thelazywon

I am needing a bag for 1 pr shoes, shorts & t-shirt, and my lunch to go on a Lynskey R340. I came across this on amazon:

Viscacha

Anyone have experience with this bag? I'm liking it because it seems like it will hold what I need it to, is easily removable, and doubles as a mud guard.

Alphamoose

I'm using their smaller bag, the Pika, for long rides. It's been great for my use. I wanted something to hold all the layers I carry with me on brevets and double centuries, and it's more than sufficient for that, without adding a bunch of weight like a rack and trunk bag would.

no1mad 

No direct experience with that bag or any of their products for that matter, but I'd imagine that since Salsa Cycles gets their bags made by Relevate Designs, they can't be all bad.

tjspiel

Not an answer to your question exactly but you might be able to simplify things by leaving a pair of shoes at work.

iforgotmename

I have a Revelate Tangle and find it to be a durable, an very useful commuting bag. No experience with the other bags...yet.

mustridebikes

+1 for the Tangle bag as a great commuter bag. Lock, keys, sunglasses, really anything can go in there. I always find myself with something in my hands as I leave home in the morning and I can just toss it in the Tangle and roll.

modernjess

Not that bag, but I do have a Revelate frame bag on my fat bike. It's flawless and I will attest to the high quality build and design. Made in the USA.

I would and I will buy from them again in a heartbeat.

spivonious

I'd have to see it in person. It looks like it would sway and squish the contents. Plus for the price I can get a nice rear rack and decent panniers.

WalksOn2Wheels

I have one and absolutely love it. In regards to concerns that it would sway or move around, this bag is the end product of many DIY iterations that came before it. The strap system is very secure and I used it for 50 mile round trip commuting last summer with zero issues of thigh rub or swaying wildly in the wind. Easily holds a pair shoes and spare clothes. If you want to put food in it, you're going to have to put soft stuff in tupperware or something because the bag mounts solidly using compression straps.

The only complaint one might have is that taking it on/off can be slightly fussy compared to unclipping a pannier, but it's really no big deal. Another iteration (check their website) of this bag has a dray bag that comes out of a "harness" you can leave on the seatpost. This would be a little bit quicker on/off and provides a waterproof solution.

I hate racks and panniers (heavy), so my terribly biased opinion would be to go with the Viscacha. However, the Tangle is an excellent option as well, but my anal retentiveness would not want it as an every day item as it can collect dust and grit and scratch up a nice frame. If that doesn't matter to you as much, check it out. Either products are top notch.

Important: I would check out their website to ensure that it will fit on your bike. They reccomend 8 inches rail to tire clearance and 5 inches of exposed seatpost.

EDIT: I'll actually be using mine tomorrow with shoes and clothes, maybe some food. I'll try to snap some pictures for you.

Sullalto

The (waterproof)panniers I'm seeing all tend to cost near that much by the self. What are you looking at?

sirtirithon

I own a Revelate Pika and frame bag. I love them both for commuting. The Pika is a bit small for shoes unless that's all you would carry in it. I also own a Nuclear Sunrise Stitchworks version of the Viscacha bag and a Nuclear Sunrise frame bag. If I had to choose I would go with Nuclear Sunrise. Both companies make excellent quality bags but the Nuclear Sunrise bags are actually waterproof unlike the Revelate bags where I have to tie a grocery sack over the seat bag to keep my stuff dry in a downpour. Check out Nuclear Sunrise before settling on Revelate .

Coluber42

I can attest that the Revelate bags are very well made (and I make bike bags too, so I'd know!), and they do not sway even when loaded. I haven't ridden with one myself, but have ridden with others who were using them and have poked around "under the hood" as it were.

Part of why they are so stable though is that they compress everything down so it's not moving, so if wrinkles are a problem, any bag of this type is not the solution. The other drawback is that if what you want is at the bottom, you have to take out everything else to get it; but if it's just shoes and a change of clothes, that won't matter.

The other type of saddlebag that's popular with long distance folks is the traditional "transverse" style (and in interests of full disclosure, I do have a commercial interest in those). They come in larger sizes, they are easier to get stuff out of, and stuff doesn't have to be squished in there. But they require either a saddle with loops on the back for a saddlebag, or an after-market mount to carry them. However, some of the after-market mounts have quick release features that are very handy. I use a Carradice SQR Uplift mount for mine, which lets me take it off or put it on in about two seconds. The downside of that mount is that it's heavy, although still lighter than a whole rear rack. I mostly use it for brevets or other long rides, though, not on the commuting bike.

I use the saddlebag that I produce for commuting sometimes, but honestly my preference for riding around town is just to use a rear rack and carry around a large pannier (usually just one, but sometimes two) that I can dump my stuff into. Much more convenient, and it makes it much easier to do un-planned errands, grocery stops, etc, plus I often need to carry around more than would fit in most saddlebags anyway. It's heavier and way less aero but I'm just going from red light to red light anyway, right?

WalksOn2Wheels

Here are the pictures for yesterday. Please excuse the filthy couch. Once you have a toddler, you tend to give up on a sueded cotton finish.

I even carried a little extra just for the sake of showing you what it can do. Well, that and it was cold yesterday. If I were to leave the jacket out, it would have been about 2/3 of the size shown. I also threw in a granola bar and an english muffin with jam. The second (?) picture should show that I put my shoes in the bag first, staked and to the side, then put my clothes in next to that. I then threw in the jacket and patch kit. I always leave that at the top in case I need it.

I did my 50 mile round trip Arlington to Dallas commute on this setup, and again, zero issues. I've done the rack and pannier thing and like the saddle bag much, much better.

In regards to clothes wrinkling, I've never had a problem with it. Granted, I wouldn't put slacks and a button down in there, but that's kind of a given. But I've not had any significant wrinkling issues after 25 mile rides with shorts and a t-shirt.

thelazywon

Thank you very, very much for those pics. That's exactly what I need! I usually just bring a couple of tupperwares to work for my lunch. I keep my button downs and slacks at work, but sometimes if I'm going to go into Honolulu and have drinks after work and then take the bus home, I need shorts/t-shirt/sneakers or slippers because I don't want to go into the bar or on the bus in lycra! Looks like I can put my repair kit in there too instead of having it in the bottle cage.

Thanks everyone for your replies. I have 5.25" exposed seatpost and 9.5" rail to tire, looks like it will work fine.

Pamtivek

No direct experience but my friend has their mountain feedbag (a stem/handlebar mounted small bag). He never fails to mention how nice it is when we go out riding. And he's a designer so he doesn't like 90% of products out there.

Steele-Bike

I bought the Viscacha last summer and find it quite useful. Since I do not tour, I removed my beefy touring rack and have saved a bit of weight. Another Revelate product that I could not live without is the Mountain Feedbag. https://www.revelatedesigns.com/inde...2&ProductID=12

thelazywon

I have been using the Viscacha for about a week now, and I have to say it was well worth the price. I have previous experience with racks and panniers, and this is so much better. Much more lightweight, easy to remove, and holds everything. It's definitely not for grocery shopping, but when you want to use your racy bike for work commuting, this thing is just the ticket. Highly recommend. Fits my Lynskey R340 perfectly.

iminitea

How is Revelate water proof ability ??
My Apidura is not water proof at all
Plan to get Pika to replace it
Cos I ride brevet events, no mater how bad weather I will keep riding.
Thank you