This plug is inspired by two things. One is service and the other is quality.


I've had my Arkel panniers for about five years. I bought them for the Arrowhead 135 in Northern Minnesota. It's race where you go 135 miles on a snowmobile trail from International Falls to Tower, MN at the coldest time of the year. I had to carry certain "mandatory gear" on the trip because it's totally self supported in a remote part of the Northern Minnesota wilderness. The panniers were loaded to the hilt. Since then I've used them on many long group and solo rides in MN, FL, ND, UT,.... on very bumpy roads and trails.


They've held up well for the abuse I've put them through. I use them for grocery shopping. I've used them for carrying cases of beer into the woods for secret mountain biking gatherings. I even put my dog in them to take him to the dog park or to the lake for a swim.





Arkel pannier (under red sleeping bag stuff sack) loaded to the hilt and piled over near Cosmos, MN


The panniers haven't seen much "regular" or "normal" use in my opinion. They've had the life of a dump truck at a coal mine. I'll put so much weight in them that I worry the bike rack is going to break off. That's how I get around and I need them. They are a necessity. They have held up very well. The materials and stitching are very sturdy. The panniers have shown very little wear for the abuse I've put them through. I'm guessing it's about 4,000 miles of abuse by now.


This is also a plug about customer service and warranty. I have a pile of busted gear, leaky tents, jackets with broken zippers, broken bottom brackets- derailleurs- chain rings... When you push things that far stuff is going to break. I know that. It happens with bikes and bike parts. It happens with climbing gear. It happens with skis and backpacking gear... I know it's going to happen with me because of the level of abuse I throw at all my gear. Between my roommate and I we could fill a small truck with old broken gear. Why? Because it's a pain in the butt to get it fixed. I had a different experience with that today.


One of the hooks on my panniers broke last week. I had to use my messenger bag to haul groceries, beer and welding equipment I brought out to a mountain bike trail to secure gates for trail closures. I dislocated my shoulder and received other numerous injuries last fall in a bike derby incident/crash. Using the messenger bag comes with a certain level of pain.


I sent Arkel an email on Saturday. I'm thinking "well, another thing going in the busted gear pile..." I just got this a few minutes ago in my email box.



"Hello Shawn!!!

PS: Please include a shipping address!"



Now that's standing behind your product and real customer service! Maybe a company doesn't want it out there that something on their product broke. For some of us it is going happen because we push it that far. I didn't believe my goPro helmet cam was really waterproof to 100 feet. I went out on a frozen lake and drilled a hole in the ice. Then I tied the camera and a brick to the end of an old climbing rope and dropped it down the hole just to see if it was true. That same camera got knocked off a few helmets by tree branches. So there are those people like me and we're the real test of the limits for gear. The question is whether or not the company stands behind the words they write on the package. The Arkel panniers and the customer service both get two thumbs up from me.

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