During lockdown while furloughed I stopped using a backpack and started using a bottle and cage for drinks and a (Alpkit) frame bag for pump, mobile, keys, multitool and whatever else I could stuff in there (a cheese & marmite roll for instance).

I also bought a Blackburn Outpost Cargo Cage and tonight started experimenting with what I could fit on it.

I started with a 3L Alpkit dry bag I infrequently use. I decided to stuff it with what I imagined would be a maximum load – denim jeans (thick), warm jumper, t-shirt, socks, boxer shorts, lunch box. To my delight I got it all in the bag. Was just curious if it was too wide and would get in the way of pedalling.

Unfortunately the a full 3L dry bag wouldn’t even fit in my frame even if the Cargo Cage was removed. So decided I’d use a backpack for days when I needed to take everything and the cage and dry bag when less to carry.

Lunch box, shorts, t-shirt, boxers in the drybag strapped to the cage worked… Until I remembered everything recently carried in the frame bag. Not enough room for frame bag with the cargo cage and dry bag (with lunch box).

So what to do now? Nothing on the Exotic Carbon forks for mounting. Only one bottle cage mount on frame. Not keen on drybag strapped to handlebars (but it does work if necessary). I don’t want pannier/racks or the sticky up out the back of saddle things – prefer weight lower. Frame bag perhaps but that’d make the cage redundant, but maybe best option?

Need to carry:
* clothing – minimum: shorts, t-shirt, boxers – desirable: jeans/jumper
* food – minimum: lunch box (sandwiches / salad items) – desirable: banana/crisps
* tools – minimum: pump, multi-tool, puncture repair (tubeless) – desirable: spare tube

Just after a few suggestions from people who’ve done similar. Thanks.

I just run a single Ortlieb pannier on my Gravel bike.

Tough, waterproof, and more than enough room.

Would one of these work?

DeWidget Strapdeck Triple

Just after a few suggestions from people who’ve done similar. Thanks.

What I found that worked best are

pannier/racks or the sticky up out the back of saddle things

Carradice SQR bag – roughly 15 litres – have toured around NW Scotland for a week with it plus a small handlebar bag. Mounts/unmounts in a few seconds so it’s just a case of: remove, lock your bike, head into office with bag.

Oh, and if you do find yourself after a

Carradice SQR bag

I might know where a used on can be found.

Carradice Camper Longflap on SQR block.

Enough for your shopping on the way home 🙂

Mine has been was used daily for almost 25 years – and is now starting to fray at the pockets :/

custom frame bag from https://www.bike-bag.co.uk/

Carradice user again, sqr system on commuter road bike and the 3litre handlebar bag on the fixie, but will be putting sqr on that once winter comes.

Maybe get rid of the lunch box and just use bags which fit in cramped spaces better

I (used to) use an alpkit bikepacking saddle bag thing. One of those long seatpacks that bikepacking types use. Would regularly carry the stuff you’ve mentioned plus occasional bits of shopping and other stuff

I’m an SQR owner and former permacommuter, they’re great.

Very rarely didn’t have enough room, will hold a laptop, lunch and clothes, plus spare tubes

Doesn’t get affected by wind, doesn’t make the bike any wider, that one has done 20k+ miles and been down the toad a couple of times and it’s still perfect, just a bit sun faded.

It’s 99% waterproof too, I’ve only had water in it a couple of times when It’s been biblical

I would have said SQR (I think I have the slim) but you said nothing out back. Good for extra capacity on my brompton

I normally use a rack and rack pack with fold out panniers. Also have proper ortlieb panniers

Which bag are you guys using for a laptop? The SQR system looks like a good option as long as will take a laptop.

Carradice SQR, amazing things, mine must have done over 5 years of commuting now, not as black as it once was but still amazingly waterproof. I use the Super C SQR tour but that might not meet you minimalist requirements. I think you’ll find the slim fits a laptop a little easier as its wider. I regularly carry all my clothes for work, lunch and anything else I need.

Literally a fit and forget thing.

HTH

Mine is the sqr slim.

I missed the it about low down weight. Although a big seat pack will affect handling much less than anything strapped to the bars.

Thanks for the suggestions. I don’t like those seat packs, might give them a chance on a more road orientated bike (if I had one), but not on something I sometimes like to throw around a bit. No need to carry a laptop (besides I hate using them, desktop only kinda guy).

Later I decided it would be preferable if the bag remained on the bike (ie a frame bag) so I wouldn’t need to pack tools etc everyday (dry bag doesn’t have compartments for tools!).

Came across the Blackburn Outpost frame bag, which can expand from a roughly rectangular shape to a more triangular shape. Small too small and medium to big though, and not waterproof, but compartments = like.

Blackburn Outpost Elite = waterproof + better size for my frame, compartments, but…

Ortlieb Frame pack 4L = waterproof + near perfect fit (measured with template printed from website) + cheaper than Outpost Elite, but no compartments. Think I’ll go for this.

Frame bag + drybag on HBs when I need the extra capacity.

Does anyone have experience with bike-bag.co.uk (TJ mentioned above) that could give an idea of a price, would it be competitive with the Blackburn/Ortlieb packs I mention above?

https://beerbabe.co.uk/ourshop/prod_3458501-Custom-Frame-Pack.html

How do you guys with the SQR systems mount lights? I can’t see any way of attaching one and that’s a dealbreaker for me.

How do you guys with the SQR systems mount lights? I can’t see any way of attaching one and that’s a dealbreaker for me.

To use lights with old school saddlebag commuting I’ve used different setups:

Current road bike – I have a rack which supports saddlebag and fit lights to rack (cheating?)
Old road bike – seat stay and mudguard fitted back lights
Folder – lights fit seatpost under the saddlebag. (more cheating?)

For easy to remove commuter luggage the saddlebag haters of this world could go for an Adie basket with hook on ‘ATB’ bracket. They do the job very well and are cheap. Don’t know whether they fit the right image though.

https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Adie-Front-Basket-With-Holder_19356.htm

I use a Carradice SQR slim for commuting based on a previous STW recommendation. It great – fits my clothes,lunch, slim laptop and tools/spares.

In terms of lights, I have a Lezyne KTV which I attach (in an admittedly slightly wobbly fashion) to the strap and handle on the bag.

Is Aero a factor…..

https://www.tailfin.cc/