Bicycle Paniers From Canvas Military Surplus Map Bags

You can buy $12 map bags from a military surplus store and with some strap, bungee cord, and rivets, attach them to your bicycle rack for sturdy, unique paniers.

Step 1: Supplies and Tools

-drill
-duct tape
-1/8" bit
-scissors
-rivet wrench
-6 rivets (wrestled with 1/8"x1/4" but would suggest 1/8"x1/2")
-6 1/8" rivet washers
-4' of thin bungee cord
-4 small bungee hooks
-2 map bags
- 4" of strap or webbing

Comments

[mrmoneybagss]

wow this instructable is very usefull. i don't know about you, but i'm voting for this one!

[dustinplatter]

Thanks, this step should be broken up into a few steps.

[JohnMichael]

I recently did something similar. If the bags are nylon it is easier to make the holes with a soldering iron. My rack dose not have the bits sticking out that you attach the loop to so mine are only attached at the top. Though I think the way you attache the panniers with the bungee hooks may be better than my method. I am sometimes coming home after dark and added some red reflective tape for safety.

[dustinplatter]

Yeah, our other bike doesn't have the bottom hook so we put it over the bottom of the rack where it connects to the frame.

[Denger]

It would be helpful if the process for step 2 was either broken down into further steps, or if additional photos were shown for each procedure with a dash beside it (above). I like your Instructable -- a very clever way to make panniers which are likely to outlast anything available commercially. Overall, very well done.

[kierano]

If people didn't have a rivet gun, they could probably use leather rivets (which basically just need a hammer) in place of the pop rivets. Great instructable :)

[Flying Pigeon Project]

Wow. Just came across this. Neat way of attaching to the bike.

I had created a similar setup...but using a Chinese People's Liberation Army Motif.

You can take a look here.

http://www.flyingpigeonproject.org/2009/05/introducing-revolutionary-saddlebags.html

[thepelton]

I have another idea for a carrier for a bike, but I'll try to turn it into an instructable myself.

[JerryMopar]

I love army surplus stuff!

[adampudliner]

nice chacos! nice work on the bags too

[thepelton]

Neat. Just make sure that the fabric doesn't get too close to the moving parts. I may make something like this myself. I saw that you can get soft military map bags at www.sciplus.com

[ehmbee]

Great 'ible-If you are concerned about the bags getting in the spokes (though with your rack it's unlikely to happen), you could get a plastic sheet, I'm thinking corrugated plastic, etc., to stitch in to the back of your bag-cut it to fit the back panel of each bag, insert it into the inside, and either stitch it with a heavy sewing awl or even rivet it in place-it will keep your bags 'up' even when empty and the contents are less likely to shift and send the bags swinging towards the spokes. Hope this makes sense-it's how some motorcycle saddlebags are constructed, and they are a little cleaner looking in that you don't need a permanent frame on your motorcycle to support the bags and keep them out of the spokes.

[dustinplatter]

These map bags have boards in the back so they stay up on their own. They don't fold or flop. Is that what you mean?

[ehmbee]

Yeah, if they are already reinforced that's fantastic-it saves you some work. I may make a set of these up to straddle the tank on my Suzuki.

[dustinplatter]

The duct tape helps.

[thepelton]

Like Red Green said, you can never have enough duct tape.

[sirmorrow]

Beautiful, off to the surplus store. Way cheaper than the store bought. Great for shopping.

[toekneebullard]

Smart way of making the plastic hoops both hold the hooks, and lay over the rack. knocks out two functions with one thing. Well done.

[dustinplatter]

Thanks. It was trial and error on that one. At first I had the hooks on the other side of the hoops but the bags were just flopping around against the rack.