INNOVATION – There is a simple reason that our panniers were rated “head-and-shoulders above any other pannier” in their last industry test review. It’s the same reason they have been called “works of art”, “the absolute, flat-out best”, “finest in the world” and “the Rolls Royce of bikepacks.” Virtually every (with one possible exception) advancement in the design of bicycle panniers in the past two decades is the result of our innovation.
      A star () denotes elements of design that are a result of our innovation or that are found exclusively in our panniers. It also denotes a functional advantage over other products.

 RACK-SPECIFIC PANNIER DESIGNS – One very important feature that has always set RBD panniers apart from all others is that we custom-fit the mounting system of our panniers to each rack for which they’re designed. It is an important step in making our panniers far more stable than other panniers.

PANNIER / RACK SYSTEMS – We custom-fit our panniers to many brands of racks including Sakkit (our own), Bilenky, Jorgensen, Gordon, Nitto (Rivendell) and Jandd. How well our panniers perform is a function of how well each rack is designed. Our panniers perform better in every possible way with Sakkit racks simply because our racks are designed better, and are of a more complete design than other racks. After Sakkit racks comes Bilenky racks. They are not as well-made as Gordon racks, but they provide more support and better hook spacing. Next come the Gordon racks, and after that it’s a toss-up.

 PANNIER STABILITY – There is a night-and-day difference in the stability of our panniers in comparison with every other pannier on the market that we did not design. Pannier stability is extremely important. How a loaded touring bicycle handles is directly related to the effectiveness of its pannier/rack system. In any pannier/rack system, the stability of its mounting design, effectiveness of its compression system, and the design of the panniers’ stiffeners are all very important. Weight distribution and gear isolation within the panniers, as well as the fore-aft adjustability of panniers are also critical in a highly-tuned system. On all counts, our panniers are not only designed very differently, but to a much higher standard.

 FOUR - POINT MOUNTING SYSTEMS – The foundation of a panniers’ stability is its mounting system. All RBD panniers, regardless of the racks we use (Sakkit, Bilenky, Jorgensen, Gordon, Nitto, Jandd) have a four-point mounting system: four solid points of connection (four pannier hooks) with the rack, spaced as widely as possible. There is an extreme difference in stability between our four-point systems, and the two-point system found on almost every other pannier available (Ortlieb, Jandd, Overland, etc.).     Almost every pannier has a two-point system that is developed with two solid points of connection at the top (two pannier hooks) and a third point of connection at the bottom of the pannier, by means of straps or springs. The lower connection is not solid and acts as a pivot-point, creating instability and stress in the panniers’ mounting system. The RBD four-point system has two top hooks and two bottom hooks. It’s far more stable and strong.
      The effectiveness of a four-point system is relative to hook spacing, as well. On Sakkit touring racks, for instance, the spacing of the top hooks is as wide as 10.5-inches. The bottom hooks are spaced as wide as 8.25-inches. Vertically, the hooks are spaced 10.75-in. apart. The hook spacing on Sakkit racks is twice that of Gordon (5.5-in. top, 3.75-in. bottom) and other racks. Technically it means that there is far more support and stability in the RBD/Sakkit system. Our system with Bilenky racks also has wide spacing (7.25-in. top and bottom).

 PERIMETRIC AND REAR STIFFENER DESIGN – The second factor that separates RBD panniers from others, in terms of stability, is the design of their stiffeners. We developed perimetric stiffeners during the 1970’s as a means of making panniers far more rigid. Perimetric stiffeners are rigid polyethylene stiffeners that are placed at a 90-degree angle to the aluminum stiffener in the rear side of the panniers, throughout the full perimeter of the panniers. Perimetric stiffeners afford a level of support and stability in RBD panniers that is much better than other products. Perimetric stiffeners prevent panniers from sagging, and improve their ability to carry heavy loads.
      The rear stiffeners in our panniers are also designed in a very different way compared to most panniers. All top-loading panniers that extend above the top of racks are not supported above the rack. All panniers that have a long vertical pocket on the rear side of the panniers (often described as a pocket for carrying water or fuel bottles – the worst possible place on a bike in terms of stability) are not designed so that the rear stiffener supports the pocket. Bad. Many panniers have large areas of the panniers that are not supported by the rear stiffener. It very adversely affects the stability of those panniers. Our panniers are fully supported by their rear stiffener.

