What saddlebags do people like?

On Jun 16, 9:24*pm, Tom Sherman °_°
wrote:
I am looking for something large enough for a rain-suit, lunch and
possibly a change of clothes. Quick dismounting from the bike and a
shoulder strap would also be useful.

Rear wheel clearance is not an issue (heel clearance governs):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/19704682@N08/3602240682/sizes/l/in/set-7....

You're not putting panniers on that folder. Get a trunk bag.

Tom Sherman wrote:

I am looking for something large enough for a rain-suit, lunch and
possibly a change of clothes. Quick dismounting from the bike and a
shoulder strap would also be useful.

Rear wheel clearance is not an issue (heel clearance governs):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/19704682@N08/3602240682/sizes/l/in/set-7....

And no, I will NOT be putting the cat in the bag.

See if you can have a look at an Ortlieb Office-Bag 2. That rack
trunk is the only thing I've seen for bicycles that approaches the
functionality of my Givi motorcycle hard bags. At 24 liters, it's
about half the volume of my huge moto rack top case; that's bigger
than most panniers and a better shape for folded clothes. There's a
plastic base plate that you mount on the rack top, and the bag snaps
right to it with a push-button latch. It has a zipper, but it's air-
and watertight when zipped.

There's a small 9.5 liter box called Bike-Box 2 that snaps to the same
rack top adapter.

The pannier version is called Tour-Box and it mounts like any other
Ortlieb panniers. It shares the thin polycarbonate hard shell (19
liters in this case) and the sealed zipper of the Office-Bag and Bike-
Box.

I warn you that these hard-shell bags are way more expensive than most
bike luggage, but they are way more seriously useful too. I would
never have considered bike luggage to be possibly worth so much loot
until I got to sniff at these things because one of my friends works
at Ortlieb USA.

Something similar that might work even better for your unusual space
constraints would be to use the Ortlieb rack top plate and basket
adapter, but attach the adapter to a rectangular bucket (e.g. Tidy
Cat). Then you'd have a good sized bucket with a carrying handle,
that doesn't stick out into your foot space, and that exploits the odd
shape of the available space.

The parts to do this cost $36 from Ortlieb USA, which is a pittance
compared to their finished luggage:

http://www.ortliebusa.com/cartgenie/prodList.asp?scat=4

Chalo

On Jun 17, 2:29*am, Ozark Bicycle
wrote:

I am looking for something large enough for a rain-suit, lunch and
possibly a change of clothes. Quick dismounting from the bike and a
shoulder strap would also be useful.

Rear wheel clearance is not an issue (heel clearance governs):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/19704682@N08/3602240682/sizes/l/in/set-7.....

And no, I will NOT be putting the cat in the bag.

--
Tom Sherman - 42.435731,-83.985007
I am a vehicular cyclist.

Something twee and overpriced from Rivendell!

Holy Moses, anyone who can post a picture of a hobbit-bike like that
twee thingy in the URL surely needs to tell us the cat won't be
pulling him to work. But I don't think Rivendell will sell him
anything; they have their image to uphold, and that liddell bike is
surely too too twee.

Andre Jute
Relentless rigour -- Gaius Germanicus Caesar

On Jun 17, 4:22*am, Chalo wrote:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/19704682@N08/3602240682/sizes/l/in/set-7.....

See if you can have a look at an Ortlieb Office-Bag 2. *That rack
trunk is the only thing I've seen for bicycles that approaches the
functionality of my Givi motorcycle hard bags. *At 24 liters, it's
about half the volume of my huge moto rack top case; that's bigger
than most panniers and a better shape for folded clothes. *There's a
plastic base plate that you mount on the rack top, and the bag snaps
right to it with a push-button latch. *It has a zipper, but it's air-
and watertight when zipped.

There's a small 9.5 liter box called Bike-Box 2 that snaps to the same
rack top adapter.

