Carradice Saddlebags

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/164267768192?ul_noapp=true not my auction but a good price on a super c lightweight audax. That's the smaller one in the new lightweight nylon. I have one and like it a lot.

Any interest here for a Caradry Glentress bikeradar link alert, before I create a classifieds thread? Last one that was sold on eBay went for £25 +£3p&p, the SQR bracket alone new is £15, so would £20 + £3 forum donation in lieu of postage be reasonable?

Collection/local drop off in S.Mcr option available too.

(2nd pic to show the easily lost spring is there.)

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I have one of these and it's easily my most used carradice. Just the right size for a commute, easy on/off and entirely waterproof.

Excuse my stupidity, is the bag permanently attached to the metal rack?

I've never undone it but it looks to be removable, 8mm spanner & 3mm Allen key.

I had thought about using the rack part and sqr block with one of my traditional Carradice bags but I'm happy with either no support or using bagman at present and this one is just taking up space unused.

I used it similarly for a while but prefer my other bags now. I might regret selling it...

@rhb can I dibs this please whilst I research if it will work on my short arse seatpost? Do you have any pics of it installed?

Thanks
Gerry

Cool, yeah.

This post https://www.lfgss.com/comments/12559602/ has the best picture I can find for now.

Let me know what you decide.

@rhb, great thanks, I will need to look at my bikes tomorrow.

Ah ok, I'll pass then.

Think I might just buy a whole SQR setup so if I could have used it easily with the bag you have plus my Nelson I'd have been interested.

GLWS.

No worries... the bikeradar review says

you’ll also need 60mm of exposed seatpost to fit it.

which is better info than my old pic shows.

No worries.

That seems a bit optimistic. I've got about double that and it's tight putting it on and taking it off when it's stuffed full (50cm frame though which may make a difference).

@aggi I think the 60mm mentioned must be the size of the clamp?

How are you finding it? Really tempted to pick one up over the standard cotton duck.

Loving @M_V ‘s work.

But it does beg the question: Could a pannier-eyes mounted rack make more sense? Even like a mini one that is just long enough to cradle the bag.

+1 on the Carradry talk up there, it’s excellent. Underated and really cheap.

This is a question for my fantasy future bespoke fast tourer/audax bike - could you have an (ideally easily removable) support for a Nelson/Camper-sized saddlebag (so for 15kg max?) that would be lighter-weight than a bagman/classic rack/Tubus airy/fly. I feel like this should be possible if suitably triangulated, but am always slightly dubious as to whether putting bending loads into the seatstays is the best of ideas.

How light do you want it to be? Expedition bagman is under 500g, and is removable with a single bolt

You'd maybe save more with lighter bags or supportless bags, than a lighter support. But personally love my nelson and bagman.

I have never run any kind of support under my Barley short flap.

It hangs off a saddle rail mounted QR clip and straps around the seatpost.

I don't know the heaviest I have run it, but I've had it packed to the gills with stuff and laptop, which must have weighed a few kilos in total.

I have never really 'got' the need for a support.

I mostly use the classic rack for my Barley, but that's for ease of removal more that for the support itself. When loaded for touring I suppose I've got 10-15 kg in the saddlebag, which feels like a bit much to be hanging off the saddle rails. While a Carradice isn't a weight-weenie option, I suppose I'm just intrigued as to how minimal a support you could make. Both the bagman QR and the classic rack are IIRC ~350g, which is comparable with a lightweight pannier rack like the Tubus Fly. The titanium Airy pannier rack is ~230g, and the René Herse front rack is ~190g; I'd assume that you could get a custom support at that kind of weight.

There's this too:
https://store.oceanaircycles.com/products/erlen-saddle-bag-support-nitto-production

not ideal though as it would mean adjusting saddle height

There's also this https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/accessories/thorn-saddlebag-bracket-1725-mm-extension-222mm-45-deg/ which isn't a support per se but could help with something (I suppose it puts all the weight on the seatpost rather than the seat rails, so should be pretty sturdy)

I like the idea of the carradice because I want to be able to easily add luggage carrying to my "do it all bike" but there is a voice in my head saying "just get...a pannier...rack"

Nah, I have one bike with pannier racks but happily hang my Carradice on any of the other bikes for low level luggage. Even track bikes.

I mean, my main bike is a tourer with a pannier rack, so I just use the QR clamp and rest the bottom of the bag on the rack. But this is LFGSS - where's the enthusiasm for spendy over-engineered custom solutions?!