bags

[Cocker]

merry xmas,
i'm in the middle of searching for some bike packing bags,and i'm just trying to make a final list.
i've already got a couple of stem cells and a large fuel pod.
thinking alpkit frame bag,either custom full or a possum.
not sure where to start with seat packs and handle bar bags,any suggestions appreciated .
also,any suggestions for cage mounts on truss forks?

thanks

[ScotRoutes]

In general I prefer bags with separate harnesses. I just find packing and loading easier and more convenient. I'm using Revelate kit.

[Bearbonesnorm]

As Colin says, I find a front harness you attach a bag to easier to pack and generally much more stable. Out back, I prefer just the opposite

It's probably quite difficult to buy 'bad' luggage these days but it's easy to buy something which doesn't best suit your set-up or requirements. Do you have a budget in mind?

Also, before buying lots of bags, consider that (a) the more bags you have the more stuff you'll end up taking (b) when packing, aim to produce something that looks neat and purposeful ... not like a jumble sale

[lune ranger]

Definitely echo the less is more ethos with the bags and therefore kit. I do however find having a fairly large selection of bags lets me tailor my needs for a particular ride.
My set up on something like the BB200 was very different to that of a poor weather winter 2 nighter. A long weekend social ride in summer with mates is different still.
More specifically: You ask about a full or partial frame bag. I have both and use both but only like to use the full bag when I REALLY need the capacity. A partial bag and bottles/bottle in conventional cages is by far my favourite set up. Bottles in stem bags or camelbaks are imo less convenient - especially the bladder option when you need to refill either at a cafe or with a filter (unless you can directly pump into the bladder hose).
I find bags on the forks get a bit in the way in tight vegetation like gorse and add too much extra weight. So again I only add them if I HAVE to and try to keep it light as possible avoiding extra water in this area.
A separate bag/harness up front would be handy. I have an Ortleib bar roll which is great - super sturdy, well made and totally waterproof but a pain to repackage in the morning especially in less than ideal weather. I'd much prefer to just strap on a dry bag.
I've had a large saddle pack (16L) but sold it on when I realised I could get away with a 9L bag at all times of the year in the UK. Less to waggle about out back and less weight high up from the bikes centre of gravity.
I use a pretty big fuel tank/cell bag every time except on my road set up where it getsin the way of my knees(I can't stand banging my legs on bags). I really like it for electronics and easy access to essentials.
Stem bags come in use most rides except ITT type rides where I'm not packing cooking gear.
I have a Wilcat bag which goes on the seatpost top tube junction (I forget the name) I really wanted one for ages. It has to be the most expensive bag in £/size I own and arguably the least useful though it does hold an MSR trailshot for most rides.
Lastly I use an accessory bag on my bar roll on rides where I'm carrying food. The Ortleib one adds a surprising large amount of extra space in which I've packed my cook set and sundries or 3 days freeze dried meals.
I always endeavour not to use any sort of backpack but do sometimes use a roadie mussette to carry food to cook for short distances at the end of the day on multi day trips.
If you can find ways of reducing the amount of water you carry and the bulk of (more so than weight) everything else 20-30L total capacity will do for most rides of less than a week in the U.K. and most of the rest of world.
This is just my take on it though and everyone has there own opinion, experience and tolerance of discomfort. Their advice would undoubtedly differ from mine.

[whitestone]

+1 to what lune ranger said. Just because you have the kit doesn't mean you have to take it.

Like Colin and Stu I prefer harness and bag rather than integrated systems, you can fit smaller or larger bags as required.

Top tube bags can be used at either end of the top tube or inside the frame - handy if you've a small frame.

I'll post some pics of my setups when I get home.

[metalheart]

I started off with a set of ortlieb bags. There’s nothing really wrong with them but as Colin (and Stu) say packing them (on the bike) is mostly a pain in the hoop.

I’ve replaced the front pack with a revelate harness/salty roll. It’s easier to attach to the bike, is better supported and therefore rubs against the frame less. Being able to remove the roll for unpacking/repacking is worth the extra cost to me. I had kind of worked out harnesses were the way to go before I bought stuff but thought the ortlieb waterproof was worth the punt...

The ortlieb seatpack is huge and at times I’ve had to pack stuff I didn’t necessarily need just to bulk it out (well, ok, just the once, but it has happened). Packing isn’t as bad as the handlebar bag but it can get a bit ‘saggy’ where the soft meets the hard shell bit. Once Backcountry.scot gets the new style revelate large harness/seat rolls in this too will be replaced. I wish I had the confidence to think that I’d get away with the 9L one, but I’d rather dispense with the rucksack first (I mainly use it for a water bladder and waterproofs (oh, and any crushable food)). I’m not a fan of the other little bags/pockets, more often than not the gas tank gets left at home.i know they work for others though. I have a (half?) frame bag though.

