How can I use this space?

[tommydog]

I will shortly be embarking on a long distance tour and am trying to maximise every bit of space I can on the bike. This has left me thinking about the area I have highlighted in red. There is actually quite a bit of space there, even with mudguards now fitted. I don't want to put a pump there, and would rather use it for something else. One idea I have is to cram a load of spare inner tubes there.

Is there a bag or something that I could get that would maximise this space? I even thought about making something from a piece of plastic pipe, but on the other hand I don't want anything that looks tatty.

[JakobW]

Without guards that area is going to catch a load of road crud, so I wouldn't put anything particularly fragile there. I've seen people keep a spare folding tyre or a tube or two there, strapped/zip-tied to the seat tube, but you may want to protect the paint somehow.

[iandriver]

Sorry to be a bit predicable, but if doing a long distance tour, can I suggest you see what space is left once mudguards are fitted.

[tommydog]

Sorry to be a bit predicable, but if doing a long distance tour, can I suggest you see what space is left once mudguards are fitted.

If you read my post you see that mudguards are now fitted.

[tommydog]

Without guards that area is going to catch a load of road crud.

There are now guards fitted.

[Paulatic]

Whatever you fit there it’s definitely going to be extra weight. The first question is Do you really really need to carry it?

[tommydog]

something like this sleeve looks like it may fit, plus it already has webbing down the side which I could utilise to strap it on. It also has a draw string top. Looks perfect for cramming some spare tubes in:



http://www.neoprene-material.com/sale-7 ... rrier.html

[thirdcrank]

A picture with the guard in place might be more useful than one without.

[JakobW]

Without guards that area is going to catch a load of road crud.

There are now guards fitted.

Oops, sorry. Would a tri-bag/top tube bag fit in there? But what's the rest of your setup like? Unless it's an ultra-compact bikepacking rig, I wouldn't have thought the extra luggage space there would be more convenient than just using a bigger saddlebag or whatever. I'd still say tubes or a tyre is probably the easiest.

[peetee]

I used that space on my MTB for a first aid kit. It was packed in a small wedge shaped saddle bag, effectively upside down, strapped to the seat tube with the seat tube strap and to the stays with the velcro overlap strap that would have fitted it to the saddle rails.

[tommydog]

I used that space on my MTB for a first aid kit. It was packed in a small wedge shaped saddle bag, effectively upside down, strapped to the seat tube with the seat tube strap and to the stays with the velcro overlap strap that would have fitted it to the saddle rails.

Thanks for your suggestion. I would be interested to see a picture of your setup.

[peetee]

I will see what I can sort out.

[rualexander]

I've had an Alpkit Fuelpod top tube bag in that space on my bike, their Endura Pod bag would also fit I think.

Alpkit will also make you a custom bag for that space as detailed in this thread from the Thorn Cycles forum http://thorncyclesforum.co.uk/index.php ... 8#msg86398

[tommydog]

Alpkit will also make you a custom bag for that space as detailed in this thread from the Thorn Cycles forum http://thorncyclesforum.co.uk/index.php ... 8#msg86398

Many thanks for that. I looked at the thorn forum and that bag looks amazing. I am very tempted to make a template and send it to Alpkit. It's a really neat solution and with the proper bag I would get quite a few inner tubes.

[pwa]

That would be a very good place to keep spare tubes and stuff like that. It is keeping the weight central and not too high. Much better than having it waggling around on the bars or dangling off the saddle. And it does look neat.