Okay, got some stupid questions here. These are pretty trivial, but hey, it's a slow night, so I'll post 'em anyway.
I just got a nifty new Topeak trunk bag with fold-down panniers. I see several features that I don't know what they're for. So...
Question #1- Photo below. There's a rear pocket with an elastic drawstring. About the right size for a short water bottle? Or what IS that pocket meant for? It looks like a water bottle would bounce out pretty easily, and it's not especially handy to reach when riding, either.
Question #2 on the same photo- there are two short web straps with tightening buckles on either side of that pocket- what are THEY for?
Question #3- When you fold the panniers down, there's an elastic drawstring with tightener on the bottom. Almost as if someone said "Let's put something dangly to get caught in the spokes here just for grins!" So what's it for? I see one of the tubes on my rack projects where you could put that little loop over it, are all racks made that way, and is that what it's for?
Question #4- on the flap that folds down, there is a strap with velcro on, and a matching strip on the pannier. As in the picture below:
Now, logically, I would deduce that was to hold the flap and the pannier together so they didn't flap in the breeze. Except that the locations are shifted, so the velcro straps don't hit each other unless the pannier is bunched up in the being-closed position, as below:
And, if that was to keep them together, the strap wouldn't be needed. So just what IS that velcro and that strap there for?
Question #5- there is a padded flap on the bottom of the inside, which is sewn along half of one side. You can fold one end up as shown, but there's not really anything to hold it in place. Or you can fold the flap up along one side, but I can't think why you'd want to. Any ideas what that is intended for, and why it's made that way?
Now, go spend a few hours meditating on these vital matters and let me know your thoughts.