How do you care for your bag after intensive tours or in bad weather?

After every trip—or every other week on a long tour—I put all my bags in the bathtub and give them a gentle scrub with soap to remove the heaviest mud. I’ll also check for any tears and make sure the screws are tight. That’s pretty much all the maintenance I do!

We wash or rinse our bags when they are dirty, especially after muddy weather. After crossing the salt flats in Bolivia, we completely washed the bags to get all the salt off. After an adventure, we hang our bags in our gear room. This way they are dry inside and well organised.

Most of the wear on my bags comes from abrasion—areas where the fabric rubs against the bike or other surfaces. I try to always lean the bike carefully against walls, trees, or the ground to prevent unnecessary friction or tears. As soon as I notice any damage, I reach out to you (or customer service) to get it fixed, patched, or replaced before it gets worse.

1) Duct tape has been our lifesaver for all repairs. We had a small puncture in our panniers and patched it with duct tape. The duct tape had been on our panniers for years and worked so well.

2) Hanging them inside (see question 1)

3) We make sure to fix the panniers properly on our bikes, so that the hooks and clips don’t get excessive shake and movement.

The only DIY trick I’ve used from the start is placing the camera insert inside the accessory bag for extra cushioning and stability. I love how well it works and how it keeps my tech gear safely stored.