 COMPRESSION SYSTEM – For the highest level of performance, whether touring on paved roads, extremely rough, dirt roads or off-road, an effective compression system is essential. The compression system of our panniers is very different and far more effective than the far too simple or non-existent system of other panniers. Our system is the third element of design that makes our panniers dramatically more stable than others.
      Discovery Series panniers have three (EL panniers have two) horizontal compression straps that wrap around all pockets and compartments of the panniers, effectively securing everything inside the panniers from top to bottom. If you look around you’ll find that most other products have no straps, or they have a single strap with limited effectiveness that often does not compress all pockets and compartments.
      The straps of our system are split into two halves and each half has a quick-release fastener. Each half is adjustable at both ends, which means that when you cinch the straps tightly you won’t have long strap ends hanging loosely from your panniers. Plus, each strap end has a small loop fastener to hold its end in place. Splitting each strap means that our full-coverage system not only provides unparalleled compression and support, it also means that access into all pockets of the pannier is easy. Because RBD panniers have compartments that are vertically bisected (divided into fore and aft halves), you only have to release two fasteners to access gear. Also, the straps have a vertical locator - that is, they’re designed so they can’t slide up or down.

 LOAD ISOLATION DESIGN – The fourth factor that separates our panniers from others relative to bicycle handling, is the design of our pockets and compartments. All RBD panniers (except the EL 1600 and Paradigm models) have three separate compartments from the back of the pannier (aluminum stiffener side) outward. Each pocket or compartment is vertically bisected, forming two halves (fore and aft). Functionally, our design allows you to very precisely distribute the weight of your gear inside the panniers. You can divide your gear, by weight, and very precisely pack your panniers from the rack outward, keeping the heaviest items next to the aluminum stiffeners, and low. You can also divide gear, by weight, in the front or rear (fore/aft) halves of the pannier. In well-loaded rear panniers you keep heavy gear (fuel, food, water) in the front half of the panniers. Also, with our pannier design, you can distribute gear far more effectively, to help offset occurrences of frame shimmy that are caused by improper fore/aft placement of gear on a bicycle.

 FORE / AFT ADJUSTABILITY – Our RBD/Sakkit System, with its PivotLoc mounting and three rear rack positions, provides an extremely wide range of pannier fore/aft adjustment. The adjustment means fine-tuning your rear panniers relative to heel clearance, and your overall system to combat frame shimmy. It’s the fifth element of design that allows our panniers to be in a realm of their own in relation to stability, and overall bicycle handling and performance.

 PIVOTLOC MOUNTING SYSTEM – We began developing the PivotLoc design in 1994. The PivotLoc design is important because it allows panniers to be locked to our racks (Sakkit) to virtually eliminate casual theft of panniers. It is also an extremely secure mount that provides fore/aft pannier adjustability.
      How it works: Two small fittings are brazed to the top of Sakkit racks that work in conjunction with a small, stainless pressure plate. The middle hook at the top of the pannier is placed between the fittings when the panniers are mounted. The pressure plate pivots into position over the hook. You simply tighten the screws that are in the fittings (we provide a special allen key) and your panniers are locked to the racks. It’s a very quick, simple system to use, and it is secure. You can leave your bike unattended knowing that it will take tools for a thief to steal your panniers.

 DUAL-STRAP MOUNTING SYSTEM – By far the most stable mounting system ever developed for low-mount racks. (Sakkit touring racks are mid- or high-mount.) Our dual-strap system should not be confused with other systems that have two vertical straps that do not create effective four-point mounting. Our system consists of a vertical strap, and a horizontal strap which connects the bottom of the panniers, in an extremely solid way, to the bottom of lowriding racks (Gordon etc.), creating a very effective four-point system. Still the unrivaled standard. It’s one that is used on our products alone.

 SINGLE TENSION-STRAP MOUNTING – We are the originators of single-strap mounting systems, too. Again, ours are quite different from others. The most important difference is that our version creates four-point mounting instead of two. A huge difference. Another important difference is that our straps are removable and they are coated to greatly reduce wear. If you ever wear one out it can easily be replaced. We do not use Velcro to secure the loose end of the straps. Velcro can wear out, and mud and water can alter its effectiveness. We use a small bungee mechanism. Our single-strap design is far more stable and durable, and we custom design it to each rack for which it is built.

 EXTREME FRONT (PANEL) LOADING – If you’ve read reviews of our panniers over the years, one thing that you have probably noticed is that it has always been said that they are far more convenient to use, and that access to gear in our panniers is much easier than in others. Access to gear, in all pockets and compartments of RBD panniers from their tops to their bottoms, is effortless because of very long zippers (29- to 39- in.). You can see and access gear easily from the top to the bottom of the panniers, unlike top-loading designs in which you have to fight through 15- or 20- inches of gear to get to the bottom of your packs.

