Abus Exclusive Office Pannier Bag

If you normally fly business class then why not have the luggage to match your status when you are on your bike. This is as close as you get to clipping an executive brief case to the side of your bike.The Abus Exclusive Office bag looks business like with its smart black synthetic leather top flap and black nylon panels and subtle, indented, logo placements.

This case is offered in 2 sizes, the 20litre tested and a more compact (and £15 cheaper) 16litre volume. With several pockets and a 20 litres main compartment you can literally fit the contents of your office desk in there (apart from editor Tony's, you'd need a cargo bike to shift his desk detritus). Lifting the large leather look flap which clips down with hidden magnets reveals a zip that allows you to open up the top of the bag like a lid. Inside the padded frame of this boxy, semi-rigid case is a padded laptop sleeve which offers good protection to your computer on the road.

Adjacent to the laptop sleeve is another large sleeve like you would find in filing cabinet, ideal for carrying folders or paper work and easy to retrieve without digging deep into the bag. Two more pockets with velcro closures can stash smaller items leaving the large main compartment free to cram in your change of clothes, another full length zippered pocket large enough to fit a pair of daps completes the internal stowage.

The 20 litre capacity is equivalent to a small rucksack, any more than this loaded up and you will feel the uneven loading of the pannier on your bike. A further three pockets (yes, this bag has a lot of pockets!) are located on the outside of the bag. Inside the front pocket made from a dense neoprene has very comprehensive organiser compartments for your mobile phone, pens and other stationary, and a detachable key holder, all easily accessed by a waterproof zip. Under the main flap is a slim pocket with a lockable zip for slender, valuable items (you will need to get your own mini padlock though). The side pocket is a bit like a rendered 70s flat roof extension on the back of a Victorian house, the red headed stepchild to the family of other pockets, as it is built with a grey reflective nylon and stores the waterproof rain cover and the detachable padded shoulder strap, it literally is the lean-to storage area where tools and other messy bits can be parked.

The reflective material is pretty effective when a light is shone on it in the dark but the neat accessory included with this bag is a rubberised Abus logo that has 5 bright red LED's in it and can be attached to the back of the pannier with velcro. The large flap and waterproof zips do a good job of shielding the bags contents from the elements and although no water got in during several hour long commutes in the pouring rain their is a silver, reflective, waterproof cover to cope with when the rain comes from impossible angles. Attaching the bag to your rack is simple and because the mounting clips are adjustable (be careful not to over tighten the self tapping screws that hold the clips in place), it should fit most racks.

I fitted it to a Blackburn, a Topeak and an old Avenir rack without a problem. Once fitted, the bag is very secure and even when loaded up is very well behaved. The adjustable clips are useful to shift the bag further back so it doesn't foul the back of your ankles. The padded carrying handle means it can be carried like a brief case or when it is laden use the detachable padded shoulder strap to take the strain. To smarten things up when the bag is off the bike, the pannier clips can be hidden by a zippered flap, this also stops them from digging into your side or snagging your clothing when you are carrying it.

Verdict

If you are a regular commuter who needs a case that fits a laptop in and looks smart enough to take into meetings this is it.