Why does nobody talk about how terrible panniers are in the rain?

I finally caved and bought a set of Ortlieb panniers last month after years of using a backpack. Everyone on here swears by them, but my first real rainstorm commute in Boston showed me they leak at the top seam if you don't roll them perfectly three times. I spent a whole 15 minutes in the parking lot at work trying to dry out my laptop with paper towels. Has anyone else had this problem or did I just get a dud pair?

2 comments

2 Comments

leo_lopez1d ago

Oh man, that's rough but I gotta disagree a little! I've had my Ortliebs for like 4 years now and I just do the standard three roll closure without even thinking about it anymore. Maybe try bending the top plastic rail piece a tiny bit before you roll? That fixed my early leaks.

skylerw871d ago

Wait, are you saying the plastic rail on the top actually bends? I thought that piece was totally rigid and just gave up on trying to adjust it after the first few tries. Did you just gently curve it with your hands or actually put some force into it? That honestly sounds like a hack I would have never thought of in a million years. Might be worth trying on my backup pair that's been sitting in the garage with a slow leak since last season.