View Single Post
Old 06-25-09, 10:26 AM
  #12  
zeppinger
Senior Member
 
zeppinger's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 2,016

Bikes: Giant FCR3, Surly LHT

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 23 Post(s)
Liked 4 Times in 4 Posts
That Acorn looks great!

The Sackville is working out great though I have only had it for a few months. Initially I had a bit of a dilemma with it. I use it for commuting as well as touring so I could not figure out if I wanted to leave it on the bike when I lock it up or take it with me. Its a huge for a saddle bag so I didnt like lugging it around and it takes a few 1/2 minutes or so to get on and off. I eventually just decided to buy an cable lock for the bottom of it and lash it to the rear rack. I carry an ultralight backpack inside of it if I dont want to leave valuables in it while I am commuting.

For touring I dont really see the advantages of a handle bar bag, though your is very strikingly appealing! The basket can be "overstuffed" using a bungie net to as high as your handle bars if you want. The Sackville also comes with a little pouch that buckles to the top of the bag. The pouch is big enough for the valuables like, wallet, keys, phone, iPod, camera, though definitely not a computer! Most of the time I dont even use it. I ride in cargo shorts and keep on the essential on my person except for my camera which fits in the rider forward facing pockets on the Sackville. I will usually just dig it out and walk into the store rather than use a handle bar bag.

I had a hard time deciding between the Sackville vs. two Ostrich pannier bags. Overall the Sackville won me because it has more volume that two Ostriches together. I have been asked before if having all the weight on the top of the rack effects handling but I have not noticed at all. I think that my gear is light enough that it just doesn't matter all that much where I put it.

What do you use on the rear carrier for touring/commuting? How do you like it?

Those shorts look great! I am really happy to see nickers making a comeback! Those ones are not for me though, I dont like any padding in my britches. I do like the ones from Chrome, though they are almost as pricey!

Last edited by zeppinger; 06-25-09 at 10:30 AM.
zeppinger is offline