seat bags revisited

I've got a RANS Stratus, and am wondering if there are any good
alternatives to the ubiquitous seat bags sold by RANS, Radical, etc.
I'm not looking to carry the proverbial kitchen sink, just spare tubes,
some small tools, wallet, keys, glasses, phone, and some snacks.

Suggestions?


--
Mark Chandler
Superior, CO
http://www.MileHighSkates.com

I've got a RANS Stratus, and am wondering if there are any good
alternatives to the ubiquitous seat bags sold by RANS, Radical, etc. I'm
not looking to carry the proverbial kitchen sink, just spare tubes, some
small tools, wallet, keys, glasses, phone, and some snacks.

When I don't feel like lugging the RANS bag with me I put tools, spare
tubes, patch kit, wallet, glasses, etc. in a couple of Ziploc kitchen bags
which fit neatly inside the RANS seat back. I shoved piece of closed cell
foam down to the bottom of the seat back so the bags don't drop out.

That said, I find there's one advantage to the heavy RANS bag. It does a
decent job of insulating the water bag which I jam with ice cubes and top
off with water before all-day rides. The water stays ice cold between sag
stops. There's a hole at the top of the bag to pass the feed tube through.

--

Regards,
Robert L Bass

=============================
Bass Home Electronics
2291 Pine View Circle
Sarasota · Florida · 34231
877-722-8900 Sales & Tech Support
http://www.bassburglaralarms.com
=============================

Robert L. Bass wrote:

I've got a RANS Stratus, and am wondering if there are any good
alternatives to the ubiquitous seat bags sold by RANS, Radical, etc. I'm
not looking to carry the proverbial kitchen sink, just spare tubes, some
small tools, wallet, keys, glasses, phone, and some snacks.


When I don't feel like lugging the RANS bag with me I put tools, spare
tubes, patch kit, wallet, glasses, etc. in a couple of Ziploc kitchen bags
which fit neatly inside the RANS seat back. I shoved piece of closed cell
foam down to the bottom of the seat back so the bags don't drop out.

That said, I find there's one advantage to the heavy RANS bag. It does a
decent job of insulating the water bag which I jam with ice cubes and top
off with water before all-day rides. The water stays ice cold between sag
stops. There's a hole at the top of the bag to pass the feed tube through.

I'm wondering if there's some middle ground between the cavernous RANS
bag and ziploc's. I've been toying with mounting a long/narrow bag to
the twin "chainstays," but haven't been able to locate a suitable bag.

--
Mark Chandler
Superior, CO
http://www.MileHighSkates.com

"M. Chandler" wrote

I've been toying with mounting a long/narrow bag to
the twin "chainstays," but haven't been able to locate a suitable bag.

Some hydration packs have storage compartments. Some are
long and narrow. Perhaps one of those could be adapted and
then you'd have both extra water and tool storage.

I have a simple Platypus pack (2L without storage) mounted
between the seatback and bars of my TourEasy Koolback seat.
I have a handlebar bag mounted to the seatback to carry spares,
tools, and rain gear.-- slightly smaller than I'd like, but cheap at
Nashbar.com.

Other people have made or adapted small bags to attach under
recumbent bike seats or to their frames to carry tubes and tools.

Jon Meinecke

"M. Chandler" wrote in message ...
Robert L. Bass wrote:

I've got a RANS Stratus, and am wondering if there are any good
alternatives to the ubiquitous seat bags sold by RANS, Radical, etc.

I'm wondering if there's some middle ground between the cavernous RANS
bag and ziploc's. I've been toying with mounting a long/narrow bag to
the twin "chainstays," but haven't been able to locate a suitable bag.you

Have you considered a FastBack?

http://www.fastbacksystem.com


Mike Vogl
FastBack Designs

"M. Chandler" wrote in message ...
Robert L. Bass wrote:

I've got a RANS Stratus, and am wondering if there are any good
alternatives to the ubiquitous seat bags sold by RANS, Radical, etc. I'm
not looking to carry the proverbial kitchen sink, just spare tubes, some
small tools, wallet, keys, glasses, phone, and some snacks.


When I don't feel like lugging the RANS bag with me I put tools, spare
tubes, patch kit, wallet, glasses, etc. in a couple of Ziploc kitchen bags
which fit neatly inside the RANS seat back. I shoved piece of closed cell
foam down to the bottom of the seat back so the bags don't drop out.

That said, I find there's one advantage to the heavy RANS bag. It does a
decent job of insulating the water bag which I jam with ice cubes and top
off with water before all-day rides. The water stays ice cold between sag
stops. There's a hole at the top of the bag to pass the feed tube through.

