chrisvu05

My trusty saddle bag has failed me and I need recommendations for a saddle bag. Ideally I'd fit minimum 1 tube, 2-3 CO2s, multitool, CO2 Nozzle, Patch kit. Use would be on a standard road bike with Brooks C17 saddle.

Show me what you have and why you like it!

Ogsarg

For me, the bag is just to carry stuff for changing a flat so not something I'm going to spend a lot of time thinking about advantage of x bag over y bag.

Chose this small serfas speed bag cause it was inexpensive (on Amazon) and the orange matched other bits on the bike. Functionally, it carries a tube, patch kit, small gauge, and my cell phone if I want to put it in there instead of a jersey pocket. It expands about an inch but I haven't had a need to use that. One plus is the strap for clipping on a tail light.

canklecat

Ditto, the above Serfas Speed Bag. I have two. Best of the many wedge bags I've handled and tried, including the JandD, Topeak, etc.

Check Amazon. In January the small Speed Bags were heavily discounted in odd colors, like the orange (I paid $7-$8) and green (was running $9-$11), while the black was still running full price. I haven't seen any steep discounts on the medium size with expandable floor pouch -- those usually cost around $20.

Since the medium costs only a little more at full retail, it's a better buy. When closed it's only a little larger than the small, and the expandable pouch is nifty for longer rides when you need to tote a spare USB battery, etc.

The most recent is identical to the orange small Speed Bag shown above -- it's on my road bike. Easily holds a tube, multi-tool, levers, Lezyne glueless patch kit (wonderful things, smaller than a credit card and almost as thin), spare Missing Link for the chain, a couple of Mylar envelopes of DripDrop or Propel electrolyte powders, and still room for other stuff. Usually the spare space is occupied by a plastic tube containing glucose tabs (I'm prone to hypoglycemic bonks) and a few ibuprofen, ephedrine for asthma attacks, a few other emergency first aid necessities.

And I've had a black medium Speed Bag with the expandable floor pouch for more than a year. For awhile I swapped it between my hybrid and road bike, but occasionally would forget to swap tubes -- those Presta and Schrader tubes don't play well together. So I got a Speed Bag for each bike.

When the expandable floor pouch isn't used it doesn't look much larger than the small, but is significantly larger inside. And with the floor pouch expanded it'll hold a pair of tubes and a lot of stuff. I've even carried a fairly large spare USB battery for long rides to recharge my electronic junk.

I will add that one cycling friend said his Serfas bag fell apart after a couple of years. Must have been a fluke. My medium expandable Speed Bag has been used heavily for more than a year and shows no signs of wear or fraying. I really expected using the expandable pouch so often would accelerate wear and tear but nope, it's fine.

I also handled the Arundel and similar minimalist bags at the local shops, but they lacked the organizer details that I like about the Serfas bags.

Lots of little things and attention to detail that make the Serfas stand out, including the nifty inner slip pockets and snap hook keyring. The reflective trim really shines. The strap holds my Cygolite Hotshot securely, although I usually mount the Cygolite to the seat tube using the supplied mount (shown below). There are a couple of external loops that could be used to lash on an oversized tool, a spare folding tire, etc.

However, if you want a bag that doesn't sway at all, skip any wedge bag. They all swing and sway a little. This can be minimized with an external Velcro strap or bungee cord, but I don't worry about it. For minimal sway, the Arundel, or those clamshell bags with rigid attachments would be better.

chrisvu05

Thanks for the feedback you guys! The only hesitation I'd have is the velcro sides. I've had similar bags in the past and the velcro wears out and then the bag will randomly just start really swaying more than normal! That bag would be perfect if the velcro portion from the saddle rails was a clip.

TimothyH

XLab Mezzo.

Simple, cheap, understated and durable. Why make this more complex then it needs to be?

It fits the items show + patch kit easily.




Some of the bags out there look like redesigned ladies handbags or tributes to Rube Goldberg.


-Tim-

canklecat

Yeah, I had a similar concern. I'm not a big fan of Velcro, especially as primary fasteners. But my medium size Speed Bag is fine after more than a year (I think I got it November 2016). Still holds. It hasn't accumulated a bunch of residue that hinders fastening. The stitches haven't torn, a common problem with some Velcro fasteners.

