Givi-bike Experience cycling panniers: Junter review

In less than two years GIVI-bike has populated the world of cycling bags with various models divided between the experience line for classic cycling tourism and the adventure line for bikepacking as well as having launched a line dedicated to urban cycling (urban indeed) and it doesn't seem to want to stop here since there will be some news soon.

Givi-bike Junter Experience: our test

But let's get back to us and to the reason why I'm writing these words: to give my opinion on the Junter panniers from the Experience line. Anyone who has been following Life in Travel for a while knows that in the age-old question of bike bags: bikepacking or classic panniers? i do much prefer the good old panniers for medium-long trips while relying on bikepacking in the case of MTB trips or short 2-3 day excursions.

In the last year and a half I have used both lines but on longer journeys my choice fell on the Junter Experiences and in particular on the 20 liter model. I have used the bags in Costa Rica, Croatia and other trips to Italy last year. In total I covered about 2000-2500 km on different types of surfaces and tracks. Everything I'm going to write from here on about Givi-Bike's cycling bags is based on these experiences of mine.

Bicycle panniers Junter: verdict

Let's start from the end. That is, from my final (or at least current) judgment of the Givi bicycle touring bags.

I am definitely satisfied with their behavior on these first trips and the evaluation is more than positive. There are a couple of details that I hope will be perfected over the years and which I will tell you about in the chapter dedicated to the disadvantages but overall I think I will continue to use Givi-bike panniers in the future as well.

In Costa Rica I found weather and road conditions that put a lot of stress on the bags. Having bags that are comfortable, quick and simple to attach and detach from the luggage rack in the rain or in non-optimal conditions is a requirement that the Junters have satisfied very well thanks to the Givi Rapido universal attachment system.

In the middle of a tropical psychodrama, lost on a path in the jungle of the Parque National Volcan Arenal, I was forced to face three fords with water well above the alarm level, but all the technological material inside the panniers, which in a couple of occasions ended up submerged, bailed out and remained dry.

Another positive aspect, even if less fundamental and which hasn't concerned me so far, is the combination of the entire Experience series which also makes the bike aesthetically elegant if you want to travel fully loaded: the 20 l Junter side bags on the rear rack, the 14l ones on the front rack and if you want to have room for a trip around the world, well, there's also the 40l Wanderlust cargo bag to be housed on top of the rear rack. In all, that would be 108 liters of volume with space still available for the Adventure Climb handlebar bag!

GIVI-bike Junter experience: advantages

You already have the verdict, now let's go into detail and try to understand the main advantages of every single aspect of these Junter cycling saddlebags.

Resistant

We know it well: the fundamental characteristic of a product for cycling tourism, whatever it is, is its resistance to the inclement weather. As bike travelers we are exposed to weather freaks every time we get on the bike. Wind, rain, snow, sun are companions with whom one has to constantly compare oneself and with whom, I assure you, I too have come across on trips with the Junters.

Also, if you're a bit adventurous like me, sooner or later you'll have to deal with sand, gravel, makeshift footings, branches that get in your way and so on. Also on this occasion the side bags are among the first elements to be exposed.

Sure, 2500km isn't around the world and 2 years is still a rather limited amount of time for the average life of a pair of bike bags, but so far the Givi haven't shown any sign of letting up. The Poly-TPE with which they are made, more resistant, elastic and sustainable than the classic PVC, has proved to be an excellent ally for us slightly crazy cycle travelers and even the fluorescent yellow color of the bags I used in Italy showed no sign of yielding to the UV rays of the sun.

Waterproof

Another fundamental aspect, from my point of view, of bike bags is their impermeability. Carrying a lot of technological products (drone, camera, power bank and all the cables that follow) it is essential that they remain dry as much as the clothes you use in the evening. The Junters have an IPX5 certified IP protection degree and as I already told you, they worked more than excellently also from this point of view on my trip to Costa Rica, both under the incessant rain of the inland stages and in the fords in the park Arenal where one even slipped into the water for a few seconds.

The bags are assembled with heat-sealed seams and not through stitching and this guarantees waterproofing even in its weakest elements. The only possible point of access for water is located near the holes that house the support screws of the plastic attachments for the luggage rack but being protected by the attachment rails it is very difficult for water to enter from there, unless you leave them to soak for a long time (which I don't advise you to do!????).

Another possible weakness in the waterproofing of these panniers is the closure. Like all Roll-top closures, which are now used as standard in most waterproof bags, they are absolutely reliable: the important thing is that you take care to roll up the upper flaps well with at least a couple of turns before closing the buckles carefully.

Easy attach

The fastening system to the luggage rack has been defined Rapido and it is so both in name and in fact. First of all it must be said that there are three attacks with which to anchor the bag. Two at the top to house in the top tube and one at the bottom that prevents the bag from slamming on the roughest terrain.

The position of all these hooks can be adjusted horizontally, in such a way as to adapt perfectly to our luggage rack: I suggest you do a test and bring the hooks as close as possible to at least one vertical tube of the luggage rack in order to prevent the bag from sliding back and forth when you move. The hooks have a maximum size of 15mm but 10, 8 and 6mm adapters for smaller rack tubes are supplied with the bag. The lower hook rotates 360° in such a way as to be adaptable to the different geometries of the bike racks. 