 EXTENSIVE COMPARTMENTALIZATION - It has always been said that our panniers have the most pockets and compartments. True, they do. But how they are designed is far more important. The primary compartment (the one closest to the rack) of our panniers is bisected by a vertical divider (11-, 13-, or 16-in.), which allows gear to be segregated for weight isolation and convenience in packing. The dividers are removable, to accommodate bulky items like cooking pots. The middle compartment (all panniers but the EL 1600 and Paradigm) is divided into fore and aft halves as well, but in only one pannier of each pair. The un-divided pannier provides quick access to very bulky gear like parkas and rain gear.
      All of our panniers have a pocket on their outer face. It is a pocket for easy access to gear, and a place to segregate a lot of smaller items that you carry from bulky (and heavy) gear, food, fuel, and water carried in the primary and middle compartments. EL panniers have a flat outer pocket and Discovery Series panniers have a more effective pocket that is one inch deep. The design of our pockets and compartments is the easiest to use in terms of segregating gear. It’s totally in a realm of its own in terms of weight distribution and how it effects bicycle handling.

 COMPRESSION PANELS – Rear Discovery Series panniers have a very handy compression panel on their outer face. It’s a great place to secure muddy shoes, dirty clothing, or wet rain covers to the outside of your panniers until you can dry or clean them off. It’s also a secure way to attach items to the outside of your panniers that you want quick access to, like clothing. The ‘C’ version of our EL Series panniers has a less elaborate compression panel.

 COMPRESSION POCKETS – We were the original developer of compression panels and pockets in the late 70’s (for both backpacks and bikepacks). Compression pockets are found on our Modular panniers, in both the EL and Discovery Series. The most important pocket is the side-pleated compression pocket on front Discovery Modular 2800 and 3600 panniers. Like a compression panel it provides easy access to gear on the outside of your panniers, and allows the gear to be extremely secure, as well. The compression pockets on all modular models, both front and rear, are created by the zip-on, zip-off outer pockets. With the pockets zipped in place, there is a convenient storage area behind the pocket.

 DISCOVERY MESH AND NON-MESH POCKETS – When we designed the first mesh pockets back in 1981, we never intended to dry gear in them. That’s not what they’re for. They are simply a pocket that allows you to see gear inside. They’re handier than a pocket with a solid fabric. They are used on all front Discovery Series panniers. The one-inch depth of the outer pockets on Discovery panniers (front mesh, rear non-mesh) ensures that they are highly effective no matter how stuffed your panniers are. The pockets are very easily accessed through 14- or 16-in. zippers. In one pannier in each pair, there is a pocket inside the mesh pocket to stash some of the smallest items you carry (contact lens cases, mosquito repellent, nail clippers, sunglasses, toothbrush, etc.).

OUTER FLAT POCKETS – All EL Series panniers, except the ‘L’ version, have an easy access pocket on their outer face that is a flat pocket. It is an effective and indispensable pocket for organizing gear. The access zipper is 12-, 14 -, or 16-in. in length depending on the model for which it is designed.

BOMBPROOF ZIPPERS / DURABILITY – We use 9-mm. YKK zipper exclusively in our panniers. In the last 17 years we’ve never had to replace one worn-out zipper. The zipper is extremely strong and durable. However, there’s a lot more to the fact that we’ve had no problems with zipper than the quality of the zipper itself.
      The zippers on our panniers operate very smoothly. Some panniers that have a front (panel) loading design have slightly rounded, instead of square corners, to develop slightly smoother operating zippers. But the shape of our panniers is such that zippers flow through a much more relaxed arch than other products, creating super-smooth operating zippers. It makes a big difference through years of hard use. The extremely long access zippers of our panniers really cut down on stress too. The other factor that reduces wear is our dual zipper flap design.

 DUAL ZIPPER FLAPS – We developed dual zipper flaps for bicycle panniers and have used them exclusively from the beginning of our Needle Works days. Dual zipper flaps provide a much better seal, to keep out dirt and dust, than a single flap. Dirt eats up zippers. The effective seal also protects zippers from ultraviolet light. UV damage is insidious, and it kills zippers by weakening the thread that is used to sew zipper coils to the zipper tape.

DUAL ZIPPER PULLS – We use nickel-plated pulls and sew a second webbing pull to them. It’s difficult to describe how a double-pull design works, but there is a big difference. You never have to search for your pulls to open zippers, and they just work more easily. Indispensable.

QUALITY OF FINISH – There is probably more than one reason our panniers have been called “works of art” but one of them is their quality of construction. Some packs are put together well, but we produce a much higher level of finish that is probably only possible because of two decades of experience and dedication, and the fact that we’re a tiny family-operated business. You don’t have to look closely at our panniers to recognize that they are very, very elaborately designed and detailed, in a manner in which no other products are. There are some products available with taped seams, but we go numerous steps further. There are no raw fabric edges anywhere - not along zippers, not where pockets are attached, not in any seam. To cut down on stress we reinforce many pannier parts in elaborate ways that no other manufacturers do. If you look inside our panniers you don’t see the aluminum stiffener. It’s carefully encased in fabric. On the outside there’s no binding ribbon to fray and fall apart. From ‘top’ stitching to seam binding, our products are more finely constructed, for a lifetime of use.

