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SEVEN DAY CYCLIST
CYCLING, BUT NOT USUALLY RACING
LATEST UPDATE JANUARY 20th 2026
HOW DO WE REACH THE OVERALL RATINGS FOR PRODUCTS WE REVIEW?
Velobin Pannier
1300g 17.5 litres Lockable £76.99 Not lockable £69.99
Available in a wide variety of colours, the Velobin is a hard-case, waterproof alternative to traditional fabric roll-top and box-top panniers. Ours was the lockable version, adding a handy little bit of additional security. Eco-cred scores well; manufactured from 100% recycled plastic. This may play well with commuters, who are its primary audience. Whilst it lacks some of the flexibility of roll-top, fabric panniers, it offers solutions to some significant issues. I can see why this could be an ideal companion.
Pros: lockable, variety of colours, stands alone when off the bike, no sagging, waterproof, comfortable carry-handle.
Cons: capacity cannot be compressed, no organisational pockets.
Specification
Firstly, forget your expectations of roll-top or box-top fabric panniers, whether duck, tarpaulin, whatever fabric it might be. This is a different concept.
As the Velobin is of rigid construction, dimensions are more significant than for softer models. There are two brackets built into each end of the pannier (these make it easy to rig-up a shoulder strap). Including these the pannier is 41 cm long. Including hinges, it is 21.5 cm deep; at highest, 35 cm. The base is narrower than the top, but still makes a good base for the pannier to stand alone when away from the bike, as well as offering heel-clearance when pedalling.
Capacity is 17.5 litres, with a weight limit 10 kg.
The standard mount is designed for rails up to 12mm in diameter (including the two shims). There is also one for oversized rails, of 16mm or 22mm. If you order that size with your Velobin pannier, it will be fitted for free. If you need it later, it’ll cost you £24.99. This one has a Rixon-Kaul Klikfix bracket.
Made from 100% recycled plastic, there are a variety of colours available. Inside, I found a handy pack of stickers for enhance visibility, but you could equally customise with your own designs.
There’s a comfortable carry-handle. The lid is secured plastic hinged hooks.
Also waiting to be found inside was a key on a rubber wrist strap. Ours was the lockable version, but you can save a few pounds by opting for an unlockable version. The lock secures the top of the pannier, not the pannier to the rack. Mind you, it strikes me that it would be easy enough to find a suitable cable/wire lock to do that.
www.sevendaycyclist.com does not do destruction testing. However, this is a plastic pannier with a lock that secures a bar into a plastic recess. This is not a strong box on wheels. It will secure your good so far, but I’d not be leaving it vulnerable for too long in dodgy places.
Without any internal organising pockets, the interior is, fundamentally, of the bucket type. Absence of pockets is a moot point; great for keeping items in easy reach, they can also snag and tear or compromise integrity.
There are two shims for fitting to skinnier rails.
A shoulder strap is available as an aftermarket purchase.
Finally, a five-year warranty puts faith in performance.
Mounting 3.5/5
On the face of it mounting brackets are traditional. They are Rixon-Kaul brackets with Hooks to go over the rail and locked in place by rotating a lever. The rail-hooks can be moved along the bracket to any of four pre-drilled holes. That’s not as adaptable as those that can slide to any position, however, it has not been an insurmountable problem on any of the racks I have experimented with.
Luckily enough for me, I have not needed to fettle too much to fit the Velobin onto the rails of the trial racks. I’d anticipated some possible problems with two tier racks, but this is just a bit fiddly when moving the lock into place, and now I have got the knack.
Regular readers will know that my commute covers ten miles over a mixture of terrain; suburban road, canal towpath of crushed lime, mudpack, and tree-root lifted asphalt and gravel, finishing with some city roads and, indeed, some
rather lovely segregated cycle lanes. This offers a good mix of rattles, bumps, and lurches. I have had panniers leap off, generally because I have not adjusted them properly. More of an issue than escape, is stability and clearance between heel and pannier. The Velobin cannot escape. Get the horizontal bar in place and it won’t bump around either. The hooks click into place to envelope the rail. However, if you want to avoid rattle in what is, in effect, a plastic box you need to pack it properly. More on that later.
