Matthew A Brown

OK, some of you folks might have a bit of wisdom for me....


Looking for a good small/medium saddlebag. The catch is that my saddle is a Selle Italia (Trans Am) and does not have those wonderous bag loops, just the (ti) rails. I'm torn between the Carridice Barley and either a Rivendell Little Joe or Banana Bag.

I'd want something that could hold a bit of stuff for long day rides in varying weather, with perhaps some company. "Varying" means rain, cold, anything short of a lightning storm; I'm riding. I have a Rivendell Hobo Bag which I adore, but would like to be able to move most of the tool/techy stuff elsewhere and just have the quick/easy stuff (camera, loaf wheat bread and assorted pastrie things, iPod/small speakers on occasion) up front. So I'd want the bag to hold some tools, a few tubes, Chamois Butt'r, sunscreen, couple other small personal hygiene things AND--most importantly-- be able to support my Carradice poncho externally. Right now if a storm pops up (a daily occurrence during our summers) I end up with great big wet poncho afterwards that I get to stuff in the bottom of the Hobo Bag. It works, but better would be if I could air the little fella out as I go and not wind up with two damp things.


What I've poked around and found so far:

The Banana Bag would fit gloriously underneath the saddle, as it attaches to the rails. But, I don't see any good way it would be able to support a wet Carradice poncho (or at least not nearly as good as either the Barley or Little Joe could with a couple small bungees.) And it might be just a hair too small? Not sure. "Too small" might also be a good thing, as well, else I'd be carrying around more than I prolly need. = )

Either the Barley or Little Joe would be pretty much perfect, except for actually getting them on the saddle. I'd want to stay away from any elaborate and semi-permament contraptions to solve this, so Carradice's own QR/Bagman products are pretty much out.


Any thoughts? Any other products I might want to consider?



Thanks....

biodiesel

I have one of the Rivendells and can lash it to a regular saddle without too much ado save for that it wobbles something awefull when i'm standing in the saddle. I like the fashion of it, all rough canvas Indiana Jones looking bag though the lack of a shoulder strap is a little disturbing and unlike the Carradice it isn't waterproofed nor has the cinch straps to keep the load nice and tidy.

sandman

I've been going through a similar decision process. Maybe this comparison will help.
https://home.earthlink.net/~rivromulu...addlebags.html

Matthew A Brown

Yeah, I found that to be pretty helpful... still the whole bit with the bag loops... = /


Hell, I wish these guys would just take a few more pictures of their stuff! Always just the one. Grumble.


Leaning now towards Banana Bag and if there's any lashing of ponchos to be done, I think there'd be room on the underside of the Hobo Bag-- will give that a shot this weekend once I've got some time....


Need... coffee...

cyclintom

I just went out to Rivendell but couldn't find what I was looking for. Somewhere I saw a bracket that clamped to the seat in come manner and provided attachment points for those heavy saddle packs.

AJRoberts

I'm using a Carradice Nelson Longflap for commuting, and I use the Carradice SQR block & rack for it. I don't use the bag loops on my brooks. The SQR isn't the most elegant looking thing, but it lets me take the bag off the bike in a second, and blocks are pretty cheap to put on other bikes.

Since you've vetoed the SQR/Bagman, another alternative is to use bolt on bag loops. See https://www.wallbike.com/carradice/clamp.html It attaches to the saddle rails. I'm not sure if it fits your criteria, though. It looks like a decent compromise.

TheOtherGuy

I'm using a Carradice Barley, and it's perfect for me; holds everything I need on a day ride, without being too bulky. For saddles without loops, try finding a set of vintage Cyclo bolt-on saddlebag loops.

Matthew A Brown

https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWA%3AIT&rd=1


Like this guy?


I have no idea how I missed that clamp. That would probably work great. And there'd be no more worries even if future about whatever saddle I was on.


Now I'm tempted by the Lowsaddle Longflap. Guh.


RESIST... CONSUMPTION.....

roadfix

This looks like my Bagman Support but this Nitto Support instead clamps on your seatpost, curving upward, but the upper portion must be secured to your saddle somehow using a toe strap, zip tie, or whatever, otherwise, its seatpost clamp will bear the entire weight of your saddlebag. Unlike the Bagman Support, this unit does not support your saddlebag from underneath, it merely provides saddleloops and 'pushes' the bag further back to prevent your thighs from hitting the bag.

onbike 1939

The Longflap is a bit on the large side for day-trips . I have two Barleys' and find them perfect for day-rides. Can fit raingear on the loops and still have a flask, legwarmers, pump, windbreaker and tools and spare tube as well. You can live out of the Longflap for a weeks' tour, it's so roomy.

