Needs to be a reasonable size and made from some sort of water resistant fabric. What’s hot these days?

Thanks. 🙂

Anyone using Ortlieb?

It’s worth looking at Carradice, I’ve got a Nelson is a few years old and is still going strong and gets used for commuting year round.

Topeak Wedge Dry Bag?

The topeak ones seen reasonably water resistant, though I’ve never really given mine a good drenching as it’s protected some what by the saddle.

Although the best thing is to put anything that may be damaged by water in a ziplock baggie, sandwich bag etc.

@cinnamon_girl What’s it for? Commuting or off-road rides?

For commuting I use one of the Carradice SQR models (I don’t think they make the exact model these days), attaches and detaches in seconds. It’s not made of waterproof material itself so I keep all the stuff that needs to be dry inside an Exped dry sac. Things like wallet, phone are in another dry sac inside that.

The traditional style Carradice saddlebags are made from Duck Cotton which expands when it gets wet and provide some degree of waterproofness but I’d still use a dry bag inside those.

For off-road stuff I use an Alpkit tapered Airlock dry bag mounted in a Wildcat Tiger seat harness.

Where are you based C_G I have a carradice tour sqr you can have for ten shiny pounds collected.

Topeak Wedge Dry Bag?

+1, especially if you don’t need to get into it too often – it’s a little fiddly to fasten.

Mine has proved totally waterproof through rain, puddles & hosing the bike down.

The Carradice Harris Tweed ones are absolutely gorgeous and very very tempting although not practical.

It would be used on the road. Currently have a Topeak (non-waterproof) Wedge and good to hear that the Dry Bag has been waterproof, guessing it doesn’t have a zip though.

monkeychild – thank you but it looks to be bigger than what I’m after.

Will bite the bullet and fit mudguards so that should help, better check those out.

Thanks all. 8)

I use an ortlieb one, it’s great but was a lot more expensive than all the others saddle bags but it is waterproof.

I might have a waterproof altura one too that I’ve never used as it’s fugly

Ortlieb products are excellent quality and pretty certain that I use theirs on the mtb.

I’ve got one of these. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AVENIR-WATERPROOF-SADDLE-WEDGE-BAG-BRAND-NEW-/262040007683?hash=item3d02cd3403

Any good for you,CG

…guessing it doesn’t have a zip though

No – it has a sort of velcro + roll over + clip both sides thing:

Anyone using Ortlieb?

Yup! On two bikes now. Proper fit and forget waterproof; tube(s), basic tools and disposable latex gloves – the roll closure really works and isn’t at all fiddly.

+1 for the top peak wedge thingy

Mobile goes in a jersey pocket inside a v small dry bag. Previous mobile got wet when I fell off my bike into a stream, sandwich bag failed.

I have the topeak wedge one, not the bracket version. Great bag and totally waterproof

Ortlieb. I’ve one of the large ones and one of the wee ones. They use the same bracket so it’s easy to swap around.

I managed to rip the stabilising strap on the big one and couldn’t find it listed as a spare. I emailed Ortlieb who contacted Lyon Equipment for me and they sent me a free replacement. Sometimes it’s worth paying a bit more.

Boardman bikes have a similar one to that topeak, http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bike-accessories/bike-bags/boardman-waterproof-wedge-bag-small, little bit cheaper. I haven’t fitted it yet, so not actual review.

I have the small ortileb on my road bike, it’s very nice. Didn’t realise the big one used the same bracket.

Another Carradice Nelson lover here.

If you get the bagman attachment (which is pretty much essential) take time to disassemble the locking bolts and super-glue in the little levers. Or carry lots of tie-wraps.

Have had both Ortlieb and TopPeak – Ortlieb more £ and better made BUT the TopPeak never leaked either unitl it got biblical and then you were going home anyway!

I have a Carradice Pendle (I think) here, not used much, it’s slightly worn and a bit grubby. If you want to try and maybe make an offer or not. Also the support thingy that goes underneath.

Arkel.

I used to have the topeak wedge dry bag, and it was really good – waterproof, easy to close and roomy (I had the large) The only downside that I found was the the rivets that attach the mounting bracket to the bag, eventually worked their way through the body of the bag. Given that I used it predominantly off road, it was pretty predictable. The strap mounted version probably not suffer from this, but I prefer the convenience of the quick release bracket, so that I can switch tge bag between bikes easily.
I changed to the Ortlieb bag (medium) a few years ago, and it is showing no signs of breaking at all. The one tip I would give for these is, after rolling up the closure – and just before clipping the buckles together – twist them in opposite direction, preventing them from unrolling.

Final tip for both – either pack them fully, or line with foam rubber – as they have a hard plastic body, and things can rattle around.

Would be happy with either, to be honest.

Mate swears by the Topeak one, seems to pack a HUGE amount of stuff in it!