The pannier version is called Tour-Box and it mounts like any other
Ortlieb panniers. *

The Tour-Box is a big sidepod box even on a big bike. I don't see it
being mounted on that little red hobbit-bobbit. I have a Tour-Box and
there's no way to move the upper clips downwards, so even if the
bottom sideways hook can be moved, the Tour Box will still drag the
ground if hung on that little red bike.

It shares the thin polycarbonate hard shell (19
liters in this case) and the sealed zipper of the Office-Bag and Bike-
Box.

I warn you that these hard-shell bags are way more expensive than most
bike luggage, but they are way more seriously useful too. *I would
never have considered bike luggage to be possibly worth so much loot
until I got to sniff at these things because one of my friends works
at Ortlieb USA.

Something similar that might work even better for your unusual space
constraints would be to use the Ortlieb rack top plate and basket
adapter, but attach the adapter to a rectangular bucket (e.g. Tidy
Cat). *Then you'd have a good sized bucket with a carrying handle,
that doesn't stick out into your foot space, and that exploits the odd
shape of the available space.

The parts to do this cost $36 from Ortlieb USA, which is a pittance
compared to their finished luggage:

http://www.ortliebusa.com/cartgenie/prodList.asp?scat=4

Chalo

I agree with what you say about Ortlieb quality, Chalo, but I doubt
the smallest of the Ortlieb boxes, the Bike-Box, will fit on that twee
rack. Also, it's pretty small inside; I had one and gave it away and
went back to my useful, expandable Trek racktop bag, and had the Trek
resewn to serve for a few more years. No idea what I'll do when the
Trek cannot be rebuilt any more; probably shop the Riv catalogue to
rub Oz.

Maybe the owner of the twee red bike should look into the Carradice
office bag made especially for British miniwheel bikes and folders,
with accompanying frame; it mounts at the front, I believe.

Or Bike Friday makes a bike-trailer with a suitcase on it, the trailer
folding into the suitcase when not required. There could be space left
over for the liddell red bike and the cat in the suitcase. It is worth
asking. ("The liddell red bike lived in a suitcase with a ginger cat
and a gingerbread engineer...")

Or Rixen Kaul makes universal pet baskets for all kinds of bikes.
(That sentence is framed with deliberate ambiguity. LOL.)

Andre Jute
You can ride (usually) only one bike at a time but you might need two
liddell red bikes...

On 17 June, 02:24, Tom Sherman °_°
wrote:
I am looking for something large enough for a rain-suit, lunch and
possibly a change of clothes. Quick dismounting from the bike and a
shoulder strap would also be useful.

Rear wheel clearance is not an issue (heel clearance governs):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/19704682@N08/3602240682/sizes/l/in/set-7....

And no, I will NOT be putting the cat in the bag.

A shoulder bag. I think you are thinking bike specific, its not
needed with the space that you have. Just wrap the strap around the
handlebars.

Or get a wire handlebar basket, this is quicker for grabbing some
shopping on route, nothing fiddly to deal with if you feel a bit
peckish waiting at a junction. They do come with quick release
mounts. This would likely end up the most useful. Your route should
pass a bakery, baskets are for bread. Dont forget the butter and
pate. And a cup holder for coffee should be installed on the basket.
The cat will enjoy riding in the basket, are you going to pull it out
when it fancies a sleep there?

On Jun 16, 6:24*pm, Tom Sherman °_°
wrote:
I am looking for something large enough for a rain-suit, lunch and
possibly a change of clothes. Quick dismounting from the bike and a
shoulder strap would also be useful.

Rear wheel clearance is not an issue (heel clearance governs):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/19704682@N08/3602240682/sizes/l/in/set-7....

And no, I will NOT be putting the cat in the bag.

--
Tom Sherman - 42.435731,-83.985007
I am a vehicular cyclist.

A front bag might be less likely to present heel/ground clearance
issues.

