“Whatever you want to throw at the all-new 16-litre Mini Pannier, it’s got you covered. Built for the city but designed to take you into the wilderness. We think this pannier size is perfect for bridging the gap between full-size city or touring panniers and off-road mini panniers.” – Tailfin Cycling
“Full-size 22-litre Panniers are perfect for long road tours or commuting with a large laptop, but are often too unwieldy for off-road use. On the other hand, 5-litre or 10-litre Mini Panniers are perfect for hauling camping equipment on bumpy singletrack but are often too petite for city needs. What’s been missing in our lineup is a mid-size, do-it-all pannier – a sort of ‘Midi Pannier’ if you will. These panniers are spacious enough for 14-inch laptops (for example), yet, compact enough for heading into the backcountry. We call them the Goldilocks pannier.”
16L Mini Pannier “Need to Know”
- 16-litre capacity. Designed to slot into the range between the smaller 5- and 10-litre bags and the full-capacity 22-litre versions.
- Hardware and textile integration unlike any other pannier bag on the market resulting in bombproof reliability, stiffness and serviceability.
- Shaped to create a minimal profile, reducing the risk of snagging on tight trails.
- X-Clamp mounting hardware is a game-changing attachment mechanism:
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- Single lever-operated cam that provides an over-centred clamping mechanism (NOT just a hook) for zero rattle and perfect fit.
- Principally made up of three CNC machined 6061-T6 alloy components combined with various bushings and pivots.
- Design is modular and user-serviceable in the event of any damage.
- Internal CNC machined and lightweight 6061-T6 alloy frame adds stiffness and stability directly inside the bag.
- Compatible secure Laptop Holster available separately.
- Ships with two modular T Hook compression straps providing two closure options – roll-top or side-closure.
- T Hook compression straps can also be used across the front of the bag to attach further luggage or provide extra load compression.
- 100% waterproof welded Hypalon and ripstop nylon construction.
- Compatible with all Tailfin racks including the original T1.
- Additional shims allow mounting to any brand of rack, front or rear.
- 5-year, no-quibble warranty.
- Crash replacement warranty.
- Weight limit: 4kg (off-road use), 8kg (road use).
- Weight:570g* / with Laptop Holster 690g
- * without additional stacking straps (50g)
Why?
“Carrying gear, equipment or daily essentials on your bike is a challenge we relish in solving. It’s a problem that is constantly evolving as our customers’ needs continue to evolve. This pack represents an evolution of our existing range and meets the needs of our customers who want a pack perfect for both adventures and city living.”
Like all our existing panniers, our product specification has remained the same:
- Stable
- Light
- Rattle-free
- Dependable reliability
- Easy to use
- Repairable/serviceable
- Waterproof
If you missed our launch of the 5-litre and 10-litre Mini Panniers, it’s worth noting what made them special in comparison to competitor panniers:
- Traditional pannier internals are flexible so the contents wobble and move around as the bike goes over every bump on the trail.
- Load distribution using a traditional style rack and pannier can negatively impact the handling and ride experience.
- Traditional panniers don’t ‘clamp’ onto racks, they merely ‘hook’. This introduces points of wear for both bag mechanism and rack tubing as tolerances are not as critical as with a clamping mechanism.
- Traditional pannier systems are noisy. Riding on anything other than smooth tarmac can result in a rattle-filled ride.
How?
“Like all our Panniers, the heart of our packs starts with the innovative and game-changing X-Clamp mounting system. The three key clamping components are CNC machined from 6061-T6 Aluminium, shot blasted, anodized and then screwed together with stainless steel shoulder screws and nylon bushings. The result is a rock-solid clamp with an over-centre mechanism that won’t budge.”
“Unlike many panniers which use plastic clips, the X-Clamp physically clamps to the rack to omit all rattle. Connected to the clamp, and within a hidden pocket of the bag, is a CNC Machined 6061-T6 internal frame. The frame offers a rigid backbone within the pack to bring stability inside the pack. It is the combination of clamp and rigid frame that offers an unmatched ride quality. The result is that when hauling your burden, it feels like it’s part of the bike rather than bouncing on top of it.”
“A pannier bag is not a pannier bag without a textile element, so we have designed the 16Ls solid and flexible constituent parts in tandem. Countless revisions and prototypes were created to achieve the perfect volume that is large enough for a modern 14” laptop without offering a bulky box-like shape.”
“As always, our packs are High-Frequency (HF) welded to be 100% waterproof. Unlike sewing which creates hundreds of small holes, HF welding physically fuses the TPU membrane of the fabrics together to create an impenetrable barrier. We use two main fabrics – our 210D Ripstop Nylon at the top where the fabric needs to be easily rolled, and our 210D Double sided textured Nylon (a.k.a Hypalon) in areas of high wear. Together these fabrics offer the perfect combination of weight saving and durability.”
The Pack & Laptop Holster
“The extra requirement of having to haul a laptop offered a fairly specific problem. Do we size the pack around a 14” laptop, creating a rectangular bag for that specific purpose, or do we develop a way to minimise the footprint and reduce the bulkiness of the pack? Of course, we chose the latter. We realised that if we were able to lift the laptop off the bottom (to create a false floor, much like those found in high-end backpacks) it would enable us to use a less boxy shape with corners that prevent heal strike, whilst also protecting a laptop from impact on and off the bike.”
“But we didn’t just design this bag for the commute. It’s as adventure-ready as any of our other products and designed to take whatever you can throw at (or in) it. Modularity is a common theme here at Tailfin, and the removable Laptop Holster gives the versatility you need to make this bag just right in town or on the trail. Not everyone needs to carry a laptop of course, so we won’t be providing the Laptop Holster as standard – it is available as an optional extra that is easy to fit, requiring no tools to install, and can instantly convert your bag from vital storage on your adventure rig to a versatile, commuter-friendly and dependable part of your daily life.”
Specifications
- Colour: Tailfin Black
- Volume: 16 Litre
- Materials: Hypalon/Ripstop Nylon
- Weights: 16L Pannier: 570g* | Laptop Holster 120g
- Pricing: Sold individually at £100 / $125 / €120 (Laptop Holster £20 / $25 / €25)
- * using optional additional stacking straps adds 50g
Warranty Information
“Tailfin believes in making high-quality products that you can absolutely trust. For that reason, we guarantee all our products against manufacturing defects for 5 years from the date of purchase. If your product fails due to a manufacturing defect – we will repair the product where possible and replace it when it is not. If you are unfortunate enough to suffer a crash, then we want to help you get back on the bike. If your Tailfin products are damaged as the result of a crash, then we will arrange a 30% discount on a like-for-like replacement.”
Learn more at the Tailfin Cycling Website