Originally Posted by
sandulea
It's really nice to see some rackless setups, especially on a Big Dummy (or longtails in general). To me frame bags look and feel more "intentional", as opposed to racks+panniers, which in my book feel improvised and are lacking in key areas, with bad clearances and worse aerodynamics. With this rig, I'm sure you have/had a lot of fun on your tour. I'm still at least 3 months away from my summer tour, and I haven't even rebuilt the bike yet, but these pics make me wanna start spraying the parts even in the cold weather here and hit the roads as soon as possible!
well...
it is very interesting how racks and panniers have come about.
but then again... frame bags are nothing new either.
I have to admit that I've experimented with a handful of hauling solutions.
the key with frame bags is obviously to have cargo that can compress down, and/or be crammed into "non-standard" shapes.
panniers are so conveniently square. easy to haul a laptop.
frame bags are pretty damn cool, there is a skill in packing them, choosing what goes in them, how to use those items, etc...
in the past, people have gone round and round over the topic of Frame Bags vs Panniers.
its not the bags, but really what you choose to pack.
conversely the bags provide the means of hauling.
so for instance its easy enough to use the BD with 2 Bob Trailer Dry Saks
heck, add a front rack, and use 2 large panniers up front AND a handlebar bag.
it really depends on what you want to haul, how you plan to tour, etc..
for me; the latest iteration of the BD with its frame bags is what I consider to be medium light. the bike can be fairly fast, especially if I use WTB Vulpine tires.
the bags limit what I'm carrying, so I'm thinking maybe a set of CrossMax would work out.
blah blah blah
at the moment, its shod in 2.4" MutanoRaptors which are starting to be worn down a fair amount, which lets it roll pretty fast on the pavement, then of course when it comes to dirt, I just let reduce the pressure.
for me, the amount of packing space it provides is quite a bit. Honestly, I hardly ever need that much space.