Best bike pannier bags and pannier racks 2024 — our ultimate guide to all your cycling luggage possibilities

The Oxford Aqua V32 Double Pannier Bag is a rugged and incredibly protective load-carrying option at a brilliant price. These linked panniers are not the lightest, but they're very, very tough.

The two 16 litre bags (making up 32 litres of carrying capacity) are made from a durable fully waterproof fabric, with a roll-top closure. Each has a zipped compartment on the outside as well as reflective accents. The rear of each bag section is stiffened and there's a toughened bumper at the bottom.

Is it a pannier or is it a rucksack? The Ortlieb Vario 20 is part part pannier, part backpack meaning it can be attached to your bike when you're riding, and put on your back when you get off and the innovative flap system makes it easy to transition from one to the next.

As usual with an Ortlieb pannier, you can adjust the mounts along its rail to suit your rack, and an adjustable arm near the bottom keeps the pannier in place while you're riding. 

On the other side of the bag is a full-on backpack – that is, chunky padded shoulder straps that are adjustable, as well as a chest strap to keep it in place, and a decent amount of cushioning along the whole panel. But the really clever thing about this system is the built-in rotating cover that keeps things looking neat and protected on the side you're not using.

The Altura Heritage 16L Pannier is excellent. It's very well made, very weatherproof, and very versatile – you can use it up front on a lowrider rack or fit it at the back, in any weather, or even heft it as a shoulder bag.

It's made from 12oz waxed canvas, and although Altura only describes it as water resistant – perhaps because the zip on the 'lid' isn't waterproof – they're being quite modest. The fabric is very good at repelling rain; like, all-day rain.

Tester Tass writes: "I think the Altura Heritage is excellent. I really like the look, and the fact you can use it as a shoulder bag. The fabric is tough and weatherproof, it's a great size, and it includes light-mounting loops. You can buy cheaper 'I'm a pannier' panniers, but if you like the heritage looks and shoulderable versatility, it's well worth the money."

Vaude's Aqua Back light panniers are tough, waterproof and lightweight, at just over 1.2kg in weight. The capacity is modest at just over 19 litres each, but the design means you can stuff them, and they work best when nearly full. Coupled with a roll-top closure system and external netting, this makes them more suitable for touring over commuting.

A plastic plate at the rear helps the Aqua Back Light panniers retain their shape and also supports the internal pockets. The waterproof material used for the bags themselves makes them tough as well as light, and the super-versatile mounting system is a doddle to use.

They're eco-friendly too, made from Econyl which avoids the environmentally problematic PVC. 

The SKS Infinity Universal MIK Luggage rack is an excellent universal rack that fits almost every frame and carries bags securely and quietly. This rack is aimed at those who want to carry bags but whose bikes don't feature rack eyelets and reviewer Josh says that SKS has "smashed it".

SKS says this rack can safely carry 12kg and coming in at 975g, it's not particularly heavy. Josh says, "when riding without bags I forgot it was even there". 

If you have an aluminium or steel bike without rack mounts, the SKS Infinity rack is an excellent option but it's worth noting that if your frame is carbon, you should look elsewhere. 

The Tailfin Carbon AeroPack is a really well-executed seatpack that's simple, stable and can be fitted and removed in seconds. It's about the neatest solution for adding some storage space to pretty much any bike. Yes, it's expensive. And no, it's not as versatile as some other setups. But it does the job it's designed to do extremely well, and it's a lovely thing that's a joy to use.

Tailfin's main claim for the AeroPack is that it's 'The fastest way to carry gear – on any bike'. Partly that's an aerodynamic claim. The AeroPack design means that the bag is tucked away in the dirty air behind the rider, and the parabolic carbon arch that supports it is designed to cut cleanly through the air too. 

There's a carbon arch keeping everything steady laterally, and inside the bag there's a lightweight alloy frame to give the whole thing structure. When you're riding, the AeroPack sits there anonymously. It's entirely rattle-free and impressively stiff. There's no lateral movement at all when you're out of the saddle, and most of the time you forget it's there at all.

The Topeak Uni Super Tourist DX Disc Rear Rack is a beefy aluminium alloy model reckoned capable of carrying 26kg (55lb) and designed to be compatible with most frames and different types of luggage. The engineering and finish are excellent, and it has proven straightforward to adjust and switch between bikes and different luggage. 

The top platform 'MTX Quick Track Plate' is dual-purpose. Designed to integrate with Topeak's in-house luggage, it also serves as a moderately effective arse saver, though tester Shaun said he'd still be more inclined towards a proper mudguard. The two-tier structure also means panniers and top bags can co-exist without access hassles.

The rear lighting mount is intended primarily for Topeak's Redlite but it will accommodate others. In fact, the beefy tubes will also work with lights with inserts for aero seatposts, assuming you're not using two panniers.

The alloy version of Tortec’s beefy stainless steel Epic rack is a sensible weight, very stiff and, if you shop around, excellent value for money. Made from 6061 rod and available in a choice of anodised silver or black powder coated finishes, it's a subtly clever set up designed to fit a full range of frame sizes, shapes and types.

Like many modern rear racks it has an extra set of top bars so you can carry your panniers a bit lower and so drop the centre of gravity of the whole lot. Its best feature is that the Epic Alloy's lateral stiffness is vastly superior to similarly priced competition, especially when loads sneak past the twenty kilo mark.

The Cargo Classic rack from Tubus is the company's original rack. It's a solid rack that is really easy to fit and is compatible with most frames on the market.

If you want a rack that can take a heavy load, the Cargo is rated up to a whopping 40kg, plenty for a couple of stuffed panniers and a tent on top. Despite its load capacity, it's impressively light.

Fitting to the frame couldn't be any easier. The two adjustable struts are easy to install and they provide a wide range of adjustment so you can get the rack perfectly set up in the right position. All bolts are supplied.

Riding with a pair of Ortlieb panniers mounted to the rack showed there to be no clearance issues. Even with heavily loaded bags, the rack is impressively sturdy. It doesn't budge over rough roads and cheerfully handles you heading off-road too.