Basil Memphis Panniers on Azor Secret Service
My Experience:
Using the Basil Memphis Panniers for about four months, for commuting, errand running, grocery getting, and just generally carrying things!
RESULTS:
Usability: 5/5
Installation: 5/5
Style: 5/5
Quality: 5/5
Storage Space: 3.5/5
Overall: 4.5/5
Summary:
Basil Memphis Panniers (Photo Courtesy Basil)
The Basil brand “Memphis” panniers are reasonably priced Dutch bicycle storage carriers that provide a very good value.
Purchased From:
Velo Orange, online sales source for lots of semi-obscure and “retro” touring and commuting gear.
Installation:
Like other “European” style (I’m using this term generically, but I probably shouldn’t be) panniers, the Basil Memphis bags attach to your rear bicycle rack using two pairs of belt-style nylon straps with metal hooks, making it fairly easy to attach them to racks that have different tubing sizes. I’m pretty certain they would not have much problem being attached to the standard small tubing racks we generally have in the US. I had them on my Electra Amsterdam Classic 3, my Union of Holland bicycle, and then my Azor Secret Service, with no problems attaching them to any of these bicycles, but all three of those bicycles have larger tubing than standard US racks.
One thing to look out for is that since the straps themselves are quite long, you may end up with quite a bit of extra strap material hanging down in the vicinity of your rear wheel, and if you don’t have a coat/skirt guard on your rear wheel, you may have to be very careful about tucking the strap ends in either to themselves, or underneath your rack, as they are definitely long enough to rub against your spokes as you’re riding.
Secondary attachment to your bicycle frame or to vertical attachment points on your rack on either side, to prevent bag sway as you’re riding, is made possible by a somewhat short velcro strap (I wish this in particular was a bit longer, the fit can get very tight and precarious), which you loop around the tubing, and then make the velcro stick to itself.
All in all, installation was very easy and self-explanatory, and there was no need of instructions – and I should point out, there weren’t any… and really, even if installation is easy, there should at least be basic instructions included with products like this. Surely it wouldn’t be too hard.
Construction & Quality:
The Basil Memphis panniers, unlike some of the more expensive Basil brand bags like the ultra-stylish KAVAN bags, are made of “leatherette” i.e. plasticky stuff, and they are lined on the insides with a thin layer of a felt-like material. The bags are solid black, except for two long, 3/4-inch wide reflector strips on the back of each bag (four total). I really appreciate having these extra rear reflectors, as they are HUGE, and very bright, and since I’m ultra-paranoid about being seen in Austin traffic, I like having all the extra visibility I can get without having to put on one of those reflective vests or whatnot.
Because these bags are made of plastic, basically, instead of canvas, they are pretty much waterproof. The sides of the top section and lid have very wide side flaps that effectively seal the bags when secured correctly, and my bicycle has sat out in three or four downpours when I’ve been at work with no water at all gathering in the bags. After a rain, though, you definitely want to wipe these bags down, at least in a place like Austin where we have a high volume of dust – they can collect dust and dirt pretty well.
Loaded with mail!
After four months of use, nothing much seems to have changed on these bags, everything is holding up just fine. I would say that the bags have seen extremely heavy use as well, because I use them to hold my AXA Defender plug-in chain for my rear wheel lock, a cargo net, and sometimes a U-Lock, at the very least. Not only that, but they have been used to carry stacks of books, bring groceries home dozens of times, and been overloaded with all manner of other items from sack lunches to jackets to anything else I just happen to need to carry at the time. They have performed marvelously.
The only drawback to these bags that I have encountered is that their volume is lower than my last bags, which were some REI Novara bags. Not enough to be a huge inconvenience, but certainly noticeable in comparison. Making up for this is my cargo net, along with my luggage straps – and I should mention that these panniers have a section cut out of the top to make them compatible with luggage straps, and perhaps some models of the Basil baskets as well. This has let me carry pretty large items on top of my rack along with the loaded panniers when going to the store, doing mailings, etc.
Style:
Not bad!
For less than $80, these bags are certainly extremely stylish, and priced less than most panniers as well. I found them to be a very good value. they fit well with my Azor Secret Service, and I have gotten a lot of compliments on them. No complaints here!
Related posts:
on Oct 21st, 2008 at 1:06 pm
Great review! Finally I can give a link to Amsterdamize US visitors who keep asking about shops for Dutch panniers. Like I would know!
Your Secret Service looks awesome, btw.
on Oct 21st, 2008 at 1:25 pm
PS utility bikes just rock
on Oct 21st, 2008 at 1:37 pm
Thanks! We love your blog here, and yes, utility bikes do rock! Now, Elliott would probably say we should all get xtracycles, of course… ah well.
on Oct 21st, 2008 at 2:57 pm
It shows, Marcus! Xtracycles…apples and oranges, I’d say :-p
on Oct 31st, 2008 at 10:05 pm
Awesome.
My dream grocery getter… and only $58.
http://www.velo-orange.com/bamepa.html
A very good price considering how hard this type of bag is to find in the U.S. I’ve been admiting the bakfiets and other similar euro bags like this for years… though my metal folding racks have served me well… they just don’t have a lot of style.
http://flickr.com/photos/mmeiser2/2623015799/
So I hadn’t seen anyone who sold these in the U.S., but I should have known Velo Orange would… they seem to be popping up on my radar alot lately.
My only issue… they might be actually to nice and to easy to put on and off to leave curbside… damn thieves… but then… if their so easy to take on and off, I guess they probably carry pretty well.
Will have to order a pair as soon as I get a chance.
on Mar 11th, 2010 at 5:36 pm
Hey Marcus. Just wanted to thank you for this informative review, which played a major role in my decision to buy a set of the Memphis bags. The bags are great!! Unfortunately, however, it looks like Basil has discontinued this product.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jgmjr/4425138775/
Cheers!
on Mar 12th, 2010 at 10:32 am
Janng,
They are good bags. I have them on my Violet Crown Cycle Pa Ferguson.
On the availability front, I’m sure Basil will have some comparable bag in the near future. If you really like the Memphis and can put up with some flowery designs, the Blossom line is essentially the same bag slightly larger in a more colorful manifestation.