# Vintage Mountain Bike Bags - Kangaroo Baggs



## ibike4fun (Jan 21, 2006)

I am getting ready for some extended off road mountain bike rides and need some good panniers. Any recomendations? 

Does anyone have or remember Kangaroo Baggs from the 1980's? What happened to them?


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## YETIFIED (May 4, 2005)

Ha, I had one of those. I don't remember if it was called a Kangaroo Bag, but I do remember my tools banging up the down tube!


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## ssmike (Jan 21, 2004)

ibike4fun said:


> I am getting ready for some extended off road mountain bike rides and need some good panniers. Any recomendations?
> 
> Does anyone have or remember Kangaroo Baggs from the 1980's? What happened to them?


I used a set of Kangaroo bags extensively for touring in the 80s. Love the bags. Still have them somewhere Low riders front and standard rear. They just disappeared one day...

Recommendations? Bob trailer.


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## adagioforstrings (May 19, 2006)

I have a pair of 10 year old detachable kangaroo saddle bags that are still functional but showing their age. I googled, but couldn't find a company website.


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## eldengrave (Oct 29, 2005)

i ride with a set of rear kangaroo panniers everyday, but i haven't seen or heard from them otherwise in many years. good luck. they were the goods. i will watch this thread eagerly to see if anyone comes up with a lead.


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## floatch (Sep 21, 2005)

ibike4fun said:


> I am getting ready for some extended off road mountain bike rides and need some good panniers. Any recomendations?


Well, I can't say I know anything about Kangaroo bags, but I definitely have a recommendation as far as panniers go...

There's a Canadian company named Arkel Overdesigns (Montreal?) that makes without question the best panniers I've ever seen. They are totally bombproof, incredibly strong, and supremely useful. Downside? They're quite expensive, but we all know you get what you pay for, right?

For long distance touring, or any kind of off-road bag, Arkel is the place to look.

http://www.arkel-od.com/panniers/xm40/overview.asp?fl=1&site=

Above is a link to the bags I have. I bought yellow rear xm-40's, and will never need another bag as long as I live! :thumbsup:


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## YETIFIED (May 4, 2005)

ibike4fun said:


> I am getting ready for some extended off road mountain bike rides and need some good panniers. Any recomendations?
> 
> Does anyone have or remember Kangaroo Baggs from the 1980's? What happened to them?


Hi Ron,

Yup, that D-back I found for you looks just like yours only (mini me size). I can't tell in your picture if it has the Oakey III style grips like the one I found?


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## IF52 (Jan 10, 2004)

I don't know what their quality is at this point, but we sold a line from Jandd that were very good. Actually, we sold tons of panniers and such, since the owner and a few coworkers were very big into cycle touring. We helped Pat Smith of MountainSmith design a line called CycleSmith, which flopped because he tended to overdesign things, and sold many from a no longer existant line called Madden. I prefer top loaders like the Arkels, which you should consider, but you may also want to check out Bruce Gorden's side loaders. Pretty much all they do is touring bikes, racks and panniers and they definitely know there business.

We also sold a very few Ortlieb waterproof bags and panniers, might want to check them out


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## ibike4fun (Jan 21, 2006)

Hi Stuart,
That bike pictured is not stock and it also does not exist anymore, RIP. I killed it on a trail. Now, I am contemplating on making it into a desk lamp? 

Below is my other DB Ridge Runner, but it is way too small for me 17-inch. My knees hit my elbows, well almost. It is 100% stock, including seat and grips. Check out how long the triangle is. It hangs in my garage.
Ron


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## adagioforstrings (May 19, 2006)

Upon further googling, it appears that the Kangaroo Baggs company went bankrupt:

No More Kangaroo Baggs 

[...] A petition to cancel the registrations identified below having been
filed, and the notice of such proceeding sent by certified mail to
registrant at the last known address having been returned by the Postal
Service as undeliverable, notice is hereby given that unless the
registrants listed herein, their assigns or legal representatives, shall
enter an appearance within thirty days of this publication, the
cancellation will proceed as in the case of default[...]

Wilderness Group, Inc., Ventura, Calif., Reg. No. 1,199,479 for the mark
"KANGAROO BAGGS" Canc. No. 24,931.


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## sgltrak (Feb 19, 2005)

If I'm not mistaken, they also sold backpacks under the name Alpenlite. Thought I heard they were moving from Ventura, CA to Durango, CO around 1993 or 1994. I used to carry both lines. Lost track of them around 1994. I still have an Alpenlite daypack and a Kangaroo seat bag.


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## Haffassa Tempt (Jul 25, 2014)

Ten years after your original post and I just now came across it? Doh! Crazier still is that I happen to have a set of the rear Kangaroo panniers sitting in my garage and a 'roo frame pack with me in my study at this very moment.

The panniers were sturdily built, having survived commuting to work rain or shine, night or day, for more than two years straight, along with various touring and picnic jaunts on and off road.

The frame pack mostly saw use on my mountain bike for rides in the local hills when I wanted to carry some snacks and a windbreaker. I recall getting odd looks and pooh-poohed by other MTBers for having one on my bike (it was the '80s). Who is laughing now?


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