bigjim
Legendary Member
- Location
- Manchester. UK
On my last tour I took a large Carradry/Carradice saddlebag. It was voluminous and carried all my gear with ease. It was also a pest. A nightmare to take on and off the bike as undoing the straps meant shifting the gear in the bag to get at them. Got to be a better way. I resorted in the end putting my regularly used gear in a swim rucksack and just lifting that out of the bag each night and leaving some stuff on the bike. This resulted in my Kindle being nicked one night.
So I've been sorting out a quick release system and think it's done. But I also got to fancying one of those Carradice SQR Tours. They are £80 though and heavy with the SQR. Hmm.. Now then. I've got a set of those cheap panniers that SJS sell on e-bay. I've found them reasonably light and very tough material. They are also the Tour sort of shape. I paid £10 for two posted so they are cheap enough. I set to and this is the result. It's very stable, takes all my gear and unclips in seconds. Even comes with a carrying handle. Used a copper pipe, rear wheel QR skewer and I think thats it. I may fit a bracket in case it touchs my thighs when riding but works for me at the moment. I could also sew some straps on top for a jacket but there is space inside for that. You don't need the QR as a threaded bar would do but this way I can also use the system for my saddlebag. The ex pannier just drops over the bar as it would on a rack. May be useful idea for someone.
So I've been sorting out a quick release system and think it's done. But I also got to fancying one of those Carradice SQR Tours. They are £80 though and heavy with the SQR. Hmm.. Now then. I've got a set of those cheap panniers that SJS sell on e-bay. I've found them reasonably light and very tough material. They are also the Tour sort of shape. I paid £10 for two posted so they are cheap enough. I set to and this is the result. It's very stable, takes all my gear and unclips in seconds. Even comes with a carrying handle. Used a copper pipe, rear wheel QR skewer and I think thats it. I may fit a bracket in case it touchs my thighs when riding but works for me at the moment. I could also sew some straps on top for a jacket but there is space inside for that. You don't need the QR as a threaded bar would do but this way I can also use the system for my saddlebag. The ex pannier just drops over the bar as it would on a rack. May be useful idea for someone.
