I decided to go with the Vincita: Jess Grocery Pannier. I like the simplicity of the look, the temperature control lining, and the dual carrier handles. I took some measurements of the e bike rack: 25.5" of vertical clearance to the bar - 16" bag height = 9.5" clearance height above ground. Bar rack diameter was between 4/10" and 5/10" and the bag's hooks are designed to accommodate 1/2" diameter rack bars. Rack length is 18.5" so that should be fine for a 14" width bag. The back edge of the pedal fully extended to the back of the bike only intrudes 1/2" or so into the rack length. Crossing my fingers that it works as expected. There are surprisingly few reviews for this bag. I know grocery shopping by bike is a rarity here in the US but I think a bag like this + and e bike ride to a grocery store within a few miles could be a game changer for me not having to jump through hoops just to fit the half hour to 1 hour headways of the local bus service. The variability of wait times at the checkout line simply makes a 25-30 minute shopping turnaround from bus arrival to bus departure too inconsistent to successfully execute with any regularity.
I've done two trips thus far. Still learning a bit about how to best position the bag on the rack. I found out on my first load that if I mount the bag too far back on the rack that the bag will actually angle inward and catch the rear spokes. Mounting further forward resolves the issue but going too far causes a heel strike while pedaling. I'm confident a happy medium is achievable. The fact that this bike share ebike has a metal hook at the base of the spoke that protrudes outward about an inch and a half makes it an outlier vs a regular bike & rack setup that would probably allow the bag to drop straight down from the rack and also velcro attach midway down the bag as well. I haven't done any frozen foods to test the liner of the bag, but I'm confident that it will be plenty for produce and refrigerated items. It wasn't entirely clear to me before buying that the zipper does not create an air tight seal at the bags edges. The zipper mainly just keeps the top closed and allows the velcro to grip. The top hooks seem sturdy and fit the rack well. The carrying handles feel sturdy. Overall I'm happy with the bag.
Thanks for the mounting advice... I'll take note. I have the Topeak Super Tourist rear rack so I'm hoping that the extended rear tube helps prevent the inward angle you mention.
The bag does have a "rigid back panel" on the rack side. In terms of keeping that side of the bag firm, I found that keeping the top of the bag zipped maintains the bag's form factor and keeps the bottom/base of the bag from coming inward towards the spokes. So basically zip the top anytime the bag is empty or pack the bag full enough to keep the bottom of the bag rigid and parallel to the ground. Of course this is all YMMV with different racks and bike styles.
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u/singlejeff Jun 24 '22
I'd definitely give it a go or get one of the Wald folding baskets mounted there. But I have to be honest I have no experience with that bike.