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Non-Thorn Related / Re: Mounting a Carradice Camper Longflap on a rear rack.
« Last post by Danneaux on Today at 03:11:44 PM »
Returning to Ian's original question, I have successfully screwed Ortlieb mounting rails and quick-release hooks to the bottom of handlebar bags so friends could attach them directly to small front racks in lieu of a more traditional decaleur. In another instance, I used the hooks and rails to secure the bag to the decaleur, then one more hook on the bottom to secure it to the rack to prevent swinging or shifting. I lined the bags with Colorplast to prevent distortion as George has described and screwed the rails and anchor bolts thorugh the Coroplast. This resulted in a secure handlebar bag that could be mounted or released as quickly as rack-mounted Ortlieb panniers.

I think something similar would work nicely to attach Ian's CCL atop his rear rack.
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As for my own quest to have a saddle-mounted CCL with quick release, I explored using Ortlieb pannier hooks and rails to attach the CCL to an Ortlieb aluminum rack arm mounted transversely across the saddle's rear rails, just below the Brooks bag hooks. The Ortlieb hook rail woudl be mounted to the CCL's hardwood dowel or an alumunum tube replacement.

Unfortunately, the saddle rails diverge as they travel upward and so can't retain a straight rod unless the clamp holes are angled. The saddle rails are parallel where they exit the seatpost clamp, but a transverse rod there would interfere with pedaling. It also wouldn't be convenient to have a rod to catch a leg when throwing a leg over the saddle.

I'm so close to finding my ideal solution! I came up with a way to mount my Ortlieb Underseat bag to my Brooks, described here in words and photos...
https://thorncyclesforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=4523.msg86243#msg86243

I still think my best bet is a rubber-coated sandwich clamp for the saddle rails, made from half-inch aluminum billet and secured with a seat collar q/r. That way, the bag is pre-adapted to fit a variety of saddles and nothing on the bike needs modification. It would allow me to keep my special Ortlieb mount and would work with a sus-post as well. Standoffs for the lower bag are easy to construct.

Best,

Dan.
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Non-Thorn Related / Re: Mounting a Carradice Camper Longflap on a rear rack.
« Last post by martinf on October 18, 2026, 04:42:04 PM »
Quote from: mickeg on October 18, 2026, 11:41:58 AM
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.

Maybe. I think the chap that made and sold these Lord uplifts probably compensated for any possible material weakness by using thick plate and rods. The uplift and the support that fits to the saddlebag weigh over 400g, nearly as much as the Tubus Fly steel rack.
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Non-Thorn Related / Re: Mounting a Carradice Camper Longflap on a rear rack.
« Last post by Danneaux on October 18, 2026, 02:54:05 PM »
Quote
Thorn accessory bar. Bag supported on rack.
Sure would like to do this on all my bikes, Brummie. Worked well enough on my frames where I could lay the bag's bottom atop the rack, but not on bikes where the needed vertical gap was unavailable (paralleogram suspension seatpost, see photo; bike model ended production in 2008, equipped with one of two Thorn Sherpa Mk2 forks in different rakes).

I love Thorn's T-bars and uplift, but tariffs make it impractical to equip every bike in my fleet!

As you might have guessed, this topic is near and dear to my heart...and my lightweight CCL camping setup...
https://thorncyclesforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=11787.msg85858#msg85858

Best, Dan.
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Non-Thorn Related / Re: Mounting a Carradice Camper Longflap on a rear rack.
« Last post by Danneaux on October 18, 2026, 02:46:35 PM »
Quote
I took the first attached photo about a decade ago.  Someone made this bracket to support their bikepacking type saddle bag.
George, that support in your first photo consists of the hoop connecting the two side plates of an original Blackburn Lowrider front rack. The connectors are sourced from an original (Mk1) Tubus Cargo rack (rods and adjustable tilt-plate, around 2007), a reflector bracke, and a piece of aluminum 90° angle. I found the same photo back in the day and made one using the same parts!

It worked well enough in concept and was stable, but the aluminum rod hoop was unnecessarily long and began to show signs of stress at the clamp. Also, it wasn't compatible with my rear pannier rack, so it didn't remain in service long. A good try, though, and top marks to the original innovator for repurposing existing parts!

The "handlebar bag" under-bag support on the seatpost is really clever, George.

When Forum member JulianK kindly gave me his old CCL, he included a Karrimor-style uplift bracket that engaged my Brooks saddle loops. It released quickly and easily, but I largely stopped using it out of concern larger loads could apply a lot of torque to the saddle loops, especially on bumpy roads. That started me noodling for something more solid, like the billet Q/R I described above. I really must spend some time out in my metal shop to bring it to reality!

I bought Thorn's extended T-bar uplift back in...2011, I think. It used machine screws and acorn nuts at either end of the cross and the idea was you could leve the CCL's leather straps a bit loose and so ease them over the acorn nuts when you need to quickly de/mount the bag. It worked but wasn't as stable as I'd hoped.

I also tried the nylon boat cleat trick...bolting the cleat through the bag and into the hardwood dowel. Undo the lower seatpost strap, give it a little wiggle, and the cleat's crossbar slipped between the saddle rails, yet was secure otherwise. Unfortunately, it tended to rattle unbearable on rougher roads and the bag wiggle a fair bit as the cleat's nylon crossbar wiggled back-and-forth despite the lower securement.

Best, Dan.
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Non-Thorn Related / Re: Mounting a Carradice Camper Longflap on a rear rack.
« Last post by Danneaux on October 18, 2026, 02:30:11 PM »
Quote
Carradice saddlebag with Lord uplift.
Thank you so much for posting these detailed photos and for the descriptions, Martin.

You can't imagine the time I put into looking online for photos showing the fine details of this mount!

Best, Happy Dan.
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Non-Thorn Related / Re: Mounting a Carradice Camper Longflap on a rear rack.
« Last post by mickeg on October 18, 2026, 12:01:41 PM »
Quote from: martinf on October 18, 2026, 10:46:03 AM
Carradice saddlebag with Lord uplift. ...
...
... 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.
...

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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Non-Thorn Related / Re: Mounting a Carradice Camper Longflap on a rear rack.
« Last post by mickeg on October 18, 2026, 11:41:58 AM »
Quote from: martinf on October 18, 2026, 10:46:03 AM
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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Non-Thorn Related / Re: Mounting a Carradice Camper Longflap on a rear rack.
« Last post by martinf on October 18, 2026, 10:51:04 AM »
Final photo. Another view of the uplift without the saddlebag.
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Non-Thorn Related / Re: Mounting a Carradice Camper Longflap on a rear rack.
« Last post by martinf on October 18, 2026, 10:49:12 AM »
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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Non-Thorn Related / Re: Mounting a Carradice Camper Longflap on a rear rack.
« Last post by martinf on October 18, 2026, 10:46:03 AM »
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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