OPD - Ortlieb Pannier Disorder

Some of you may know this already, but I have something of an unhealthy obsession with Ortlieb Panniers. I have blogged at each stage of what I now consider my Ortlieb Pannier Disorder.

It began with researching Ortlieb Pannier fabrics and their relative merits and environmental implications...

Then I got all freaked out about their different pricing in various countries...

Then, once I had the panniers, I began obsessing about properly closing them leaving no creases without the shoulder strap, so much so that I developed a hack in order to do so and used up 2 posts worth of your precious time telling you about it:

After writing that post I knew I was getting WAY too interested in the tiny details of simply using a bicycle saddle bag. I mean, who cares, right? Well apparently I do, because yesterday I followed a link on bikesnobNYC that went to pedal strap maker Hold Fast's web site.

Instead of appreciating the nice bikes in the picture, my eyes were immediately drawn to the Ortlieb Pannier. The first thing I noticed was that it was done up very poorly (at least by my OPD standards). Second, it contained something sort of oddly "pokey".

Just for the record:

Now as far as the "pokey" nature of the pannier in question, it just makes me curious.

What could it be in there? A bong perhaps?

Author's Note: When faced with a mysterious object, I always guess "bong" first. They come in such a wide variety of shapes and sizes that it is never a bad guess. Also, it is just fun to say the word "bong".

A dreaded attack squirrel?

I could be anything! Except maybe a book or a loaf of bread. They don't have pokey bits. I welcome your guesses as to the contents of that bag. Whatever is in there, I like to think the bike and bag belong to this this guy:

pic source

That way it could be like a pannier version of pets looking like their owners! Umm, I think I had better stop now and take a nap or something. I hope I don't dream of pokey, poorly closed panniers...

Yer Pal,

R A N T W I C K

There's A Hole in My Bucket. Goodbye, My Tubby Old Friend.

I have mentioned the blue plastic tub that resides behind the seat of Mutant Winter many times. Well, the 2nd best tub in town has bitten the dust.

The same snowy morning that snowblower man yelled at me, the tub snapped right off my bike. Being a good tub, it hung on as long as it could and let go just as I arrived at work. Considering the way it was attached (4 zip ties, directly to rack) and the abuse it took over the last few winters, it didn't owe me anything.

There's A Hole In My Bucket. Goodbye, My Tubby Old Friend.

I prefer a high-riding tub to panniers for winter cycling, because there is often so much muck flying around closer to the ground. Even waterproof panniers would get slammed and encrusted with icy slush, I think. If you use panniers in winter, let me know if that really happens or if it is a false assumption on my part.

Anyway, is this an opportunity to challenge Red Triumph for bicycle tub supremacy? Oh, I think so. Or should I try to go beyond this extruded polymer tub mentality and try for something even sexier? Your ideas, as always, are welcome.

For those of you who don't know what the hell I am talking about, watch this:

I will probably just use a backpack or do the weekend-car-clothing-run-to-work method for the rest of this winter and dream something up next Fall.

Keep Your Lids Snapped On Tight,

R A N T W I C K

NHL? Non, non, silly... TDF!

I read an article yesterday that got me pretty excited. Steve Bauer is putting together a mostly Canadian cycling team capable of competing at the highest levels, and he is quite ready to poach hockey players to do it. He was one, after all. He and the SpiderTech racing team, however, need big fat sponsors to get from where they are to where they want to be.

As a recreational and commuting cyclist of the non-club variety, I have never taken much of an interest in competitive cycling. The idea of luring hockey players into the kooky world of professional cycling, however, makes me want to. I mean, a Canadian team in the TDF? Holy crap! I would be all over that!

Can you imagine what kind of impact a pro cycling team composed of former hockey players could have on a sport that describes any kind of shoving or pushing or punching as "fisticuffs"? Don't get me wrong. I want to see a Canadian pro cycling team that plays by the rules and competes well. I would also like to see how free any of these dudes would be with their fists (or slapping hands, or whatever) if their opponent was a Canadian hockey player (retired).

I hereby need to see a top tier Canadian pro cycling team come to fruition and am writing emails to some bloggers who have actual audiences hoping they will help beat the drum. Wish us Canucks luck!

Yer Pal,

R A N T W I C K