roping boxes to the rack, neither of which was... good). I carry them empty on my shoulder into the supermarket, collect groceries in a basket and then pack them straight from the basket to the bags at the self-service counter. I also use them to commute to work. I've had mine for a couple of years, I'm not gentle with them and they're as good as new. If you go with this option, make sure you get the larger ones! The smaller ones are too small.
posted by trotzdem_kunst at 5:25 PM on September 10, 2021

I use two of the Green Guru Freerider, which is a lot like the Banjo Brothers model extolled above, though it doesn't have shoulder straps. They are quite sturdy. They can sometimes be found on sale for $50, and I don't think I'd want to pay full price for them. You have to be careful to prevent things from falling out if they are full. They have a loop on the back that could be used to lock them to your rack.

With regard to protecting groceries from the weather, I have found a solution that works for me. I have a tall grocery bag made of rPET that is waterproof. I stick that in the pannier and then fold down the top and secure it. I don't do big grocery runs if it's very wet. The tall bag is also helpful for fitting more into the pannier.

I have considered putting panniers on the sides of the rack and a more permanently attached basket over the top, thus preventing easy theft of the panniers, but currently it's more convenient to me for the panniers to be removable.
posted by Comet Bug at 7:44 PM on September 10, 2021

I have an older version of Rivendell's HappiSack Saddlebag and love it for hauling things around town. It lives on my bike and fits into the saddle loops; I basically don't take it off, even in San Francisco with its high amount of bicycle-related theft. It will fit about what fits into a grocery basket, which is usually fine for me.

For farmer's market runs, I add on some Ortlieb backrollers, and I can carry quite a lot.
posted by kdar at 10:08 PM on September 10, 2021

I really like these Arkel panniers. I used them on my bike tour from Portland to San Francisco two summers ago and have continued to use them since for commuting and grocery runs. They come off and on very easily.
posted by Gymnopedist at 10:32 PM on September 10, 2021

I think you should make sure you get a rack which is adjustable going backward and forward because you may have trouble getting enough clearance to keep your heel from hitting the load you’re carrying (I did), very stiff or your load can start swaying around and cause problems, and which attaches to both seat stays instead of the seat tube for extra strength and stability. Blackburn was the only real choice when I was buying, but I’m sure more must be out there by now.

I don’t really understand using panniers for groceries because it takes so long to load the groceries into them and it's tricky to boot; if anything leaks it takes hours to clean the panniers if they're not ruined outright, and panniers tend to get very dirty when you leave them on the bike permanently even if nothing does leak.

So I prefer wire baskets and you only need one. You’d think that would be unbalanced, but I did it that way for a couple of decades and did not notice any problem. However, there’s a dearth of good wire baskets. I don’t like the Walds because they are too shallow, too loose jointed and rickety, and have too much space between wires which are too thin in the first place. But you may have trouble finding anything else. Fuji made a good basket but only sold them on their own bikes. I once bought a Fuji at a thrift store just for its two baskets and then wheeled it around to the back of the store to redonate it after removing the baskets, and they acted like they thought I was trying to run a scam on them, but I didn’t blame them because that's how it felt to me as well, for some reason.

Good elastic straps are very important for carrying groceries. By far my best straps were knotted square nets of round elastic cord with hooks attached at two opposite corners of the square.
posted by jamjam at 3:04 AM on September 11, 2021

A fun advantage of the Ortleib back rollers for groceries is that their latching mechanism also hooks onto the sides of many shopping carts (the wire type, not the newer plastic type) which makes packing at the checkout lane very convenient!
posted by traveler_ at 8:19 AM on September 11, 2021

Thule was my pick and worked great.
posted by sixswitch at 9:50 AM on September 11, 2021

Bucket panniers are fantastic. I like Tidy Cats because they're extra-large and have a hinged lid. In addition to the benefits mentioned by others above, the flat tops make a nice stable platform. If you need to carry extra stuff, stick it in a cardboard box and strap it on top.

If you want fancier hooks for your buckets, you can get replacement clips from Ortlieb or other manufacturers for $20ish. (Generic hardware store hooks will probably cost under $5.)
posted by sibilatorix at 12:39 PM on September 11, 2021