An old company jumps on the bandwagon

GregMay · Post by **GregMay** » Mon Apr 25, 2016 11:54 am

For those interested - a few quick images of the Ortlieb Bikepacking bags are here: https://flic.kr/s/aHskvsqN2w

I need to tweak the bar setup a bit - few things annoying me, but possibly because I've been busy riding not fettling. Though the things that annoy me, are actually quite minor - as in:
1) I have more space so need to move lights around.
2) Slight squeak off the foam bits when they get soaked.
3) I keep forgetting I can now dump two gears on the rear- unlike my old setup which fouled my shift lever.

Interestingly, the front pouch fits an Evoc 3L camera block with a DSLR and two lenses inside it with room for spare gloves and a can of coke. Nice touch that it can be taken off and worn as a bag on it's own, if you keep the strap attached to it. Smart.

Got them properly soaked yesterday and today - no water ingress. Nice.

fatbikephil · Post by **fatbikephil** » Mon Apr 25, 2016 6:47 pm

I was looking at one of the proto seat packs at the weekend. Overall they've made a good effort and it looks pretty tough. The straps that hold it to the seat looked a bit weedy but apparently these are to get beefed up for production. It doesn't have the useful internal strap that the viscachia has to hold in part of your gear whilst you remove the rest. My only other thought is that like their panniers, the material will wear away where it goes round the hard plastic inserts which will eventually leak.

I stil think a better set up would be to have some kind of minimal frame bolted to or part of the seat which will provide a more solid mount for a seat pack but then a bit of wobble doesn't really matter

Gari · Post by **Gari** » Tue Apr 26, 2016 7:25 am

Like the mount for there smaller seatpacks?
I have one and keep meaning to try and fit one to an old Epic seatpack(apologies to Specialized!) to see if it would help/worki would-be happy with a little extra weight for a totally waterproof bag personally.

GregMay · Post by **GregMay** » Tue Apr 26, 2016 9:19 am

Gari wrote:Like the mount for there smaller seatpacks?
I have one and keep meaning to try and fit one to an old Epic seatpack(apologies to Specialized!) to see if it would help/worki would-be happy with a little extra weight for a totally waterproof bag personally.

It's a different mount. I'd personally not call it weedy. Less so than some other companies offerings, and much simpler.

Gari · Post by **Gari** » Tue Apr 26, 2016 9:45 am

Not seen any pics of the mount, is it a strap affair as with other bags? Can't say I have had many issues with swinging etc, unless the seat strap works loose, which is easy to fix IME.

GregMay · Post by **GregMay** » Tue Apr 26, 2016 9:57 am

Gari wrote:Not seen any pics of the mount, is it a strap affair as with other bags? Can't say I have had many issues with swinging etc, unless the seat strap works loose, which is easy to fix IME.

It's a similar system to the Revelate bags - I'll take a photo when I get home, but here is one from Bikepacking.com

The camlocks below the buckles work well, no slip at all - sway feels pretty minimal even when fully loaded.

Gari · Post by **Gari** » Tue Apr 26, 2016 10:06 am

Gotcha, I assume the fitting is the small block holding the straps on?
Looks OK from here, be keeping an eye on how you get on with it. Slightly OT, where did you get the Cutthroat from?

GregMay · Post by **GregMay** » Tue Apr 26, 2016 10:21 am

Gari wrote:Gotcha, I assume the fitting is the small block holding the straps on?
Looks OK from here, be keeping an eye on how you get on with it. Slightly OT, where did you get the Cutthroat from?

Yeah, the block holds it on... rather well so far.

Cutthroat is from Salsa UK - through Keep Pedalling in Manchester. It is quite, quite sweet.

