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My Topeak wedge has broken and I'm looking for something else to last the year.
I ride a cross bike and do a mix of on road and off-road riding. I'm looking for something big enough to carry tubes, food and anything else needed for remote rides out in the hills but also sturdy enough to be able to soak up the bumps that places like the tweed valley and Pentlands may give. I tend to batter the hell out of my bike (not cos I'm cool but because I'm daft and have no skill) so anything I buy needs to be sturdy.
A lot of guys seem to be using handlebar bags but I've found they're either bulky and cumbersome or cheap and easily damaged. I'd love to try one though.
A large bike pack/saddle bag would be good, but it would also interfere with the laptop bag I use for commuting, so I'm not keen on those, but am open.
I have a pannier rack installed, if that helps.
Any tips? What do you guys use?
How about a frame bag?
+1 for a frame bag. I just got the Ortlieb for my Kona Rove and got rid of the saddle bag and bar bag.
Ortlieb have both saddle bags up to 2.7 ltre and set post bags up to 4 ltre and as others have mentioned maybe a frame bag ... I have a Blackburn Outpost which is great and have just got a small Banjo Brothers frame bag as I have limited space in the triangle wanted to be able to use both water bottle mount points.
I got a Madison Caribou half frame bag for the same riding/bike.
It's good - sturdy, light enough, good pockets etc and was £30
Not waterproof though, more water resistant
Depends how much you want to carry. On my CX/gravel bike, I use a small saddle bag and squeeze in 2 tubes, multitool, spare chain link. Mountain Morph pump mounted to frame. For rides up to 2 hours, that's all I carry (plus a bottle of water). If I want gels etc, usually in Jersey pockets plus a gilet or packable waterproof. Add a small top tube bar for more gels or bars if doing a longer ride, and would swap the saddle pack for a larger one or a half frame bag if needing to carry more kit/layers.