The Ortlieb Back-Roller Plus is essentially an upgraded version of the German company's Back-Roller pannier. Its extra bells and whistles include an additional roll-top storage pocket at the front, and the use of a more substantial Cordura fabric. It's pretty expensive, though, and Ortlieb's cheaper Back-Roller pannier will probably be enough for most of us.
The 23L bag offers a decent amount of space for your stuff, and an internal organiser allows you to stash extras such as keys in the zipped pocket. There's a section you could use for a 15in or smaller laptop, though it's unpadded. Ortlieb does offer a Commuter Insert that's a quite pricey £44 if you want to add a padded laptop compartment.
The Back-Roller Plus features reflective panels on either side and comes in four different colours: the Black we tested, Moss Green, Dark Chilli, and Denim. It weighs in at 935g, not far off Ortlieb's 910g specification.
As with most Ortlieb bags, the Back-Roller Plus uses the Quick-Lock2.1 system, which allows you to quickly attach it to (and detach it from) a pannier rack; the included adaptors will accommodate racks with a variety of tubing thicknesses, and they're easily fitted simply by sliding them into the mounting hooks.
Attaching it to your rack is as easy as pulling up on the handle and slotting the pannier in place, and doing the same to remove it. The mounting hooks are adjustable along a rail, fore and aft, and an adjustable plastic arm at the bottom helps to keep the pannier from bouncing around over bumps.
The Back-Roller Plus is made in Germany from an upgraded Cordura fabric that has a slightly more rugged aesthetic to it than normal Ortlieb bags – and it certainly adds durability. Having owned several Cordura bags in the past, I can attest to the material's robustness, no matter how much you abuse it. Ortlieb's offering will certainly be a good option if you're looking for added insurance against wear and tear.
Ortlieb says that the material is also anti-scratch and PVC-free, and overall the bag is rated to IP64, as with most Ortlieb roll-top bags. This means it's not only dust proof but 'protected against splash water coming from all directions', which essentially means it's as waterproof as you're going to get for a bag. I've never had an issue with water ingress on any of my older Ortlieb pannier bags.
An adjustable carry strap, connected to the bag via the side release buckles, allows you to carry the bag when you're off the bike. A plastic section relieves pressure on the shoulder, but it's not very comfortable. When not in use, you can clip it to the front of the bag to keep it secured in place, or you can clip it to the top if you prefer – though I couldn't figure out why you would want to do this. You can also remove the strap altogether.
One of the main USPs of the Back-Roller Plus is the addition of a front roll-top pocket, adding extra storage that you can access quickly without having to open the main section. Though it looks diminutive, it's actually surprisingly capacious – 3 litres, says Ortlieb.
Unlike the Ortlieb Vario I tested, which closes with a buckle hooking into a loop, the Back-Roller Plus uses a more conventional side-release buckle for the main compartment, but the small compartment uses a buckle hooking into a webbing loop to hold the roll-top in place, with two loops giving you some adjustability to suit how much is stored within.
As with the main section, the small section is fully waterproof unless you decide to dunk it into a river.
Value
The Back-Roller Plus gives you more than other varieties of the Back-Roller, but at £105 you have to pay a premium for it: the Back-Roller Core is £35 less at £70, the Back-Roller Free is £82, while the standard Back-Roller Classic, which Simon thought very good, is £150 (for a pair). So if you're not interested in the extras then you'll probably be better off with one of those models. Not that any of those are exactly cheap – you can get the Oxford Aqua V20 for £44.99, and the Altura Heritage 16L, though it has a smaller capacity, for £55.
Another option offering solid waterproofing and the ability to carry the bag as a backpack when you're off the bike is the Craft Cadence Metro Pannier Backpack, a good, albeit heavy, alternative. It's also slightly cheaper at £99.99 (and currently on sale at £49.99).
For more options, check out our guide to the best bike pannier bags and racks. If you think you might prefer a backpack, we have a buyer's guide to the best of those too.
