If you are riding your bike on a route that is bumpy, or if you are like me and will lose the bungee if it is not attached to the bag, you will want some permanently installed bungy straps to hold down your home made panniers.

My instructable shows some minor additions that I used to keep the panniers attached firmly to the bike.

First of all start out with this fantastic instructable posted by Frenzy:

https://www.instructables.com/id/How_To_Make_Panniers_Out_Of_Recycled_Materials_for/

Then before moving to step 5 follow these steps:

(at least that is what I did and the bag/other hardware you see will was created by following that instructable )

Step 1: Assemble Materials

(Remember these are items you will need IN ADDITION to the materials posted by Frenzy in his pannier instructions https://www.instructables.com/id/SOC3NSFFRBPY11F/ )

UPDATED NOTE: I would also recommend going to a local privately owned hardware store rather than a big box. The people will know better where to find what you are looking for and are usually better at problem solving with you than at the big box stores. I also found that the small local hardware store was cheaper overall for the things I needed.

- Length of Bungee (Aproximately 1 foot, but may vary depending on your bike) ( find a bungee lying by the road on your bike ride, or find a simple bungee and cut it. You might be able to find bungee stock lengths at hardware or boating stores. )

- Metal Ring (75 cents each)
OR
Hook ( NOTE: If you are using a hook, Just use an existing hooked bungee and leave the hook on the bungy )
( this depends on what hardware your rack/bike have on them. My wifes bike has hooks at the bottom, so we used rings that slip over the hooks. Mine doesn't have those so I'll probably use hooks on mine to hook over something down there near the axle)

- 2 Coated Retainer Clamps (50 cents each) (sized appropriately for your bungee. I used 1/4" )

(Optional)

- 4 Washers ( 7 cents each)

NOTE: If you use the washers you may need a longer bolt/screw than you originally planned for.

Step 2: Retainer Clamp Placement

Before you fasten the retainer clamp to the bag, first put the bungee through the retainer clamp and tie a knot in the end. if you are using a bungee with a hook, just pull the hook away from the end where the bungee is doubled and clamped and put it through the retainer clamp

Step 3: Installment Configuration

This is how it should look before you attach the bolts/screws to the bag.

One end of the bungee should have a knot in it then go through the retainer clamp.

The ring (or hook ) should be threaded onto the bungee.

Bungee should then go through the other retainer clamp.

the other end of the bungee should be free, not in a final knot, but possibly tied to something so it won't slip out of the retainer clamp.

Step 4: Installation

Put the retainer clamp on in this order:

(You will notice that I put the bolts in reverse of what frenzy did. I don't know that it matters, although it's probably a lot easier to thread the nuts when you can see them, and if you are trimming bolts the nuts need to be outside as well )

-Inside bag
Nut
Washer

washer
retainer clamp
bolt

Note, the washer is to protect the bag from the retainer clamp and also to enlarge the area of the bag that is being tightened down on.

Step 5: Adjustment.

I will add another picture here once I build my next set, but for now a description, and a final picture will have to do.

-Once the bolts/screws are tightened onto the bag place the bag on the bike rack where you intend it to bee when you ride.

-Hold onto the free end of the bungee to be sure it does not unthread.

-Place the ring or hook in the position it will be in while secured onto the bike.

-Pull the freeend of the bungee tight so that the ring/hook have some tension.

-Make sure you can still disengage the ring/hook ( i.e. too much tension )

-Once you are satisfied with the tension, mark the free end of the bungee just above the rentainer clamp with a marker or straight pin or something.

-Take the pannier off the bike.

Put some slack on the bungee so that the mark you made comes out on the side of the free end of the bungee.

-Tie a knot so that the mark you made is just barely going into the knot on the retainer clamp side.

-Place the bag back on the bike and test attaching the ring/hook to make sure it works as desired.

-Trim the bungee no closer than 1/2 inch from the knot.

-Return to Step 6 of Frenzy's instructions to complete the pannier.

https://www.instructables.com/id/SWNHZPDFRBPY11N/

I hope you enjoyed this instructable and many thanks to Frenzy for a great i'ble to piggy back off of.

Happy building and riding.