Classic & Vintage - Is Carradice the only Brooks compatible bag?

I've been looking at cargo options for the old Centurion. She's going to be sporting a honey B17, and I thought it would be cool to find a bag that works with those bag loops on the saddle, instead of mounting a rack.

(The bike doesn't have upper eyelets for a rack anyway.)

The only bags I can find are Carradice. They're expensive! And they're out of stock and backordered forever with all the usual suspects who stock them. It's cheaper to buy something like a Tubus Fly, which will probably last longer, and use the same panniers I use on every other bike.

Are there any other options for those vintage bag loops? Or am I better off looking into a nice Tubus rack?

Cheers!

Brooks makes bags too. Makes Carradice look like bargain basement though. Berthoud? Carrimor?

Have you checked Velo orange or Rivendell?

Check Rivendell, though it will still be expensive:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v214/lamplightsg/Nishiki/IMG_9425small.jpg

Wow...quick replies! You weren't kidding about the price. I may be best off with that $95 Tubus rack, and have bags that are more universal.

Check with Calhoun cycle they have the barley and the zipped roll which I have by the way and it holds a lot more than I thought it would.

I got a tool roll at the local Harley dealer for $20 that looks great on my Brooks saddles.

I got a nice roll-up bag off eBay by a company called Acorn. Searched the internet for them but came up with nothing. I'd give eBay a try as Acorn bags were very affordable but still had that retro style.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ACORN-MED-SADDLE-BAG-Crafted-USA-Fits-Brooks-Others_W0QQitemZ300196343091QQihZ020QQcategoryZ62131QQcmdZViewItem
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s200/ronzorini/AcornMed-3Colors.jpg


http://gallery.mac.com/bbattle/100013/100_0446/web.jpg


Also, check out this link to velo orange: http://velo-orange.com/bapaandba.html

Try Wallbike.com. They have Brooks saddles and other touring items that are usually out of stock at other places. Great people to deal with as well.


http://www.wallbike.com/carradice/carradicesaddlebags.html

I've mounted a leather purse on my Brooks. Lots* of options there....

I got a nice roll-up bag off eBay by a company called Acorn. Searched the internet for them but came up with nothing. I'd give eBay a try as Acorn bags were very affordable but still had that retro style.

Acorn is ronzorini here in the forums - their site is www.acornbags.com

Thanks for all the pointouts, guys! By the by, Wallingford bike is the FIRST place I looked...I always try to shop them first. Soooo out of stock, except on the Barley bag. Then I start to get into the fact that the Barley costs as much as a Tubus rack, and the Tubus rack would accept the bags that I currently rotate from bike to bike.

Choices, choices...

If you're not averse to using ebay, also check out the outyourbackdoor seller. He makes bags out of army surplus gear. good price or even just good inspiration.

The carradice junior bag is not very expensive, and looks very clean on a retro bike. I think it's two litres bigger than the barley. Great bag.

Check Rivendell, though it will still be expensive:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v214/lamplightsg/Nishiki/IMG_9425small.jpg

Lamplight, is that your Nishiki?

Those Acorn bags are pretty. And not as expensive as Carradice either. Certainly not as expensive as Rivendell.

I may consider those.

I have heard all the debates about rivendell and frost river, but when it come down to it these are the best (and I think best looking) bags. Still a small independent (minnesota!) company too. Not cheap, but the big saddle bag is really great and you will not regret it.

http://www.frostriver.com/bike_bags/bikebags_menu.html

Even with shipping, SJS cycles is a good bit cheaper than any of the carradice dealers in the US

www.sjscycles.co.uk (http://www.sjscycles.co.uk)

I have a barely and love it for all day rides.

Also, carradice bags occasionally pop up on ebay, some over 30 years old and still looking good.

I'd like to see one of the Frost river bags in a photo instead of those cheesy looking drawrings they have on the website. Does anyone have one of these bags they could post a photo of on the board?

