Bikepacking - a viable alternative to racks & panniers

Except more durable and with roll top closures so they're air/water-tight.

Some have one-way venting so you can squeeze the air out of them and they'll even vent moisture but won't let water in.

Work clothes, I feel so lucky not to have to wear those. I didn't actually mean Aldi bags, but tough polythene pannier liners, similar to builders bags in thickness, I got some from Carradice a while back, work a treat.

@hippy I see! Fancy.

Apidura still a good choice for a saddle pack?

I use thicker shopping bags for commuting but for stuff like down jackets that I really don't want to get wet during touring/racing then I'd use a proper dry bag. Apart from keeping items dry, they help compress stuff.

Mmm yea. I only recently returned to formal employment, and it's at a bank head office, so the trousers and shirt need to stay clean. Hadn't thought about pannier liners, currently using a podsac stuff sac, since it's water resistant and fairly strong.

Karrimor bag is in the big bikepacking saddlepack, but thinking longterm for waterproof-ness on the commute.

You could buy one of those drybag backpacks from Scotland?

Yea that is plan B, but I have a backpack in almost every size/style depending on my plans (regular dossing about, work clothes/shopping, plane/train travel, bikepacking, bikepacking light, ultra small hydration size, ultralight emergency, etc) and then a bunch of shoulder bags in a similar vein, so I'm loathe to buy another backpack rather than versatile kit to use inside the selection.

Makes sense. I got decent some drybags off ebay. All manner of sizes available.

which bar bag will work with garmin out front mount?

got this from MackWorkshop
https://www.instagram.com/p/BLI0UAagJaP/
It sits below the bar line so don't see why an out front won't work except maybe fiddly to use the zip.

Get a stem mount and open up all options.

reluctantly might have to do that .. already have that mack workshop thing .. issue is currently I mount my light on my garmin mount too (go pro compatible).

Why doesn't the Mack bag work?

Spammy spam spam... SOLD!

Nappies have changed a bit.

Cycled from Amsterdam to Friesland today. The alpkit seat pack is fantastic for all the h8erz out there

If anyone who has a restrap saddle bag, you may be interested in this. My saddle bag was made wrong, the strap was vastly too long:

This is another one I tried, which shows how long it should be:

I spoke to Nathan and he sent me a new bag straight away without quibbling. I was interested to note that they've changed the strap, by adding a secondary 'tighter fitting' strap:

I'll be testing it out next week, so hopefully its a big improvement.

£4 pounds of cordura, £1.10 of zip and some recycled velcro from an ikea bed...

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Well done, let's see it on the frame!

Cool. RRP about £95 then, yeah? :)

It did take a few 5 or so hours of sewing and an industrial walking foot machine to get through all the layers of fabric around the zip.

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Sewing machine envy.

Very nicely done!

Sick! Good effort dude.

I have the alpkit seat pack too, but have mixed feelings about it. Have used it extensively, and sometimes it's great; other times it swings around a lot/needs constant re-tightening. I think my seat post height + saddle angle might be hindering my ability to put it on properly. Also, it's a huge pain to get on at all, and then you have to take it off if you want to remove anything. Or am I just doing it wrong?

Do you have a bigger one maybe? I've had non of the issues you describe. Pack it as full as you can and tighten everything, pull the side/top straps through the saddle rails