Back Roller Classic by Civia & Ortlieb

Whether I'm riding to work or home from the grocery store, I want to be sure whatever I'm carrying is well protected—especially from rain. Soggy shoes or cereal boxes aren't the end of the world, that I know. But, having grown up in the Midwest, I do have an appreciation for a waterproof bag that's always ready for a turn in the weather. That way I'm never at the mercy of a downpour—the kind that has led me (an otherwise scrupulous user of my own reusable grocery bags) to be shamefully bagging every last paper-wrapped item at the co-op in the teeny plastic bags provided at the checkout.

When we (and many of our customers) think waterproof, we're often thinking Ortlieb. At home, I've had a black Ortlieb Shopper for the past couple of years, and it's been a stand-out bag. Lately though, I've been looking for something with a little more style. That's where the Civia Back-Roller Classic comes in. Civia's Ortlieb bags have always stood out to me for their bold, simple graphics. Even the reflective, high-vis dots of the ends of each bag are a step up from the norm (and for the design nerd, a clever tie-in of Civia's three dot signature). Another bonus for the casual shopper or commuter is that the bags are sold individually, so there's no need to spring for a set when you only need one bag to get you started.

Civia Back-Roller Colors + Graphics in Blue, Yellow, Black and Grey

We had a few out on Monday when the Civia team came by for a test-ride night and they shared a little of the Ortlieb/Civia story with us. Designed and manufactured in Germany, Ortlieb panniers were a natural partner for Civia when they began their search for a sturdy, fully waterproof bag that would be a good fit for the brand. The bags have the same slim profile, bold colors, and built-in practicality that you'll find in any Civia bicycle. Before Civia's line of Back-Rollers were released, Ortlieb made mainly solid-colored bags, but after seeing what Civia's Minneapolis designers had done with their German-made bags, Ortlieb rolled out a line of Back-Roller Classic pairs with their very own minimal graphics. Excuse me while I have a moment of Twin-Cities pride...

Like the original, Civia's Ortlieb has an inner pocket for an added bit of organization and a built-in carrying strap. And, as you've come to expect from any Ortlieb bag, Civia's Back-Roller Classic has easy, reliable and customizable attachment hardware. The Back-Roller's non-directional design means you can hang it on either side of your rack, and it's narrow enough that it'll adjust to fit almost any rack without worrying about heel-strike, which is bike-shop code for knocking your bag off your rack with your own foot.

Best of all, like a good pair of jeans, the Back-Roller is built for every-day use. And when every inch of your jeans is soaking wet and hours from dry at the end of an unexpected ride in the rain, you'll be glad to know you've got a warm, dry change of clothes tucked away in your Back-Roller to change into at your destination.

Back Roller Classic by Civia & Ortlieb mounted on two Civia Twin Cities