RANS Seat Back Bag and Cresent Panniers

[ahorner1946]

I want to try my hand at short tours on my RANS Stratus Classic. In the begining it will be credit card touring for about a week! I am considering the RANS seat back Bag and cresent panniers.

Does any one have any experience, good or bad, with these products. I have no experience with bike touring, so basicly I am a blank page! However, I will be going with 2 or 3 guys that do have some experience, so I will not be alone!

Thanks,
Al

[aikigreg]

If you mean the aerodynamic seat bag, it's *huge*. My wife has one and it's got enough room for a full bladder, rainsuit, extra pair of sandals, all the repair accessories, food out the wazoo, and a bunch more. Plus the two straps convert it into a sort of backpack off the bike.

Or if we're on our way to a local tour, it'll hold her helmet and shoes, food and water bottle and sandals. Only downsde is that it has no organizational pockets.

Can't help on the panniers, but I bet they are nie as well.

[mchell]

The Rans stuff is really good. But for the best, check out recumbent specific bags and panniers from these folks. http://www.arkel-od.com/
The "Tailrider" is awesome on any bike.

[totoroben]

I use a regular messenger bag with the bottom of the side pocket cut out so it can slip over the seat. Way cheaper than the rans bag (I got it for free) and it fits perfect.

[gnome]

I have both the seat bag and the crescent panniers. The seat bag is a very nice bag. Big, easy to load and it converts into a convient backpack when off the bike. The crescent panniers are nice and hold a reasonable amount of stuff, but the narrow shape means they don't fit large bulky items easily - I reckon the seatback bag holds just as much.

The bags and panniers are well made and nice to use.

I am planning on doing a self sufficent tour this summer and will be using them, as well as strapping a tent, sleeping bag, bedroll and maybe a tripod to the bike as well.

[JanMM]

The Rans stuff is really good. But for the best, check out recumbent specific bags and panniers from these folks. http://www.arkel-od.com/
The "Tailrider" is awesome on any bike.
Love my Tailrider - got it when my main ride was a hybrid - doesn't fit normally (horizontally) on my Tailwind's RANS rack because of sprint braces. But, I found that it can be used vertically by resting the front of it on the rack and
securing it to the braces with the velcro straps.

[John C. Ratliff]

I have both panniers in front and back on my Rans Stratus Classic. You can see a photo below. I like being able to take things in the front too, as it evens out the distribution of the load on the wheels.

This photo was taken on a self-timer, with the camera on a cement structure. It was on a cold morning commute, and I have my commuting clothes, lunch, and laptop on the back of the seat/rack.

John