Cheap rear rack bag idea
 

I had this old camera bag laying around and I think with a small modification it would make a nice
rear rack bag. These can be had used at a fraction of the cost of an actual similar bike bag.
Anyone ever try this?
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...ba3f83e85f.jpg

Looks Good.

rootboy made me a really cool saddle bag made out of a Korean War era Army cargo bag. The key elements were the way it attached to the saddle and the stabilization to the rack.


https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...f2d0767e_b.jpgM1945 1 by Dave The Golden Boy, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...46145e92_b.jpgM1945 3 by Dave The Golden Boy, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...15f6441b_b.jpgM1945 4 by Dave The Golden Boy, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...fd21f2b3_b.jpgM1945 2 by Dave The Golden Boy, on Flickr

Not relevant but is Tarmac a division of Boise Cascade? Logo looks SO similar...

I have fooled around with making a number of saddlebags from various cheap military surplus bags and pouches. Some have worked fairly well, others less well. It can be an entertaining project. But in my experience, once you're done buying hardware and perhaps tools and modifying racks, etc., it will not save any money over just buying a commercial bag in the first place. Of course, that could be the result of my own ineptitude and lack of imagination.

Below is a terrible photo of one such bag--a vinyl-coated Czech surplus gas-mask bag. I had outfitted it with a nifty (as I thought) little aluminum frame that stood it away from the seatpost. The frame lasted for about two weeks of a tour before breaking from metal fatigue. As I recall, that happened a day or so before this picture was taken, which accounts for the bag hanging at such a crazy angle. I replaced it with a Carradice Camper bag that I bought used from a forum member. It has been very reliable.
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...f44da9f6a.jpeg

I converted a purse to a pannier with these hooks and a dollar store clipboard. It works pretty well.

I'd wax that classic Tamarac bag to keep it in good shape and somewhat water and stain repellent.

For awhile I used a rolling soft sided cooler as luggage on my heavy comfort hybrid/errand bike back around 2015-2016. Very handy for grocery trips, kept everything chilled. It was even handy for lugging my full size camera gear and a tripod for photo expeditions several miles away. A little classier than the usual plastic milk crate lashed to the rear rack.

I obtained this vinyl camera bag a couple of years ago, probably an old VHS video camera carrier. I converted it to a trunk bag with a "corplast" bottom to stiffen it a bit and hook n loop straps to lash it to the rear rack. It has worked very nicely for winter and spring when I'm likely to shed layers as the days warm during a ride. Easy to clean too which I like due to the slobber that hits it during the winter and spring. Dumb luck gave me a bag the same length and width as a standard rear rack. I'll claim it's bespoke.


https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...5a252e3b9.jpeg


https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...7ad3fd073.jpeg
That's a sheet of white closed cell foam packing material which just keeps it from rattling on the rack as we trundle along.

I don't have any pictures, but I used one of these $7 Horror Freight tool backs as a trunk bag for years. https://www.harborfreight.com/electr...ets-61168.html

Funny, back in the early 80's, I worked in a bike shop. I picked up a large saddle bag that we couldn't sell to use as camera bag. It didn't have the padding, compartments or stiffness of a real camera bag, but the price was right,

I had seen those and thought about it. How did you attach it to the rack?

Some years back I repurposed an insulated cooler as a front bag. Cost something like $20 plus some addition of grommets. Still have the bag though the bike has moved on:

https://live.staticflickr.com/5563/2...3fd31d3d_b.jpgIMG_0493.JPG

I had seen those and thought about it. How did you attach it to the rack? If memory serves, I first just poked some holes in the bottom and used zip ties. Later, I think I glued on some velcro cable ties. I know I cut the handles off. We aren't talking works of art here.

Cheap. Waterproof. Easy to mount and carry.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...c6e3feb3f.jpeg

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/...1OTM@._V1_.jpg

"I think we're getting into a weird area here."