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Carradice saddlebag with Lord uplift. ...
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... On the other hand, this uplift puts the bag a bit higher up and a fair bit further back, giving me more room for my thighs than with a saddlebag attched to saddle loops and seatpost.
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I did not like my Carradice bags hitting my legs.  I have made a modificaiton on my bikes where I can use the Carradice straps on saddle bag loops or on my Conquest saddles where there are no bag loops, but springs that I can use as a substitute for the saddle bag loops.

I use a threadless stem, shimmed to fit on the seatpost, and a wood dowel to push the bag further to the rear at the lower part of the bag where the strap is.  I also use a longer strap, in this case use a leather toe clip strap.  First photo below.

And since I am showing photos, I have commented before that I put a piece of coroplast inside the bag to give it more structure and better shape when partially empty, second photo.  The coroplast is simply bent into a U shape, not physically attached to the bag.  Thus, if I have one small heavy item in the bag, it does not sag.  I initially tried paper cardboard, but when I was happy with the result I replaced it with coroplast which retains shape better when damp or wet.

The bag shown is a Pendle.
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Carradice saddlebag with Lord uplift. I have posted this to give an idea of one way of fitting a saddlebag to a saddle without loops. I could probably have made this myself, but at the time it was easier to buy this uplift. ...

Great discussion and photos.  Thanks for posting.

On the topic of doing it yourself with aluminum rods and bars, it is my experience that the bar and rod stock that I buy at the hardware store is much more flexible than the metal parts that come on manufactured parts. 

Thus, my home made stuff is often weaker with lower weight capacity than commercially made components when using aluminum.
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Final photo. Another view of the uplift without the saddlebag.
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More photos.

The first photo is of the plastic clip that clips the saddlebag onto the lower part of the uplift.
The other 3 photos are of the uplift without the saddlebag
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Carradice saddlebag with Lord uplift. I have posted this to give an idea of one way of fitting a saddlebag to a saddle without loops. I could probably have made this myself, but at the time it was easier to buy this uplift. It gives a quick release saddlebag, but the uplift itself stays clamped to the saddle rails.

Two hooks on the upper part of the uplift engage two Allen bolts that are screwed into the cylindrical aluminium rod that replaces the original wood dowel that comes with the saddlebag. A flexible plastic clip replaces the leather strap that stabilises the lower part of the bag, this allows the bottom of the bag to release from the aluminium rod on the lower part of the uplift, it is then possible to lift the bag forwards and upwards to disengage the Allen bolts from the hooks to remove the bag.

I have used this system for about 3 decades, predominantly on lightweight bikes with no racks. It works quite well, but one downside is that I tended to chafe cycling shorts on the hooks on the (rare) occasions that I rode without a saddlebag. On the other hand, this uplift puts the bag a bit higher up and a fair bit further back, giving me more room for my thighs than with a saddlebag attched to saddle loops and seatpost.

The first 3 photos are of the saddlebag attached to the uplift, which has been removed from the bike saddle.
The 4th photo is of the bag which has been removed from the uplift.
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General Technical / Re: Brooks saddle
« Last post by hendrich on October 16, 2026, 11:05:11 PM »
Andre,
Thanks for the added information. I generally treat our B17s with much care, but there have been a couple of times when we should have covered the saddles while riding in downpours.....thinking at the time that my big butt will keep the saddle protected. We won't be doing that again (i.e. when riding in rain, COVER THE SADDLES!).  Even so, 8 years in, the saddles are still great, if discolored. We are both happy with B17s and will hopefully last to the end of the world as we know it (perhaps 1 month from now if the midterms don't give a serious change >:( ).

Mike
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Non-Thorn Related / Re: Mounting a Carradice Camper Longflap on a rear rack.
« Last post by brummie on October 16, 2026, 09:33:52 PM »
Thorn accessory bar. Bag supported on rack.
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Non-Thorn Related / Re: Mounting a Carradice Camper Longflap on a rear rack.
« Last post by mickeg on October 16, 2026, 05:13:39 PM »
I took the first attached photo about a decade ago.  Someone made this bracket to support their bikepacking type saddle bag.

And the second photo shows how I put my Pendle bag on my road bike, I used a shim and a long threadless stem, plus a wood dowel (sprayed black) that my saddle bag attaches to.  My Brooks Pro lacks the saddle bag loops, so the Pendle straps wrap around the dowel.  I used a 5/16 inch diameter aluminum rod to support my bag weight, but if you wanted to support the weight of a packed Camper I think the system I am showing in this second photo would not hold the weight, that was why I showed the first photo.  It was pretty easy for me to bend the 5/16 inch aluminum rod to get it to fit exactly the way I wanted, but I only tested it with two kg of weight inside the saddle bag on a bumpy ride to see if that rod was sufficient to keep my Pendle from rubbing on the tire.  It holds two kg (two water bottles, one liter each for weight in the Pendle for my test).

In other words, you could build up something to support the weight under the saddle bag, and a separate bracket like mine using a threadless stem (plus seatpost shim) to put the saddle bag straps on since you would lack the saddle loops.

But before you try to build something like this, I am tall enough (about 6 foot) that my saddle has a good height above my rear 700c tire, if you are shorter, you might not have the height you would need for tire clearance under the bag if you attached your bag to a stem mounted on the seatpost like I did.  Note the third photo, I have the tire clearance I need.
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Non-Thorn Related / Re: Mounting a Carradice Camper Longflap on a rear rack.
« Last post by Andyb1 on October 16, 2026, 04:59:08 PM »
A pretty full packed bike!
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Non-Thorn Related / Re: Mounting a Carradice Camper Longflap on a rear rack.
« Last post by in4 on October 16, 2026, 11:20:55 AM »
That sounds like a simple but effective solution. I'll look into that. Thanks.
I already have some male and female velcro straps that I've used to secure the CLF's base across the rear rack so I might be able to modify that set up.
Thanks again

Dan, that sounds like a very useful project to pursue. I'll look forward to seeing the prototype in due course.

I really like the CLF but I've rarely used it. That's primarily because it is awkward to take on and off if you're not using a Carradice bagman rack, more so if you already have a Thorn rack fitted. I think I last used it when I cycled down the west coast of Eire and carried my tent in it; leaving the CLF attached.
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