Ortlieb Waterproof Back Roller Classic Pannier Review – Initial Thoughts

Racking in all of my training miles in the pouring rain this summer had me thinking one main thought on panniers – waterproof. Is that my primary reason for choosing these the Ortlieb Waterproof Back Roller Classic Panniers to ride 300 miles with? Well, yes actually.

Realizing that the purchase of the Ortlieb Classic Panniers required more use than one bike trip I really have two purposes in my review. Are the Ortlieb Panniers good for bicycle touring? And two, are they good for regular things- ya know trips to the store and maybe some bicycle commuting.



Initial Thoughts on the Ortlieb Panniers

I admit that I slightly panicked when I received my panniers in the mail. The box really seemed far too small to house two panniers and having waited till the last minute to order them – I might have been screwing myself out of a bike trip. Thankfully, these panniers just pack up really small and flat.

Some features that I instantly liked:

• Great color selection with lots of options. I went for the yellow – black option for visibility purposes.
• Easy mounting- just pull the handle up and drop over rack
• Large size – I had a pair of panniers that I was contemplating using, but they were very small. I wasn’t sure exactly what 2,441 cubic inches looked like from pictures online, but they’re pretty darned big.

Some features I wasn’t sure about:

• Besides an inner zip pocket- there isn’t anything to help with organization. Having side pockets might be very helpful on multi day trips.
• Would the panniers be durable and waterproof enough to warrant their hefty price tag ($175 for the pair)

Specs on the Ortlieb Back Roller Classic Panniers
Average weight: 4 lbs. 3 oz.
Material: PVC-coated Cordura
Dimensions: 16.5 x 12.5 x 9.1 inches
Volume: 2,441 cubic inches

An update about how the panniers held up on my week long bike trip, as well as general everyday use later this week. Subscribe to my feed below for daily blog updates.

Disclaimer: Product Reviews are based on opinion only and are not intended to condone, encourage, or promote a product. Some products are sent to me by the manufacturer or affiliates and are mine to keep. I mention this specifically on products sent to me. Compensation and/or product and/or services never interfere with the review of the product. Otherwise, products and services are purchased by me for personal use. Panniers were purchased by me.