Repairing the Blackburn Central Shopper's Pannier

Adding an extra strap saves the day.

After using Blackburn's Central Shopper's Pannier almost daily for six months, the latch hooks that secure the bag to the rack broke - both failing within the same week. Some folks might rant to Blackburn: others might just throw the bag away and call it quits, never to purchase anything by the company, ever again. I love to fix things, if only to extend their life, and if it involves sewing, well it's worth it to try fixing the item rather than sending it back.

The left hook shows the broken latch whereas the right hook still has the secure latch.
A couple days later this one also came apart.

The hooks are still usable, but now without the extra security measure, the slightest jostling could dislodge the pannier off the rack.

Another view. I added plenty of strap length for when I use the extension sleeve so I can cinch a large volume to rack. Ideally, I would've preferred to pull and tighten the strap so it dangles the opposite direction, away from the wheel, but when unbuckled, the long strap tucks into the same pocket as the hooks, hidden by the zippered panel.
  Refer to previous  blog post. 

For sometime I've been wondering how to fasten the top opening plus hold the bag closer to the rack to prevent sway - indeed, when I first started using the pannier (reviewed here) it was the one feature I wished the bag came equipped with. If I add more volume I cinch the drawstring extension sleeve, but because of the bag's slightly wedged shape (wider at the top) it would come in handy to have extra protection holding items closer to the frame.

Once the hooks broke it was imperative to quickly come up with an idea to secure the pannier to rack. My solution was simple. I used a Fastex-type clasp and black strap, which when looped around the rack close to the hooks, secured the pannier and when pulled tight, the strap closed the bag opening. This simple idea also keeps the shoulder strap from slipping or coming unlatched altogether and dangling near the wheel. I love that the added buckle and black material looks like it was originally part of the design (Backburn, are you reading this?).

I'm pleased I figured out how to save this otherwise wonderful bag. I'll cross my fingers that the remaining hooks stay intact or I'll be undertaking a more difficult solution and potential repair. I really love the bag's quality material and features.