Which saddle bag?

[steveindenmark]

Hopefully, I will enter the World of Audaxing next year.

I was tempted to have a bash at it with my Koga World Traveller, but realised that even though I can go along happily at 25-30km on the flat. As soon as a hill appears, the World Traveller is lacking in speed. Excellent gearing to grind up mountains, but not much good for dashing anywhere. This is made more clearer if I am riding the World Traveller and Jannie is riding her Trek Lexa SL.

So to balance the books with Jannie a little, I have just ordered a Ti Audax bike with a 105 triple chainring, from Spa cycles.

I now need some advice on which saddlebag would be suitable for a 600km audax ride. Having studied audax photos it appears that very few riders ride with handlebar bags, why is that?

What size bag would be suitable, are small panniers acceptable? This is new ground for me.

 

[Slioch]

Carradice is the only acceptable choice. Anything else is heresy and punishable by burning at the stake.

http://www.carradice.co.uk/index.php?page_id=product&under=range&product_id=33#prettyPhoto

 

[steveindenmark]

Carradice was obviously my first choice. But I am concerned about size. I dont want to buy a titanium bike and then load it down with a kitchen sink.

 

[Slioch]

I dont want to buy a titanium bike and then load it down with a kitchen sink.

Fair enough. Have a look at what kit that Steve Abrahams bloke is using for his Tommy Godwin challenge. I would imagine he knows from experience what is the best bag to use.

 

[jefmcg]

What size bag would be suitable, are small panniers acceptable? This is new ground for me.

Anything you like. People choose their own solutions. I've got a Carradice Barley, and that's about perfect.

Here's some more examples from a ride I did a couple of years ago.

And you can choose whichever bike you feel comfortable on.

 

[mjr]

In general, I'd say go with whatever you like the look of. I've a simple canvas satchel which I roll and buckle-strap to the saddle. It's kitchen-sink size but stays out of the way of my legs on the bikes where the rails go right to the back (for springs!) and I put it on a lightweight rear rack on the road bike because it doesn't work with the current saddle on that one.

However, 600km is considerably further than I've ever ridden. It might suck for that distance for some reason I don't forsee. I've seen handlebar bags used on shorter audaxes but I suspect that 600km means that you take any benefit you can get and looking at the brick-like aerodynamics of most handlebar bags could become annoying!

 

[jefmcg]

Oh, the Americans are getting into a new audax-y variants, gravel rides and bikepacking and bags like this have started appearing

https://www.apidura.com/

 

[djb1971]

the problems with bikepacking seatpacks are, not as easy to get in to, harder to remove from your bike. They're basically a roll bag in a harness. Carradice are easy to get inside plus have pockets and can be used on a quick release mount to take off the bike and carry inside with you. Most audaxers use carradice for a reason, plus they're all funny old sods stuck in their ways

 

[steveindenmark]

Carradice it is then.

Whats an acceptable size on a titanium bike?

 

[steveindenmark]

Oh, the Americans are getting into a new audax-y variants, gravel rides and bikepacking and bags like this have started appearing

https://www.apidura.com/

This is very Transcontinental Race setup.

It wont be long before Ortleib will be making these half frame bags. Apart from Apidura I have not seen anyone else that makes them.

 

[steveindenmark]

As big as you need to carry all you require, and no more.

Adrian, as Ive never ridden an Audax I am not sure what I would require. I know what I think I might require. But thats a different thing altogether. But I am sure some of the old Audax hands will help me.

 

[djb1971]

Adrian, as Ive never ridden an Audax I am not sure what I would require. I know what I think I might require. But thats a different thing altogether. But I am sure some of the old Audax hands will help me.

pop over to yacf to meet other audaxers

 

[ACS]

Carradice it is then.

Whats an acceptable size on a titanium bike?

I have a Barley and a Nelson Long Flap (with bagman support) both in green which I use on my Spa Ti. I have to a admit that I'm a bit of a 'kitchen sink' adventurer.

While the Barley is great for shorter distances I prefer the Nelson. I like being able to rummage around in the extra space the Nelson provides. I find having to empty the Barley every time I want to find something a bit annoying. When you are against the clock finding and swopping kit can be time consuming.

Its always a time thing. Not being the fastest rider on the circuit I have to keep my time at controls to an absolute minimum.

As to the additional weight being tall and broad a couple of extra grams makes little difference.

 

[PMarkey]

I have a Carradice Pendle on my Spa Audax and use it for everything from 200 to 1200+ km rides with no real problems , it's bigger than a Barley but smaller than a longflap and suit's my needs plus I tend to pack everything away in zip lock bags to make packing and unpacking easier .

paul

 

[steveindenmark]

What a great photo Paul.

That Pendle is the size I need.