I'd cast my vote for the Acorn bags. I first noticed them at auction on eBay and all the models offered looked great. Thanks to bbattle and barth-karl for remembering and linking the website below (I could not remember the name or find recent auctions). I believe these bags are still carefully hand made, in small volume, by a husband and wife team, and right here is the US... all of which certainly makes them worthy of consideration. The price for the Large saddlebag seems VERY reasonable compared with other bags which first pass through many other hands before reaching the final retail merchant, further increasing the price along the way. Soon as I have the spare cash, I'm definitely going to order one. I suspect their website will be in full swing by the Spring cycling season.



see Acorn Bag photos here (http://www.acornbags.com/products.html)

Here is their Large saddlebag...

http://www.acornbags.com/support/lgbag_photo1.jpg

i have the medium acorn and love it. ron answered my questions thoughtfully and kept me updated on my order. the material and leather are not quite as thick as carradice but it still seems durable and well built. i bought some nikwax cotton proof and waxed mine, but its not necessary

I bought an old swiss army bicycle tool roll a few years back from acme cycles in st. louis...here it is on the fuji I had at the time:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/jvpro/climb_bike004.jpg

here is their website: http://acmebicyclecompany.com/
not sure if they still carry the tool rolls but they do appear to have their own line of bike bags.

Even with shipping, SJS cycles is a good bit cheaper than any of the carradice dealers in the US

www.sjscycles.co.uk (http://www.sjscycles.co.uk)

I have a barely and love it for all day rides.

Also, carradice bags occasionally pop up on ebay, some over 30 years old and still looking good.

I purchased mine straight from the Carradice Website, for probably around the same price. The freight cost was also very reasonable.

Wow...quick replies! You weren't kidding about the price. I may be best off with that $95 Tubus rack, and have bags that are more universal.

I have the Tubus Fly. Tubus makes great racks; and I love the fact that the Fly weighs 12 ounces. Had it a few years now, it's reliable.

Also have a Barley and Bagman.

I like the Carradice better. No one else around here has one and it looks so cool.

But it isn't big enough for commuting so I use the rack and panniers most of the time. What I need is a new bike to put the Barley on. No doubt about it.. :D

Of course, you could get one of the bigger bags. It's all good, just pick which way you want to do it.

+1 on the Acorn bags. The medium bag fills a size dimension that Carradice doesn't have a bag for, and his large bag is everything the Barley should have been.

I have one of the Frost River bags...I wasn't greatly impressed with it.

There's always making your own...

http://www.geocities.com/lazyf62/saddlebag/sdlbag.html

I have one of these on order from my talented and loving mother.

I bought a Carradice Barley from SJS in England because all the US dealers were out of stock at the time. It was less expensive, including the shipping, and the order arrived in about a week. Make sure you order the Bagman rack if you get a Carradice unless you don't mind the seatbag slapping your thighs on every pedal stroke.

However, if ordering now, I would definitely check out Acorn. Not sure if he has the racks, however.

I'd like to see one of the Frost river bags in a photo instead of those cheesy looking drawrings they have on the website. Does anyone have one of these bags they could post a photo of on the board?

I have a Frost River Saddle bag I got on ebay fro $80. t was some sort of overstock close out sale or something. I will post a pic a bit later. It is a very nice bag and and just a bit smaller than the Carradice Long flap and bigger that the bags sold by acorn. It is a very nice bag.

Got an e-mail from Ron today www.acornbags.com He's making me a medium bag for my Centurian and said there'd be a two-week turnaround time on the bags. Medium bag is $69.95 and their large bag is $89.95 hand made by him and his wife.

His bags are shhweeet. :D

Lamplight, is that your Nishiki?

Yes it is.

Here are the pics othe Frost River bag. I put a Brooks saddle in it for scale.

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k292/bylar13/BikePics214.jpg

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k292/bylar13/BikePics215.jpg

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k292/bylar13/BikePics216.jpg