ShannonM

There's a bag design that gets a lot of flak. The best that gets said about it is something like, "They'll do OK, I guess, at least until you can get some real bags."

I am, of course, talking about the folding-pannier rack trunk bag.

One-a-deese:



No love. No respect, even. Jack of all trades, mediocre at everything. Yadda, yadda, yadda.
.
I respectfully dissent.

Because these bags are not, in fact, a jack of all trades. They are the master of one trade. The trade of living full-time on the rack of a sport-touring bike.

In this role, their lack of capacity isn't an issue, 'cuz they ain't on yer tourin' bike. The rack trunk holds everything you might want for a day ride. But if you ride past a cool store, or a winery / brewery / cheesery, or whatever, and you see something that you wanna take home, you pop out a pannier and shove it in. I can fit a couple of days worth of groceries in it, although frozen pizzas don't quite fit.

Empty, the weight is unnoticeable. The rig doesn't sway or hit the backs of your legs like a similar-size saddlebag might, especially if it's not attached to some kind of support. Which a lighter sport-touring rack does work well for, but the rack trunk draws much less attention to itself when it's not loaded up with stuff. I've had a traditional saddlebag, and I liked it a lot, and I want another one. But this one will spend much more time on the bike.

Sport-touring bikes are cool. They're even cooler with sport-touring bags. And I submit that the zip-out-pannier rack trunk is a great sport-touring bag.

--Shannon

MarcusT

Who has the time or the inclination to give flak for the type of bag you have on your rack?
If anything, I would give you some flak on the dry rot in your fencing

VitSports6

I’ve used a similar case on the back of my Rock hopper for a few years, run what you brung, it’s your bike, who cares what others use, if it works for you, that’s the key!

ShannonM

Oh, I'm not worried about what people think of my bike! We've all got preferences, and we all have different ones, and we're all almost always right.

I just figured that these bags needed some promotion, 'cuz I think they're cool, and since they get dissed, I framed around that. Plus the sport-touring angle, which is another thing that I think is cool and deserves a little horn-tooting.

--Shannon

rsbob 

Sorry, but no horn tooting. We don’t toot horns. Scares the hell out of me when cars come up from behind and do that . Nice bag tho.

jlmonte

I cordially, and respectfully offer my perspective that, “looks do matter”. In this case it is a matter of style. Sure, the functionality you @ShannonM assert is valid, even persuasive. Like Bio-Pace chainring, fanny packs, sheep skin seat covers, and “extension / dual-pull / safety / suicide" brake levers, great ideas often fall out of style. Alas, were never in style.

Offered without prejudice, or judgement.🙂

ShannonM

This particular bag isn't particularly stylish, I'll admit. But I don't think I'd agree that this style of bag cannot have style. Unless one simply dislikes the rectangular-bag-on-top-of-a-rack look, which is a preference that I understand but do not share.

Nor do I think the examples you cite are relevant to the merits of the folding-pannier rack trunk, as all of those things were functionally bogus and mostly just kinda sucked. In contrast, the folding-pannier rack trunk is most decidedly un-bogus, and does not suck. And even mine isn't what you'd really call ugly, even if it ain't good-lookin' neither.

I don't think anyone makes a blingy, Giles Berthoud-y one, but it'd be hella sweet if someone did, and if I could afford it.

--Shannon

Trakhak

All of the cited examples are at least as functional and otherwise meritorious as the folding rack trunk; the only difference is that those examples, unlike the example of the folding bag, have been vilified, however unjustly, and then defended from time to time.

Pop N Wood

I rode the GAP trail and my riding buddy had a set of those on his bike, Spent two days watching the side panniers flap around like a set of old man testicles and getting cut up by his tire. Finally just couldn't take it anymore, so when he stopped for a head break I cinched the side flaps up over the top with a web belt.

Their lack of popularity isn't due to looks, they just don't work very well.

mrv 

- who has time for yard maintenance when there's roads to ride and trunks to fill!

I'm one of the hectors who would criticize the trunk-bag styling. I cannot point to why. The utility is obvious. Virtually no reduction in aerodynamics. I have a Jandd version that gets used for bike-camping occasionally.
My next long trek where I might need rain gear (or a stop at a brewery with an empty growler) - I will have to re-think my trunk!


cycling through headhunter country....

indyfabz

I couldn’t care less one way or another.

BobbyG

...have you read bikeforums?

indyfabz

You’ve got a point there.

BobbyG

You buried the lede.

noimagination

I have to say, I never knew that type of bag existed.

I have a trunk bag that lives on the rack on our tandem. I have regular rear panniers, and open basket-type panniers intended for groceries.

I like the looks of the bag you just showed. It would be more convenient for those trips on the tandem when not everything fits in the trunk bag (for example, a trip to a picnic spot; or a trip in cool weather when we'll need jackets after we stop pedaling, to walk around a farmer's market or street fair or some such). Putting on a full pannier is sometimes overkill, not to mention that putting on a pannier without removing the trunk bag can be a little awkward sometimes.

Thanks, I learned something today.

Phil_gretz

"Igor, help me with the bags."

"Certainly. You take the blonde, and I'll take the one in the turban."

I-Like-To-Bike

Lot of flak about this bag design? From whom? Where do you encounter all this "flak?"

redcon1

I LOL'd at the testicle reference.

Apparently, though, Pandemic boredom has ramped up enough that people are now vigorously defending their cycling luggage from unseen attacks.

Phil_gretz

I think that one's luggage can be a reflection of one's personality...



Animal prints will be big in 2021, if I read the chicken bones correctly.

rsbob 

Now there’s a visual I didn’t need. LOL. Now I will never see that bag the same way. Thanks Barack Obama.

SurferRosa

Trunk bags are rather hideous looking.

GlennR

I have everything i need in this for my riding which ranges from 20-100 miles at a time.



I guess i don't have old man nut sack syndrome.

But if you're bikepacking... it's a different story.

BoraxKid

I'm actually looking into getting one of those for commutes. I think they make a lot of sense for commuting, since the amount of work stuff I need to take home each day varies depending on current workload, season, weather, etc.

indyfabz

Her bag has other uses besides bikepacking:

“But if you ride past a cool store, or a winery / brewery / cheesery, or whatever, and you see something that you wanna take home, you pop out a pannier and shove it in. I can fit a couple of days worth of groceries in it, although frozen pizzas don't quite fit.”

GlennR

The type of rides we do is different, I ride specifically for exercise. I don't stop and shop but I do understand many ride more casually and they make stops here and there.