Brae Yonder 50L Pannier Bags

The Brae Yonder 50L Pannier Bags have a simple design, are well made and stand up to the elements brilliantly. And refreshingly, in spite of these qualities, they don't come at an eye-watering price. The stripped-back design is easy to warm to and will likely be a hit with those of us who rely on a bike more than a car for day-to-day errands and commuting. They haven't fallen short for modest tours while I've been testing and the five-year warranty is an encouraging back-up to cover a few potential niggles.

> Buy now: Brae Yonder 50L Bags for £95 from Brae

Bikepacking may be the big influence in bike baggage these days. However, the trusty pannier remains a go-to for commuters and shoppers alike, not to mention old-school tourers. Personally, I much prefer a pair of panniers over multiple bags when embarking on a longer tour. And I know I'm not alone in that.

Marco Librizzi, an avid cyclist and tourer himself and the man behind the Scottish company Brae, designed the Yonders with three priorities: 'a clean design', 'quality' and 'affordability'. And I'd say he has achieved all of these. The company's also doing its best to minimise environmental impact.

Mounting

You mount the Yonders to your rack using a conventional, reliable three-hook system. Adjustment is tool-free. The arm hugs the vertical rails of any rack very effectively, while the dial offers 360 degrees of adjustability, and I had no issues getting the perfect position on every rack I've tested it on.

The rail hooks can take one of seven positions, with a plastic pivoting 'pin' popping in and out of holes along the rail. Again, I've had no problems getting the hooks into positions to suit every rack. Having said that, I'm personally sceptical about the long-term reliability of the plastic pins.

If they aren't meddled with much, they'll almost certainly be fine but, if you regularly change the hook's position, the pins might be prone to premature wear and tear. Encouragingly, Brae can supply replacement rails with mounted hooks.

The Yonders use a handspring release mechanism, which is as smooth and reliable as any I've come across. The main carry handle is separate to the quick release handle, which I like, as it reduces wear and tear on the springs.

Without any supplied hook adaptors, to cope with pannier rails of different diameters, I've been pleasantly surprised that the Yonders have sat securely and without rattling on our increasingly rough roads, as well as a selection of towpaths and firetracks. That's not to say they won't be causing aesthetic wear and tear on rack rails in the long term.

Simple and sufficient protection

The panniers have stood up to the elements well. The website doesn't list an IP rating but they are described there as 100% waterproof and I'd have no doubts about their ability to keep your kit dry in any conditions. In addition to rain, they've been subjected to ford crossings too, with the kit remaining dry as a bone throughout. As with all roll-top bags, waterproofing relies on you making sufficient folds when closing the panniers.

It's refreshing to have a very simple closure – one clip either side and no excess strap to note. This is a contrast to the Brooks Scape Pannier's closure that I struggled with a little.

The 600D TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) material has a fabric-like texture and appearance. The panniers don't clean up as well as some. The bright red I've been testing isn't ideal if you want to avoid them looking grubby. Black might be a better option to disguise ageing.

Two substantial reflective patches sit on either side of each pannier, effectively increasing visibility on the road.

A packed Yonder measures approximately 40cm x 38cm x 21cm, boasts a 25-litre capacity with a 10kg limit, which are pretty standard figures for rear panniers, indeed a bit more volume than some. Each pannier weighs 970g including the shoulder strap. The fully welded construction is very tidy and both the inside and outside are cleanly finished.

Inside, there's a c36cm sleeve that reaches right down to the bottom of the pannier, which is designed to take a 15in laptop and a shorter, 10cm, zipped mesh pocket. There's no excessive tapering towards the base of the pannier, which means you can pack bulky items at the bottom and shouldn't ever want for space.

Off-the-bike carrying

A chunky carry handle, which stands proud of the pannier, makes it easy to transport them and doesn't interfere with the quick-release mechanism that is activated by a fabric handle.

In my opinion, the shoulder strap isn't a winning design; the fabric is very smooth and prone to slipping through the buckle, creating a longer strap than you might want. Leaving the shoulder strap attached when the pannier's on the rack comes with a warning; you need to include it in the closing roll to prevent it flailing about as you ride. If you rarely use a shoulder strap, this will be of little relevance as you can take the strap off the pannier.

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Testing baggage over the course of four weeks isn't ideal, particularly when it comes with a five-year warranty. It's simply impossible to inflict the wear and tear that a set of panniers can experience in the medium-to-long term. Quality panniers should just keep on going, and I have decades-old Ortlieb panniers that are still fully functional if now a little marked.

There are no reinforcements at the base of the Yonders, making them more vulnerable than a pannier with extra material at the corners, such as Ortlieb's Roller Back Classics. If you regularly take your panniers off the bike and drop them on the floor, you might want to change that habit with the Yonders.

Stacking gear on top of the rack and panniers forces the carry handle to lie flat. This hasn't been affected during testing but could conceivable be an issue over time and is something to be aware of.

That said, the five-year warranty goes a long way to suppress my concerns regarding the adjustment pins, as well as the above niggles. Additionally, if Marco's response time to my queries is anything to go by, I'd say problems should be dealt with swiftly – purchasing from small companies has its advantages.

Value

You'll have change from £100 when you buy a pair of Yonders at present, as they are presently on offer at £95 for a pair or £49.90 for one, in black or red. Of the panniers we've tested in recent years, these are unquestionably the best value.

The Brooks Scape Large Pannier that I reviewed a couple of years ago costs £115 for a single bag, you'll need a tool to adjust it and it has no internal sleeve, though you do get an external pocket.

Lara really rated the Altura Thunderstorm Pannier, which was £79.99 when she tested it but is now £100 – though it's widely available for a good deal less. This matches the Yonder in terms of quality, and Lara felt it could stretch to touring duties in addition to its urban purposes. 

Ortlieb's Back Roller Classic panniers are also much more expensive at £139.99 a pair.

Conclusion

Despite their simple, straightforward design, the Yonders do exactly what a pannier should – they keep your gear dry, sit securely on your rack without requiring a tool to get that perfect position and they're easily accessible. And they will appeal to a range of cyclists from commuters to full-on tourers.

The price is virtually unbeatable and a five-year warranty goes a long way to alleviate any potential concerns about durability.

Verdict

Stripped-back design that delivers – and their five-year warranty should cover any potential weaknesses