A couple years ago, I was in the market for 3 seat packs - for my different bikes - to store stuff for fixing flats. My favorite online bike store happened to have some on sale at that time. They also happened to cost more than I wanted to spend. Couple that with the fact that I don't like the look of the typical vertically-oriented seat pack, I also figured I don't really need 'em anyway. As long as I have back pockets on my jersey or jacket I could do without buying something I don't like the look of anyway. Right?

Then I remembered I had 4 or 5 of these never-used sunglass cases that I'd tossed aside over the last few years, just lying around collecting dust:




Brainstorm! 10 minutes later - with the help of a couple of cable ties to fasten one on to the rails underneath my fi'zi:k Aliante - I had a homemade, compact, stylish-looking saddle pack! It easily holds a tube, a CO2 inflator, 2 CO2 cartridges, 2 tire levers and a postage stamp-sized 6 pack of glueless patches. The best part about it? I didn't pay a penny for it! The second best part about it is I like the look of it better than those fugly-looking turd-shaped ones everybody else has.

One of the neatest, thriftiest, most original ideas I've ever had. Awesome!