Sewing - Bike Front Panniers

For carrying 6L MSR Dromedary water bladder against Thorn MkV Low Loader front rack. 100 grams per pannier, or 200 grams/pair. Compare to Ortlieb front roller plus panniers, which weigh about 600 grams each, or 1200 grams/pair, even after removing unnecessary straps. Small size allows front panniers to be removed and stored in rear panniers when not needed.

In my experience, two panniers take about 5 hours labor to sew, and need replacement every 20000 km or so.

Panniers designed to accomodate stick holder between pannier and rack, as shown in above photo. Ortlieb front roller plus panniers may or may not accomodate stick holder. Bottom corners tapered, since square corners would fold back when pannier is unloaded and get caught in spokes. Bottom formed of webbing straps, allowing pebbles and rainwater to escape through gaps between straps (pebbles thrown up by front tire bounce off down tube then into panniers).

Materials (for two panniers)

.5 yards of 1000d nylon cordura, 60" wide.
12" of 2" wide hook-and-loop.
12" of 1" tight-weave nylon webbing.
100% polyester thread, 80/14 universal needles, fray-check.

Pattern

frontpanniers pattern

front panniers under construction
Outside and inside views of rack panel.

Sewing instructions

Instructions below are per pannier, so all steps must be duplicated to produce two panniers.
Use double-stitching everywhere, including hems and zigzags, since there will be abrasion against all threads.
Cut rack and outer panels of 1000d cordura. In finished pannier, rack panel lies against front rack. 1/4" hem at top and bottom of both panels.
Cut 7.25" x 4.5" of 1000d cordura. 1/4" semi-hems (2 layers thick, rather than 3 as with true hem) on all sides to form upper strap. Cut 6.5" x 2" of hook-and-loop. Sew loop to inside of rack panel, just below hem. Sew hook to strap, then sew strap to outside of rack panel, running stitching through hem for reinforcement, with bartacks at sides, where stitching will subjected to heavy stress.
Cut 3" x 7" of 1000d cordura and sew to inside of rack panel as reinforcement patch. To ensure accurate positioning, attach unfinished rack panel to rack using upper attachment strap, then use chalk or similar to mark position of lower rack bar and quick release (both of which press against loaded pannier and cause abrasion, hence need for reinforcement patch). Note that reinforcement panel offset to one side, thus left and right panniers are mirror images rather than identical.
Cut 3.25" x 4" of 1000d cordura. 1/4" semi-hems on all sides to form bottom strap. Cut 2.5" x 2" of hook-and-loop. Sew hook to strap, then sew loop and strap to outside of rack panel, using stitching of reinforcement patch as positioning guide. Should be about 3/8" of excess strap length, to accommodate thickness of lower rack bar.
Cut 3 strips 2" long each of 1" wide nylon webbing. Stitch to lower hems of rack and outer panels using bartacks, so as to connect panels. Distance between panels and distance between connector straps should both be about .75".
Stitch together sides of rack and outer panels with 3/8" seam allowance. Zigzag seam allowances.
Apply fray-check to all stitching.