Started the new commute today – 17 miles each way on urban and rural roads. I used to run a rack and Ortlieb pannier(s), but a crash has stripped the thread of the chainstay mounting eyelet, and I plan to travel a little lighter.

Though I used a backpack today, I found it loathesome.

Pack needs to take some odds and sods, rain jacket and also a carefully folded shirt – i.e. not a huge amount, but it can't be stuffed in. But, it could also do with expanding to get washbag and a week's supply of socks/boxers in on Monday and home on Friday.

Frame is a small road bike, so not acres of clearance between saddle and mudguard.

Recommendations please..!

stick a longer bolt in and a nut on the back – keep the rack and get a rack pack.

because your frame is small … had it been bigger – carradice bag would have ben an option !

you can always run a slightly longer bolt and put a nut on it?

topeak seatpost mount racks are good way of mountigng a small bag and have specific bags that clip on/off.

or re-tap the boss to a larger thread.

OK. You've all gone for the money saving option. 🙂

There's minimal clearance between the chain and the damaged eyelet, so I'm not certain I can get any bolt head or nut in there (as I'd considered a longer bolt).

Could re-tap it – how much of a size up is sensible (I guess it's currently 5mm)? And does the fact the frame's alu make any difference?

Cheers

Tom

because your frame is small … had it been bigger – carradice bag would have ben an option !

Blast! I was kinda hoping I could follow this route….

The seat pack would have to be pretty big to fit everything You want to fit in there. Even my old big Endura when expanded wouldn't fit that much. How about a rack mounted to the seatpost like this one and a bag on top of it or just use the Ortlieb panniers You already have?

I use a Topeak seatpost rack and an expanding rack pack really quite light and handles my off road route home 🙂

Go up to a 6 mm bolt should be fine at long as there is enough meat to tap into.

How about a seat pack and a handlebar bag?
It'll give you more room and balance your load out a bit better.

Go up to a 6 mm bolt should be fine at long as there is enough meat to tap into.

Plenty. Quite chunky at that point. Sounds like a plan.

How about a rack mounted to the seatpost like this one and a bag on top of it or just use the Ortlieb panniers You already have?

Ah, I didn't know post mounted racks that could take panniers existed – I'd assumed they were only for "seat" packs.

How about a seat pack and a handlebar bag?
It'll give you more room and balance your load out a bit better.

Er, other than an ideological objection to barbags (and having Shimano STIs), may not be a bad idea.

soma_rich – where's that?

John_l Hythe in the New Forest where I live. I get the ferry to work then ride home through the forest 🙂

John_l Hythe in the New Forest where I live. I get the ferry to work then ride home through the forest

I'll stop feeling so smug that I get to ride through the countryside now then….

Make yourself a frame bag. Easy enough if you can access a sewing machine. Capacity dependent on the size of the "hole" in your frame though…

Make yourself a frame bag. Easy enough if you can access a sewing machine. Capacity dependent on the size of the "hole" in your frame though…

Very DIY (and we do have an sewing machine at home) but (a) will make my road bike look gash and (b) the frame is a tiny Giant. 😀