Bagman Support - How Sturdy are these?

[RideToWorky]

Hiya All,

I've finally found out the name of these bag carriers!
These look really handy for Road bikes, with limited space for Panniers, mudguards etc

Link:
http://www.carradice.co.uk/index.php?pa ... rettyPhoto


Can I ask:
1. Do attached bags come loose easily, eg. when hit potholes etc
2. Do the rails come loose as well?
3. Does it need to be a permanent fitting, rather than a occasion chuck it on kind of approach?
4. Can it really carry 10kgs worth of luggage?! Thats 10 bags of sugar no?

5. Does handling suffer alot? eg leaning into corners etc.
6. What about rear lighting?


I simply haven't seen any about, everyone does panniers and rucksacks etc


Hope you can advise

Regards
Martin

[Bensons]

Hi,

The Bagman and more traditional saddle bags are a great option for lighter loads. For me it is a good bit a clothing for changing conditions, repair kit, and coffee in insulated cup. All of this is too much for jersey pockets, and too little for panniers. I use a Carradice Audax at 9 litres for this. On my other bike I have a larger one at about 20 litres - this is about the size of the Carradice Camper. In answer to your questions:

Can I ask:
1. Do attached bags come loose easily, eg. when hit potholes etc
- if you tighten the bolt up while trying to move the rack about, it is very stable and has never come loose for me.

2. Do the rails come loose as well?
- I have not had the rails come loose on me, but I have heard of this on older ones. The newer ones are from what I hear much better.

3. Does it need to be a permanent fitting, rather than a occasion chuck it on kind of approach?
- It could easily be put on as needed. It is only one bolt, but you will need the perfect allen key to make this easy without hitting your seat post.

4. Can it really carry 10kgs worth of luggage?! Thats 10 bags of sugar no?
- for my Audax bag, it would be hard to get 10kg in the 9l. I have had it loaded with liquids and it did bounce a bit. If I were to plan on regularly carrying near 10 kg, they make a newer one that has supports that go either to the rack point or seat post (with adapter) - this will easily hold 10kg (or more in my opinion)

5. Does handling suffer alot? eg leaning into corners etc.
- I don't notice it in the corners. I feel it when out of the saddle accelerating or climbing - that weight swinging back and forth is hard to ignore. Yet considering the pannier option, it is no bother.

6. What about rear lighting?
- the rear lighting is the issue I am dealing with now. I have a Flare rear light that is made to fit on the seat tube. I am now fashioning something for my seat stay. I know others have fashioned something that fixes the rear light to the bottom rail of the Bagman.

BTW, the Bagman comes with or without the quick release. I now leave my bag on all the time and don't have a release, but I see the need for both.

Probably the main stopping point for using a traditional saddle bag is that it does not look modern. Then again who cares? They are incredibly functional and I like the look. The Carradice bagman can be put on most any bike and does not require rack points on the frame.

Enjoy.

[RideToWorky]

Thanks for the informative reply Mr Bensons!

Thought it would be a good idea to post a separate query, rather than hijack your other thread!

Hope you get your rear indicator light sorted!


Regards
Martin

[brumster]

I would imagine a section of plastic tube (or similar) could easily be attached(cable ties) horizontally along the edge of the bagman support for your rear flare light.

[andrew_s]

A Bagman QR with a well-stuffed Camper Longflap, on a camping trip (not that the Bagman is visible)


Handling is fine so long as you remain seated.
If you stand & honk, and the bike swings from side to side, the weight of the bag keeps the swing going and needs a bit of effort to stop. You learn not to swing the bike fairly quickly.
The support is fairly springy, and whilst this acts as useful suspension, if it's too rough the Bagman can fetch your mudguard a fair whack - my Berthoud stainless 'guard got dented.
The QR version is worth while unless you intend to leave the same saddlebag mounted more or less all the time (I swap bags regularly).
On my early model, there were only small grub screws holding the support rod in the clamp block, and the rods worked loose and came out. I had to fix it with a dremel to put locating notches in the ends of the rod. This fix has been OK since.
You may just see a cateye light mount under the back of the saddlebag. This is attached to a J82S bracket that's attached to the rear centre of the support

they make a newer one that has supports that go either to the rack point or seat post (with adapter) - this will easily hold 10kg (or more in my opinion)

That was the Bagman mark II, which has been abandoned because the support was aluminium, and it fatigued and broke.

[bikes4two]

> Personally I would have to think carefully about the stresses put on the saddle rails of my Brooks B17 before I considered a load like 10Kg
> I have personal experience of B17 saddle rail breakages - not uncommon it seems, and not necessarily experienced by those using Bagmans
> I don't have one myself, but a couple of local guys use and endorse the Bridge Street Saddlebag system which attaches to the seat post rather than the saddle (link) - for those who might like an alternative look to Carradice (that's not me BTW)

> Two mounting options and three sizes of bag

[RideToWorky]

Hi bikes4two,

That's awesome!

That may sort out the road bike, light commuter,idea

Will look into

Cheers
Martin

[pwa]

I have given up attaching baggage to my saddle and seat post. I put it on a rack instead. Firstly, many modern seat posts are made of very thin walled alloy or carbon fibre, neither of which are designed to take clamps. I've had an alloy seat post snap with a Carradice SQR bag clamped to it. I wouldn't allow a clamp anywhere near a carbon post. And weight hanging off the back of a saddle is positioned to maximise a backward pull, testing the post and the saddle rails. Finally, with a heavy SQR bag behind my saddle I found the weight, being high up and able to wobble slightly, induced a serious speed wobble. The same weight placed on a rack is lower down and wobble free, and has no affect on handling.