Check out Jandd seat bags. If I'm recalling correctly they use buckles. The Velcro is just for adjusting the snugness, and some Jandd bags may use those plastic slip/friction adjusters rather than Velcro. I compared Jandd and Serfas bags quite a bit in 2016 and was very close to buying the Jandd. There were just a few minor details that I liked in the Serfas bags. But I'm still considering a larger Jandd bag for the errand bike. They often have steep discounts on some closeouts and bags with minor cosmetic blemishes.

rob214

I've only been cycling for 2 years and this is just a noob's opinion, get a bag you like and that holds what you want to cart around but whatever bag you do get make sure it has a strap or 2 that actually goes all the way around from saddle tubes to underneath the bag like a cradle to support the weight. how do I know well I had one strap break and almost lost my stuff.
I carry 1 tube, 1 co2 inflator and an extra c02 with 2 tire tools with a small Allen wrench set, and a pack of park tool tire patches(not tube patches, tire patches, they really work) and after this weekend I'll find a very small sharp knife.
I use this one for the last year,https://www.westernbikeworks.com/pro...p?fltr=&sg=502

good luck
rob

Lazyass

I have two Jandd Mini Mountain Wedge bags. Highly recommended. They'll probably last forever. I cut the little strings on the zippers down and burned the ends for a cleaner look. You can also special order them in black leather or brown suede for an extra $17.

https://www.jandd.com/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=FMMW

woodcraft

Homemade. Does not flop, expandable, waterproof, lightweight, no zippers, won't fall off.

TimothyH

This is exactly what an XLAB Mezzo bag looks like. Exactly.

I did the same thing, cut the strings and burned the ends.

Lazyass

That's correct, because the XLAB is made by Jandd haha. I bought an XLAB in 2008 or so. You may not know it but they weren't called the Mezzo and they were actually marketed as a tubular tire bag. That's what I bought it for and my tubular fit. But it was tight, I'm not sure anything larger than a 23c would fit. When I bought my first Jandd Mini Mountain (Texas version in the pic) I didn't realize they were the same. I don't know if the Mezzo comes with a Jandd logo today.

On these two I actually completely removed the strings. They're still easy to zip.

Lazyass

In November I bought the Jandd "Tool Kit" bag on a whim when it was on sale for half price. I also have had velcro lose it's grip on other bags (Bontrager brand sucks), but the velcro on this seems super thick, I doubt it will ever come apart. The bag is made as tough as the mini mountain, very good quality. It's water resistant inside and is bigger than it looks like in the pic, it will hold lots of stuff. It doesn't flop around while riding, either. It's actually my favorite bag now.

Sy Reene

Arundel Dual... holds everything OP mentioned and 2 tubes, plus levers and CO2 head.

.

dim

Cyckit Aeroclam saddlebag

https://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/c...ddlebag-49272/

MagicHour

I like Jannd Tool Kit bag too, have it on one of my bikes. Other perks, fits larger 700x28 tubes, 3M reflective band for visibility, and still has a relatively narrow profile (no chaffing your bibs).

On my other (fast) bike I use the smallest model Banjo Bros Mini Deluxe seat bag that I also like - not as trendy as Lenzyne or Arundel etc. but still a nice series of functional seat bags that come in varying sizes.

jitteringjr

I now have the Topeak aerowedge packs in small and medium sizes. The quick click primary mount makes it easy to swap between bikes, doesn't sway back and forth, and doesn't have velcro to wear out in the weight bearing area. I normally use the small on the road bike and use the medium on my gravel and MTB bikes to allow for the larger sized tubes I carry with those. However I will use the medium on the road bike if I am going for a longer ride and want to throw some gels, or gatorade mix in a ziplock in for some extra calories to have on hand.


https://www.topeak.com/us/en/product...ero-wedge-pack

TimothyH

I thought as much when I saw your bag.

It doesn't supprise me. XLAB has rebranded products from time to time and was early into the deep carbon wheel game through rebranding.

My three Mezzo bags don't say Jandd anywhere on them.


-Tim-

TimothyH

I just ordered one of these for a retro-classic build I'm doing.


-Tim-

jitteringjr

That thing looks like it barley can handle a tube and 2 thinner than normal tire levers:



At that point I would just throw them in my jersey pocket and skip the bag.

Bob Ross

My regular road bikes have the Arundel Dual



It is large enough to hold (2) tubes, (2) tire levers, and a multitool...but just barely. I like that it's reasonably compact, mounts securely, but doesn't have any velcro around the seatpost (which tends to rip up my shorts sometimes). I wish it had a tab for a rear light, but that's not a dealbreaker.

On my foul weather/commuter bike -- which is just an old heavy road bike with fenders -- I have the Arkel Waterproof Seat Bag



While I don't carry anything more in that bag than I do in the Arundels, the Arkel clearly has room for more stuff; I suspect I could easily accommodate a 3rd tube, plus a CO2 inflator, and probably some spare parts without it interfering with my riding. The rear light tab is lovely, the waterproof-ness is a nice bonus, but what's especially nice about it is how easy it is to get stuff in & out of the bag while it's still mounted to the saddle.

Carbonfiberboy 

If it's a Brooks, it's gotta be Carradice. Partly tradition, partly that the Brooks rails are unlike the modern rails that many modern bags are designed to fit.

nishiki12

Saddle Bag? Pfft, bolt an ammo box to your frame like a real man!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/l0TPNMtjLXLlDNPA3