Ortlieb is a manufacturer of waterproof luggage, equipment and accessories for cycling and other outdoor pursuits. Based near Nuremberg in Germany, the company was started in 1982 by the damp and angry Hartmut Ortlieb. Damp and angry because, whilst travelling around southern England, young Hartmut had failed to avoid the persistent rain for which the country is so notorious. He was wet, his clothes were wet and, even worse, everything in his bags was wet. This is what set the creative spark going and soon Ortlieb was to be seen cycling around town with his own hand-made, practical items of waterproof bike luggage. The requests for copies turned from a trickle into a flood and the company was born.
The first item produced by Ortlieb was their rear pannier bag. This was soon joined by their handle bar bag. Nowadays they make high quality, durable waterproof bags and luggage to meet almost every conceivable need. Touring and commuting cyclists are extremely well catered for with front and rear panniers, trunk bags, seat post bags and saddle bags, as well as back packs. This is just the basics though, Ortlieb also make waterproof messenger bags, first-aid kits, camera bags, document bags, dry bags, walkie-talkie holsters, covers for mobile phones and holsters for u-locks. They have also branched out away from cycling to make equipment such as horse panniers and a range of luggage and equipment for touring motorcyclists. All Ortlieb bags and accessories fix easily to your bike using their QL mounting systems, which come in three different forms.