New panniers, handlebar bags & bikepacking gear from Ortlieb is landing in Australia in April 2024. So let’s go through some of the changes they are making.
Because yes, we are Ortlieb nerds here at Abbotsford Cycles.
NAME CHANGES
Firstly, there are some name changes.
Let’s go by product group here.
PANNIERS:
Back-Roller Classic —–> Back-Roller *but with new colours added!
Back-Roller Plus —–> Back-Roller Plus CR
Back-Roller Pro Plus —–> Back-Roller XL Plus
Back-Roller City —-> Back-Roller Core *but now comes in the standard QL2.1 mounting system
Back-Roller Free QL3.1 —-> Back-Roller Free Single *and now comes in the QL2.1 mounting system!
Sport-Roller Classic —-> Sport-Roller
Sport-Roller City ——> Sport Roller Core *but now comes in the standard QL2.1 mounting system
BACKPACKS:
Vario PS —-> Vario
HANDLEBAR BAGS:
Ultimate Six Classic —– > Ultimate *with a change in the volume options
Ultimate Six Plus —– > Ultimate Plus *with a change in the volume options
DESIGN CHANGES
The trusty touring pannier set the Sport-Roller has had a slight shape change and is now taller than the previous iterations.
The Ultimate (formerly Ultimate Six) has had some shape changes to the bag overall. And the size options have been changed from 5L, 7L & 8.5L to just a 5L & a 6.5L. Not to worry though, if you want more capacity there is the Handlebar Pack Plus which is a huge 11L and uses the same mounting system as the Ultimate (Six).
NEW PRODUCTS
An important and slightly confusing update is with the Back-Roller Plus. Traditionally this was a pair of rear panniers in the Cordura fabric called ‘Plus’. Now that set of panniers is called the Back-Roller Plus CR. And the bag that has taken on it’s original name is a single rear pannier with an additional front pocket. So, the Back-Roller Plus is no longer a set of rear panniers, it’s a newly designed single pannier. And it comes in new colours too.
The Sport-Roller Free QL3.1 is the latest front pannier available as a single instead of a pair. And it comes in the QL3.1 mounting system.
The Office-Bag Urban QL2.1 is the latest in their bicycle briefcase / pannier range. This takes the same form as their Office-Bag but comes in the Urban fabric & colourway.
Gravel-Pack QL3.1 is the latest in the bikepacking pannier game – and it comes in their new Sand colourway. Where previously this bag was only available in the QL2.1 mounting system, it now comes in the QL3.1 which leaves more hardware on your rack than your bag.
NEW COLOURWAYS
Most exciting for us really is the new colourways added to existing products.
Ortlieb are now making their bikepacking bags in Sand which ties in perfectly with the colourways on gravel bikes.
And this Sand colour is also available in their hiking backpack the Atrack (in the 35L version).
They are also introducing more panniers in the White colourway. And the Back-Roller Plus now comes in a straight black colourway, which is something everyone has always asked for.
Not sure what we’re talking about here, and just wanted to know more about Ortlieb’s panniers? Check out the post we made about them here.