Good bag for keeping locks in

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Mr Tom
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Good bag for keeping locks in

Post by Mr Tom »

I know there are loads of possibilities here, but I mean a decent and tough bag for putting your lock into, inside the pannier, to stop oil and grease getting onto everything else.

Plastic bags from the shop are OK, but never last, and canvas can soak up any oil and transfer it to other stuff in the pannier. Just wondered if anyone had a recommendation of a tough, sealable bag which isn't overpriced. Must be so many, but I wasn't sure where to look. Perhaps just something to look out for in any packaging that comes my way.
Jdsk
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Re: Good bag for keeping locks in

Post by Jdsk »

I use dry bags with roll tops for lots of things. My favourite are Exped, and they have a robust range. But I don't know that they're any better than eg those from Aldi or Lidl.

If I wanted to separate the lock and cable I'd use one of those, but they actually live wild at the bottom of the tool pannier.

Jonathan

https://www.exped.com/uk-ireland/en/pro ... /packsacks
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Mr Tom
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Re: Good bag for keeping locks in

Post by Mr Tom »

Yeah mine used to live wild too, but have got some new panniers and want to try to keep them a bit cleaner. It's difficult, the old tool pannier was so knackered I never removed it when locking my bike, as there was no way it would get taken. The new ones are nicer but more likely to get pinched. I guess you can't have it all
Jdsk
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Re: Good bag for keeping locks in

Post by Jdsk »

The panniers often stay on the bikes when we're touring. But never when commuting or shopping.

For local trips it's nearly always just one (left, rear), and that one now has a wide pad on the shoulder strap. That makes it much more comfortable.

Jonathan
colin54
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Re: Good bag for keeping locks in

Post by colin54 »

The Podsacs that Planet X sell are cheap and tough, similar weight material to an Ortlieb pannier, and in various sizes and colours, from £ 5.99 plus postage, I keep one strapped to the top of a Carradice saddlebag or rolled up in a pannier for wet clothes, shopping etc.
On offer £11.99 plus postage for three at the moment.
https://www.planetx.co.uk/c/q/accessori ... e/dry-bags
Garden rubbish / builders bags are a weight up from a supermarket carrier bag and not to heavy or bulky, a roll is not expensive.
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freiston
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Re: Good bag for keeping locks in

Post by freiston »

Most of my "contamination-barrier" in panniers requirements are met by rubble bags (I even have one cut down to size for my Trangia 27) but I don't have anything thus isolated that is in constant and regular use and so I'm not sure that a rubble bag would survive long (it's probably too big too). If I did have such a need, I reckon that I would be looking firstly at running up a custom made bag with some pu coated nylon (like a cheap unbranded cordura) with a drawcord, studded/buttoned or velcro closure, or a cheap drybag as mentioned upthread.
Disclaimer: Treat what I say with caution and if possible, wait for someone with more knowledge and experience to contribute. ;)
Bmblbzzz
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Re: Good bag for keeping locks in

Post by Bmblbzzz »

I've always just left my lock loose in the bottom (or top or side or wherever, depending what else is in there) of a pannier. I've never found that the lock transfers oil to the inside of the pannier. In fact, I'm curious as to how this happens: do you mean oil used to lubricate the lock mechanism or grease picked up from the bike chain, frame, etc, while locked?

But if I did want to isolate it, I'd probably just use a smallish supermarket carrier bag.
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simonineaston
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Re: Good bag for keeping locks in

Post by simonineaston »

I use inexpensive sets of dry-bags off of Amazon to keep all sots of bitsNbobs in panniers apart... pluses: all sorts of sizes, v. light / cheap, moderately water-resistant (they don't have to be expedition-quality as they're already in my Ortleibs), colour-coded - easy to see in the dank gloom of said Ortleibs ! minuses: not the most abrasion-resistant items in the world, but even the oldest of mine are still going.
see here
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PH
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Re: Good bag for keeping locks in

Post by PH »

Get a carrier bag, wrap the bottom half in gaffa tape, close it with a bit of bungee, or if you wanted fancy you could incorporate a bit of velco into the gaffa weave. Or, if you have an old pair of trousers, make a bag from a section of leg.
simonhill
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Re: Good bag for keeping locks in

Post by simonhill »

What sort of lock is it - please tell. Where is all this oil coming from?

My normal carry everyday and touring lock is a cable one that fits nicely into one of those small seatpacks. Never noticed it leak oil, maybe I need to lubricate it - and thus create a problem for myself as well.

If going shopping, I have a D lock, but again it is a dry one and sits in my pannier.

Whatever, I can't see me splashing out on a special bag, when a simple poly one would do. I always like to re-use any bags I get given.
Eyebrox
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Re: Good bag for keeping locks in

Post by Eyebrox »

Ziplock bags do the job. Thick PVC but flexible inside a saddlebag and the proprietary ones have decent long lasting zips. Supermarkets all do cheaper varieties in different sizes.
LollyKat
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Re: Good bag for keeping locks in

Post by LollyKat »

Supermarket freezer produce often comes in large tough ziplock bags, e.g. raspberries or peas. I always save them for reuse if possible.
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Mr Tom
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Re: Good bag for keeping locks in

Post by Mr Tom »

In terms of where the oil and grease is coming from - it just seems to end up there from time to time - One lock sometimes needs oiling as it can get stuck, otherwise sometimes the locks pick oil up from the chain, or sometimes a bit of brake dust, or it may be from resting against another bike.

I'll do a few experiments, deffo like the idea of making something. I'll try a few of the suggestions, thanks!
Bmblbzzz
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Re: Good bag for keeping locks in

Post by Bmblbzzz »

Have you tried graphite for lubricating the lock? It's what you're supposed to use, apparently.
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freiston
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Re: Good bag for keeping locks in

Post by freiston »

Mr Tom wrote: 14 Jan 2022, 10:21am . . .I'll do a few experiments, deffo like the idea of making something. I'll try a few of the suggestions, thanks!
I made a simple roll-top saddle bag (using the material that I linked to above) to keep a lock and an extended toolkit (including spare tubes) in. By far the biggest expense was the Carradice QR saddlebag bracket that I used. I designed the bag to have a "sleeve" that I could slot a stiffener (cut from a plastic milk bottle) into; there are also plastic stiffeners (cut from a cheap thin flexible chopping board) sewn into the hem of the roll-top too. I can use my panniers and/or my rack pack with the saddlebag attached. In hindsight, I would have made the roll-top section longer.
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Disclaimer: Treat what I say with caution and if possible, wait for someone with more knowledge and experience to contribute. ;)
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