Gari · Post by **Gari** » Tue Apr 26, 2016 10:28 am

Really fancied one but there was no stock when I was searching, now I think they would be too long for me. Odd that the small is 545 ett for a drop bar bike. Which my med WTF is, and I am really struggling to get to fit!
Does look sweet though. (Slinks off to keep pedalling

)

GregMay · Post by **GregMay** » Tue Apr 26, 2016 10:36 am

Gari wrote:Really fancied one but there was no stock when I was searching, now I think they would be too long for me. Odd that the small is 545 ett for a drop bar bike. Which my med WTF is, and I am really struggling to get to fit!
Does look sweet though. (Slinks off to keep pedalling )

Having owned two Fargos - the CT is shorter in the TT, and feels lower - ran the Fargo, Steel and Ti, both with a Firestarter fork too.

You'll do well to get a CT...I had a little help getting hands on it from Salsa UK.

Gari · Post by **Gari** » Tue Apr 26, 2016 10:49 am

I think this illustrates why I am reluctant to buy from a spec sheet, with drop bars at least.
A quick look at the site shows both Fargo and CT have the same ett, yet your experience is that they are not. Still sweet though

GregMay · Post by **GregMay** » Fri May 27, 2016 10:53 am

Finally got down to writing some words:

http://www.gregorymay.ie/?p=2898

atk · Post by **atk** » Fri May 27, 2016 10:59 am

Don't suppose you've tried the front pouch thing attached to the bars on it's own? Says you can do that on the website but no pictures... Any thoughts on how it might work out?

Edit: found some photos on bikepacking.com review, looks like simple velcro round the bars and headtube attachment :(

GregMay · Post by **GregMay** » Fri May 27, 2016 11:11 am

atk wrote:Don't suppose you've tried the front pouch thing attached to the bars on it's own? Says you can do that on the website but no pictures... Any thoughts on how it might work out?

Edit: found some photos on bikepacking.com review, looks like simple velcro round the bars and headtube attachment :(

yes I have, it's pretty simple loop affair - with a little piece of webbing to hold it to the headtube. You need to ask yourself how complex this really needs to be....which is not that complex at all. The point is that you can take it off quick and then wander around with it on. Also, unlike a Clicfit - it won't shatter into 100 different pieces.

I'll grab some images of it on my Jones bars for you tonight.

Bearbonesnorm · Post by **Bearbonesnorm** » Fri May 27, 2016 11:12 am

Don't suppose you've tried the front pouch thing attached to the bars on it's own? Says you can do that on the website but no pictures... Any thoughts on how it might work out?

Edit: found some photos on bikepacking.com review, looks like simple velcro round the bars and headtube attachment :(

I've one here I'm testing Andy, you're right, it's attached by velcro around the bars and another for the headtube ... I think it would be very secure though and there's also the added bonus that it can be transformed into a man-bag

EDIT: I'm getting slow.

atk · Post by **atk** » Fri May 27, 2016 11:22 am

Thanks both - in my head the ideal bag has velcro round the bars and a pair of thin straps that loop under the forks (e.g. newer feedbags, wildcat lion etc.). This is all theoretical but should keep the bag off the headtube and cables... Maybe I'll try the ortieb or similar with some DIY straps at the bottom...

Bearbonesnorm · Post by **Bearbonesnorm** » Fri May 27, 2016 11:38 am

Thanks both - in my head the ideal bag has velcro round the bars and a pair of thin straps that loop under the forks (e.g. newer feedbags, wildcat lion etc.). This is all theoretical but should keep the bag off the headtube and cables... Maybe I'll try the ortieb or similar with some DIY straps at the bottom...

There are some loops on the bottom that would readily accept a couple of straps for the fork crown.

atk · Post by **atk** » Fri May 27, 2016 11:46 am

Bearbonesnorm wrote:
Thanks both - in my head the ideal bag has velcro round the bars and a pair of thin straps that loop under the forks (e.g. newer feedbags, wildcat lion etc.). This is all theoretical but should keep the bag off the headtube and cables... Maybe I'll try the ortieb or similar with some DIY straps at the bottom...
There are some loops on the bottom that would readily accept a couple of straps for the fork crown.

