Customer Reviews

Durable, well-designed Review by Jim E

Just returned from cycling the Via de la Plata in Spain. I have used them in Alaska and other western states, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Slovakia, and now twice in Spain on variations of the Camino de Santiago. The 54's have held up well, and what minor issues I've had have been repaired or solved quickly by Arkel customer service. Well worth the price.

(Posted on 11/15/11)

Highly recommend GT54s Review by Jim Beard

I have been bicycle touring for 30 years.These are the best panniers i have ever used .

(Posted on 11/11/11)

Great experience on first ever fully loaded touring trip Review by Marco

I was at first hesitant to shell out the money required to own these panniers but after my first ever fully-loaded touring experience, it was one of the best decisions I have ever made cycling-wise. I semi-converted my ever versatile Kona Jake cyclocross bike into a tourer and these panniers were the final piece in the puzzle. These packs are so well-designed and there were some features I didn't even realize were available to use until I finished the trip. I wasn't sure if they had enough capacity for an 8-day trip since I didn't have front panniers but they were just perfect for the job. The only items I didn't put in them were my cooking pots and stove which stayed in a bag on top of the rear rack..but these don't need to be in panniers anyway. The placement and design of the pockets made it so easy to find the things I needed when I wanted to and were so logical that it made it easy to decide which compartments would hold what. From this first experience, I now know that I can go on any type of touring from a few days to several months and that these packs will be quite reliable for many years to come. Everything from zippers to the fabric used to the rack locking system were of excellent design. Thanks Arkel for being one of the best pannier companies in the world and for being Canadian!

(Posted on 9/6/11)

The absolute best panniers out there! Review by Jim Sweet

The GT 54 bags I purchased about 2 years ago are still holding up fine and there's very little mileage on the matching fronts I purchased recently.There's probably another bike trip left in them I'm sure. Thanks for making one of the absolute best panniers out there!

(Posted on 3/22/11)

Your bags did a great job! Review by Jon Williamson

Dear Arkel, I had an awesome time, and your bags did a great job! Thanks, Jon Williamson San Jose, California

(Posted on 3/18/11)

Loved them!! Review by Angela

Took these on a two week bike/camping trip through Bryce Canyon and then Death Valley. They were perfect! Durable, lite weight, completely functional. Also, there was something wrong with my zipper on one of my bags and when I sent it back, it was fixed, no questions asked. I love these and can't wait to use them again!

(Posted on 9/21/10)

Pannier for Life! Review by Steve Greene

During the fall of 2009, I set off from the coast of Oregon to Death Valley's Badwater Basin on a solo journey riding my ICE Q trike. My main panniers were red Arkel GT-54s. I lived out of the 54s for 37 days, mostly primitive stealth camps each night. This was my first cross-country cycling trek. I continue to be thoroughly impressed with the Arkel GT-54 panniers. They performed flawlessly the entire trip, kept my possessions dry in the rain and snow, and certainly favorably accented the appearance of the trike. Each night, I would take them into my REI Arete tent with me, having learned from another trike tourer who had a squirrel eat a hole in his panniers at night. The 54s easily dismount from the rack frame with one hand, and the handles allowed for me to effortlessly carry both panniers at once. This came in handy for 3 unexpected motel stays, as I could carry them from the parking lot, along with other gear. Mounting is a snap, and once the cam mechanism is engaged, they stay firmly put behind my seat. The large metal zippers never caused the slightest problem, as zippers on other cheaper products often do. Even under the most adverse weather conditions, the zippers performed smoothly (I experienced rain, snow, ice, extreme winds up to 70 mph, dust and dirt storms, and triple digit heat). The fact that the main compartment zippers wrap fully around three sides of the panniers allowed me to access the entire contents when the pannier was laying flat on my tent floor, or just access from the top if I was out on the road. The GT-54s have many well-thought compartments all over, which allowed me to remain completely organized. I always knew where each item I needed was, and with the varied compartments so logical, I could access what I wanted easily and quickly, never having to worry about rummaging around through a bulk of other gear. Having used the 54s, I could never consider a common bag with just one large compartment where everything is contained together, making finding a certain item difficult. I am an extremely organized fellow, and these panniers simply make good sense to me! Even though the main compartments have waterproof liners, I also used the optional waterproof outside covers during my rain days, keeping even the outer Cordura fabric dry. They slip on quickly and easily, and their brilliant yellow color makes it easy for motorists to see me in darker rain conditions. At night, the GT-54s are very visible to any light source, as highly reflective material is sewn in key areas. For safety, this is unbeatable. For stealth camping, this feature is not the greatest, but simply covering the trike and panniers with a light camo cloth could easily take care of that. The top pockets have zippers that curve, which appeared somewhat odd to me prior to this trip. Having lived out of these panniers though for 37 days, I now appreciate the design. When zipped open, the contents of my wallet and other smaller gear inside could not inadvertently fall out. In fact, this principle holds true for all the compartments, because the zippers can be opened only a small amount, or all the way, and gear is still kept in place. The right rear sleeping pad and tent pole tube is a fantastic design aspect of the 54s, and it makes the panniers look very intriguing to boot. Stashing these awkward items in the tube is a snap, and they are always readily available. The dry sack that holds these items inside the tube assures that I always had a dry pad. Of course, with the outside rainproof cover I used, I had double the protection. In the small tube compartment on the rear left side pannier, I kept my Katadyne water purification bottle. It fit perfectly, just like a stove fuel source bottle would. I am an author, and I am writing about this trike journey, so I had to carry along a journal to take notes each day, and a digital camera. Because of the well-thought butterfly compartment on the right pannier, both of these items fit perfectly together there, and I could quickly access either for note and photo taking, especially handy when a person I met along the way would start sharing information that I knew I wanted in my story. And, like the other zipper and cover systems on these panniers, I could open it enough just to get what I needed. I like the way the upper cover also protected my paper notes and camera, even with the zipper partly opened. I could go on, yet suffice it to say that the Arkel GT-54 panniers are quite simply the best thought out system available in my opinion. At one time a few months prior to the trip, I considered the large compartment Ortlieb waterproof panniers, but having lived out of the Arkels for a month and a half, I am convinced I made the right choice! Knowing where everything is means a lot to me, and it was great to just go right to the specific compartment to retrieve an item, without having to sort through many other things to find it. You will not be disappointed by the Arkel line of products! I was so impressed with the 54s, that after the trip, I also purchased the Arkel TailRider for the top of my rear rack. I wish I had it on the trip, but better late than never. It now fits perfectly above and between my two GT-54s. The TailRider, with its compartments and well-thought design, sure beats the hard plastic, one-compartment, trunk I had before. Not only that, but the TailRider is insulated and padded to protect your gear, or keep it temperature controlled if necessary. When I have a product that far exceeds my expectations, I do not hesitate taking the time to let others know. This is the case with Arkel, a company that knows what it's doing when it comes to long distance, cross country, trike and bike touring. They are also great people who respond well to emails and telephone calls. I hope this helps any folks out there who are contemplating going with the Arkel line of gear-carrying products. I have not been disappointed, and I think you will realized why if you acquire any Arkel product. They are first-rate, and go the distance! They are panniers for life. Sincerely, Steve Greene Oregon, USA ICE Qnt recumbent trike story of my trip: http://silentpassage.wordpress.com (a work in progress)

(Posted on 2/26/10)