carrying stuff for a short tour

[honesty]

I'm planning a short 5 day tour using B&Bs, so not needing to carry a huge amount of stuff. I have a bar bag into which all my electronic gizmos, camera, tools and puncture stuff, and snacks will go but need to work out how to carry my waterproof and clothes.

When I did this earlier this year I had a tortec velocity rack and used my panniers (Alturas arc 40l ones) and that worked out fine, but the rack is now on my wifes bike and I need a new one.

my plan was to get a Tubus Airy and use my panniers again, but I keep on getting seduced my carradice saddlebags, they just look so good. So my question, how to carry my stuff, which one would you choose?

Also on the carradice, I don't like having things hitting the back of my legs, so almost definitely will have to get a bagman, bagman 2, or classic carrier as well if I went this route, any thoughts on which one is best?

[jags]

what about a barley saddlebag amazing the amount of gear you can get into it.
i also have the expedion rack very solid sjs or wiggle or spa cycles sell both.

http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m2b0s73p1182

http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m2b0s73p1138

[Danneaux]

Hi Adam!

I notice one thing you haven't mentioned is the possibility of carrying things atop a rear rack using a rack-pack of some sort. Using my handlebar bag, rack pack and remaining rack-top space, I have occasionally carried all I needed for ultralight camping. You'd surely be fine for B&B tours, as I carry my 1-man tent and footprint, meths stove and pots, food, sleeping bag, pad, silk liner and air pillow, waterproofs, and a spare jersey, long-sleeved wool jersey, and tights.

I'm not certain it would work with an Airy, but I've also had good luck mounting a single Ortlieb BikePacker Plus or SportPacker plus atop my Thorn Expedition rear rack. Not a bad choice if you already have panniers but want to go a bit lighter, carrying just one bag. See: http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=4523.msg44507;topicseen#msg44507

Wishing you a pleasant time on-tour and very much looking forward to a report on your return.

Best,

Dan (...who thinks an Ortlieb atop the rear rack has nowhere near the visual cachet of a genuine Carradice saddlebag but it won't hit your legs)

[jags]

great set up dan, but yeah you have a rear rack and that bag would carry enough for a three day tour i reckon.but if i were doing b'b i would just take the barley for a change of cloths and a few other bits and pieces.

[honesty]

I think your solution is a good one actually, hadn't though of that, though it would mean buying a rack and a top bag. of the carradice bags I was actually looking at the College.

[mickeg]

Option three, a new rack that clamps onto the seatpost.  Such racks do not have a significant weight capacity, but you might not need a lot of capacity.  I assume you do not have a carbon seatpost.

I have two such racks, one has side fittings that I can use a small light pannier on.  But I find if I put an unbalanced load on it (like one pannier on one side) that it will want to rotate around the seatpost and start to rub on the tire.  So, if you get such a rack, balance your weight on each side.

[Danneaux]

Mickeg offered a really good suggestion with the removable seatpost rack.

As a slight variation on the theme, I've sometimes setup bikes with a spare stem on the seatpost and a small stub of handlebar, enough to hold a handlebar bag support. This allows the handlebar bag to ride as a sort of saddlebag. If you have two, then you can place one fore and aft, though capacity will be far below the rig mickeg suggests.

SJS Cycles has a nifty variation on their Thorn Accessory T-bar, available with an included shim to fit 27.2mm seatposts (every Thorn ever made): http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/thorn-accessory-bar-t-shaped-1725-mm-extension-45-deg-prod22924/

This might be just the sturdy support you are looking for to support a saddlebag or even a handlebar bag, as described above. A really nice solution; I'm surprised I don't see them in more widespread use. Depending on your setup, it might put a saddlebag far enough rearward to avoid bumping it with your legs.

Best,

Dan.

[il padrone]

Klickfix-mounted Carradice bag support to hold a big Carradice camper

[Matt2matt2002]

Good ideas here.
For my last mini tour I put my front panniers on the rear rack. Ideal.
Matt

[Swislon]

It depends how much stuff you want to take with you of course. Panniers work but you need a rack.
I like saddlebags and have the Barley. This is great for a day or two but for longer I think I would want something a little larger. A few (oldtimers) I ride with use the Nelson Longflap as their only bag and it stays permanently on the bike even if they are are on a short ride. They ride alongside full carbon sports bikes ridden by youngsters and are usually at the coffee stop first then pull their Thermas and sandwiches out the bag, while we trudge in to queue for that expensive skinny decafe latte....

Nelson Longflap gives you extra capacity if you need it for food on the way or when you take your extra layers off etc.
http://www.carradice.co.uk/index.php?page_id=product&under=range&product_id=37

I have a spare Barley I took off a recent sold bike ready for the new one but might still get the Longflap for extra street cred!

Steve

[honesty]

There is also the other obvious question when discussing Carradice bags though...

Black and white, or green and honey?

  

[Swislon]

Always a difficult one.
I have both colours then I can match with colour of the bike!

[bikerwaser]

have you thought of a bike frame bag in conjunction with saddle bag etc

http://www.bikebagshop.com/full-bike-frame-bags-c-804.html?sort=name_asc

Bikerwaser