Online: www.REI.com
URL for this product:

From the U.S. and Canada — Call 1-800-426-4840
Mon. through Sun., 4 a.m. through 11 p.m. PT.
International — Call 1-253-891-2500
Mon. through Sun., 4 a.m. through 11 p.m. PT. English language only.

CHILI POWDER/CASTLEROCK

Novara Gotham Panniers

$118.93 - $159.00

(8)

Item # 825288

100% Satisfaction Guaranteed
Gear and Advice You Can Trust

This item ships for free! Learn more

To view videos or use the zoom feature on REI's websites, please download the latest version of Adobe Flash Player.

NOW PLAYING

Roomy Novara Gotham bike panniers feature big-mouth openings to ease the needs of bicycle commuters and tourists.

Made from PVC-free material, the polyurethane-coated nylon shields contents from the elements
Zippered opening flap is held tightly closed when side buckles are cinched tight; loosening buckles still allows access to main zip opening
Rixen & Kaul® Twist system simplifies attachment and removal; fully adjustable fore and aft
Fits it a variety of rack diameters from 8 - 12mm
Integrated raincovers and factory-sealed seams ensure weatherproof protection
Reflective detailing increases visibility in low light
Internal compression straps prevent gear and clothes from shifting
Front pocket sports mesh pockets inside for storing small items
Novara Gotham panniers are sold as a pair

Imported.

Item 825288

View all Novara products

REI Membership

REI Membership $20.00

Manuals and Instructions:

manual Gotham Panniers Info

Novara Gotham Panniers Specs

Specification

Description

Best use

Bike commuting & touring

52 liters

3,173 cubic inches

Yes

Set

Coated nylon

15.7 x 12.7 x 6 inches

2 lbs. 1 oz.

Gear capacity (L)

Gear capacity (cu. in.)

Waterproof

Sold as

Material(s)

Dimensions

Weight

Novara Gotham Panniers Customer Reviews

REVIEW SNAPSHOT®

by PowerReviews

Novara Gotham Panniers

3.1

(based on 8 reviews)

57%

of respondents would recommend this to a friend.

Pros

Versatile (6)
Easy to use (5)
Lightweight (3)

Cons

Best Uses

Commuting (6)
Long rides (4)

- Reviewer Profile:
- Avid cyclist (4), Casual/ recreational (4)
- Was this a gift?:
- No (8)

Reviewed by 8 customers

Sort by

Displaying reviews 1-8

Apr

2013

(1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

Working well, good for touring

By chasingradio

from Kansas City, MO

About Me Casual/ Recreational

See all my reviews

Pros

Easy to Use
Versatile

Cons

Best Uses

Commuting
Long Rides
Touring

Comments about Novara Gotham Panniers:

I use this on my Trek hybrid which I've converted into a touring cycle. I regularly hit area trails but needed a set of panniers for a trip on the KATY Trail across most of Missouri in October 2012. These did great. I felt like I had plenty of room for my gear as well as a sturdy mount onto my rack/bike. One thing I liked about these panniers is a bungee cargo net I used had plenty of places to strap on/into so I was able to really secure everything tightly.
I imagine I'll get many years of use out of them. I also needed to use the rain covers for about an hour of the tour and it worked well.

Comment on this review

Mar

2013

(2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

Not perfect, but very good

By Meibanfa

from Albuquerque, NM

About Me Avid Cyclist

See all my reviews

Pros

Convenient
Easy to Use
Versatile

Cons

Best Uses

Commuting
Long Rides

Comments about Novara Gotham Panniers:

These are very good panniers, but some minor changes would make them close to perfect.
The rack mounts are attached with nut and bolt but the round head machine screw is on the outside of the bag which means that the nut is on the inside. This is covered by a foam padding but it can still rub on solid objects. I switched mine to tapered head screws on the inside and a nut on the outside and eliminated that issue.
Next, the connectors are not as robust as they could be. Some people have noted that spare parts are not available through REI, which is true, but a little investigation of the R K on the mounts led me to Rixen and Kaul, who manufactures the mounting brackets. Parts are available online at several places, look for Klickfix replacement parts. If you are planning on using these for an extended trip I would suggest buying some spares before begining the trip.
I live in New Mexico, so I don't get much oppotunity to test the waterproofing of bags, with our once every other year rain storms, but I do get to see how resistant they are to wind and sand and these bags do very well.

I bought one at time at two different scratch and dent sales, which makes me a little more tolerant of the design flaws. If you can get these on sale I would say go for it and just be willing to make a few minor changes and buy a couple of spare parts.

Comment on this review

Sep

2012

(2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

Great on a Bike but Nasty to Carry

By HuShuo

from Los Angeles

About Me Casual/ Recreational

See all my reviews

Pros

Bigger Than You Think
Durable
Easy to Use
Lightweight

Cons

Difficult To Carry
Internal Bolts Can Damage

Best Uses

Commuting
Shopping

Comments about Novara Gotham Panniers:

These are genuinely great, but have a couple of very real drawbacks. They attach and detach easily and quickly. The clips look cheap, but have held up to daily use so far. The bags are much bigger than they looked to me. I fit a big laptop with mouse and cables, a dozen or so library books, a water bottle and other assorted mess in them this morning without trouble at all.

