Arkel GT54 Grand Touring Panniers
'These panniers are going to make me very happy for a very long time if not for the rest of my life.'
The GT-54 is Arkel's workhorse touring model, with an overabundance of features and amenities born of experience on the road. Arkel don't believe in bags in which you cram gear like there's no need to retrieve it. Arkel understand the need for organization when we're on the road for weeks on end, living out of our panniers; the need to find a tool quickly, or to know that the sleeping mat is well protected from the weather. Every detail comes from their on-the-road experience. The result can't help but enhance your own touring adventures.
Made in Canada using all-North American materials
Arkel overbuild their bags in Canada. That way, Arkel can be confident that there are none better made, and you can be confident that the bag will last forever. All their bags are manufactured in Canada in proofed Dupont 1000-denier Cordura, produced in North Carolina by Huber Textiles - a refreshing alternative to the normal Western practice of 'outsourcing' everything from Asia. Arkel tell us that producing everything in their own factory enables them to oversee every step of the production process and enables them to guarantee 100% quality control.
100% Waterproof Liner in Main Compartment
Arkel's waterproof liner addresses the issue of how to make a zip-rich intelligently compartmentalised pannier totally waterproof . The liner is made of a lightweight, fully waterproof, polyurethane-coated nylon. The zips on the liner allow for full frontal access of the main compartment in the same fashion as the front panel of the bag itself. Frontal opening of the main compartment allows for easy access and functional organization of the contents. Should you find yourself touring the desert, this liner can be rolled out the way and stored unobtrusively in the roof of the pannier. Having an internal liner bag means you can store clean stuff inside it and keep wet or dirty stuff separate in the main compartment. The liner's bright yellow color helps you locate things in low light.
Asymmetrical design
Most other panniers on the market are made symmetrical - it's easy, just flip the pattern. Arkel know that some features need to be there only once. As form must follow function, Arkel panniers are slightly different from the right side to the left side. Some features are distinctive, like the tube pocket for a sleeping mattress (no need for two) or the Flip Flop pocket for a toiletry kit (who's carrying two toothbrushes?). The result is a distinctive, well-designed pair of panniers, made to fit your needs.
Aluminium Frame
The aluminum internal frame and a rigid bottom shelf prevent sagging. This frame is foldable so you can actually fold up the Arkel GT54 for neat stowage off the bike. Each aluminium rod is individually machined then burnished with a metallic brush to a smooth round cap so that it won't pierce through your belongings.
Size 10 Zips
The zips are YKK Size 10 - the biggest, strongest zipper commercially available. This TFL (Total Front Loading) zip extends to the bottom of the panniers for the ultimate accessibility. The pockets feature Arkel's unique Smiley Zippers for the widest access ever in the corners. Each YKK zipper has die-cast nickel sliders with full metal tabs + pull tabs.
Inside liner back pocket
A liner covers the pannier's backplate. You can neatly carry magazines, maps, books, and files here.
Removable Tube Pocket
Unique to Arkel, the tube pocket is designed to carry long items, such as a sleeping mat or tent poles. The tube pocket is removable for those days when you don't need it.
Removable Bum Bag
Very convenient for quick stops.
Removable Butterfly Pocket
A pocket that opens like butterfly wings, is located on the left hand pannier. The wings conceal and hold a two-way zippered, removable pouch that is useful for storing necessities like a tool kit, a first aid kit or a toiletry kit. The pouch can be carried on the belt of the bum bag pocket - or left at home if not needed. The space behind the butterfly pocket creates a very handy and quick-access compartment to store small items like gloves or a map. The wings can also be used to cinch a rain jacket or the like.
Reflective Tape Aplenty
These bags glow in the dark.
Compression strap
The compression strap stabilizes the contents of the main compartment. This is especially handy when the bags are only a quarter full.
Dimensions: 2 x 27 litres.
46 x 41 x 20 cm / 18 x 16 x 8 inches
(Height x Width x Depth) per pannier
Arkel Overview
Arkel's website is arkel-od.com - check it out
Arkel are so proud of their overdesign ethos, they call their website arkel-od.com - i.e. od for overdesigns.
Arkel overbuild their bags in Canada. Every piece of fabric and every component used in every bag is manufactured in North America. That way, Arkel can be confident that there are none better made, and you can be confident that the bag will last forever. Arkel tell us that producing everything in their own factory enables them to oversee every step of the production process. This enables them to guarantee 100% quality control.
Arkel deserve to be proud. Their overdesign ethos means they have gone to the greatest lengths to address the tiniest details in the pursuit of the perfect bike bag. Bags that are clearly designed by people who have spent a lot of time carrying stuff on bikes. You'll appreciate Arkel's attention to detail everytime you use one of their bags.
There are dozens of unsolicited testimonials on arkel-od.com. I was checking them out when I came across this one from Heather Zimba. Heather's travels have taken her from her native Alaska to Edinburgh via Japan. She has been working with us since 2006. Heather wrote this testimonial before she joined Edinburgh Bicycle Co-op.
'Hello folks at Arkel OverDesigns,
Happy New Year. Back in April I bought a set of your GT-54 panniers. I just wanted to write and tell you they're AWESOME!!! They're the best panniers I've ever used. They're the perfect size for my biking/camping adventures. They're also perfect for when I go grocery shopping (long green onions and celery fit wonderfully in the long tent pole pocket!!) I love that I don't have to use both bags, but can hook just one bag onto my pannier rack. I use one of my bags everyday to carry all my things for work and yet the bag still looks brand new. I also love the fanny pack. I use it to carry my wallet and other valuables. It is so nice to be able to leave my heavy loaded bag on my bike and by just 'ripping off' my fanny pack I can take all my valuables with me.
I bike all year long, and I've found that carrying my things in the panniers has made winter biking a bit easier. By using the panniers it takes the weight of the things I'm carrying off my back and puts it on the back of my bike which makes biking through the tons of snow we get here in Hokkaido (Japan) a bit easier.
I think given the heavy duty zippers, the thick strong material, and the overall high quality of the bags, these panniers are going to continue to make me very happy for a very long time if not for the rest of my life. I'll be leaving Hokkaido and moving back to Alaska in July. I'll leave my bike here and buy one when I get back to Alaska, but no way am I leaving my panniers!!
Thank you so much!!'
Heather Zimba.
