Roller Pro Classic panniers £165 (pair) Ultimate 6 S bar bag £75

Germany’s Ortlieb is probably the go-to company when it comes to cycle-touring kit, its panniers having taken generations of tourists on adventures. Our setup consists of high-volume 70-litre panniers and a five-litre bar bag; there are also front panniers if you’re loading the kitchen sink. While our pannier and bar bag aren’t colour coordinated, you could go red for both.

Ortlieb’s large, tough bonded bags are made from waterproof polyester tarpaulin (Ortlieb’s £185 Pro Plus panniers are PVC-free). Classic by name, classic by design, they’re easy to adjust, using small inserts to fit most rack diameters, all without tools. The lower hook clips the bag to the rack’s vertical struts, and offers a range of fitting positions. The hooks are replaceable, but our experience of Ortlieb suggests they’ll survive loads of abuse. At 1164g each they’re heavier than the Vaudes, also reviewed.

They can be fitted to either side, and carrying straps and large reflective patches add to a fine – albeit expensive – all-round package with impressive levels of waterproofing. Just roll the top down tightly and secure the buckles to keep your kit dry.

It takes a few minutes to mount the rack for the Ultimate bar bag, using Ortlieb’s own bracket – though it also works with Rixen and Kaul’s KlickFix. The maximum load is 5kg and the volume is five litres. You can lock the bag to the mount, but if you’ve got your camera, bag or passport in it we’d suggest taking it with you. It’s waterproof, the top securing with powerful magnets, making it handy for maps, smartphones and GPS devices.