T-42

Product Review (submitted on July 7, 2011):

Yes we have the GT18’s, Dolphin 48’s, T28’s, T42’s, Tailrider Trunk Bags and the Big Bar Bag for a total of 15 individual panniers. All from Arkel. Most of them were acquired for our 23 day unsupported trip in the Netherlands last year although my wife has had a set of T42’s for years and has used them on many other cycling trips.

They all worked seamlessly. The GT18’s and T28’s were used as front panniers while the rest were used as rear panniers. We travelled with 3 children aged 10, 12 and 14. The zippers and material were excellent. Travelling with a teenage daughter you can imagine her panniers were already full at the beginning of the trip. This made no difference to her as she ran across items almost every day that she had to have. Mostly clothes and yes she managed to stuff them into those panniers every day. But the panniers worked perfectly like they were made for the carefree teenager.

Every morning we hooked them up and at the end of the day unhooked them and hauled them up usually at least 2 sets of stairs if not 3 or 4. This also worked wonderfully. I have to admit the kids kind of abused them a bit. Elevators were not common and yes the panniers were occasionally seen flying down the stairs end over end as the kids dropped them at the top of the stairs. I could hook up the 19 individual panniers in a matter of minute’s basically due to so the Arkel cam-lock system. Not one of those panniers came unhooked on route or was damaged in any way on the trip. And yes the bikes with the panniers attached were dropped on occasion. (When I say dropped think cycling along and wiping out.)

We’ve also used them on numerous other bike trips we go on annually. I plan and organize two trips a year and this fall we will be cycling in Prince Edward County for three days with two pairs of T42’s. We now use them almost daily for trips to the library, the grocery store or wherever we are going. I would highly recommend these panniers. My local bike store, Pieriks Cycle, carries them and I’ve also order them on-line which worked perfectly as well.