Just learned the hard way about pannier balance

Last week I loaded my left pannier with a laptop and lunch but left the right one empty. Made it to the third traffic light before I nearly tipped over. The bike wobbled like crazy on turns. Now I split my stuff evenly or put heavy stuff in the middle basket. Anyone else find that uneven weight messes with handling more than you expect?

2 comments

2 Comments

mason.mary10d ago

Twenty years ago I did the same thing with a full grocery bag on one side and nothing on the other. Almost put myself into a ditch. The bike just wants to go sideways when the weight is lopsided. Now I always keep a couple bungee cords handy so I can strap a water bottle or jacket to the light side if needed. You might also try shifting your body weight a little to the heavy side when you ride, it helps steady things until you can pull over and fix the load.

anna_craig10d ago

Last month I tried balancing a 12-pack of soda on one handlebar and a bag of potting soil on the other, figured it was smart. @mason.mary is right, you have to counterbalance or you're just asking to eat pavement.