The two major downsides are in carrying and possible danger to stuff you put inside them. They are very uncomfortable and awkward to carry. There's only that grey strap on the top and not even a good place to attach a shoulder strap. Also, the interior of the bags are stiffened with a plastic board that keeps the bag rigid on the bike side. This board is bolted to the apparatus that attaches to your bike rack. That bolt pokes inside and will rub up against whatever you have in the bag - say a laptop or library book. I've added so padding in there, but it could still be an issue.

Overall, a great product, but be aware!

Comment on this review

Sep

2012

1.0

Don't do it

By Bob K

from Michigan

About Me Avid Cyclist

See all my reviews

Pros

Versatile

Cons

No Replacment Parts

Best Uses

Commuting

Comments about Novara Gotham Panniers:

If something happens to the mounting system, and it can, you will be stuck with useless panniers. Quite a bummer since I was very pleased with these panniers in every other way.

Comment on this review

Jul

2012

(4 of 4 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

Nice

By dsieg

from St. Louis, MO

About Me Casual/ Recreational

See all my reviews

Pros

Easy to Use
Lightweight
Versatile

Cons

Best Uses

Commuting
Long Rides

Comments about Novara Gotham Panniers:

I hate the roll-top panniers so I tried these. These are a lot lighter than the Ortlieb Roller panniers (and hold more), and the zipper system and external pockets make them much more convenient to use. The locking system is not as nice as the Ortlieb brand, but it's effective. The hooks don't seem any less durable than the Ortlieb (both plastic on today's models); however, there's a little black piece involved in the locking mechanism of the Novara panniers that can pop out and become lost easily. I lost one of those after my first ride, but now that I know that they pop out easily, I haven't lost another. Even without the little black piece, the hooks fit snug on my rack, so even if I don't lock them down, the rack doesn't move at all. You can move the hooks around or fashion your own more durable hooks if you want, as there are multiple screw openings to fine-tune your application.

My application:

- Rack: Old Man of the Mountain Sherpa Rack
- Ride: Giant Roam
- Activities: I bike to work twice a week and always have the panniers on when I recreation ride, as my girlfriend and I always stop at local markets on our recreation routes.

I'd definitely recommend these if you are going to use them for an application similar to mine. I probably wouldn't go touring with these, as the Ortliebs are much more durable.

Why did I buy these over all the other 100s of brands of panniers? I won't buy anything without trying it first, there is an REI next to my girlfriend's parents house, and REI stands by all of their products (so even if a hook brakes, they'll fix it).

Comment on this review

Jun

2012

(1 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

Perfect for my needs!

By Tamyia

from Tucson, AZ

About Me Avid Cyclist

See all my reviews

Pros

Durable
Easy to Use

Cons

Carrying Handle Hurts

Best Uses

Commuting
Long Rides
Road Bikes

Comments about Novara Gotham Panniers:

These bags have been a life saver! I started riding my bicycle to the U of A for health and to save money, but having my backpack on was killing me, especially when it started to get hot. So, one warm Arizona May day, I swung into REI and picked up a rack and these Novara Panniers, and I have been happy ever since. I only use one when I go to school, it causes very little pull on the one side, and easily fits everything I need in it including my laptop. The only changes I would make are to have a thick padded handle on top for carrying because this handle hurts your hand after a while, and add a pocket on the outside that can be used to hold a water bottle. Other than those two very insignificant factors these bags are PERFECT for a commute.

Comment on this review

Mar

2012

(4 of 4 customers found this review helpful)

1.0

Bad attachments

By Pyotr

from Baltimore, MD

About Me Avid Cyclist

See all my reviews

Pros

Versatile

Cons

Poor Quality

Best Uses

Comments about Novara Gotham Panniers:

Same problem as the previous reviewer - tabs on the retention lever broke. REI needs to address this. Nice panniers, but useless if they don't stay on the bike. At this price I expected something sturdier.

Comment on this review

Feb

2012

(5 of 5 customers found this review helpful)

2.0

Seemed Good for Commuting But Aren't

By Daniel-san

from Sunnyvale, CA

About Me Casual/ Recreational

See all my reviews

Pros

Capacity
Lightweight
Versatile

Cons

Poor Quality
Tough to Install
Weak

Best Uses

Comments about Novara Gotham Panniers:

Tried these panniers for commuting to work. Definitely hold everything (with room for more) that I need (including a laptop). However, the rack attachment system seems flawed. It takes a bit of force to get the connectors onto the rack, and the levers that lock it on aren't all that durable. I had a tab that holds the lever in place break off. Which is too bad, because I liked them otherwise.