jyl

I want to get a bag to carry a modest amount of stuff.

How much stuff? Like: keys, money, phone, jacket, maybe some rain pants, some food, a couple of tubes, a small toolkit. Sort of enough for a day's unsupported ride in variable weather.

Ideally the bag would be: waterproof enough for a rainy day, attractive on a variety of bikes from classic steel to carbon, easily moved between said bikes, as light and unfussy as possible.

What do you use? Handlebar bag? Small saddlebag? Big saddlebag? A seatpost-mounted rack with a rack bag? Material? A specific brand to suggest?

I know nothing about rando stuff. I've had full-blown panniers, but am thinking of something a good deal smaller and lighter.

Chris_in_Miami

I like to have easy access to the contents, so a handlebar bag is my current favorite. I use a trunk bag and/or panniers for the heavy stuff.

I'm currently using an old Eclipse handlebar bag, but I'm gearing up to make a custom unit soon.

buldogge

Acorn handlebar bag or Carradice Barley or Nelson saddlebag.

Sixty Fiver

Carradice...

We have the Super C 54l panniers, a shopper, and my favourite is the old Pendle seatbag I find I could not be without.

Down in Portland you can find these at quite a few shops so you can look at them in person and check the capacity... would rather a seat bag than a handlebar bag as it is then out of the way.

Also have my touring kit and use a Blackburn handlebar bag with this which is rather nice in regard to capacity and do use it as a single on bikes that have no other provision for panniers or seat bags.

jyl

I googled the Carradice bags. They look great. The Pendle seems like a reasonable size for non-touring. I'm going to look into these. Thanks!

silvercreek

I get pretty good use out of the bag on the rear rack of my Raleigh SC30. That's my back and forth to the local store goffer bike.

An expensive Brooks saddle looks a little goofy on that kind of bike huh?

jyl

I wanted to come back to this thread to thank you for the help. I bought a Carradice Barley. Looks nice, about the right size, and although I wish it didn't bump my thighs, I guess a Bagman support will handle that.

I'm riding the STP in a month and wanted to be able to carry some stuff, without having my pockets stuffed to bursting.

mkeller234

Yes, a bagman support is a major help. It will keep the bag away from your legs and also prevent sagging and swaying when it is loaded. It is definitely worth the money.

wahoonc

Carradice is my bag of choice for about 90% of my riding. My city bike has Basil Karavan Panniers...and a Carradie Pendle.

Aaron

jyl

I considered Dill Pickle Bags (awesome, but I left it too late to get one in time for STP), Revelate (a little too unusual looking), VO seat bags (the one I saw was too small). Carradice seemed like the right mix of price, style, and function.

Though someday I will order a custom Dill Pickle bag.

AZORCH

All of my bikes are "bagged" because I like to carry food, camera gear, tools, and even some non-essentials when I'm in the saddle for hours on end. My personal preference is for French-style front bags, but those also require front rack support and decaleurs, and tend to get expensive very quickly. My favorite though, is the Swift Ozette Rando Bag I've got on my Boulder. It is totally worth the additional weight and expense (to me, anyway.)



Carradice makes the Super C handle bar bag, which uses a "quick mounting" system that works exceptionally well. I have this on my Peugeot rando build.



For casual riding with a picnic destination, my vintage Carradice bag is mounted to my Raleigh Rapide. It more than meets those needs.

jyl

Ordered a Bagman Sport QR rack support. The Expedition seemed too big for my dainty Barley, and I figured the Sport would hold the next larger Carradice bag if it wasn't too heavily loaded. And most of my seats don't have bag loops, so the QR feature seemed handy.

Okay? Or should I have ordered the Expedition?