Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by David P. on June 30, 2015 at 6:23am

I have dealt with Ortlieb USA for warranty issues on a couple of occasions and found them very helpful. I had a Bike Shopper whose zipper eventually failed after 5 years of daily use. I don't consider that a warranty issue - I just bought a new one, and retired that one to backup use. After I had had my new bag for maybe 6 months, the stitching on the bottom of the snap-in interior pocket failed. I called them and they sent me out a replacement promptly. On my old bag one of the retention clips broke somehow (I don't remember how, but it was not a wear-through-use thing), and they sent me a replacement clip rail promptly. I don't know how you've contacted them, but if you haven't already, give them a ring on the phone.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Jaik S. on June 30, 2015 at 10:48am

I had a back roller classic that was about a year old. One day I noticed that there was a six inch rip along the seam in the bottom. It looked like maybe I had too much weight in there(maybe?) and something ripped it open. I guessed it had been that way for three days or so, and i had somehow not lost anything.

I took photos, took the bag into Comrade and they said they would inquire about the warranty info for me since I had got them there. A few days later, the official response from the Ortlieb office was it was my neglect that caused the seam to rip(doubtful) and that it wasn't covered under warranty. They did offer to exchange the bag out for a discount on a "slightly used" bag. I declined and did the repair myself. 

But you never know, everyone has different experiences.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Duppie on June 30, 2015 at 11:05am

Where did you buy it? Did you contact them?

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Mark on July 1, 2015 at 3:09am

REI.  They didn't offer any assistance other than providing me the receipt to send to Ortlieb.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Duppie on July 1, 2015 at 5:19am

That's too bad. I have had much better experience witht the Touringstore. The owner doesn't refer you to Ortlieb, but takes care of it himself.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Brett Mohr on July 2, 2015 at 6:43am

Ortlieb panniers have a 5 year warranty. How long ago did you contact them? If it's been any longer than a week, I'd try again and maybe be a bit more stern.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by RedwoodBiker on April 11, 2016 at 7:38am

I had a bad experience with Ortlieb's customer service, too. After two weeks of not hearing from them, I followed through by phone, which will get you a much quicker response (800-649-1763).

I found their warranty to be deceptively limited. They wouldn't cover repair for the holes that had formed on the side panels of my new panniers, saying because the holes were not along the seams they couldn't be determined to be a manufacturing defect.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Mark on April 11, 2016 at 8:20am

On the positive side, I commend Ortlieb for the durability of their plastic rails and clips, which have won the "friction war" with my Blackburn rack.  The rack has been worn away to the hollow core where the plastic rails rub against it.

• ▶ Reply