..Invention, as the adage goes, and of course, it’s true.
I recently had a theft and assault event leave me with a sore hand and my bike panniers being stolen, along with a scuzzy rainjacket and two well used and memorably scuzzy face masks. My bike light too. It’s the masks though, they had special sentimental and religious significance for me.
Needless to say that my brain went into construction mode and I found a company called MyTee who distribute (or manufacture) tarp to trucking companies and as such I can get oceans of my favorite material for .25 what local area dealers were willing to sell me a chunk of it. This is probably a well guarded secret in certain circles..
My brain works in such a way that I dream the final product and I already know what I need, to do it. The digits will come later, I know what I need the thing I’m making, to do; and I deconstruct my idea backwards until I reach a point where my hands catch up to my brain.
Invention had most of the tools I knew I’d need to build a set of panniers and finish up a bunch of other bag ideas that I cut but have been waiting to bond.
I use the industry standard Vinyl seement as ‘muricans calls it. In just gonna call it glue. HH-66, it’s amazing. It stinks something awful to ladies, but blokes like me smear it on before going dancing.
AFAIA no bike pannier maker makes a bag that is designed specifically to hold a fully crammed average brown paper 17x12x7 grocery bag which is waterproof and/or has a lid.
Considerations include: Material integrity and how much support I may need to design into the structure. Construction process and how I may need to build a brace to hold the folds I’m imposing on the material. This roasting hot weather and how awesome it is when the material is soft, can be formed and trained with a roller and tape, and that the HH-66 behaves like spring breakers in heat.