Size, capacity, and performance 4/5
Dimensions are given above. They offer 17.5 litres of capacity. That’s plenty for tool kit, D-lock and cable (I have to leave it outside my workplace), waterproof, pump, tool-kit, inner tubes, spare lights, packed lunch, occasional contributions to the communal biscuit and sweet tins. That leaves little space for the groceries demanded when the text arrives asking me to call in at the mini-market on the way home. Getting hold of two Velobins would, of course, balance things out and allow for picking up a few beers on the way home – if you must. However, I’d not be taking it on tour as the rigid structure doesn’t offer the flexibility that roll-top panniers do and is less good for stuffing in things like sleeping bags. I’d want more capacity, too, for more than a short or lightweight tour.
17.5 litres capacity is distinctly moderate in terms of capacity. However, bear in mind that, if push comes to shove and it is not raining, you can leave the top open and the rigid walls will support a bunch of flowers, or such like, very nicely. It is also a commuter and utility pannier, as opposed to a touring pannier. The emphasis is on easy of use, full waterproofing, security. It is light, easy to carry, sits next to your desk – if you have one – and doesn’t spread itself over the floor, leaking contents as it does so.
The carry handle is comfortable without being exceptional. It would not take too much wit to rig-up a shoulder strap (but do so at your own risk).
Rigid construction makes contact between Velobin and heel even less desirable than with traditional panniers. Ensure the mounting position is right before setting off to do the shopping. The cut-away base helps here, especially if you’ve got large feet. My size nine and a half’s rarely cause problems, but larger feet should have no problem either.
On a side note, the flat base is really helpful: my wonderful Ortliebs and Lomos and others tend to flop around and fall over, much to the annoyance of my work colleagues. They approve of the Velobin’s stability.
Visibility is enhanced by the reflective panels with the Velobin logo to fore and rear, and the rigid surface facilitates easy application of the sicker pack and other bits and bobs you may wish to add, reflective tape, for example.
Needless to say, with the lid properly closed and secured, the Velobin is 100% waterproof, surviving downpours, the hose test, and the watering can.
A word on packing
You can get rattle in any pannier, but a rigid one is more prone to these things than a fabric one. Fill any pannier with beer bottles and it will rattle, or so I am told; there’ll be more rattle with Velobin. That may be a bit annoying, but a greater concern is with genuinely delicate goods, such as laptops, bike lights, etc. Frankly, if I have to cart a laptop on the commute, I’d be inclined to go for a cycling rucksack with a laptop sleeve, such as the Craft Cadence Cycling Back Pack. It is not beyond the wit of man to use some foam to protect delicate items in the Velobin. Given that most commuters are creatures of habit, doing the same journey with the same gear each day, it would be far from a waste for time either.
I don’t take a laptop with me very often, but have found that the change of clothes and the waterproof jacket that accompany me on my commute pad out the U-lock, tool kit, and spare lights nicely. It is worth taking a bit of care with packing, which then just becomes routine.
Care and durability 4.5/5
Short of finding a way to crack the plastic, this should pretty much last for ever. I’ve avoided clattering into anything and any fear that scrapes were more likely because of the rigid structure were unfounded. It is no wider than a loaded Ortlieb.
As ever, don’t overload. 10kg max is the limit. That is not unusual for panniers of any type. Bear in mind the payload of your rack, too.
I’ve seen some debate about ease of cleaning between fabric and plastic surfaces. Overall, I’d go for the plastic if you really want a wipe-and-go surface. No crinkles or different texture surfaces. Soapy water has been sufficient to disperse the varied much of multi-surface winter commuting.
Value 4/5
There are not that many rigid plastic bicycle panniers about. There are fabric models that have more than a back panel, but they are not really the same thing. Cyrushers SR200 has a comparable capacity – tad larger, in fact – and is aimed primarily at e.bikes, but should fit standard racks, too. On that note, there are rigid panniers designed specifically for certain models of cargo e.bikes; as far as I can see, these are unlikely to be compatible with standard racks. £70 might seem pricey for a pannier, but there are plenty that are pricier as well as plenty that are cheaper, but few that are directly comparable.
Summary
Initially a tad sceptical about the concept, I have come to appreciate the virtues of the Velobin. The commute is its milieu, and I’ve found it the perfect get-up-and-go partner to winter commuting. It stands nicely next to my desk, carries all I want in all kinds of weathers. Definitely worth a good look, especially for who want full-on weather protection, a lock, and a bit of gear that could last for ever.