I'm wondering if there's some middle ground between the cavernous RANS
bag and ziploc's. I've been toying with mounting a long/narrow bag to
the twin "chainstays," but haven't been able to locate a suitable bag.

I have been using this cheap but effective set up for a couple of
years now. The bag is one of those insulated bags. I bought it at Auto
Zone for around $10. I carry my wallet,remote gate opener,tubes,tire
repair kit,tools etc. I at first used this bag ubderseat and while it
worked OK but this newer hang job works better.I can remove the bag
and hang the bag quick as a wink.Try it you'll like it.Check it out at
http://community.webshots.com/album/37260786AMjOnM
look at photos 20,21 and 22

On Fri, 08 Oct 2004 10:45:33 -0600, M. Chandler wrote:

I've got a RANS Stratus, and am wondering if there are any good
alternatives to the ubiquitous seat bags sold by RANS, Radical, etc.
I'm not looking to carry the proverbial kitchen sink, just spare tubes,
some small tools, wallet, keys, glasses, phone, and some snacks.

Suggestions?

My wife gave me a RANS Streamline Tailpack seat bag
for my RANS Gliss:

http://www.shoprans.com/bpac0039.asp

The $100 price tag is quite high, but there are advantages
to this particular bag over a few others we looked at.
The mesh "envelope-style" flap which holds it to the seat back is much
deeper than other bags so the bag cannot slip off the seat.

The mesh flap has solid reinforcements over the tops of the seat frame
so the seat frame ends won't wear through the mesh.

The bag is just large enough to hold a jacket inside
along with security cable, lock, a few small tools, a map. etc.

That's handy this time of year because the temperature at the
start of my morning ride has been about 40F degrees so
I wear a jacket. Two hours later, the temperature has risen
to 65F so I take off the jacket and stuff it into
the seat pack.

Let us know what you buy and how you like it.

--
================================================== =======================
Bob Parnass, AJ9S GNU/Linux User http://parnass.com

"M. Chandler" wrote in message ...
I've got a RANS Stratus, and am wondering if there are any good
alternatives to the ubiquitous seat bags sold by RANS, Radical, etc.
I'm not looking to carry the proverbial kitchen sink, just spare tubes,
some small tools, wallet, keys, glasses, phone, and some snacks.

Suggestions?

I use a plain backpack, something like a school bookbag, on my 2000
Rocket. Mine is an old Jansport, but there are a thousand and some of
them are quality. It sits on the rear rack I took off my "retired" DF
bike and zip-tied to the seat supports. The pack straps fit over the
top rail of the seat, and come thru the precut slots for seat
supports-- no cutting... The pack came with compression straps--
mandatory for carrying widely varying loads. The Jansport has side
pockets for water bottles-- one has my tools, tube, patch kit, and
pump-- the other has rain gear-- neither is full.. I do not carry an
extra tire, but it would have to be tied outside if I did. The center
large pocket will fit my water bladder, but I only drink water when I
run out of coke machines... The main pocket is as large or as small as
you want to buy-- there are a thousand of these... The Jansport, from
a hiking and backpacking store, is water resistant cordura, and I
spray it now and then with a water repellent-- especially after I run
it thru the washing machine... In the tool pocket I keep some bits of
rope to cinch the pack at the bottom to the RANS seat... I only do
that when it gets heavy. This is a low (OK, -no-) budget solution.. I
am in slobbering envy of that Alex guy's rig with underseat
rack/packs, tested and proved touring packs, lights, etc... but I just
can't justify the bucks... And Santa has no clue...

dalev wrote:
... This is a low (OK, -no-) budget solution.. I
am in slobbering envy of that Alex guy's rig with underseat
rack/packs, tested and proved touring packs, lights, etc... but I just
can't justify the bucks... And Santa has no clue...

The Rocket referred to above is pictured at this web page:
http://www.phred.org/~alex/bikes/rocket.html.

Note that there is a repeated error on this page: "RANS" should always
be in all capital letters.

--
Tom Sherman - Curmudgeon and Pedant

"Tom Sherman" wrote in message
...
dalev wrote:
... This is a low (OK, -no-) budget solution.. I
am in slobbering envy of that Alex guy's rig with underseat
rack/packs, tested and proved touring packs, lights, etc... but I just
can't justify the bucks... And Santa has no clue...

The Rocket referred to above is pictured at this web page:
http://www.phred.org/~alex/bikes/rocket.html.

Note that there is a repeated error on this page: "RANS" should always
be in all capital letters.

--
Tom Sherman - Curmudgeon and Pedant


If you look at the company home page you will note the name is in upper and
lower case