Carradice Saddlebags

I bought a barley a couple of weeks ago, partly as I'm turned my hipster bike back into the 1953 glory it deserves, partly due to not wanting to wear a messenger bag in summer and hugely influenced by the tweed run. I must say I'm more than happy with it so far, although I ran it without a support for a week or so but it hit my legs and swung constantly which got annoying. I couldn't justify the 45 for the qr support and opted for the sport support at 25 quid (!). It made the world of difference, I didn't believe the hype but more than worth it, totally eliminated bag swing plus it now sits the right way up!

As ed said, its a fiddle to get on and off and people dont generally nick stuff like as I think it tends to get overlooked as it just looks like a bag that's probably full of sweaty socks and melted mars bars?!

Feel free to have a gander at mine on the tweed run, its medium sized but I've not yet struggled to fit everything I used to carry on a day to day basis in my courier bag.

Lots of chat in here about the saddlebags (Nelson/Longflap etc) but does anyone have any experience with the SQR bags (SQR Tour/SQR Slim). I was about to buy a rack and set of ortlieb panniers but I'd like to be able to switch easily between different bikes. The name carradice has cropped up in recommendations but the linked bags looked like they might be a little unstable under a heavy load (I'd be using it for the commute (clean clothes/towel/laptop/papers etc)). They are 16l so should be big enough for most occasions but the website doesn't seem to mention anything about maximum load? Does anyone have either/both of these bags? Recommendations and reviews appreciated.

I'd also like to know how much these things can hold. I usually cycle to work with spare clothes (shirt,trousers,jumper,underwear,wash kit,towel) and lunch. I'd quite like to fit drop bars back on my bike and freewheel so I can go out on day trips with the bag.

I have the SQR Glentress which is one of the modern bags but a bit smaller (7l or so I think). No issue with it swinging about, even when packed with heavy stuff and the SQR block holds it back a little from the saddle.

Make sure you have enough space between the saddle and the back wheel/mudguard is one thing. I find that even though there's plenty of space when the bag's attached the motion of clipping it on to the SQR needs a little extra space (I've a fairly small frame though).

The SQR block and the bracket on the bag are pretty solid so I imagine it could take a fair load, I wouldn't recommend it for a carbon seatpost though.

They're very helpful if you email or give them a call I've found. They also repaired my bag for free after I stood on a buckle and broke it.

I just got my SQR holder thingie in the post. Whacked it on and attached the Barley I've had for about 9 months.

I can't comment on whether it's eliminated the ever-present problem of bag swing but the flap now faces more outwards than down which is a plus. On the website they've got one of the more modern bags and it's facing right down but the Barley fits nice and raised, behind the saddle and fairly upright. I should add that the back end of my bike is now heavy as hell but that'll be the lock and tools in the bag, plus the bag and attachment combined weigh about 1.2kg!

I've now ridden with the SQR and it's really annoying me, thinking of getting the QR support now at a painful £45. The bag still swings and it just looks saggy. I want it to look like a little sausage roll at the back but instead it looks like a cat hung up on a washing line by its shoulders. Admittedly it's carrying about 3.5kg which is the bag, support and contents.

I think I made the mistake of mixing a "classic" bag with a modern support. Or something. It just doesn't feel right.

Found a place in the States that sells a thingy to attach Carradice bags to without saddle loops.

http://www.wallbike.com/carradice/saddlebags/carradice-saddlebag-clamp

Yoo hoo Jayloo;

http://store.velo-orange.com/index.php/accessories/bags-panniers-and-baskets/viva-bag-loops.html

yes? this is another option. every time I've looked in the past everywhere was out of them. also, I have saddle loops, so do not need either option. : )

Yoo hoo Jayloo;

http://store.velo-orange.com/index.php/accessories/bags-panniers-and-baskets/viva-bag-loops.html

anyone know where you can get these in the uk?
i'm having no luck searching around

I ordered mine from Velo Orange.

work very well;

^ You can also get cyclo loops from spa which fit a little differently to the VO ones.

Ed- What size bag have you got? How does it make the bike feel much different when loaded?

the bag doesn't swing as much as the hook sit further away rather than close together, easier to tighten too.

but it's best to pair with a rack/bagman support.

