We are giving gear considerations and likes about Burley Bicycle Pannier’s in this gear review article! If you are looking for your first set of Pannier’s or your next set and want to learn about Burley Pannier’s you are in the right place.

I use my Burley Bicycle Pannier’s for pedaling around cities like Columbus and Seattle when I live in them, taking them on cycle trips to Alaska and Michigan, and of course longer rides that involve overnight trips!

What are Bicycle Pannier’s?
Pannier’s are commonly called “saddlebags” in the cycling world. They strap on to the side of your bicycle and allow you to pedal the weight of their contents instead of having it on your back. Burley is the brand that I currently use.

Why would you use Pannier’s?
1. Long cycling trips that involve packing items like food, water, additional clothing, and camping items.
2. Commuting to and from work (or to an from a yoga studio, coffee shop, or farmers market!)
3. Any time you are bicycling somewhere and would prefer to not have anything on your back as additional weight.
4. Multi-purpose peeps who use them as packing items for a road trip in a car (yes we do this!)

Three Reasons why Bicycle Pannier’s might be for you:

1. You have an overnight cycling trip coming up and you won’t have vehicle support! (Unlike when we rode on Ragbrai.)

2. You are looking to take weight off your back (water bottle, cell phone, backpack with laptop, small grocery run) for random rides around where you live.

3. You are headed somewhere EPIC like Alaska on a bicycle and a ferry and you need additional packing space. (We did this in 2021 and wrote about your amazing trip HERE.)
   ***Most Pannier’s (if not all and definitely Burley) will require a rack bar. I didn’t have one and installed a 10mm rack bar that I got from a bike shop in Seattle and then installed myself.

The Burley Pannier’s come in a few different sizes (they also have kid/dog push strollers for runners and pull strollers for bikers) but it sort of depends on what you need.

Commuters with laptops and lunch might get away with just one standard size Pannier, and you can gift your extra to a fellow bike commuter!

Headed on a two week cycling trip? You might want to consider a set of large Pannier’s. Burley isn’t the only one who makes them but I have enjoyed my use of them. They have stayed dry and durable as I have used them.

I like them personally to take care of my back, keep my cargo dry, and because riding around with bright yellow saddlebags simply makes you look like a legit cyclist ;)! (LOL.)

Thanks for reading (thanks for riding instead of driving when you can) and if you have any comments to add about Pannier’s put them in the comments!

Because Adventure Feeds the Soul,
Mike R