Homemade Jansport Backpack Pannier

Note the straps are still attached, you can still where it is a backpack, although it's not the most comfortable... but better then i would have said, very useful!


This has been an other one of those customizing projects (that I really enjoy). The reason I'd make something like this is simple; panniers are expensive, and who has EVER had a Jansport pannier (I couldn't fine one). I just figured that the "right pack" (the classic Jansport backpack) has a 35 year track record as a tough, simple, and well thought out pack so it would naturally make an awesome pannier. It uses a pare of 1/4" mahogany plywood frames (one in, one out) with big holes cut in them for less wight, they are bolted together at the corners, in the center, and at the hook mounts, and screws keep everything tight. The bag attaches with two galvanized steel hooks to the top rail of a bike rack, and has a hook at the bottom to keep it close in to the side of the rack, and finally a bungee mounted in two places mid-bag, hooks onto the racks bottom hook, keeping it from bouncing around. The plywood was sanded and lacquered for a weatherproof Finnish. It's about the same wight as my store bought panniers (with the holes cut out), it holds on more secure too, and i think it's just a little bigger:) The only downside is that the way I have the hooks mounted the bag only works on bikes with longer chainstays for foot clearance reasons. Also the hooks themselves, being made of steel tend to scratch whatever rack they touch. However, after careful consideration of the new scratches on my aged $20 rack, I have realized that I don't give a shit... At the moment it's my main commuting bag (highly versatile) and I'm thinking of making one for the right side as well, i would trust them to some fair weather touring without reservation!