Got the Ortlieb panniers and Tubus rack today. Man, both items are super high quality. I was pretty sold on the Tubus rack as I've read time and time again how strong the rack is. My touring partner was saying that the rack which came on the Trek 520 would be sufficient but now after putting the Tubus Cargo rack on my bike, I see the deficiencies of the stock rack on the 520. The Tubus rack is built like a tank and feels like it's almost welded on the bike with all its attachement points. I almost feel as if the bike would break before the rack would. This is clearly the feeling you want while you are touring and this was $100 well spent.
As for the Ortlieb panniers, people have a weird love/hate relationship with them and it comes down to two issues mainly: 1) pockets; and 2) waterproofing. The Ortlieb panniers are designed like sacks with only one compartment that can only be accessed from the top and they have limited pockets. Some people don't like this setup as it makes it difficult to access things on tour. Additionally the bags are waterproof, which sounds great at first blush but some people complain they can get musty as a result. I guess I won't know how I shake out on the issues until I complete my first tour but let me say that my first impression is that I made the right choice in getting these panniers - they actually do have a few more pockets than I anticipated. They are such high quality and have that "it" look to them.
My seatpost with the additional offset is due to arrive today. I hope it gives me what I am looking for. I also ordered some new tires and tubes today and they should be arriving next week. It's getting to crunch time as I leave for Italy next Friday. I think it makes sense to compose a "checklist" of things I need to bring. I'm going to work on one this weekend and will try to post it.
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