Adventure Cycling Association Forum

Bicycle Travel => Gear Talk => Topic started by: big blue cat on August 17, 2016, 01:49:50 pm

 
Title: Fixing panniers
Post by: big blue cat on August 17, 2016, 01:49:50 pm
I have 4 Madden Panniers that I bought about 15-20 yrs. ago. In Montana one year, my rear rack broke & by the time I
got my bike stop I had burned a hole in one of my panniers. To fix it, would a iron-on patch work or is
there something else that will work better? The hole is about as big as a penny. Thanks for any
help.
Scott
Title: Re: Fixing panniers
Post by: DaveB on August 17, 2016, 03:11:49 pm
Assuming the panniers are nylon (or some marketing name that still means nylon) an iron-on patch is likely to require enough heat to melt the base fabric too.  You can probably find an adhesive backed fabric such as that sold to repair tents and air mattresses that will stick over the hole, preferably on both sides of the pannier's cloth.   You can be sew around it for reenforcement.  Seam sealer can be used to restore water tightness.   
Title: Re: Fixing panniers
Post by: jsieberMT on August 17, 2016, 06:48:49 pm
Assuming the panniers are nylon (or some marketing name that still means nylon) an iron-on patch is likely to require enough heat to melt the base fabric too.  You can probably find an adhesive backed fabric such as that sold to repair tents and air mattresses that will stick over the hole, preferably on both sides of the pannier's cloth.   You can be sew around it for reenforcement.  Seam sealer can be used to restore water tightness.

Tenacious Tape may be worth trying.
https://www.amazon.com/Gear-Aid-Tenacious-Fabric-Repair/dp/B005BLQTEE
Title: Re: Fixing panniers
Post by: paddleboy17 on August 18, 2016, 12:29:35 pm
Tenacious Tape may be worth trying.
https://www.amazon.com/Gear-Aid-Tenacious-Fabric-Repair/dp/B005BLQTEE

I was going to suggest duck tape (or is it duct tape),  but this looks far superior.  Maybe we should all have some tenacious tape in our kits.
Title: Re: Fixing panniers
Post by: indyfabz on August 18, 2016, 01:11:27 pm
Tenacious Tape may be worth trying.
https://www.amazon.com/Gear-Aid-Tenacious-Fabric-Repair/dp/B005BLQTEE

I was going to suggest duck tape (or is it duct tape),  but this looks far superior.  Maybe we should all have some tenacious tape in our kits.

If it looks like duck tape and quacks like duck tape....

Seriously, that does look interesting. During my June tour I noticed a tiny hole in the outside pocket of one of my Ortlieb Bike Packer panniers. Might slap a piece of this on the inside to cover it.
Title: Re: Fixing panniers
Post by: canalligators on August 21, 2016, 02:44:21 pm
Gorilla Tape works far better than ordinary duck tape.
Title: Re: Fixing panniers
Post by: staehpj1 on August 21, 2016, 05:53:56 pm
Gorilla Tape works far better than ordinary duck tape.
Gorilla tape is good stuff, but other tape can be good too.  There are a lot of grades of duct tape.  The 3M stuff that comes in colors from Lowes or Home Depot is decent stuff.  Most but not all of the silver stuff is garbage.

I think Gorilla tape or the color 3M stuff are both great for pannier repair.
Title: Re: Fixing panniers
Post by: canalligators on August 22, 2016, 12:34:13 pm
Thanks for that pointer, I haven't tried the 3M tape.  My general rule is, if you find 3M on the shelf next to Brand X, I just buy the 3M.  99% of the time their product will work better.