Matthew A Brown

Ah, guess I wasn't clear. I hadn't seen the Carradice clamp that attached to the rails. The Nitto uplift was once sold by Rivendell, so I'm gathering that's what cyclintom was speaking of. I could see the Nitto being pretty useful, but I could probably build a nice wooden brace/clamp thing just as easily....


Do you find the Bagman Support pretty useful with the Barley?

roadfix

Actually, like you say, most of these supports can easily be built using a nice piece of oak and some aluminum rods, and custom fit for your particular application. My Bagman Support does what it's supposed to do, but for my Barley Bag, I could probably design something a little better.

Matthew A Brown

Good answer. = )


That would be a great project, design a lightish wooden brace/clamp... I got curved seat stays on the tourer so some curves on the wood would be gaw-juss.....

michaelnel

I use the Barley too almost every day on my commuter. It holds everything I need for my commute (spare tube, repair kit, Road Morph pump, 3 way allen, small Leatherman, train schedule, book to read on the train, glasses, other stuff), with room left over. I find I seldom use the pockets. They don't close very well and are almost as much hassle to open and close as the main flap.

On rainy days I don't use it, but it's not because it's not waterproof, it's because I use a single Ortlieb Back Roller Plus pannier instead. On rainy days I obviously bring raingear, and I don't have enough room for the raingear in the Barley. Since my Barley is mounted via the Carradice SQR bracket, it's easily removable and keeps the bag at a better angle too.

BTW, the Nelson and Nelson Longflap are now available in the green / honey color scheme like the Barley. I believe several others are too (Pendle, Campus). I verified this via email with Carradice in England, so if the supplier you prefer says the green / honey isn't available, they should contact their distributor.

I think Peter White stocks the green ones.

cyclintom

Yeah, that's the thing. Now you have to realize that AFTER you put that thing on, you use cloth handlebar tape to secure it to the saddle rails.

I'm sort of modern enough not to pay any attention to that 1920's looking stuff. Give me Giles Bertoud stuff and real racks.

Juha

I've been considering a large Carradice bag to go with my Brooks for shortish self-supported tours. Is the ease of attaching/detaching the main reason you use the SQR? I would like to use the bag loops, but am a bit worried about possible thigh rub. Does the SQR help there? I can't seem to find anywhere where I could actually see the Longflap and the SQR system and figure it out myself.

--J

Matthew A Brown

https://www.geocities.com/marchantsha...saddlebag2.htm



Oh, it never ends.


See, now I'm just thinking about upping to the Nelson Lowsaddle. I'd be able to do light overnighters sans trailer, which would be nice, and not worry about the Chrome for easier commutes w/ just a few books....


Can't ever do things the easy way....

AJRoberts

To be honest, I had to pick up the saddle bag and rack on a trip to the US which coincided with Hurricane Katrina. I was unable to get the QR bagman rack that I wanted from Wallingford, so I ended up getting the bag and SQR system from the good folks at Harris Cyclery. It ends up being a little bit cheaper to outfit two bikes, as the spare blocks are pretty inexpensive. The SQR system works great and is very easy to use, but it isn't the most aesthetic thing around.

In terms of thigh rub, I don't really notice the bag at all. It is held away quite a bit. The SQR rack comes just a little higher than the rear of my saddle, and I can feel the bag/rack if I'm sitting waaay back in the saddle. This is function of the seat lug and small amount of seat post exposed on the bike. The frame is about 1cm higher than I'm used to riding. This doesn't bug me, but I think I might try to move the saddle forward on the rails just a bit, or bend the SQR frame slightly.

I can try to get a photo and show you the arrangement. You can have a look at some photos of a Barley
on the SQR here: https://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/shrew13/my_photos Open the 'kogswell' album. You can see that there is lots of room between the saddle and bag, and that like mine it is just a touch higher than the saddle. It's a nice bike, I wish it were mine

Juha

Thanks, Andrew. That bike is sweeeeeet . I see what you mean, and it's also clear the SQR moves the bag back a lot. I just would not like to mount the bag on my seat post. Oh well, maybe I just have to start getting used to the idea...

--J

AJRoberts

So far I haven't had any issues, even with the larger Nelson Longflap stuffed with cargo. I think the SQR has a lower weight rating than the bagman racks.

In mine, I carry a pump, tools, tubes, lunch, lights & backup batteries, a change of clothes (for the office) and sometimes shoes (for the office). I can also strap on a rain/wind shell with no trouble. I haven't weighed it, though.