# Carradice Barley



## Thegreatthor (13 Jun 2019)

im thinking of one these for audax rides, only 200km for now.

Are they okay attached just with saddle hoops or do you really need the bam or something on those lines.


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## Vantage (13 Jun 2019)

They are actually designed to swing from the loops and seatpost. What you may find though is that it might swing at an angle where things are at risk of falling out of the pockets. Depends on how far back your saddle is. The backs of your thighs might also hit the bag.
Try it and see how you find it. Won't do any harm.


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## raleighnut (13 Jun 2019)

Depends how much seatpost you've got showing, they do have a bottom loop and strap but I found it set the 'Camper Longflap' I've got at a funny angle. I just used a rack to support the bottom


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## fossala (13 Jun 2019)

I use a carradice audax bag. You'll be thankful of the clips rather than buckles when you are tired, cold and wet.


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## Heltor Chasca (13 Jun 2019)

I hang my Barley from the saddle rails of my Selle SMP with the supplied leather straps. I didn’t bother buying the adapters. No need. It rests on a Bagman Sport because I have a small frame size and I am a neat freak. 

This has worked out to be more stable than when it went through the loops on my Brooks C17.

Used it on rides over 500km. Love it.


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## contadino (13 Jun 2019)

I wouldn't want to go far with even the smaller of mine just attached by the saddle loops. I have a nitto mini pannier rack (r10 if memory serves) and it sits nicely on it.


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## Ming the Merciless (13 Jun 2019)

I used to have a barley and did London Edinburgh London 13 with it just attached via loops. It did rub on back of legs though. I move back to a rack and rack pack these days .


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## netman (13 Jun 2019)

Check out the Carradice Junior as well - same 9 litres, but without the side pockets... they are cheaper than the Barley though... https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m2b0s73p56/CARRADICE-Junior


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## T4tomo (13 Jun 2019)

fossala said:


> I use a carradice audax bag. You'll be thankful of the clips rather than buckles when you are tired, cold and wet.
> View attachment 470589


Did you get Peter Sagan to park your bike for you?


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## mcshroom (13 Jun 2019)

I wouldn't want my (super c audax) barley just hung from the seat loops, as it would want to swing forward and catch my legs.

An added bonus with the bagman is the opportunity to add a rear light to the carrying frame.


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## bigjim (2 Sep 2019)

My barley works fine hanging from the straps. They are plenty strong enough to support a loaded Barley. I use a home made tube to keep a distance between the bag and the back of my legs. A bit Blue Peter. Strong cardboard tube covered with black electricians- tape and a long toestrap threaded through and fastened around the seat-post. I can even carry a spare tube inside the tube. Done an overnight hostel ride with it more than once.


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## geocycle (2 Sep 2019)

Here’s mine. It is pretty good, I’d prefer a longer internal snow flap but I get round that using a bag to stop small items spilling out when the flap is open.


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## Fab Foodie (2 Sep 2019)

I use my Barley with a QR bagman expedition. Very stable and can use bigger bags for longer trips.
Plenty space for a 200k.


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## PpPete (2 Sep 2019)

I used mine with the support frame of an R&K Contour bag. Much lighter than a Bagman.
Although more recently I've gone to an Alpkit Koala, lighter again, more streamlined, and more adaptable to changing volume needs.


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## GetFatty (3 Sep 2019)

I'd recommend, as others have done, going for a bagman frame (either QR or normal) as it just offers that bit more stability for the bag and the contents. I think mine is the Nelson longflap but it's lasted since before LEL2013 and is still in good nick


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## Redlight (4 Sep 2019)

I prefer the SQR block system - nice and solid and holds the bag well clear of the rear wheel even when full to bursting, as here packed up for PBP




. I Find it very easy to clip on and off and have spare blocks on some of my other bikes so it's easy to swap from one to another.


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## jongooligan (5 Sep 2019)

fossala said:


> I use a carradice audax bag. You'll be thankful of the clips rather than buckles when you are tired, cold and wet.



This ^^^ Pretty much same as the Barley but much easier to use. Mine's on a SQR frame thingy. Dead easy to take off and carry into the caff also easy to swap to a bigger bag when needed.


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## fossala (5 Sep 2019)

jongooligan said:


> This ^^^ Pretty much same as the Barley but much easier to use. Mine's on a SQR frame thingy. Dead easy to take off and carry into the caff also easy to swap to a bigger bag when needed.


I used a barley years ago. The Audax is much easier when 500k into a ride...


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## Redlight (12 Sep 2019)

Any thoughts on the Barley for touring? I'm doing the Grand Traverse of the Alps next year and am hoping to travel as light as possible (i.e. no panniers). I'm using hotels so won't be carrying much other than a change of clothes for the evenings and cycling kit.


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## geocycle (12 Sep 2019)

Redlight said:


> Any thoughts on the Barley for touring? I'm doing the Grand Traverse of the Alps next year and am hoping to travel as light as possible (i.e. no panniers). I'm using hotels so won't be carrying much other than a change of clothes for the evenings and cycling kit.



Personally I’d find it too small. It might just be possible to strap things to the flap and perhaps carry tools elsewhere on the bike.


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## mcshroom (13 Sep 2019)

I'd find it a bit small at 9 litres. When I rode from Carlisle to Caithness last year I got a week's packing down to about 19 litres (Super C rack bag, Carradura bar bag and a wedge for tools). I probably had a couple litres more than I absolutely needed, but I wouldn't have wanted to go much smaller, as I would have lost space for food etc.

A Nelson might be big enough


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## Heltor Chasca (13 Sep 2019)

I’m not sure what your frame size is but mine is small. I also think the Barley is small for multi day tours.

Coincidentally I needed to upgrade my Barley (which is my most used bag) The Nelson would have been ideal but as the space wasn’t quite enough I went for the Lowsaddle Longflap. It fits perfectly and I now have 2/3rds more capacity. Love it.

As an aside: Am I the only one who thinks the quality and attention to detail from Carradice has gone down? (Comparing my old Barley to my new purchase)


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## Redlight (13 Sep 2019)

Thanks. I think I was getting my product names muddled and thought the Barley was one of the larger bags. I did PBP with a Nelson and small bar bag, which was fine as I wasn't carrying any off-the-bike clothes, but I suspect I may be looking at the Camper for the tour.


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## Nick Saddlesore (13 Sep 2019)

I've used my Audax Super C, tightly packed, for minimal.one.week tours. My Pendle is less of a squash if I've got more.kit. For B&B touring that's all I need. For a 200 I use my pockets.


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## contadino (13 Sep 2019)

A Pendle would be a better option than a Barley, but for more than a couple of nights, you'd want a handlebar bag too. The Alps requires layers and you need somewhere to put them. I think mine is a Pendle, and I really wouldn't want it to be any smaller.

If I were to buy another it would be a few litres bigger. The bike packing bags nowadays have a neat design that you can roll down unused space - seems more versatile than buying a fixed size bag.


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## Ming the Merciless (13 Sep 2019)

fossala said:


> I used a barley years ago. The Audax is much easier when 500k into a ride...



Especially when the ride was a 400k


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