aquateen

my first rando bag. took me FOREVER

due ruote 

I'm so impressed by you folks who can whip off these rando bags.

I tend not to carry much on most rides, and have minimal sewing skills. Hence my submission is this simple under saddle pouch - basically one piece of fabric folded in half and hemmed, with a roll top and a few pieces of double sided velcro. Simple but it has worked well for me.

For the fabric, I salvaged an old outdoor table cloth that a neighbor was throwing out. It's canvas with a plastic coating on one side.

Prowler 

Well done. Occams Razor at work here. Keep it simple if that's all it takes.

dwnwrdspirl

Link doesn't work.

aquateen

anyone up to some new projects? i just got my sewing machine back from the shop and i think i'm ready to try another rando bag. i've learned a lot more technique-wise since then and i have some design flaws with my first go round

Bikerider007

I have an older friend that rode a lot in the 60's and 70's. He said he would give me a saddle he made back in the day once he locates in his storage. Sounds interesting, but not sure how functional or how it looks. Said he made it out of leather like a Brooks, and used the leather to create some type of bag, all out of one piece. I would think you would want it removable, but he is pretty artistic so it could be cool, if I get I will post up.

aquateen

Getting ready to attempt my second rando bag and I'm getting stuck with how to assemble the front pocket. Any tips? I'm using cordura so I don't want to have any exposed fraying edges (and don't want to use binding tape to cover them up) and I'd like it to extend about an inch deep.


https://littlecirclesvt.com/wp-conten...3/img_7767.jpg

BigChief 

If I knew how to make a saddlebag, this is what I'd make.Back in the 60s, when I first started my love affair with 3 speeds, this is the style bag they had 9 times out of ten. Unfortunately, they were cheaply made and not many survive in good condition today. Nobody makes this style today.

woodcraft

Here's my latest.
Holds a tubular & quite a bit of other stuff.
The fabric was from a dead camping chair.
In use for 6 mos or more, & working well.
Also a tubular bag that I made ca 1970






I made two sets of panniers/front bag BITD.
Still have one, but no pics

This is a good source for supplies,
& a portable walking foot machine.
https://www.sailrite.com/#

corrado33

You can finish the edges by overstitching them, but since you have a straight stitch only machine, that'll be difficult/impossible. You can do a double hem. Basically fold the fabric over once, so you see the frayed edge, then fold it again so the fraying edge is inside of the seam. Look at the hem on the bottom of your pants. It's the same type of folding. Depending on the pants/trousers it'll could be the same type of seam. (Women's pants and men's trousers (dress pants) often use a "hemming" seam which makes the thread invisible from the outside.) Dealing with fabric that frays is a PITA. Lastly, you could always line the pocket and hide the offending fraying fabric under some non-fraying fabric. Or, if you want to go super low-tech, just trim the edges with the zig zag scissors. That'll prevent much of the fraying from ruining the pocket. Or (I keep thinking of ways to do this) you could do a double stitch. One near the edge of the fabric, then one to the inside of the seam allowance, so the end that frays is caught between the two stitches. (I don't think your machine supports a double needle, but you could always do it manually, one stitch at a time.)

If you look at a pair of jeans you can find many types of seams, many of which are very useful.

If you really want to get into sewing, I'd recommend getting a few sewing books. I don't have mine in front of me right now, but there are some GREAT ones you can get for a few dollars on amazon. (Turns out old sewing books are super cheap.)

This is one of my favorites. (And you can get it used for less than $5 shipped.)

https://www.amazon.com/Readers-Digest...uide+to+sewing

EDIT: Also, bags are hard! You're often sewing in very tight places and your sewing foot simply doesn't want to go there!

aquateen

Thanks for the advice. I ended up sucking it up and using more bias tape on the edges. The end result looks decent enough. I tried making the smaller pockets for the back of the bag and it was a disaster though lol. hoping to finish it up this weekend and i'll post some pics

gna

I seem to recall @rhm posting a plan for that kind of saddlebag a couple of years ago... I think it was called "English Style Saddle Bag" or something like that.

rhm

Yes, that is true. I'll try to find it and post it again tomorrow.

gugie 

Love 'em, love 'em all!

gugie 

+1. He made a custom bar and front pannier set for my Raleigh International 650b conversion:

Roll-Monroe-Co

Minnehaha sells a canvas bag similar to this.

Canvas Saddle Bag, Medium by Minnehaha Bag Co.

pastorbobnlnh 

Sometime back in January, in the cold dark depths of winter, I was inspired to re-cycle an old tubular tire into a tubular tire carrying saddle bag. I just finished my second one.

Tubular Tire Bag 1.0 (this one is too wide at the seat post, so I've trimmed it down and I'm currently restitching the sides into version 1.1). Made from a Continental Sprinter Gator Skin.





Tubular Tire Bag 2.0 (This one is modeled after the classic Cannondale tubular sock). Made from a Clement.

rhm

Once upon a time, when I was new to this forum, I used to use attachments. Now I've pretty much forgotten how to use them, but the files I uploaded as attachments still exist. So let's see if I can post them again.



If this works, there are two bag patterns. The 'English Style Saddle Bag' is pretty much what @BigChief remembers. I have never made one of these; I have two or three original ones sitting in my cellar, not being used (anyone who wants one should send me a private message). The other is quite large; sold in the UK under the brand name 'Supermont,' it appears to be the same as the large saddle bag sold in the US as 'Schwinn Approved.' A hand stitched (by me) leather version of this is attached to my Fothergill, making it a very useful bike, though heavy.

Please note: when I made the attached plans, I couldn't think of the word "rivet," and used "grommet" instead. Wherever it says "grommet," read "rivet." Rivets are not something everyone knows how to deal with. Hollow rivets ("pop" rivets) will work, but it's better to finish them by hand; that is, pop out the center bit that remains, then hammer them flat against an anvil. Semi-hollow rivets installed with a rivet press (rivet squeezer) are better, but it's not a tool most people have on hand.

Pompiere

I think this is RHM's bag. I save the plans, but haven't gotten around to making one yet.

aquateen

bag is done, mixed results. design and execution was better, but its still pretty sloppy.

fietsbob

I made panniers out of Cordura with a Home sewing machine ... sharp needle does the job nicely .
on bike when stolen in Eureka circa 89~90

start adding Leather and You may need the Horsepower of a commercial sewing Machine..

A friend got one and now does recycled inner-tube bags ..

aquateen

a set of front panniers is my next thing i want to tackle.

Mainah

Wow, fantastic stuff in this thread! Incidentally, does anyone know if the Lemolo bag folks are still in business? My google sleuthing led me to a pretty old tumblr, but couldn't find a storefront.

pastorbobnlnh 

I just completed Tubular Tire Bag Number 3. This one is just a simple and relatively small under saddle bag to stash a multi-tool, inner tube, keys, cell phone, etc. This one is made from an old Vittoria tubular. Ya gotta love the "patina."







See a few posts above for the first two I made.

rootboy 

Pretty cool, Bob!