In looking for a new bag for the bike (after my Thule packed up), I came across the Ortileb Trunk Bag, and the Ortileb E-Trunk Bag. These appear to be pretty similar – it turns out they are the same thing. According to the UK distributor:
“It was initially launched as the E-Trunk as the features were requested by E-Bike users, but Ortlieb soon realised that it was also suitable for all bike users, so dropped the ‘E’”
A wise move.
There is also a Trunk Bag RC and even the Trunk Bag RC Urban. All the Ortileb Panniers & Bike Bags can be found here.
Back in 2018 I purchased a Thule Pack ‘n’ Pedal pannier for the office commute. This is a decent looking cycle pannier with a pretty good quick fix and release system.
Having bought Thule roof rack gear before, I had high hopes of high quality.
I would have used the Pack & Pedal no more than maybe 30 times in 2018 – 2019; since that time they have been dry stored inside the house – and I only started using them again in the May 2025.
Yes this bag is about about seven years old but has probably been used only 50 times on commutes no longer than 15 miles. I have a Karrimor bar bag from 1995 that is in better shape than this one.
Pretty unfortunately, the waterproof coating on this pannier has completely delaminated; the welded seams have come apart.
I contacted Thule about this a few days ago. To me, this looks like a manufacturing defect. According to their web site “Thule will remedy defects in materials or workmanship by making the necessary repairs within thirty days without charge for parts or labour.”
Although I do not have the original receipt, this isn’t necessary – this is clearly a Thule product and a receipt is not required to evidence this.
I contacted Thule, but for some reason they declined to offer a repair, just a 20% discount on another product.
The chances of me spending any money on another cycle bag from Thule are pretty slim at this point – even with a 20% Thule Discount Code.
UPDATE 4th June 2025
Thule have confirmed that certain products sold in the US are covered by a warranty against manufacturing defects, but the same products in the UK and other parts of Europe are not. The US market is obviously more important to Thule than the European one. Regardless of the warranty, I’ve gone back to them and asked if they think this is a manufacturing defect.
UPDATE 5th June 2025
When asked if they thought this was a defect, their response was “I do not know unfortunately. We do not see this very often so it is difficult for me to say what has happened.”
