Commuter Bike Storage Ortlieb Waterproof

Review: ORTLIEB Back-Roller Urban Rear Bicycle Pannier

Imagine if Danny MacAskill was a banker - then he would probably ride to work with this special ORTLIEB classic...

Danny MacAskill can probably do as many tricks as there are version of ORTLIEB’s classic Back-Roller. The 33 year old Scot and the southern German hydrophile are also roughly the same age. In 1987, the Back-Roller went to series in Nurnberg and quickly took over the world. To call it the VW Golf of panniers would be an understatement. If you meet a Touring cyclist on gravel road in Patagonia, Scotland or Laos, the chances that they have a Back-Roller on their rack are somewhere between 98 and 99 percent. It isn’t boring or mainstream, instead it’s the result of an unrivalled product that is simple, reliable and robust. I’m sure that if Danny MacAskill gave up his professional carrier and pursued a “serious” profession, e.g. banker, he would use the Back-Roller to commute to work. Fittingly, ORTLIEB introduced a version that gets full style points: the Back-Roller Urban.

Rides: Gravel, Trekking, Trail
Bikes: Trek Checkpoint SL, MTB Cycletech Papalagi, Scott Genius 710

Commute Bike City ORTLIEB Rosenheim Bags

ORTLIEB’s Back-Roller has seen the entire world. With the new “Urban” model the classic...

…is now a part of the low-key clean design trend, with 100 % functionality. Whether in the city...

...or on the way there.

Yes, this fabric is really waterproof!

The “Urban” is the much cooler sibling of the long-running “Classic”, both in colour and feel. The material is eye candy for all those who love a clean look. Compared to the smooth and tough truck tarp surface of the “normal” Back-Roller, the textile impression of the Cordura cotton blended fabric of the Urban version feels like a finely knitted Merino wool sweater. Not like the classic yellow fisherman’s rain jacket, but still just as waterproof. For the sticklers: IP 64, protected from water splashing from any direction. Alright, now I have never heard of a diver using a Back-Roller on their underwater bike, but to be clear laptop & co. are protected from every type of on-land wet. Often, when I am riding with the Urban, I get comments like “That material is really waterproof? Looks like a normal fabric.” The textile outer surface of the Back-Roller Urban is outfitted with a polyurethane (PU) coating on the inside. This make the material completely waterproof - so much that a 100 metre water column (100,000 mm) is needed to bring the water repellent to its knees. Even a Southeast Asian monsoon rain couldn’t get the job done. Thanks to the Cordura ratio - an extremely robust and wear-resistant plastic - in the fabric, this pannier will last decades, so be sure you pick the right colour. Luckily, the reserved and clean look eliminate the risk of any colour overkill.

Textile looks and feel thanks to the Cordura / cotton fabric on the outside,...

…with a 100 % waterproof inside thanks to the polyurethane (PU) coating.

Easy to see, is the difference between the textile, matte outside compared to the smooth, shiny coated inside.

Safety first: Even with a super clean look, Ortlieb didn’t leave out their reflective elements on the rear side of the pannier.

While the “normal” Back-Roller is sold as a pair, the Back-Roller Urban is sold individually.

Those who have already put some cash into a stylish City bike should have a look at this version. Why not use a stylish accessory to complete the whole package? Oh yeah, and the Back-Roller Urban’s outer surface is also sealed up too. The sealant ensures that the fabric doesn't soak up the water and leaves rain drops rolling off. Just to be clear: this has nothing to do with the 100 % waterproofness of the material. That is taken care of by the PU-coating mentioned above. It is only there to ensure the pannier doesn't soak up water through the cotton fabric and get heavier.

The outer surface of the fabric is sealed to be waterproof so it does not soak up moisture and get heavier. This way, water rolls right off.

Packing and mounting made easy

Closing up the Back-Roller is child’s play and can be done in two ways. Either like a classic dry bag, roll down and clip. Or by clipping the included strap on one side, rolling then clipping it again on the other side and hooking the strap on the bottom end of the pannier, tightening or loosening the strap depending on how filled it is. Note: One roll down will keep things in the bag, but to meet the IP64 protection standard (6x = dustproof, 4x = protected from water in every direction), the pannier needs to be rolled down four times. ORTLIEB says that only 9 milk bags (= 9 kg) should be loaded in each bag.

A rack, that doesn’t fit the Back-Roller really doesn't exist. ORTLIEB offers two mounting options: the QL2.1 and QL3.1. QL stands for “Quick-Lock” and is the most uncomplicated, fast and still secure ways to attach a Back-Roller. QL2.1 works with hooks that open and close when lifting the grip strap. 16 mm rail diameter is standard, but reduces for 8, 10, and 12 mm rails are included. For really thick rails, e.g. on some E-bikes, switching to 20 mm hooks with handle is also an option.

Attaching with the QL2.1 system is super easy. Set it up...

…pull the strap and the hook locks open and then rest on the rack. Let go of the strap and the hook locks close automatically.

After, the lower hook only needs to be loosened and placed in a good position on the rack and then tightened again. This position can remain the same, as long as the bike doesn’t change.

If the distance of the hooks doesn’t fit, all you need to do is lift the lock levers and slide them around. Be sure to hear a click with pushing the locks back down.

When the Back-Roller isn’t on the rack, the tightening strap can be used as a shoulder strap. Those who walk alot when going to work or shopping will find the QL3.1 system interesting. The advantage: unlike the QL2.1 the QL3.1 doesn’t have hooks, which are great on the hips and for those around you. A special QL3.1 mounting set a type of adapter, is installed on the rack. To attach, the bag is hooked first on the lower mount and then clipped to the upper mounts by sliding the pannier from left to right

With the QL3.1 system, the Back-Roller is hooked into the lower mount and then slid into the upper until is clicks. This removes the need for the QL2.1 hooks, making carrying more comfortable. However…

…you need the special QL3.1 mount installed on your bike.

The complete package

The inside of the Back-Roller Urban is the same as its Classic sibling: a pocket and mesh zip compartment store things like keys, wallets or files. To be honest, you don’t need anything else either.

The ingenious Hartmut Ortlieb was right on the money with the accessories when he invented the Back-Roller 30 years ago. Those who aren't into the shoulder strap can also convert the Back-Roller, and almost every ORTLIEB pannier, into a waterproof backpack with the optional back harness system To secure the QL2.1 mount from thieves there also a QL2/Ql2.1 theft protection. Super practical if you leave your panniers on your bike for a longer period of time.

Maybe Danny MacAskill will reshoot his "Way back home" video – this time as a banker, with the Back-Roller Urban.

20 litres per pannier. Space for two large DIN A4 folders, jacket, other files and much more.

Small stuff that can easily be lost are best kept in the mesh zip compartment.

ORTLIEB Back-Roller Urban Fact Check:

Matrial: Cordura cotton fabric, inner PU-coating, outer water resistant sealant, PVC free
Roll-top with clips
IP 64 water and dust proof
Volume: 20 litres
Weight: 840 g
Dimensions: 42 cm height, 23/32 cm width, 17 cm deep
Incl. shoulder and tightening strap
Available with QL2.1 or QL3.1 mount systems
Additional buckles + D-ring
Removable inner pocket with zip, open pocket and mesh compartment
Corner protection on the bottom with mounts for back harness system
Made for DIN A4 folders
Made in Germany
5 year guarantee
Colours: ink, pine, pepper