How to make DIY Bike Panniers

Step 8 Bungee Time

Now it's time to attach your bungee.

I cut the end off my bungee cord and then used a match to sinter the ends closed (to keep it from coming apart). I then removed the two hooks. I strung it through the first of my bags plastic loops, added a hook, then through the second plastic loop.

I then mounted the bag on my rack and eyeballed just how much bungee was needed to secure the bag down. The idea for the lower bungee is to hole the bag down - so you'll have to mount to something that is below the bungee, not above (otherwise you'll be pulling the bag off the rack rather than holding it down).

Once I had my length, I knotted the end with a simple overhand knot. The extra bit of bungee was tied up with a bowline knot. Why knots? Because knots are easily adjusted ;)

Comments

[leander37]

I don't understand how you get the bag to keep its shape. It seems that the bungee would pull the bag corners together... Perhaps your backer board goes all the way down?

[scottredd]

Using the bungee's hook here is an excellent reuse of supplied materials. To copy the bungee system on one of my professional panniers, I am thinking of using a steel ring threaded on the bungee. These rings are found in the hardware store near the rope hardware. A "split ring" used for key fobs might also work and would be lighter.