Afternoon all.

I’d like to get my bag off my back for the commute and longer off road off road rides.

10-15L will probably be fine. – all I need is on the commute is enough space for a shirt, couple of tools, innertube and emergency waterproof. Off road, substitute shirt for extra layer and food. Needs a bit of form to stop the shirt getting irretrievable scrunched.

I’m thinking large seatbag at the moment – it will mean I can use the same bag on the mountainbike (no rack mounts). The seattube is the same size on both, so I could just swap the seapost/saddle mount between them.

The Carradice bags look pretty good, and I remember seeing a few on the bivi/bikepack thread.

What are people’s experiences of these? How does the SQR system compare to the bagman support? I’m considering Pendle + Bagman support, or SQR Tour. How much do they bounce around? Are the OK towards max. weight or do they get worryingly bouncy? Do they get in the way of the backs of your thighs? Are they quite waterproof or very waterproof? Would the bagman support mean I couldn’t use a crudgurad or similar on the mountainbike? (might have to measure that one myself.)

Any input gratefully received!

Thanks!

i have a carradice sqr tour – neat, does not wobble, and is waterproof..

the external pockets are a bit crap though..in terms of closure. the slim and trax versions seem better thought out..

the slim will take an A4 binder / laptop and is a good size for shirts

as for swaping the mount – sqr fit with a bandon system – you would be better buying a spare mount as swapping is a faff

1) SQR all the way. Dont bother with the bagman. Doesnt stop anything moving around, whereas the SQR keeps your bag tight as a nut.

2)A well fitted SQR really stops any movmement from your bag. I toured with a Carradice SUper C saddlebag (18L+) and now it’s my commute bag. I fitted a shoulder strap to the bag lid d rings for carting around off the bike.

The SQR frame which attaches permanently to the bag itself is a bit of a sticky-out thing, so you have to carry the bag with the SQR frame out away from the body.

Hang on will get some photos for you

other thing to check is that for the tour and trax you need quite a bit of height above the rear wheel, not so much for when fitted, but to remove and fit into the mount… the slim gives you a bit more room to play with..

something to thing about if you have a small frame

Had a Nelson a few years ago.

Very well made, really functional and practical.

They get damp on the outside but the insides stay dry providing you close the flap properly.

Never used a support, fine if you spread the weight evenly.
They look like they’ll last forever but mine got stolen before I could find out.

mine on my road bike:

and also on my brompton

Loads of pics for you:

On the tourer

Carradice Super C saddlebag.
leathre straps go round wooden dowel inside bag (old skool!)

Zipped inner pocket with 2x pop close pockets. Not very big, but handy to keep earphones, coffe sachets, pump, chargers etc in.

Two duck cotton outer pockets. Nice size for washbag and tools/flannel etc.

Drawcord waterproof skirt. Useful when the bag is overloaded as you can still close the lid over but it wont let stuff fall out. Doubles your capacity in an emergency/post shopping trip

Closed showing should strap attached

Round the back, the SQR frame is attached with the leather straps that have come round the dowel and outside.

Frame sticks out a bit

…so you have to wear it on the outside. Socks optional

HTH

EDIT on the Super C (and prob on the SQR Tour) the leather patch on the underside is like a mudguard. Handy. And the two white strips at the back are proper 3M scotchbrite stuff that reflects teh awesomely.

Interesting…Shirley the SQR bracket allows the bag to wobble around a bit offroad?

nah. the dowel rod goes the full width of the bag and as long as you have the leather straps done tight then there’s very little movement that can happen.

Sure if you’re razzing it BMX style it’ll flop a bit, but I havent noticed it on the road, even when sprinting for the lights.

As long as you don’t sprint away from the lights.

Is your SQR fitment DIY-applied?

Not DIY. That’s proper method.

Northern bodgeing 😉

Cheers Stoner and rootes, I’ll have a proper look though this when I get home. Seems there are 2 different SQR systems? One for the SQR bags (tour, slim etc) and one for the dowel based bags?

The slim looks perfect for commuting, but maybe not quite what I’m after for anything else. They’re expensive enought not to want to buy two!

the slim, tour and trax have the “frame” cleats built into the bag itself. For saddle bags you need an aftermarket attachment.

Stoner – it seems there is an albino yeti trying to steal from your bag!

Blond on the arms, ginger on the face. the birds love it.

😀

Cheers Stoner and rootes, I’ll have a proper look though this when I get home. Seems there are 2 different SQR systems? One for the SQR bags (tour, slim etc) and one for the dowel based bags?

The bracket on the bike (available separately) is the same. The SQR bags have the frame built in, or for non SQR bags you can get a retro fit frame.

The slim looks perfect for commuting, but maybe not quite what I’m after for anything else. They’re expensive enought not to want to buy two[/quote]

after seeing my Tour a colleague wanted to get one, but as he has a little frame he went for the slim… wish I had got a slim now – same volume but it is a better shape for putting things in especially work related items.

biggest issue with Carradice is getting them – they make things in batches and if they or their suppliers are out of stock you might have to wait until the next batch.

Si

Ha! 9 months on, I’m back here again!

Commute’s getting sweatier, been thinking about the Pendle and Bagman again. Saw a guy this morning with an SQR Tour. Looked nice.

Got to work, googled “carradice sqr tour”, this thread looked promising, and look who started it.

Cheers again for answering guys, in another 9 months I might even have bought one. SQR Slim is winning at the moment.

ive got a bagman on a a camper long flap

the bag man is ok on the road bike but its pretty poor when the bags loaded up and on an MTB – very flexy and the bag can rub the tire – i find it better without the bagman.

i like the look of the SQR one of my club mates did have an issue whereby his bracket went brittle in the (extreme) cold though ….. would make my camper much more commute friendly though – currently i use a 28l pannier – limiting my space would mean less weight carried – currently my commuter and pannier weigh 44lbs !

I have the tool roll – it’s a lovely bit of kit, but can bang into the back of your legs, and will wobble a bit. One of the support systems as detailed above is essential for the larger bags, IMO.

Just ordered the Slim.

Goodbye, sweaty back!