Bags .. BAGS ... BaGs ... STorage ,, seat/handlebar/etc etc question

I love bags. Seat bags, handlebar bags, ..

Right now I have a seat bag that is ok,, but I know there must be something
better.

I did look at the Rivendell site .. they sell a seat bag.. expensive.. but
is it any good?

LL and the Bean has a handlebar bag that looks sweet on their web site...
but is it a good one,
will it work with a drop down handlebar touring bike ..


=====

Soo... tell me you bag stories. What bags do you pack. How big.

Do this when you are not in the bag.


Thanks..

On Oct 25, 9:42 am, "Sir Thomas of Cannondale"
wrote:


Soo... tell me you bag stories. What bags do you pack. How big.

I've got a handlebar bag on almost every bike, plus seat bags on
several bikes.

My commuter's handlebar bag is homemade and huge, roughly 10" x 9" x
9" (but tapered). Probably about 700 cubic inches. The seat bag is
tiny, holding just my rain cape.

The other handlebar bags are by various manufacturers, none very
expensive, most bought on sale. The oldest is the worn-out canvas bag
on my touring bike, bought in about 1975. Seat bags on the tourer and
tandem are small and expandable, used mostly for tools and tubes.

The tandem also carries a big trunk rack. When we start riding in a
chill, then later remove jackets, etc, we need more room than just a
handlebar bag.

A couple years ago, I bought a Carradice - and interestingly, I got it
from the Citybikes store Gooserider mentioned, when I was passing
through Portland. It was useful on that trip, a cross-country car
trip with my Bike Friday. I kind of like its aesthetics (hey, I'm a
retrogrouch!) but I find the buckles finicky, and I'd like a better
mounting system.

For me, a handlebar bag is great. Snacks, jacket, camera and paper
towels (to wipe sweat) and Halt dog spray are all easily at hand while
riding. So's the monocular, in case I see a soaring hawk, or the tin
whistle, in case I need to make a melody - although I don't try to use
them while riding.

(Well, not usually, anyway.)

The Carradice is used mostly for added capacity if I don't have my
rear rack and panniers on a bike.

- Frank Krygowski

On Fri, 26 Oct 2007 08:47:33 -0700, wrote:
On Oct 25, 9:42 am, "Sir Thomas of Cannondale"
wrote:
Soo... tell me you bag stories. What bags do you pack. How big.

I've got a handlebar bag on almost every bike, plus seat bags on
several bikes.

My commuter's handlebar bag is homemade and huge, roughly 10" x 9" x
9" (but tapered). Probably about 700 cubic inches. The seat bag is
tiny, holding just my rain cape.

The other handlebar bags are by various manufacturers, none very
expensive, most bought on sale. The oldest is the worn-out canvas bag
on my touring bike, bought in about 1975. Seat bags on the tourer and
tandem are small and expandable, used mostly for tools and tubes.

Pardon my curiosity, but do your handlebar bags interfere with lights
in the winter? My bag is a summer phenomenon; it comes off about this
time of year when it's more important to be able to put lights on, and
my lights are too short to shine over the top of the bag.

Pat

Email address works as is.

On Oct 26, 9:35 pm, Patrick Lamb wrote:
On Fri, 26 Oct 2007 08:47:33 -0700, wrote:
On Oct 25, 9:42 am, "Sir Thomas of Cannondale"
wrote:
Soo... tell me you bag stories. What bags do you pack. How big.

I've got a handlebar bag on almost every bike, plus seat bags on
several bikes.

My commuter's handlebar bag is homemade and huge, roughly 10" x 9" x
9" (but tapered). Probably about 700 cubic inches. The seat bag is
tiny, holding just my rain cape.

The other handlebar bags are by various manufacturers, none very
expensive, most bought on sale. The oldest is the worn-out canvas bag
on my touring bike, bought in about 1975. Seat bags on the tourer and
tandem are small and expandable, used mostly for tools and tubes.

Pardon my curiosity, but do your handlebar bags interfere with lights
in the winter? My bag is a summer phenomenon; it comes off about this
time of year when it's more important to be able to put lights on, and
my lights are too short to shine over the top of the bag.


No interference here, because I have my headlights mounted below the
bag on my commuter (actually, on the nose of a front rack). On my
touring bar, I have an aero bar above the handlebar bag* and the
headlight hangs off the front of that aero bar.

(* a clumsy combination, I admit.)

- Frank Krygowski

For general riding (tourer), the only "bag" I have is one I made out of
leather and deerhide to fit within the rear triangle underneath the seat
cluster, it holds my tools and spare tube.

For mountain biking, an underseat tool bag. for longer rides, a Camalbak
style hip bag

For commuting (Mtn bike), the afforementioned tool bag, a Nashbar
handebar bag.

For shopping (Mtn bike), the same handlebar bag and tool bag, and if I
need real capacity, my BikeBurro trailer. In which I've carried up to
two 50 pound bags of feed in. Or four weeks (for one person) of
groceries.

For touring/camping (tourer), the full ensamble: front and rear panniers
(Nashbar, I believe), the afforementioned leather tool bag, tent,
sleeping bag and pad on racks. If I'm taking my 35mm Nikon, a small
triangular camera bag that I've customized to fit on my bars like a
handlebar bag.

- -
Compliments of:
"Your Friendly Neighborhood Wheelman"

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