-pm

In article
,
landotter wrote:

On Jun 16, 9:24*pm, Tom Sherman °_°
wrote:
I am looking for something large enough for a rain-suit, lunch and
possibly a change of clothes. Quick dismounting from the bike and a
shoulder strap would also be useful.

Rear wheel clearance is not an issue (heel clearance governs):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/19704682@N08/3602240682/sizes/l/in/set-7....

You're not putting panniers on that folder. Get a trunk bag.

I'm faintly shocked that Dahon doesn't sell a specific bag for the tail
rack, as Raleigh did for the Twenty:

http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~hadland/twenty.htm

Your wheels are smaller and your rack is lower, but that only increases
the space available for a tall, narrow piece of luggage.

Mind you, aside from custom building it, I don't know what to suggest.

--
Ryan Cousineau http://www.wiredcola.com/
"In other newsgroups, they killfile trolls."
"In rec.bicycles.racing, we coach them."

someone, possibly Trevor Jeffrey, wrote:
On 17 June, 02:24, Tom Sherman °_°
wrote:
I am looking for something large enough for a rain-suit, lunch and
possibly a change of clothes. Quick dismounting from the bike and a
shoulder strap would also be useful.

Rear wheel clearance is not an issue (heel clearance governs):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/19704682@N08/3602240682/sizes/l/in/set-7....

And no, I will NOT be putting the cat in the bag.

A shoulder bag. I think you are thinking bike specific, its not
needed with the space that you have. Just wrap the strap around the
handlebars.

A shoulder bag that could hang off the saddle when riding would be
ideal. Due to the humid summer climate, having a bag against one's body
while riding is undesirable.

Or get a wire handlebar basket, this is quicker for grabbing some
shopping on route, nothing fiddly to deal with if you feel a bit
peckish waiting at a junction. They do come with quick release
mounts. This would likely end up the most useful. Your route should
pass a bakery, baskets are for bread. Dont forget the butter and
pate. And a cup holder for coffee should be installed on the basket.

Quick-release would be necessary, since the handlebars fold over against
the front wheel.

The cat will enjoy riding in the basket, are you going to pull it out
when it fancies a sleep there?

The cats have been to the vet in a pet carrier bungee-corded to a rear
rack - I would not trust them to stay in a basket while riding.

--
Tom Sherman - 42.435731,-83.985007
I am a vehicular cyclist.

"landotter" wrote:
On Jun 16, 9:24 pm, Tom Sherman °_°
wrote:
I am looking for something large enough for a rain-suit, lunch and
possibly a change of clothes. Quick dismounting from the bike and a
shoulder strap would also be useful.

Rear wheel clearance is not an issue (heel clearance governs):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/19704682@N08/3602240682/sizes/l/in/set-7....

You're not putting panniers on that folder. Get a trunk bag.

Indeed, unless I pedaled with my heels, panniers will not work.

The question is which trunk or saddle bag?

Anyone have this bag http://www.velo-orange.com/saddlebag.html?

--
Tom Sherman - 42.435731,-83.985007
I am a vehicular cyclist.

On Jun 17, 4:58*am, Tom Sherman °_°
wrote:
"landotter" wrote:
On Jun 16, 9:24 pm, Tom Sherman °_°
wrote:
I am looking for something large enough for a rain-suit, lunch and
possibly a change of clothes. Quick dismounting from the bike and a
shoulder strap would also be useful.

Rear wheel clearance is not an issue (heel clearance governs):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/19704682@N08/3602240682/sizes/l/in/set-7.....

You're not putting panniers on that folder. Get a trunk bag.

Indeed, unless I pedaled with my heels, panniers will not work.

The question is which trunk or saddle bag?

Anyone have this bag http://www.velo-orange.com/saddlebag.html?


Given that the rack is super low which mitigates the usual complaints
about trunk bags farking with the center of gravity, I'd check that
route out first. If you're not sure, just get a cheapie Axiom or
similar on blow-out for twenty bux. It does look like your little rack
is truncated, which might be a problem.