nun

Great picture to remind us that nothing is new....I think it's in Norway.

The cost of handmade goods in the US is going to be high because of all the overhead and the need to earn a living wage. I have no problem with the cost of US made bike bags, my gripe is with the way many bikes seem to have 4, 5 or 6 small (and quite expensive) bags to carry stuff. I like to keep my luggage to a minimum so just have a handlebar bag and a large saddlebag. Jerry cans and gas tank type bags are very expensive ways to carry candy bars.......that's what the the pockets on your jersey are for........or just shove them in your handlebar bag. I use a saddlebag that was first designed in the 1930s and it goes very well with a carbon bike.

bmike

I like my candy bars solid when I eat them... so the only things that go in my jersey pockets are things that can get wet with sweat... and deal with body heat.

Jerry can - tools, spare cable(s), chain lube, etc.
Gas tank - Canon G12 for easy but secure access, camp batteries and diffuser for my light.
Feedbags - thats where the candy bars go!
Frame bag - where the 100oz bladder and in line filter get carried, along with spare tube(s), and extra space for carrying the odd bear to camp

I think we should go back to front wheel drive, fixed gears, and wearing suits and ties.
Stylin, for sure.

I'd also love to go back to a time when I didn't have to carry a water filter... and when wildlife (or lack of braking power) would have been a bigger threat than motorists.

Bill1227

Ha,ha nice I needed that after a long,stressful day - work and I was just comming back to delete / edit to once sentence my last post of meaningless nothingness

They look like J.Jones bikes with Carradice bags

PS - I am not a " civil war " guy but a few years ago I happened to be near Gettysburg Pa so I took a day and went. Better yet a retired school teacher historian guide led us about for a small fee. Highly recommend if near some day. I want to go back and spend a couple days. Hard to believe what happen there as you stand on the same ground looking and listening to what a true historian guide points out and paints for your eyes.

NDF86

You're not wrong, but not everyone wears a jersey.

As to the seemingly large number of small bags, for me it's an organizational thing. I put tools in my jerry can, and one feedbag holds a bottle, while the other holds either a bottle, or my phone/keys/wallet depending on the ride. I don't usually ride with a bag in the gas tank position.

nun

Candy bar temperature resistance is important....anything with chocolate on the outside is best avoided...Paydays and peanut M&Ms are good

Saddlebag side pocket - tools, spare cable(s), spare tubes, chain lube, etc.
Handlebar bag - Smartphone for easy but secure access
Handlebar bag and pockets - thats where the candy bars, cookies, fruit and nuts go
saddlebag - where extra 2 liter soda bottle is carried and extra space for carrying the odd bear to camp using the longflap

3speed

It obviously depends on the goods. And yes, typically craftspeople are closer to "making a living," but that certainly doesn't mean that Every one of them is barely getting by just because they're a crafts-person, and that every one of them is merely charging what they need to to feed a starving family. If one needed to charge $250 for such an item just to get by, there wouldn't be plenty of other people in the good ol' USA selling similar products for plenty less than $250 per item. I don't know exactly what the profit is since I'm not in such an industry, but experience in management and small business expenses(which you should know based on your statement), life experience of what such raw materials cost even at retail store prices(if you're selling high volume, you should have a source for cheaper materials), and looking at other products in the market point to a high profit per item conclusion. Look into the backpacking world for more great examples than you can shake a stick at. There are Lots of tiny operations, often guys flying solo, using more expensive materials than this, selling things for the same or lower prices. Of course in that industry too there can be two very similar items and one costs twice as much as the other. Those guys are charging for higher profits... And that's fine. They're free to charge whatever they want. I'm also free to say that I think their goods are over-priced. Who'd have thought that doing so would get such a response from a few people...

3speed

I too am a fan of multiple smaller bags for organization. It's nice to have everything in it's own place, and easily accessible when you want it. And I also don't wear bike jerseys. I like a marino shirt and an appropriate coat if needed, who's pockets I like to keep mostly free of items to lose or have swinging around, bulging my pockets, etc. A small bag in front holds snacks and phone/ID nicely.

bmike

You ignored the substance and math of my post. So, never mind.

Scott just got here in his personal jet to drop by and have a beer. I'm buying though. Jet fuel is pretty expensive.

nun

I use inexpensive nylon or plastic bags for organization and I have a mental map of where everything goes.

djb

want to add a comparison, but first to say that as I don't do singletrack travelling (looks fun as heck tho) I don't have any need for these types of bags--but the comments about cost made me think of some U.S made photo gear I bought years ago that is very similar to these bike bags (size, quality made).
About ten years ago I need some new camera and lens pouches and saw a new company called Think Tank Photo, saw some of thier stuff in a store here in Montreal and was very impressed by the quality of the construction--zippers, material, dividers, and general smart design. They cost more than other brands but in the end, over time the extra cost was negligible because of how well they are made and how they are still in perfect shape and nice to use simply because of the design and quality of construction/materials.

