why no bags like this anymore
 

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1353/...13c61e79_o.jpg

I borrowed the image from Stronglight's "very early touring bikes thread.

I have often wondered why a long, narrow central bag, especially when touring where utilising as much space as possible is important, is never an option.

Ya it is too bad nobody makes these!...:p

http://bp2.blogger.com/_vUEhS0lU3eU/...%2Boutside.jpg

The rider would have to pedal with knees pointed outward enough to clear the bag.
In doing that, the leg position is not at its most efficient.

http://bp0.blogger.com/_vUEhS0lU3eU/...op%2Btaper.jpg

I've read people's reviews of these bags and nobody is complaining of having to pedal differently. They make th bags custom with and with out the extra front volume depending on your needs.

Have you used a similar bag and had clearance problems with your knees?

Actually, I read an interesting observation on the difference between a somewhat more modern frame style where you have to spin (horsepower), vs the older style of frame (like those in the pictures) where your cadence will be less but you are generating more torque.

Aaron:)

http://www.carouseldesignworks.com/CDWpage1.html

http://www.flickr.com/photos/51584834@N00

This is what I have and I love it. The other type of frame bag is far too large. This bag stays out of the way of your legs and leaves plenty of room to mount two water bottles.

This is super cool...

http://bp2.blogger.com/_8ndAAq40TD8/...th+bottles+for

I've also got the small Jandd one and love it. I can't imagine touring without it.

Wow, I love the look of those. That is style.

Awesome headlight

Those bags are too nice. Just aching to be stolen.

I wonder how they would hold up to the grit and grime of the road?

I have a heavy duty sewing machine so I might whip one out. Adding coroplast panels would make them quite ridged so it would not flop around in the frame.

I did the great divide on a tandem and we needed all the spaces filled just to carry what we needed for the trip.

I sewed up the midframe bags, they worked, still work great. I did use a couroplast rim on the biggest ones and its worked really well. To add a little pizaz I used a zippered mesh pocket on the larger ones, which ended up being used for sunscreen and bug dope and stuff. The ready made ones that you can find at Nashbar, or the MEC are ok but seem too small.

They were really fast to make, and easy to install, I never thought of it but making them wider in the rear is a great idea. Having a bag fit around your water bottles seems sort ???? to me, its a lot of extra sewing for ??? utility, if you are going to do it that way get some side loading water bottle holders. Every rider has there own style and needs, sounds like you should try mid-frame bag.

I've done something similar, and I use the Jandd bag quite a bit. It's great. Jandd also makes a stem bag that puts things in an extremely convenient location -- better than a handlebar bag.

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The Buettners' Africa Expedition's bikes were outfitted with a large main-triangle bag (mainly for water; but something like that could be used for other things as well). There are pictures in this book:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q...=Google+Search

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I crossed paths with a guy who was touring with a hardshell compartment that filled the main triangle. It was made of fiberglass. He was considering carbon fiber for a future project.

He really liked it. It held a lot of stuff, and was secure. He had a hinged door on it, with a lock.

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The width problem is mitigated if the Q-factor (or the tread) gives you the extra clearance. [People's preferences here vary quite a bit. Many find that a wide Q-factor is not really the problem other people say it is (i.e opinions vary).]

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With present-day ultralight gear, it would not be too difficult to pack everything into a main-triangle bag -- the gear is much lighter and more compact than it was a century ago.

Touring without front or rear racks would be an option.

The positioning of the weight is also excellent with this system -- much better than usual, with front and rear racks.

[Handlebar bags, stem bags, head-tube bags, saddlebags, and top-tube bags are among the expansion options that would still be rack-free.]

There is also often more room beneath the down tube than usually utilized. It is a great place for weight -- low and centered. Extra-large water bottles can be fitted there; other dense and heavy items can also be carried there.

Extra-large water bottle cages can also be fitted low on stays. Water can be carried when needed; (modified) water bottles can be used for other items as well.

Those triangle bags from EPIC are nice.

-He makes bicycle poggies too, they're like mittens attached to the handlebar. Nifty. Real nifty.

Those carousel saddlebags seem pretty nifty.

The bags are OK, but I want to know where to get some of those pointy, water shedding helmets they are wearing?

I like the pants and boots. They really look comfortable. :eek:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2136/...917cba16_o.jpg

What's up with the brake levers?

on topic I got an old Raleigh that had a main triangle bag made out of canvass, the construction was very simple and light, other than added bulk near the knees another concern could be crosswinds.

The brake levers on that bike actually appear to be "Guidonnet" levers which clamp on near the center of the bar, follow out along the tops, and then curve around toward the front. You can think of them as the old "safety extensions" found attached to the stock brake levers of many 1960s through 70s bikes with drop bars ... only backwards. The posts or 'horns" are just to keep hands from slipping down over the curve of the bar when riding with hands on the tops of the bars. Similar "stumps" clamped onto bars were made by Dia-Compe at least into the late 1980s - very useful for drop bars in the stoker position on Tandems. :)

cool, it's a poor angle to try and figure that out. Also is that a suspension stem too?

Also I think one of the bigger reasons is that frame angles aren't as standard as they used to be with compact geometry type frames and having to have different sizes is kinda hard unless it's custom.