Ah! Didn't spot those... Will take a look when they turn up in the shops :)

GregMay · Post by **GregMay** » Fri May 27, 2016 12:24 pm

atk wrote:
Bearbonesnorm wrote:
Thanks both - in my head the ideal bag has velcro round the bars and a pair of thin straps that loop under the forks (e.g. newer feedbags, wildcat lion etc.). This is all theoretical but should keep the bag off the headtube and cables... Maybe I'll try the ortieb or similar with some DIY straps at the bottom...
There are some loops on the bottom that would readily accept a couple of straps for the fork crown.
Ah! Didn't spot those... Will take a look when they turn up in the shops :)

You can fondle mine if you want?

atk · Post by **atk** » Fri May 27, 2016 2:48 pm

GregMay wrote:You can fondle mine if you want?

Cheers, I think you'll be on a plane before I'd get chance to strap it to the Straggler as a test (seeing how easy it is to open/close while riding etc.)

Will just make do with a feedpouch on the wrong side for now and take a look at the ortlieb stuff later in the year :)

LSJ · Post by **LSJ** » Wed Jun 01, 2016 8:50 am

thanks Greg for a good review.

Looks like a good product, and as I read your review as they live up to their quality and reputation. A bit heavier than some of the competition, however that is a minor thing for me, if they last long and are well made. Now I just need to find the money

and a retailer.

Lars

GregMay · Post by **GregMay** » Wed Jun 01, 2016 9:02 am

No issues Lars, was happy to review and ride with them. Happy to take them on the Divide too - will post up post TD how they work out.

Weight, it's really not that much extra. Not for what you get with the total waterproofness of them.

ddraver · Post by **ddraver** » Tue Jun 14, 2016 12:27 pm

Raphidura - http://www.bikeradar.com/road/news/arti ... hed-47258/

Its a pack not a bag remember!!

GregMay · Post by **GregMay** » Tue Jul 26, 2016 9:53 am

Thought I' add this in :http://www.bikerumor.com/2016/07/25/133889/

Salsa now doing their own bags.

LSJ · Post by **LSJ** » Wed Jul 27, 2016 10:36 am

I have got the full ortlieb system (have a good wife, and she got it for my birthday). I have done 1000 km with them in July, in Denmark. So no major climbs, but loads of water and wind. Did the Danish West coast route, which is a mix of gravel roads and asphalt/tarmac (which is the UK term?)

I absolutely love it. It is well thought out, well build and it just works. Easy to mount and take of. And most importantly it waterproof. The waterproofness needs to be remembered though, because wet will stay wet, or damp everything else.. So the old rule of wet with wet in one bag, and dry in another certainly apply. And remember to close the bags when at camp!

Saddlebag is enormous, tons of space. That's what thing I like actually. And that's for two reasons.
1. When packing neatly at home everything fits.. But after 3 days away it seems like the bags get smaller. With the extra space I don't have to fold everything in the exact same way in order to fit it in.
2. Extra space for food and drink, so can go longer without shopping.
It's easy to attach/de attach. And the mounting on the seat post is replaceable (well thought of ortlieb). And I love the valve... Means I can compress to the max... Absolutely brilliant.
I use it for my wet gear (tent/tarp rainwear etc). Spare tubes, first aid, tools and toothbrush.

Barbag is just right. The size fits me good. It's bigger than the normal 13 ltr. The 16 ltr. Size seems to hit the sweetspot. The mounting system is easy and no faff... Open in both ends as many other systems.
I use it for sleepingbag, sleeping mat, down ghillet/jacket, spare dry clothes. The bungee system on top is used for my 2 liter platypus (i fill it last possible place before camp, easy in Denmark).

The extra ad on bag is a brilliant peace of kit. In there I have my phone, wallet, powebank, cables for charging, flask,pipe and tobacco and other bits and bobs that needs to fast accessible (or to valuable to loose when shopping. It clips on and of easy, but I can see a potential problem with cold wet hands...

The only drawback with this type of kit vs the ones that are harnesses, is it is more cumbersome to unclip and bring it with you.. ie wildcats gear where you just unclip the harness, and take the dry bag with you into the tent/shelter. And it would defeat the purpose of the watertightnes of the bags, if I'd pack a dry bag inside a dry bag.

Written on the phone so kind of a short review.

Lars

An old company jumps on the bandwagon

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