correct fitting saddle bag

[jags]

any of you guys using the carradice expedition  bag support.
i have this on my Raleigh  and most of the time i use the camper saddle bag but its just way to big for day rides, tonight i fitted the carradice rack bag but that too  just does not fit  right.so is there a bag that fits the rack perfectly .
cheers
jags.

[Danneaux]

Hi jags!

I dont use one myself, but a quick check online shows the Carradice Bagman 2 Expedition Support Bag Mount (q/r) is recommended for the following saddlebags:

- Carradice Cadet
- Nelson
- Nelson Longflap
- College
- Camper Longflap
- Super C
- Carradura models.

They do list the Camper Longflap (not sure if this is your Camper model), but I'm guessing it would fit as well. I don't see the rack bag listed, so perhaps that's why the poor fit. I'm guessing the bag mount works better with bags that are intended to fit crosswise, as with a regular saddlebag, rather than lengthwise like a rack-top pack.

Hope this helps.

All the best,

Dan.

[jags]

Thanks Dan to be honest the rack is a crap desigh  and the bags are fine when loaded  full but not so good when you have just a few  things in them.
the bags need to be supported underneath and the full lenght of the bag, if not they flop on either side of the rack which is pretty useless to be honest.

[Danneaux]

jags,

Could you fill the gap with a thin board? I'm thinking something like a piece of Formica countertop with a couple holes drilled in it, then zip-tied to the bag supports so the bag can't fall through? It wouldn't weigh much. Alternatively, some webbing straps with quick-release buckes would go far toward making a platform.

Just a minute...I read your post again more carefully...could you put a stiffener in the bottom of the bag before placing it on the rack? Kirtland used to do this with their panniers, using a piece of tempered sheet aluminum and wraping duct tape around the sharp edges. I did the same to make stiffeners for my own panniers and bags, using some discarded bread delivery-truck trays -- they were also made of tempered aluminum, and were made obsolete when the size of loaves changed (!). I picked up a few, and bitterly regretted not taking the lot, but storage was a problem at the time. Anyway, try a stiffener inside the bag to see if it helps, jags. That's what I'd try next.

All the best,

Dan.

[jags]

yes dan done all that, i zipped tied a piece of wood ceder cladding to the rack even rappen it in  plastic works great, but only when the bag is  near enough full,and it's hard to put  anything into the bag  simply because the bag's cut (design) is not exactly square so anything solid does just not work believe me i've tried  ,
no what i need is a bag that near enough the same V shape as the rack,
pity i cant post pic's you would see the problem for yourself.

[Danneaux]

Ah! Now I udnerstand, jags. I'm sure sorry; it sounds as if you might need to purchase another bag to get the job done properly with that rack. Perhaps something might come up nice-but-used now that Fall is upon us? eBay is my friend!

Isn't it amazing how much money it costs to get by with less (less weight, less bulk, less volume)? Ultralight isn't cheap, in many cases (excepting things that are homegrown, like my Reflectix freezer bag cozys and the occasional bubble-wrap sleeping pad  ).

All the best,

Dan.

[jags]

Dan i'm still working on the light weight  dream  but need to change a lot of gear as you well know.
but i'm a bit like you when it comes to bikes and getting things right.
i like gear that works as it should, but all this super light gear is bloody expensive.

[Danneaux]

...i'm a bit like you when it comes to bikes and getting things right.

Peas in a pod, jags, peas in a pod.

I don't want to hijack your thread, but I will point out that while the little things add up, it is the big items that make the largest difference. If you can just carry less overall or go with lightweight panniers/bags of some sort, sleeping bag/pad, tent, and stove/pots, then you've covered the bulk of it. It is a whoe lot easier in climates where it a pretty warm year-'round. For the rest of us, it can be a real challenge, as the nights can get so very cold in comparison to the daytime highs. All my sleeping bag testing for myself and others is causing me to conclude I can get by with a much lighter bag if I use a more effective pad. A good pad makes a bad bag better. A great bag with a bad pad equals one chilly night ahead.

All the best,

Dan.

[jags]

yes dan i agree i just need the dosh to buy all that wonderful gear you recommended