Originally Posted by hmai18
To all you guys with the huge seat bags: what on earth are you carrying in there?
Last year I used my LeMond for Brevets - so for most of my riding I used / tested gear I would need for events.
Depending on location / weather, etc. when you head out for more than 60 miles or so you need to carry extra gear. I used a pannier on the 400k and a rack trunk on the 600k. I managed the 300k (186 miles) with a large seat pack and bento box.
Some rides provide 'drop bags' where you can send some of your gear ahead on the course... assuming you know what you will need at that point in the ride. Many are self supported. You'll also notice in the pic of my Zurich that there is snow on the ground. Having someplace to ditch an extra layer later in the day is also useful. (hope you didn't notice the fenders!)