Once you have completed the operation of adapting the hooks to your luggage rack, to be done only once before leaving, the coupling of the Junter bags is really immediate. Personally, I suggest you first seat the lower hook (the one that is more difficult to seat due to its position) and then insert the upper hooks which are equipped with an automatic closure. In order for this closure to open, you will have to take the bag by the handle which is attached to the hooks and, if pulled, release the attachments by opening them.

Right space

The volume of the Junter bags that I have used on longer trips is 20l each. In total, therefore, there is 40l of space, sufficient for many situations. In case of greater needs, the Junters are also available in the 14l version which is perfect to combine with the 20l version for the front luggage racks. The smaller bags can also be used on their own for shorter or more extreme trips: in this case I suggest using them on the front with a lowrider for more adventurous trips on dirt roads and trails or on the rear for more relaxed rides where in most cases you will make asphalt.

So far in the trips I've undertaken I've never had the need to use 4 bags and I've alternated the use of the 20l pair with that of the 14l pair for shorter excursions. Keep in mind that with 20l bags there is plenty of space even if they are not the largest bags on the market.

If you need to transport a lot of load, you can also think of the 40l Wanderlust cargo bag which is compatible with the Givi-bike panniers and therefore can be hooked together with the Junters for greater system stability. A detail that could come in handy: in fact, I remember on a trip many years ago when I lost the tube bag hooked onto the rear rack during a particularly bumpy descent in South America????.

In Croatia I brought sleeping bag, mattress, stove and everything needed for camping as well as clothes, power banks and cables. I also combined the rear Junters with the Hill Half Frame frame bag from the bikepacking Adventure line to carry spare parts, a kickstand and car keys. In this case, however, I had to give up the 750ml bottle in the central triangle of the bike because it was too high and hit the bag. I also opted for this option because it was April in the mountains and I'm someone who drinks very little: in fact, the 750ml bottle placed in the bottle cage under the down tube of my Longitude was more than sufficient.

Padded inside pocket

The presence of the padded internal pocket allows you to carry a tablet or notebook up to 13" with peace of mind (I have never carried it on my trips so far though) while the extra retina in front of the pocket is perfect for housing both the shoulder strap use the bags, the wallet and any keys or first-use objects in case of off-bike transport.

Visibility

Another detail that is less considered but fundamental to our safety is visibility. Givi bike bags are equipped with reflective lettering and prints on the front and rear surfaces, to always be visible while specifically the fluorescent yellow bags are perfect both at night and when traveling on busy routes.

Air Valve Technology

If you look at the images, you will notice a strange element on the front with three dots at the bottom and the writing Air Valve Technology. It is, as the name suggests, a valve that allows you to expel excess air from the bags and thus reduce their volume when they are closed. It is a useful element especially in bikepacking bags but also on panniers it allows you to close the roll-top well, reducing volume and bulk.

GIVI-bike Junter experience: disadvantages

After having listed the merits, let's move on to the defects of these bags. There aren't many, but there are some.

Weight

With their weight of 1045g (950g for the 14l ones), Junter panniers are not among the lightest in the world, on the contrary. Considering that even a good resistant luggage rack can weigh around a kilo, we start from an overweight of 3kg without having put anything in the bags yet. It is no small thing and if lightness is what you are looking for then you should definitely focus more on bikepacking or other products. Honestly, I carry around a nice forty-year-old bacon roll that far exceeds the extra weight of the bags (no, I won't tell you how much, better avoided!????) and therefore I don't worry much about a kilo more or less. On long journeys my weight loss during construction compensates, on short ones the cruising speed drops by a few decimal points and I get over it.

The increased weight is mainly due to two elements: the padded internal pocket and the excellent workmanship of the material which guarantees waterproofing and durability. If these are the elements you are looking for in a bike bag, then you can go without worry with the Junter.

Screws

Perhaps the biggest problem I encountered, even if having spare screws limits the discomfort to a minimum. As you can see in the image below, the anchor screws of the hooks are equipped with a sort of triangular knob that allows them to be fixed by hand without the need for an Allen key or wrench. This expedient is very useful when adjusting the position of the hooks.

After some off-road excursions, during an excursion to the Dal Piaz refuge from the Croce d'Aune pass on a wonderful road, however one of those screws came loose (logically they can't be tightened too much by hand) and I lost it in the descent, realizing it only upon arrival. It happened because I haven't checked the tightness for a while and therefore I suggest you check often the stability of those screws, as you should do for the roof rack ones. In any case, should it happen again, I personally carry a simple spare screw with me (even if it doesn't have the tightening knob it does nothing) with which I can quickly solve the problem.

Price

The price range of these panniers goes from €69 for a single 14l Junter bag to €149 for a 20l pair. These values are to be considered average, in line with the values of the best known and seen competitors around the world and perhaps slightly above the products of smaller companies.

But there are two important differences in my opinion: the Junters have some details that are not always found on other better-known brand panniers (I am thinking of the padded internal pocket or the Air Valve technology to expel the air, for example) and Givi- bike is a trademark of a large and leading Italian company in the motorcycle sector, from which derives a minimum of national pride and a certain reliability, gained over the years of experience in the development of products for two-wheelers with internal combustion engines.

This is my personal experience with Givi-bike Junter panniers. Do you own a pair? If you have any questions or need to add some evaluation, do not hesitate to write in the comments below, we will try to respond as soon as possible ... travel permitting! ????