Carradice Saddlebags

OK, so I purchased a Nelson Long-Flap for the Tweed Run and I'm now using it daily.

It's awesome, so nice to not have to carry anything on your back.

Upsides:

• Spacious
  
• Easily fits to the bike
  
• Looks good (definitely isn't ugly)
  
• Nothing on your back
  
• Totally waterproof
  
  

Downsides:

• Currently it is permanently fixed to the bike... leather straps all over the place, not a quick release so when I lock the bike the bag stays on it (I am using an inner liner to lift the contents out easily)
  
• Being fixed, that bit when you stop and lift the rear of the bike to re-align the pedals... that's really not so easy now, there's a weight over the back wheel
  
  

The quick release thing I'll want to sort out. Shouldn't be too hard to place the fitting straps with something that has plastic clips on them.

The second downside is just something to learn. When I used to trackstand I always had the pedals in the right place, and then I became lazy and jumped lights and when I did stop I just put my foot down and re-aligned the pedal... back to trackstanding, or at least stopping with the pedals lined up to go.

Something that isn't an issue at all is squeezing through tight spaces. Sure you're not going to get through gaps where you have to be out of the saddle and bending to get your fat arse through... but those happen how often? I've had no problem in a fortnight's commutes with any gap being too small to fit through.

Carradice bags rock.