Seat Bag

I decided I had to stop stuffing everything possible into my jersey pocket and invest in a nice seat bag. I found a good looking Trek one that seemed sturdy and a decent size. It fitted all my stuff in and looked good on my bike. Well hell I should have known this was all seeming to easy. I go out for a ride and find that the back of my thigh touches the bag when I pedal. I took a look and it seems its no wider than my saddle but it extends on a downward slope to the bottom of the seat post where it attaches gradually getting narrower - this seems to be where my leg is touching. Its only light but Im sure over a longer distance it would be a problem. AAaahh I was so annoyed.

What sort of seat bag do you girls use? Im really after one that is big enough to carry my tubes, CO2, and phone.

I had a seatbag by Jandd : Mountain Wedge

Holds just about everything, tube, patchkit, speed lever, mini-wallet, sunscreen. They have bigger and smaller sizes.

I have a frame bag. It sits between my top tube & down tube. I have two water bottle holders behind my seat, so that area is taken.

I have a Topeak seatpack that's HUGE, I think that if I overextend it it can get up to 2 liters in volume. I keep one spare tube, two CO2 carts + adapter, 1 bar, 1 gel, repair kit, Topeak Alien tool, and there's still room for my bunched up jacket in there (ok it's very light and packable). Or my digital camera (which is on the big side, 4 AA batteries in it). I have needed all of that stuff on my ride today (plus I could have used a spare TIRE), I was glad to have it. Riding alone a lot, I wouldn't want to be stuck without at least a tube and some way to inflate it.

(Cause in my jersey pockets I already have more food, tissues (for when snot rockets just don't do it or do not seem appropriate), ID, arm warmers, etc.)

I love it, and I have never touched it while riding, but maybe that's just my bike's configuration...

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Originally Posted by snapdragen

I had a seatbag by Jandd : Mountain Wedge

Holds just about everything, tube, patchkit, speed lever, mini-wallet, sunscreen. They have bigger and smaller sizes.

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I have two of these - a smaller one for everyday rides, and it's actually just big enough to put a Crank Bros. minipump.

Then, I've got one of the bigger expandable ones for unsupported centuries or when I need to bring foul weather gear.

No matter how much stuff I've stuffed in them, I've never had any problems with them touching my legs. I had a problem with a different brand, but it was because I didn't have the bag positioned properly - you want it as high on the seatpost as possible - tucked right under the saddle, hopefully.

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Originally Posted by Pedal Wench

I have two of these - a smaller one for everyday rides, and it's actually just big enough to put a Crank Bros. minipump.
Then, I've got one of the bigger expandable ones for unsupported centuries or when I need to bring foul weather gear.
No matter how much stuff I've stuffed in them, I've never had any problems with them touching my legs. I had a problem with a different brand, but it was because I didn't have the bag positioned properly - you want it as high on the seatpost as possible - tucked right under the saddle, hopefully.

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Thanks for the tip. I have it tucked right under the saddle but its pretty long and so it goes all the way down to the bottom of the seat post. Perhaps I need one that is not so long although I notice in the specs for the Topeak in the medium size its about the same length. I think I just need one that is slightly narrower down the bottom of the bag where it attaches to the seatpost.

I never had a problem with the various seat bags on my mountain bike. However, I found out the hard way that my inner thigh rubbed on the seat bag when road biking: wore a hole in my shorts! :mad: I think my shorts contacted the velcro loop part of the strap, and that rubbed through the shorts on a long ride. Now I just use the bags on the mountain bike and the commuter. Shorts are too expensive to take a chance!

I've had both .... the seat bag hitting the back of my legs thus driving me crazier and had the velcro rub my inner thigh thus damaging the fabric of my shorts. The bag I currently have is a Serfas - Mountain Medium (I ride road though). The seat tube velcro strap attaches below my seat post collar and that adds additional protection against the velcro rub. That is a factor of my bike's configuration as others have noted below.

JanT and Susan.Wells - Thanks Im glad to know Im not the only one having this problem. I was starting to think I had bizarre legs. :)

I have the Timbuk2 Bike Seat Bag w/clip which I got here at TE. And of course I picked it cause it comes in cute colors and the blue matches my bike perfectly. I do not have any problems with leg touching and it holds all the stuff I need.

Ha, tatormc beat me to it! Timbuk2 and several companies make bags that clip to the seat rails. 2 advantages to this style - no velcro or strap to eat your shorts and no tools or anything inside the bag banging on your post. I have a KlickIt for my Mercian so you can not only see the beautiful vintage Campy seatpost but nothing touches it the post.

One thing to note, the convergence of the seat rails, seatpost head and clip are sometimes not very compatible. You may need to try a couple of different brands.

My saddle has loops for a bag to be attached to it. I use one of these when I'm not commuting.

http://www.rivendellbicycles.com/ima.../lr/20-114.jpg I have it behind my saddle not on my handlebars like the picture shows.

V

Thanks girls - The bike shop recommended the Timbuk2 but they did not have any in stock they said that they were really durable. I will have a look here at TE. :)