Conclusion
The use of Cordura fabric and the additional front storage compartment certainly inflates the price over the standard Back-Roller. While the fabric might be overkill for most, the pocket is certainly useful for those times when you want to quickly access certain essentials. The rest of the bag is classic Ortlieb: well made, fully waterproof and easy to use.
Verdict
The Plus gains some nice extras over the standard Back-Roller pannier bag, but it's pricier too
Make and model: Ortlieb Back-Roller Plus
Tell us what the product is for and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?
Ortlieb says" "Practical rear pannier with additional storage space provided by the waterproof roll-top outer pocket."
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
HEIGHT 42cm | 16.5inch
DEPTH 17cm | 6.7inch
VOLUME 23L | 1403cu.inch
LOWER WIDTH 23cm | 9inch
UPPER WIDTH 32cm | 12.6inch
Antiscratch
IP64
MOUNTING SYSTEM Quick-Lock2.1
MATERIAL PS36C
WEIGHT 910g | 30.7oz
Rate the product for quality of construction:
10/10
German-made and exceptional quality.
Rate the product for performance:
9/10
Easy to use, waterproof and plenty of storage.
Rate the product for durability:
10/10
Cordura fabric can take a beating.
Rate the product for weight (if applicable)
6/10
Not the lightest pannier bag.
Rate the product for comfort (if applicable)
6/10
Shoulder strap isn't that comfortable over long periods of time.
Rate the product for value:
4/10
It has a price premium over the standard model, and that isn't exactly cheap.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
Very well – both pockets are waterproof, it's easy to use, and durability is top-notch.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
The handy front storage compartment.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
The shoulder strap could be a bit more comfortable. And that's about it...
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
It's one of the more expensive single pannier bags we've tested, coming in £23 more than the standard Back-Roller – an excellent bag, and itself pretty pricey. The slightly cheaper Craft Cadence Metro Pannier offers a decent alternative if you want something a bit more interesting than a standard pannier, though it's a little heavy.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? I'd probably opt for the standard version and save some pennies.
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Maybe
Use this box to explain your overall score
This is a top-notch Ortlieb pannier, with some nice extras over the standard version, but like most Ortlieb products, it ain't cheap. Also like most Ortlieb products, though, it is very good and likely to last.
Age: 39 Height: 6'4 Weight: 175lbs
I usually ride: Condor Italia RC custom build My best bike is:
I've been riding for: 10-20 years I ride: A few times a week I would class myself as: Experienced
I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, touring, club rides, sportives, mtb,
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7 comments
The original verisons are bombproof. but aren't ideal for using for work with Laptop etc.. They are basically big deep buckets. I've had a pair for 15 years and replaced a couple of clips, (SJS cycles) and the internal mesh pocket has come apart but apart from that they are great for doing the shopping or touring with camping equiment etc. and are still waterproof. I use a more appropriate pannier bag (from Decathlon) for work, which has a nicer looking design that converts to a shoulder bag , with pockets etc and can fit laptops in and a change of clothes. Seems better in my experience than trying to get pannier bags that fit all functions.
What pannier rack are you using as it only appears to be attached to the frame near the axle and not to the seat stay or seat tube?
It's probably something like this that uses the mudguard as an attachment point: https://www.tradeinn.com/bikeinn/en/scott-axis-eride-subcr.-snapit-2.0-pannier-rack/139676418/p?
Thanks for that - it's a new one on me. Looks like the bike the rack is attached to is a scott as syncros is the name on the seatpost which makes sense.
Or a Bergamont which is part of the same company and also use Syncros bits
Agree with the complements and criticisms here. I have a pair which I use for shopping. I'm trying to get my wife to shop more on a bike, so I think this might be an ideal Christmas present for her. Can't see her appreciating them for her impending 60th birthday though!
Er, sounds a bit like giving her oven gloves or a new Hoover. I'd be wary.