Calling all Carradice fans: I need help

[Grog]

I want to get one of those cool Carradice bags for my saddle.

I need your help to make me choose because it's kind of hard from the web sites to get a really good idea of what they represent.

Purpose:
"Destination" day trips or overnight trips (credit-card camping with only a very light load) - I won't get myself a touring bike for a few years but in the meantime I'd like to have some flexibility for traveling with a load on my road bike

Constraints:
I have a pretty small bike (I'm 5'4") with limited clearance between my saddle and my back tire (although it's at least 9 inches)
I wonder if they will work on my saddle... Selle Italia SLR style. Has that been an issue for others? Surely they work with other saddles, not just with Brooks!!

Choices:
I've been looking at the Pendle (don't you have one, Lisa?) and at the Lowsaddle Longflap, and also at the SQR Slim. I'd like a bag that has pockets on the outside and maybe also straps so I can tie a jacket on the outside. I'd prefer the bag to be black...

Please, please, please help me and enable me to make this purchase before the summer is over!!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Choices:
I've been looking at the Pendle (don't you have one, Lisa?) and at the Lowsaddle Longflap, and also at the SQR Slim. I'd like a bag that has pockets on the outside and maybe also straps so I can tie a jacket on the outside. I'd prefer the bag to be black...

Please, please, please help me and enable me to make this purchase before the summer is over!!

I have a Carradice Nelson (not the longflap though). I bought it for intended weekend overnight touring (no camping). It's pretty roomy, but no outside pockets.
Might I recommend the Carradice Barley bag as well?:
http://www.wallbike.com/carradice/barley.html
It's a bit smaller than the Nelson, but I think there's still plenty of room for a light change of shirt and underwear, a windbreaker, and your toiletries. It has two roomy side pockets.

The bags I'd suggest for your needs might be the Nelson (largest) or the Pendle bag or the Barley (smallest). Any of those might do fine for an overnighter. A Super C and a Camper would likely be too giant for your bike, the Junior could well be too small.
They all do come in black (though I like the olive green myself).
Wallingford seems to be out of stock of many of them.
However, Peter White's site seems to have plenty in stock right now:
http://peterwhitecycles.com/carradice.asp
Peter is a great guy to order from.

One thing I do highly recommend if you don't have a rear rack already is the Bagman support. This is what I use to hold my saddlebags up off my tire on my 54cm bikes.
Here is one of mine in action holding up my smaller Little Joe bag:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3153/2514521737_c3a68fcd01.jpg
Here is my other Bagman in action:
http://lh5.ggpht.com/Strumelia/R_VLh0asNTI/AAAAAAAAAlI/PjuqKfCre8A/fireplace2.jpg
http://lh6.ggpht.com/Strumelia/R_VLiEasNUI/AAAAAAAAAlQ/2nzYHZxBzCU/fireplace1.jpg

If I didn't have these bagman supports attached to my saddle rails, my saddlebags would be scraping and drooping all over my rear wheels. The bagman will hold a moderately heavy load like for weekend use, but not made for hugely heavy camping bags with tents and whatnot. The bagman attaches to the RAILS under the back of your saddle, not to brooks-type loops. You would order the Sport model Bagman, NOT the larger Expedition model. You can order the Bagman directly from Carradice in England and if they have it in stock it will get to you within 2 weeks for about $42 including shipping...it's easy. Call them or email them. :) http://www.carradice.co.uk/racks-and-attachments/bagman-qr-standard.shtml
I have the Sport model (plenty big enough), not the quick release version though, I didn't want that feature. Might be worth waiting for. Ask Peter White if he has any Sport models around, or else order from Carradice directly.

Hope this helps.

[Grog]

Thank you, BSG, this is exactly what I needed to hear!

I wrote to Carradice for an estimate of shipping costs for a Lowsaddle Longflap and a Bagman Sport standard. I'm afraid the Nelson would not fit my bike too well.

I am also thinking about the Barley but considering the kind of weather we're getting here in the PNW I am concerned it would be a little too small. However, when cycling in the Alps next summer maybe it would be more adequate........ hmmmm! There will be some discussion at the kitchen table tonight, I'll try to make up my mind by Monday.

Thank you for your help - hopefully there will be photos to follow on my part.

[makbike]

Grog,

I have a small Carradice bag and I love it. I don't have a Brooks saddle so I purchased their adapter and it works great. I ordered my bag through a shop in the USA so I could avoid any hassles. I wish I could remember who I purchased it from but at the moment it escapes me. I do remember doing a search for Carradice bags and it produces a number of bike shops. I then searched their individual websites for availability of the bag I wanted. Hope you find what you are looking for. Again, they make great bags!