I would add that with all outdoor stuff, really well made stuff ends up over time being the same cost or less than stuff of less quality. Even for someone like me who has always been careful with my money, I have often gone the "spend a bit more" route for X doodad when I can see and feel a higher quality that I can reasonably feel will last a lot longer and/or work better than a "cheaper" doodad.

I think the usual issue here is that the vast majority of people biking will buy a cheap little bag that they hardly ever use, so volume is always going to be tough for a small company, even if they make a great product.

and I figure that bikepacking bags must be a pretty small market all in all, unlike panniers or whatever that a lot of people use for commuting (and even then, how many people commute by bike, even in Montreal we are not Holland, although better than a lot of N American cities).

nun

Bikepacking is a growing market and has recently grown beyond its "esty" beginnings with bike packing bags and frame bags being sold on third party websites. The bags look to be well made and the makers take pride in the quality and to most serious tourists and bikepackers getting the right set of bags is worth a hefty price tag. However, I think the bike packing approach that chops the load up into lots of small bags isn't the best solution for most tourists. For those a lightweight set of panniers like the new ones from Arkel and a handlebar bag are a simple solution. I feel that there is some minimum size a bag needs to be to be useful....I'm not sure exactly what that is....maybe 6 or 7 liters.....

Bill1227

I am just happy to be on a sub~forum amongst others who use bags , of any kind, period.

Tuesday night I did a LBS group ride as I live a whopping 3/4 mile from my local townie bike shop. Big turn out - approx 60 riders which per normal go out in various "flights" and we do 20-25 miles average in a hilly,4 season, lake region known for ski,bike,fish,boat,etc.

Here are some approximate stats per my eye ~

* Of 60 - I was 1 of 3 that evening with any sort of "real bags" besides micro,race,saddle bag tucked under the seat. The other two were trunk bags/rack packs on hybrid bikes (woman) and I used my new rack saddle bags (sorry hate the word "panniers")
* There was one other "rack" period and it was bare. This would be the only other close to touring bike besides mine and the hybrids I seen - his bare rack bike was a standard down bar,steel touring.
* I was the only mountainbike (2-9er). Just two years ago there were a few. 20 years ago the majority were MTB's - Thank you Lance for all the want-a-be racers
* Besides me there was one other in a hoodie. All others were tucked in / in their tights and clipped
* All other bikes pretty much were "endurance" 25mm tires, 15-20ish pounds.
* Of the 60 riders, maybe 5.........actually road race pretty regular, meaning Sundays/circuit. Of them I think 2-3 our LBS sponsored pavement racers. I believe they also race CX in the winter. The rest just "looked like racers".
* I am the only one whom shows up in a pair of khaki or cargo shorts - every one else (except the shop owner when he rides/he is a tourer) is sporting "junk in their trunk" - padded tight bike shorts - and trust me - a lot of them Really Should Not Wear Them

It's still fun, good camaraderie after. I respect the racers for "they're thing" yet..................big changes over the years. I ride a fare amount as is in season so I do these rides at times a)because I live very close b)camaraderie - yet less in common than 20 years ago c) Its a lake region and I just do it like an evening tour ride.

BTW- as always = "its not the bike" as its hard for me to grasp how slow some are on their 17# endurance bikes, how bad they dog on hills considering what their riding etc. Flip side, you give the top racers my loaded 31 pound goat and they will fly on it as well.
Especially in the spring, when cyclist get "spring fever" for a new shiny , latest greatest bike ~ I most often hear "I bought this 16# XYZ carbon bike and I am still not any faster......followed by a humble grin".

So the temp is dropping in the evening. Most are not sure whether to wear an extra coat,etc. But, in the name of Lance and sporty race form ---- they don't have any where to put it anyways...........because they have no bags..........ditto if they want to stop at the store on the ride home.

I REALLY don't get it AT ALL ~ BTW - Our "roads" are rougher than hell, pot hole laced,heavy,hard winters - yet. In a "group" with lots of colors and blinking lights I feel o.k. riding road along the smooth outer edge. Alone = not the case and I am either hug'in a gutter,gravel,junk or more likely I have opt'ed for a MTB'er rout / ways away from the autos as much as posable.

Look at Europe where they bicycle ten fold as much and you see PRACTICALITY

So,,,,,,,,regardless of what type bags your pack'in ~ I am just happy to see some bags on bikes here and less "junk in the trunk" (chuckle) ........ practicality

3speed

^ Haha. Sounds like a good time, even with all of the biker-diapers on the other riders(those padded shorts remind me of toddlers wearing diapers under their shorts). It's almost always good to get out and ride with some other people. I'm lucky that my best friend also got into biking and touring, and we're both going more toward bikepacking/lightweight gear. I'm working on finding more local groups to ride with. Good to hear that there are group rides for you to enjoy so close to home! Oh, and long live the khaki cargo shorts and hoody biker! That's some of my favorite gear when it's a little chilly out.

Bill1227

Just a quick note- I am still very pleased with the Porcelien Rocket Micro Panniers