I now have to take my bag off my bike everyday when I leave it locked up at work (after some bastard decided they wanted to go through my stuff and rob one of my lights) and using the buckles is a real faff and a waste of time so I think i'm going to have to get a quick release system.

What is better, the Bagman quick release, or the SQR seatpost thing? I currently use a standard bagman, with a Nelson longflap. Does the QR bagman keep the bag tight enough at the top, like it would be connected directly to a saddle? Does the bag go all saggy and out of shape using the SQR?

Not sure which way to go. Ideally I'd like to stick with as close to what I've currently got as possible, which I guess would be the QR bagman, but is the SQR much better?

Thanks in advance.

The SQR is dreadful with a saddle bag, especially if you carry very much weight. The QR bagman is much better but still not perfect because the strap that would go around the seatpost doesn't work on the frame of the rack, so the bag can move, especially if you ever get out of the saddle. But with a light weight and a full bag (ie a change of clothes and stuff) it is pretty good.

I'd disagree slightly with adroit. My Bagman was supplied with a longer modern nylon strap that went through the central point on the bag and then round both 'stays' of the frame. There is a slight knack to getting it tight with the buckle in the centre of the frame. The bag is then held pretty well. You can certainly feel the extra weight. The frame itself has a certain amount of flex when weighted, but not too bad. I don't imagine that they were designed with sprinting or furious wrestling from side to side up the Galibier in mind as their primary use.

The parts that I thought lacked in engineering were the very small grub screws (correct term?) that need a 2mm allen key to tighten and are at the side of the mounting block that fixes to the saddle. The frame slots into the block, and these small screws tighten onto it from each side to hold it in place. Last summer, I LeJoGed with a Nelson Longflap on a bagman and found that given the distances and a 3/4 full bag, the frame would work itself very slightly loose. I would gently tighten the screws, but was very wary of rounding them off as they are recessed. A much longer threaded bolt with a larger head that was either external to the mounting block or countersunk would have given me more confidence to crank them tight each when they loosened. I suppose a good blob of loctite at the beginning might do the job though (Oh the wonder of hindsight).

Hope this is helpful.

Oh yeah, I replaced those bolts with proper bolts right away, they have never come loose.
I got that strap, but it doesn't really keep the bag in place, as the leather bit on the bag just slides along the strap (on mine)
Don't get me wrong, I have them on two bikes, they are very good, but if the strap lined up with the rack, or the other way around it would be so much better.
by the way
seen this?
http://www.theguvnorsassembly.com/

if you do it so that the strap is like a figure of eight, instead of a loop (so it goes twice through the leather bit) it slides less.

Get the Bagman QR saddle clamp from carradice, it is brilliant. Makes the bag really easy to use:

http://www.carradice.co.uk/index.php?page_id=product&under=other&product_id=87

Secure and easy, I love it.

Want but at 2x the cost of a regular barley I simply cannot justify.
http://www.condorcycles.com/february-2012/tweed-editions-from-carradice.html

oh nice - bit pricey though!

Do any Carrdice owners have any tips for washing one of the classic bags? My Barley is filthy and might need a reproof. Before I go and pester the fine folks at Carradice I thought I consult you. YES YOU.

Washing machine? Damp cloth? Prayer?

Get the Bagman QR saddle clamp from carradice, it is brilliant. Makes the bag really easy to use:

http://www.carradice.co.uk/index.php?page_id=product&under=other&product_id=87

Secure and easy, I love it.

These are great.... until the little pin, which is used to slide back the quick release bolt pings off rendering the whole thing useless. Has this happened to anyone else (and if so what did you do to repair / replace it?) as it's happened to me twice now in 6 months. Not good!

Do any Carrdice owners have any tips for washing one of the classic bags? My Barley is filthy...

congratulations, you now got the Carradice look.

I washed mine nearly cold in the washing machine after a bottle of ginger beer exploded in there making it smelly and sticky. Used a tiny bit of washing powder(non-bio, in case it matters) and put it in a pillowcase.
It came out stink free but maybe half a shade lighter(although that was likely just filth, not dye). Then used half a tin of barbour wax on it to reproof. That seemed to do the job just fine.