[elk]

Suddenly a bunch of the Carradice bags skittered into a mouse hole..where are they??? (I want a black zip roll; I gave the green one to Mr elk)

If you're not adamant about Carradice..you might check out Acorn. I have the medium one and it's pretty swell and very well made.

http://www.acornbags.com/ linky

ohhhhhhnice new designs...I like the little roll bag!!! plus they're MUSA

[Grog]

Suddenly a bunch of the Carradice bags skittered into a mouse hole..where are they??? (I want a black zip roll; I gave the green one to Mr elk)

If you're not adamant about Carradice..you might check out Acorn. I have the medium one and it's pretty swell and very well made.

http://www.acornbags.com/ linky

ohhhhhhnice new designs...I like the little roll bag!!! plus they're MUSA

They are really nice........ but aren't they a bit small?

But they look quite beautiful.

Oh and it says NO INTERNATIONAL ORDERS. :(

[elk]

:o i don't think of Canada as "international...:rolleyes:

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Hey Grog- another TE'er is selling a Bagman Sport right now!:
http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=25505
Act fast and you can get it! Then all you'd need to worry about is getting the bag you want either from Peter White or Carradice.

[Grog]

:o i don't think of Canada as "international...:rolleyes:

Actually, it is. :)

The bagman sport is sold. I might order from Carradice directly, it might be simpler.

[Grog]

Ok, seeing no response from the Carradice folks, I have investigated two more sources: SJSCycles and BikePlus, both in the UK. SJS Cycles charges 25 British pounds for shipping; I have placed an order for the Barley and a Bagman QR Sport with Bike+, and I'm waiting for an estimate of the shipping fees. Depending on how much duty I have to pay when the package arrive, this should come in at a reasonable price.

I might get the Lowsaddle longflap later, but for now I think the Barley will probably be big enough... It can carry a bottle of wine. :)

There's a really cool Carradice group on Flickr, for those interested...

Thanks all! I will keep you posted with pictures and everything when it comes.

[uforgot]

I've ordered a couple of things from Carradice directly and always had a response within 24 hours and it was here within a week. Did you go ahead and place the order through their checkout? They then contact you with shipping charges and ask you if you want to go ahead with it.

Isn't 25 pounds close to $50? When I ordered my bagman sport, I think shipping was something like $8 from Carradice. I remember it being incredibly cheap. You may want to try again. I know Sandra and Lisa also ordered from them. Maybe their memories are better.

Edit: Hey, did you see the Barleys on Calhoun Cycle (http://www.calhouncycle.com/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=897&idcategory=0)?

[madscot13]

Calhoun is pretty amazing

[Grog]

I've ordered a couple of things from Carradice directly and always had a response within 24 hours and it was here within a week. Did you go ahead and place the order through their checkout? They then contact you with shipping charges and ask you if you want to go ahead with it.

Naah, I send them an email after reading directions for international orders on their site. Perhaps I should have done differently.

I ended up placing the order through BikePlus, they were really quick to respond and very nice. Shipping will be 18 pounds, so the total order will be around 60 pounds. Not THAT bad, and cheaper than ordering from the USA. We'll see!

[Grog]

It's here!!!!

It's here!!!!

I have received the package today, that's about a week from order time, great! And I wasn't charged duty or customs processing fees, even better!

I have yet to install the support on my bike, but I have attached the Barley to the QR system and it works great! Looks fantastic, too, and a bottle of wine fits in there... or even two bottles! :D

I have taken photographs of the package and bag, and will install the whole thing later today. Photos to follow.

Thanks for your help everyone!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Oh YAY!!! What a great outcome!
I think the Barley bag is VERY good looking. Will enjoy seeing your pictures later. :)

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Grog- :p I thought you might enjoy this post from another biking list about the Barley bag:


Forget meters, liters and peanuts, I arrived home last night carrying
the following in or on my Barley bag, following a morning ride at 45
degrees and an evening stop for groceries:
spare tube & irons, mult-tool, small rag, small cable & lock, seat
cover, pants strap, small pump, itouch, flash card, pen, small bottle
of arnica and two tubes of medicinal ointment, three ears of corn, one
lb of meat, small container of cottage cheese, wool Riv tee shirt,
skull cap, Ibex wool shak jacket, wool arm & thigh warmers,and my
cateye TD1100 tail light.
Michael
Westford, Vt

[Grog]

Grog- :p I thought you might enjoy this post from another biking list about the Barley bag:

I can't wait to post my own list!!!!!!!!!

Just having a place to put the lock on the road bike will be a great start. And the camera... And the blueberries... and the spare jacket... and and and...!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

That vermont guy says he used the barley's top straps to fasten the Ibex jacket and the arms warmers on the top of the Barley.
I do this a lot with my saddlebags....I keep a bungee cord in my saddlebag, and sometimes when I need to take my jacket off or I buy a big loaf of bread on the way home, I hook the bulky item onto the the TOP of my saddlebag using the bungee cord. More instant storage space! :p