 FIVE-FABRIC CONSTRUCTION – We use five different types of fabric in the design of RBD Panniers. The use of the different types of fabrics creates the lightest and the strongest panniers relative to their particular design.

 FOAM INSERTS – Discovery Series panniers have two types of foam inserts. Both are encased in fabric. We use an insert to cover about two thirds of the aluminum stiffener. The insert protects gear from damage that could be caused by making contact with mounting system hardware. Because food is heavy, it should always be carried close to the rack in the primary compartment of our panniers. Food sacks, cooking pots, stoves, fuel tanks and other gear benefit from having the inserts, as they are protected from damage.
      On the bottom of panniers are inserts that are in the same fabric sleeve as the perimetric stiffeners. They are on the outside of the stiffeners. While they can’t eliminate the potential damage from hitting curbs, rocks, branches, and even the road when you’re cornering with lowriding racks, they help. They provide a ‘cushion’ between perimetric stiffeners and whatever you hit.

REINFORCED / LIGHTWEIGHT STIFFENERS - We have used aluminum stiffeners for about 15 years. They are very lightweight compared to ABS plastic ones used throughout the industry. Although they are quite expensive, we use them because they have a better weight/rigidity ratio. We also use them because we can. Lightweight stiffeners cannot be successfully used, without reinforcement, with panniers that do not have rigid four-point mounting systems. In the last 15 years we have had one failure of an aluminum stiffener designed for, and used exclusively with a four-point mounting system. And that was after 44,000 miles with our non-reinforced stiffeners.
      For extreme use we do recommend reinforced stiffeners (we beef-up stress points) as a measure of security. We charge $10 per pair. On the other hand, because Sakkit touring racks provide so much stability and support, we actually reduce the weight of our panniers (3-oz.) by die-cutting ‘windows’ in the stiffeners of our Discovery Series panniers for the RBD/Sakkit system.

PANNIER HOOKS AND HARDWARE – We redesigned our pannier hooks in 1996. They are now quite small and produce less leverage and stress upon pannier stiffeners than any other single-hole hook.
      We use stainless and brass mounting hardware. Expensive, but trouble-free. Also, all mounting hardware can be removed. We use no rivets. What it means functionally is that you can crash your bike, blow out a stiffener, and fix or replace it easily. Just another thing we thought of to make life on the road a little easier.

 WHITE INTERIOR FABRIC – The insides of all RBD panniers are white. The use of the lightest color inside the panniers just makes it easier for gear to be seen, especially in low-light conditions.

SHOULDER STRAPS – All RBD panniers are set up with a convenient shoulder strap for carrying them when they’re not on your bike. The strap can be clipped to one or both panniers of a pair. A more luxurious 2-in. strap, with a molded shoulder pad, is available for $10.00.

RAIN AND ALL-TERRAIN COVERS – About 98% of the panniers we send out the door go out with covers. Our panniers are designed to be used with covers. When RBD Rain covers and panniers are properly sealed, they are 100% effective in eliminating rain penetration. We use a very expensive fabric in their construction, which has a laminated-urethane, waterproof finish that doesn’t peel.
      For extreme use, like lots of single-track riding, we make All-Terrain covers. They provide a high measure of protection from dust, mud, rocks and branches. The covers will help protect your panniers from getting beat up in off-road conditions. Both RBD Rain and All-Terrain covers are available with (optional) reflective tape for greater visibility.
      Covers, besides keeping your gear from getting wet, and your panniers from getting dirty, also greatly reduce zipper wear by keeping zippers clean. They also can be used to greatly cut down UV damage to your panniers. Some people use them, rain or shine, to ensure that their panniers will last a lifetime. Lastly, covers can be used to reduce casual theft. Put them on while you are away from your bike, and you can help keep the curious out of your panniers.

VALUE – RBD panniers perform to a much higher standard than all other panniers. They are designed and built to the highest standard. They are far more elaborately detailed than any other product. Added up, we put far more into our product relative to their cost. They’re the best lifetime investment you can make at any price.

CUSTOM OPTIONS – Vertical compression straps (Discovery panniers only) - $10.00, RBD Solar system recharger - $70.00 per pannier, daypack conversion - $75.00, custom colors - $25.00, wide shoulder strap - $10.00, reinforced stiffeners - $10.00.

COLORS/CUSTOM COLORS – All RBD panniers are available with a tri-color combination of teal and black, with gray as an accent color. We offer many custom colors with purple, forest green, royal blue, gray, charcoal and red replacing teal as the primary pannier color. We will also use all colors as accent colors. We don’t make all-black panniers. Black is the poorest color functionally.