I am not a Carradice user, but as someone who packs in a minimal style and has experimented with a wide variety of unusual baggage. Various baggage styles have always interested me. I have always been intrigued by the Carradice style of seat bags. I pack in a similar minimalist style to Nun as far as gear weight/volume so one would probably work well for me. If I actually tried one I suspect that easy access to my gear would spoil me and I'd be won over.
Originally Posted by
Tourist in MSN
Off topic, sorry, not trying to hijack thread. I got really tired of my leg hitting my Carradice saddle bag, I put a long stem with appropriate shim between the stem and seatpost, and a short piece of cylindrical wood clamped in the stem (1 inch dowel?) to hold my saddle bag further back. Quite happy with that modification.
I also have a sheet of Coroplast in the bag to stiffen it and give it better structure so that it does not sag like a limp pillowcase.
I am also thinking LEJOG, but I would be camping with more gear on the bike than a big saddlebag.
I am curious why you didn't use one of the Carradice Saddlebag Fixing Systems? Cost? Preference? Maybe they don't work with your sprung saddle?
Just another way to go, but... with any of my packing styles stiffeners like corroplast have been unneeded since I pack to capacity and wind up with a bag that is essentially rigid. If I have less gear I can compress expandable stuff less.
I don't allow for a lot of extra space. If I need extra space for a long gap between restock points I sometimes have toughed out a 24 hour period with a gallon of water in bottles stuffed into jersey pockets or in a little backpack (the sea 2 summit one is 20 liters and weigh 2.5 ounces. It packs to keychain size when not in use). Bear in mind this is infrequent use in places like the America west for a day here and there in the middle of a long tour.