I had the fake Komine semi hard bags.


Pros and cons of soft/hard panniers

Pros of softbag
1) lighter
2) cheap for the fake komine ones... i paid less than 100
3) flexible mounting, can easily switch from bike to bike
4) safer if you happen to drop your bike and bag on you (important if you are going off road)
5) dont "need" pannier racks which spoils the look of the bike if you dont have the boxes on.

Cons
1) usually not waterproof. Waterproof softbags are expensive and higher end bags still require pannier frames
2) those without racks may scratch your paint
3) may need additional support
4) cheap bags like the cheap fake komines dont last. They fade in the sun, and the mounting points will tear and the bags itself will go out of shape
5) no way to securely lock them


I am now using GIVI E23 side panniers. they are much heavier (with the addition to the racks) but they are weather sealed and easier to get on and off. It also doubles as my chair and table when camping.









which ever setup, its enough for a few days camping trip, so touring on it is no problem. Learnt to pack light from bicycling days also. Besides, last thing you want is to go off road with an overloaded bike.

This post has been edited by jaycee1: Sep 28 2022, 11:28 AM

rich fag spotted. Hahahahahaha

Those Enduristan Evos damn expensive...but very very very good.

If you start off with hardboxes, keep in mind, unless you are using really slim boxes, your panniers will stick out more than your handlebars. Something to think about when you are filtering through traffic.

Also, once you have racks, the cheaper soft bags might not fit, unless you go with those Enduristans. Hahaha


What bike do you ride btw?