[RideToWorky]

I have given up attaching baggage to my saddle and seat post. I put it on a rack instead. Firstly, many modern seat posts are made of very thin walled alloy or carbon fibre, neither of which are designed to take clamps. I've had an alloy seat post snap with a Carradice SQR bag clamped to it. I wouldn't allow a clamp anywhere near a carbon post. And weight hanging off the back of a saddle is positioned to maximise a backward pull, testing the post and the saddle rails. Finally, with a heavy SQR bag behind my saddle I found the weight, being high up and able to wobble slightly, induced a serious speed wobble. The same weight placed on a rack is lower down and wobble free, and has no affect on handling.

Hiya PWA,

Many thanks for the info on your experiences!

I was thinking just using it for light commuting:

would carrying the below affect your ride as well?!
1. Shirt and tie
2. Change of cycle gear for trip home - base layer top and cycle shorts.
3. Small Sandwich box
4. small tool bag and spare tyre


Hope you can advise

Regards
Martin

[pwa]

I have given up attaching baggage to my saddle and seat post. I put it on a rack instead. Firstly, many modern seat posts are made of very thin walled alloy or carbon fibre, neither of which are designed to take clamps. I've had an alloy seat post snap with a Carradice SQR bag clamped to it. I wouldn't allow a clamp anywhere near a carbon post. And weight hanging off the back of a saddle is positioned to maximise a backward pull, testing the post and the saddle rails. Finally, with a heavy SQR bag behind my saddle I found the weight, being high up and able to wobble slightly, induced a serious speed wobble. The same weight placed on a rack is lower down and wobble free, and has no affect on handling.

Hiya PWA,

Many thanks for the info on your experiences!

I was thinking just using it for light commuting:

would carrying the below affect your ride as well?!
1. Shirt and tie
2. Change of cycle gear for trip home - base layer top and cycle shorts.
3. Small Sandwich box
4. small tool bag and spare tyre


Hope you can advise

Regards
Martin

Possibly not. Some people love saddle bags, which a Bagman support is designed for. The support reduces sway, so should prevent excessive effects on handling. If you are lucky. I wasn't. But I don't like hanging stuff off the back of the saddle because I think it risks damaging the saddle or the seat post. And it prevents fitting your light to the seat post. Lights attached directly to bags tend to point in the wrong direction and move around.

[andrew_s]

I've had an alloy seat post snap with a Carradice SQR bag clamped to it.

I've had to dodge an SQR bag, saddle, and half a titanium seatpost that suddenly got dumped in the road in front of me. I think the thing is not to buy flyweight gear and then use it for touring or commuting duty.

[RideToWorky]

Hi guys,

Thanks for the advice.

Weather looks rank this weekend, so I'll probably research this a bit more, rather than ride etc.

Eg.
Get all the kit above packed, and weigh how much it actually is etc

[honesty]

WP_20140714_09_12_23_Pro__highres by Adam Onesti, on Flickr

I have a bagman 2. The difference being it's made from aluminium and has secondary supports to the rack mounts which you can see in the above picture.

1. Do attached bags come loose easily, eg. when hit potholes etc
I only use the QR mount and no other straps at all, and have never noticed extra bounce or shuffle and never had a bag work loose.

2. Do the rails come loose as well?
I've had the secondary mount screws work loose on me, but I've had the same with a rack as well. I should really loctite these...

3. Does it need to be a permanent fitting, rather than a occasion chuck it on kind of approach?
No. For the version I have, it's one large allen key bolt under the saddle and 2 smaller ones on the secondary supports.

4. Can it really carry 10kgs worth of luggage?! Thats 10 bags of sugar no?
Yes. In the above picture I had about 7 or 8kg in the bag. It works really well.

5. Does handling suffer alot? eg leaning into corners etc.
As the weight is more centered over the seat post it affects handling less than having panniers. I do not get out of the saddle though, I spin away. So you're experiences may vary.

6. What about rear lighting?
I have ran the dynamo lighting to the rear of the rack and mounted it to the bagman with p-clips. Before that, the carridice bags come with a light mounting to clip removable lights to. Depending on how you load your bag this can mean the light points at your bum though...

I've done 4-5 day tours using this set up, as well as cycling to and from work the long way. The Nelson bag I have fits work shoes, trousers, shirt, etc. easily with space for lots else like a lock, and I put the tools and puncture repair stuff in the side pockets. I've got a zip roll that hangs against the uprights on the bagman without touching the base and that works well as well.

Also, I was worried about the rails on my B17 (I have the titanium railed one) so i emailed Brooks. They confirmed that there is no issues with their saddles and using a bagman. In fact the guy who responded to me said he used one on his swift all the time.

[pwa]

I've had an alloy seat post snap with a Carradice SQR bag clamped to it.

I've had to dodge an SQR bag, saddle, and half a titanium seatpost that suddenly got dumped in the road in front of me. I think the thing is not to buy flyweight gear and then use it for touring or commuting duty.

I agree with that. If I were clamping anything heavy to a seatpost I would want the seatpost to be one of the heavy, sturdy type, that can take a bit of abuse.

[siggler123]

I have 2 bagman with QR, and Carradice long flap weekender bags. Excellent value for touring especially.