Saddlebags for long/overnight rides

[stewartpratt]

Apologies, I guess this is often covered, but here goes anyway...

Looking for pointers to saddlebags which will hold just some clothing and provisions and small odds and ends. Enough clothing for a day or two of changeable weather and enough provisions to get through a night of riding. So, I dunno, is that about 4-5 litres?

The criteria are:
- must fit a bike with a large frame and a racing saddle (ie no bag loops)
- must be well clear of my legs (I have a lot of saddle layback)
- must allow a rear light to be used on the seatpost and/or have somewhere to mount a light on the bag/mount
- must be waterproof
- ideally fairly slick to get things in and out (ie preferably not buckle straps or roll-tops)
- ideally quick to fit/remove completely

A rack-top bag would do (and would solve what appear to be the biggest problems, ie clearance of lights and legs) but I'd prefer not to have to bother with the full rack, and I've always assumed that beam racks would be annoyingly reluctant to stay put.

Any thoughts?
Thanks

[thirdcrank]

The Ortleib "Saddlebags" might suit your needs. I've used quotes because they are not saddlebags as I understand the term (eg Carradice Camper) but rather wedge-shaped packs. There are three sizes - all using the same under-saddle mounts - and the largest might be big enough for your needs. I think the wedge shape might mean they would fit your other criteria, as all the luggage bit is behind the rider.

[stewartpratt]

The Ortleib "Saddlebags" might suit your needs.

Hmm. Had a look. Certainly a possibility, though all the ones I can see appear to have a loop that straps round the post, which IME means it's going to be hitting the back of my legs.

Some browsing has uncovered Altura's range of "Post Packs", which look a pretty good fit for what I'm after. WoOuld be interested to hear anyone's experiences of these, mostly of how well they stay put in practice.

[thirdcrank]

They do loop around the seatpost but the fron part is quite narrow. I've always set my saddle as far back as it will go and I've never had any problem with the large size meeting my legs. I'm away on holiday or I would post an "aerial" view to show what I mean.

[stewartpratt]

Yeah, I know what you mean. But I do tend to contact anything that's there - I've got a saddle bag which has a velcro strap there and I've had to stop using it as the strap simply ate a hole in my shorts.

Further digging has unearthed the Rixen Kaul range of post-mounted racks, which look pretty much ideal - except I can't tell whether it's possible to use the rain covers in combination with a light.

[Trigger]

I had the large Ortlieb saddle pack and it was nowhere near my legs, I too have the saddle well back.

[skicat]

Have a look at the Topeak Trunk bags here. The panniers fold away when not being used leaving you with a small but still useful trunk bag. The bag unhitches in a second. The capacity of the panniers+bag, while not great, should easily be enough for a 2 or 3 day tour assuming you're not camping that is.

[andrew_s]

Looking for pointers to saddlebags which will hold just some clothing and provisions and small odds and ends. Enough clothing for a day or two of changeable weather and enough provisions to get through a night of riding. So, I dunno, is that about 4-5 litres?

400k/600k Audax?

Depending on season you could need/want a reasonable amount of space, for proper waterproofs, hat, longs and a long sleeve top as well as food, puncture kit etc. It can get cold at 5am.
I'd be looking at 7-10 litres, if not more.

Most audax riders will use a rack pack or a Carradice saddlebag (Barley/Pendle/NelsonLF according to size).
A Carradice saddlebag on a Bagman QR is what I use. You need about 15mm fof free saddle rail (ie can slide the saddle that much further forwards from its normal position). Whether there's enough space between the top of the wheel and the underside of the saddlebag depends on your bike and attitude towards the light being obstructed by the seatstays. I have mounted a light on the seat tube, but now have a mudguard light and one on the Bagman support rail (using a J82S bracket).
The downside is that they use buckles. These are easy enough once they've worn in a bit - I can get stuff out of my bag and refasten it whilst riding. There is also an occaasional "Super C Barley" with fastex buckles and nylon webbing straps. This is made for a US shop (Peter White) and when he puts an order in Carradice generally make a few extra for people who've asked/will ask for one.

[Mick F]

I have the Ortlieb Large bag.
Read my post on the subject of my bags, and you can see what it can hold.
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=38841

The Ortlieb holds a lot, and is expandable/shrinkable but I don't think I could use it for a night away. It can hold a Goretex and a spare base layer, but when you fit in a wallet, a camera, some snacks, phone and tools, that's about it.

I think it makes a good addition to other luggage, perhaps a bar bag.

[rualexander]

Topeak Dynapack?

KlickFix do a large range of bags for seatpost mounting.

[stewartpratt]

Lordy... lots of options.

The Bagman looks like a useful thing - maybe I could live with the buckles if the cotton duck is as waterproof as Carradice seem to claim (it seems I'll have to compromise on one or t'other). At the very least I like the idea of anything that keeps the bag well away from the seatpost, as per the R&K/KlickFix, Altura and VauDe post packs.

The Ortlieb... possibly... looks perhaps just a little small - I can see me wanting to drop in an extra bottle and a couple of malt loafs on top of that kit.

As for the why: No, not Audax as such. But I'm planning for a potential 560km-in-one-go ride next summer and I get precious few opportunities to do big rides, so I'm going to have to start looking into riding deep into the night.

[NUKe]

try searching on post pack Altura do a couple of models

[resus1uk]

Rixen Kaul fitting on the seat post to take the Riesenthal shopper bag.
It's meant to fit on the front but works wel lon the back of the trike which doesn't have a rack.
Metal rim can take a rear light, Cateye works OK but a Smart rack fitting can be used with cable ties.
Drawstring closure, inner pocket & security pouch plus an outside pocket

[Audax67]

Roll-tops are streets less fiddly than rain-covers. I use Topeak HB & rack bags on my Audax bike, but it can take five minutes to get the covers on so I'm going to fit a bog standard Tubus rear rack and use Vaude waterproof bags. The bike doesn't have any eyelets on the stays but Tubus also sell eyeletted seat-stay collars in various sizes.

The Topeaks I have are adequate for carrying a change of cycle kit, wet weather gear and some grub, but clumping into a hotel dining room in togs & cleats feels very strange.

BTW, putting just the rack bag on my bike, which has the usual 700c racing frame with short chain-stays, makes it very liable to shimmy. It needs the HB bag to stabilize it. This is apparently to be expected when you add weight out beyond the rear axle. Your bike could well be OK, but it's best to be prepared. The first time mine shimmied was going flat out on the way down from Mt. Ventoux, and it scared the [bleep] out of me.

BTW², dynamo lights are far better for long distances than any battery lights I've tried. Those rechargeable efforts with big batteries might be brighter, but you can ride all night on a dynamo, and the LED lights available now are wonderful.

[stewartpratt]

Cheers. I think for now I will exercise a bit of restraint - I've dug out an old Agu racktop bag that I've not used in ages; I think that'll do for now and we'll see how we go. It means pinching the rack off the tandem, which I'd hoped to avoid, but it also means not buying anything for a bit. And that's a Good Thing.

In time I'll think about replacing that with a Bagman QR and a Barley or a Pendle.

Lights not a problem - Exposure Joystick with the triple piggyback should be good for 12 hours of full power, and a good old Tesco torch is easy to carry as an emergency backup.