Strapping luggage to carradice saddlebag

General cycling advice ( NOT technical ! )
hoppy58
Posts: 343
Joined: 9 Mar 2011, 3:07pm

Strapping luggage to carradice saddlebag

Post by hoppy58 »

I have a Carradice Barley attached to my bike with the leather straps (to a Brooks saddle) and also sitting on a bagman sport frame. I have been contemplating getting a bigger bag for touring, but don’t really want the expense.....so I just experimented with a dry bag strapped to the loops on top of the Barley to carry a lightweight tent, about 1.4 kg. It seems stable and the total weight is well within the 10 kg weight limit.

Does anyone have experience of doing this and does it work okay in practice?
User avatar
simonineaston
Posts: 7993
Joined: 9 May 2007, 1:06pm
Location: ...at a cricket ground

Re: Strapping luggage to carradice saddlebag

Post by simonineaston »

At one stage, I took to carrying all my luggage as dry-bags, strapped to the bike, either to the pannier rack, or more relevantly, to the seat-post, and under the saddle. Can't see any reaason why it can't be done. Much depends on the efficacy of the straps - I have some fabulous rubber straps, both tough and slightly elastic and with reliable buckles, which I aquired after one year's Bristol Bggest Bicycle Ride which really did the trick... as far as I can recall, they were used to attach signage but were repurposed with glee!
S
(on the look out for Armageddon, on board a Brompton nano & ever-changing Moultons)
Cyclewala
Posts: 277
Joined: 7 Nov 2019, 11:07am

Re: Strapping luggage to carradice saddlebag

Post by Cyclewala »

That's what the D rings are for. I use nylon toe straps for attaching rain jacket or larger items. My larger items have been light though, not tried weighty items.

Sounds like you're using it as intended.
mattsccm
Posts: 5095
Joined: 28 Nov 2009, 9:44pm

Re: Strapping luggage to carradice saddlebag

Post by mattsccm »

Surely the rings on the top of a Carradice are only for a yellow cape? Ideally with leather toes straps that have broken at the buckles, been re-rivitted and are now a touch too short for their primary use.
Bmblbzzz
Posts: 6249
Joined: 18 May 2012, 7:56pm
Location: From here to there.

Re: Strapping luggage to carradice saddlebag

Post by Bmblbzzz »

Have done this with more than a cape but less than a tent. Can't see why you wouldn't do it with a tent. If it works, it works.
Jamesh
Posts: 2963
Joined: 2 Jan 2017, 5:56pm

Re: Strapping luggage to carradice saddlebag

Post by Jamesh »

How about using a bungee to take some of the strain

Useful in other situations too.

Cheers James
tatanab
Posts: 5030
Joined: 8 Feb 2007, 12:37pm

Re: Strapping luggage to carradice saddlebag

Post by tatanab »

Bmblbzzz wrote: 17 Apr 2021, 3:30pm Have done this with more than a cape but less than a tent. Can't see why you wouldn't do it with a tent. If it works, it works.
My cape roll weighs in at 900g. It is there almost every day, on top of my ancient Campers Long Flap. On occasion I have carried a light tent in that position, perhaps a summer weekend, weight of just under 2kg. Never a problem.
mattsccm
Posts: 5095
Joined: 28 Nov 2009, 9:44pm

Re: Strapping luggage to carradice saddlebag

Post by mattsccm »

And I forgot to say, usually on a trike :D See I have been proved right I suspect.
tatanab
Posts: 5030
Joined: 8 Feb 2007, 12:37pm

Re: Strapping luggage to carradice saddlebag

Post by tatanab »

:mrgreen: funny you should mention that.
100_1404.JPG
9494arnold
Posts: 1208
Joined: 21 Jan 2007, 3:13pm

Re: Strapping luggage to carradice saddlebag

Post by 9494arnold »

I have a Carraduce Roll that is designed to sit on top of a Carradice Saddlebag .
It has loops for the straps. And I agree, old toe straps (or new ones) .
If you haven't got loops on top of the bag, you can use long luggage straps (they do them in nylon) and put them through the Saddlebag loops on the saddle and go all round the saddlebag.
Mine is usually on the back of a Trike, too :)
But it's not exclusively a trike thing. :lol:
soapbox
Posts: 164
Joined: 27 Jun 2009, 12:20am

Re: Strapping luggage to carradice saddlebag

Post by soapbox »

Bungee cords are your friend here. Fill your saddlebag then bungee anything extra on top. I've always used them for sleeping bags and camping mats.
eileithyia
Posts: 8398
Joined: 31 Jan 2007, 6:46pm
Location: Horwich Which is Lancs :-)

Re: Strapping luggage to carradice saddlebag

Post by eileithyia »

It's what the D rings are for ..... initially for a cape roll and then when I cycle camped, for the tent. Usually always accompanied with a couple of crossed over bungee cords under which other items could be stuffed, that extra top that's not currently needed on while riding but might be needed as it cools down etc... even a butty bag containing odd bits of food for the day...
I stand and rejoice everytime I see a woman ride by on a wheel the picture of free, untrammeled womanhood. HG Wells
markjohnobrien
Posts: 1037
Joined: 4 Oct 2007, 8:15pm

Re: Strapping luggage to carradice saddlebag

Post by markjohnobrien »

I’ve strapped a cape to the saddlebag using the loops/D rings - all fine.
Raleigh Randonneur 708 (Magura hydraulic brakes); Blue Raleigh Randonneur 708 dynamo; Pearson Compass 631 tourer; Dawes One Down 631 dynamo winter bike;Raleigh Travelogue 708 tourer dynamo; Kona Sutra; Trek 920 disc Sram Force.
domnortheast
Posts: 13
Joined: 18 Apr 2021, 7:41pm

Re: Strapping luggage to carradice saddlebag

Post by domnortheast »

I'm seriously impressed you can get most of your camping kit in a Barley, I can just about fit a flask of tea, some sandwiches and a jumper in mine 😁

I have however carried all sorts in, and strapped on, my Nelson, far in excess of the recommended weight & mostly without issue.

On two occasions I had minor problems. The first was on a 4WD track while using an SQR mount on the seatpin and the weight of the bag combined with the hammering from the 4WD ruts caused the SQR bracket to swing round on the seat post unbalancing the whole kaboodle and sending me flying. I cranked up the SQR clamp bolts even tighter and all was well again.
The second occasion was using the bag loops on a Brooks Cambium to carry the bag. These are forged as an integral part of the aluminium cantle of the saddle and the weight of my kit and repeated jolting (more roughstuff tracks) caused the loops to distort out of shape though they didn't break. I don't think this would've happened on the steel loops of a B17 or similar.

Anyway, despite my best efforts at destruction testing, so far my Carradice bags and assorted saddles have survived my repeated and assorted abuses without major issue.
nez
Posts: 2080
Joined: 19 Jun 2008, 12:11am

Re: Strapping luggage to carradice saddlebag

Post by nez »

Toe straps are quite an investment. I realised recently the ones dangling from my carradice bag are almost 40 years old. The shop has closed, that bike has gone but I still have the straps
Post Reply