One of the reasons I went for ortlieb was when starting out I had pre-existing kit that was bulkier than I have now and I needed the room. Turns out it was too bulky and the replacement stuff (esp sleep mat & bag) takes up much less room, hence the ortlieb stuff being bigger than necessary. Big seat pack was handy for my solstice bivvy winter sleeping bag on Friday though...

[benp1]

Full Revelate kit here, started with non-holster kit but hVe moved to the holster type stuff over time

Most trips are now with a terrapin seat pack and a rucksack. I then add a tangle half frame bag if I want more space. Have the fuel and gas tanks but don't use them much these days. I haven't used in harness in over a year, have recently preferred having less weight over the bars, easier for hike a bike and means my stuff is with me for pub/cafe stops

I think this highlights that there's no single answer

[Cocker]

thanks for the replies,any pics would be great,.
are there any brands to avoid,lbs can do me some good deals on altura and ortleib gear?
thanks

[Bearbonesnorm]

ortleib gear?

Personally, I'm not a fan. Find it much too big but lots of folk seem to love it ... It always felt like a company famed for making panniers we're now making luggage that would allow users to still take the same amount of crap they did when using panniers but now wrapped up in a trendier package

[whitestone]

I use a mixture of Wildcat, Alpkit and Revelate with one or two items from Apidura and BeerBabe. When I was in the same position you are in the only UK based options were Alpkit and Wildcat. I went with Wildcat as I preferred their handlebar and seat harnesses, until I got those I just tied dry bags to the bars and saddle but that's not a long term solution. Two points not mentioned about separate harness and dry bag are that if the dry bag gets a hole it's easy to replace and that you can use different sized dry bags depending on the amount/bulk of kit.

Edit: Every year bikepacking.com have a post showing the bikes being used for the Tour Divide. There's a lot of variation! http://www.bikepacking.com/bikes/tour-divide-rigs-2018/

OK, pics as promised. All these are on a Cotic Solaris (large size frame), all that's different is what I'm carrying due to time of year/distance of trip and therefore what I need in the way of bags. It gets a bit awkward when you have just too much kit for one set of bags but not enough to justify adding another. Total weight (without food and water) of harnesses, bags and kit would be in the 4-5kg range, add up to a couple of kg for full on winter. The YD200 setup would be under 2kg.

French Divide - 2 weeks "racing" across France this August.

F-R: Wildcat Lion harness with Wildcat double ended dry bag; 2x Revelate Feed bags; Alpkit top tube bag; BeerBabe downtube bag; Wildcat Tiger harness with the larger Wildcat tapered dry bag.



An overnighter in the Dales this July.

F-R: Wildcat Lion harness with Wildcat double ended dry bag; 2x Revelate Feed bags; Alpkit top tube bag inside the frame; Wildcat Tiger harness with the Smaller Wildcat tapered dry bag.



Wild about Argyll trail at Easter (end March) this year.

F-R: Wildcat Lion harness with Revelate Saltyroll dry bag; 2x Alpkit Stem Cells; Alpkit top tube bag at back of top tube; Alpkit top tube bag inside the frame; Wildcat Tiger harness with the Smaller Wildcat tapered dry bag.



YD200 ITT, not really intending to bivy.

F-R 1 Alpkit Stem Cell, 1 Revalate Feed bag; Alpkit top tube bag; Beerbabe downtube bag.



Cairngorms Loop 2017

F-R: Wildcat Lion harness with Revelate Saltyroll dry bag; 2x Revelate Feed bags; Alpkit top tube bag at back of top tube; Beerbabe downtube bag; Wildcat Tiger harness with the Smaller Wildcat tapered dry bag.



Northumberland last Xmas-new year

F-R: Wildcat Lion harness with large (13L) Exped dry bag; 2x Revelate Feed bags; Alpkit top tube bag; Wildcat Tiger harness with the Smaller Wildcat tapered dry bag.

[restlessshawn]

Are Wildcat still going? Half the pics on the website don't display and nothing from them on Facebook for a year. Was thinking of getting an Ocelot for my CX recently but was put off.

[Bearbonesnorm]

Are Wildcat still going?

I'm really not sure Shawn.

[whitestone]

Are Wildcat still going? Half the pics on the website don't display and nothing from them on Facebook for a year. Was thinking of getting an Ocelot for my CX recently but was put off.

Don't know - I got a custom frame bag from Beth in April, not had any reason to contact since then. I noticed that the custom stuff had gone from their website during the summer. A pity if they have stopped as the kit was distinctly better quality than Alpkit.

[restlessshawn]

Yeah would be a shame alright. My lion / lioness are excellent and I have a 2nd hand full frame bag from them that I'm pretty sure Chew took to hell and back before I even got it. Whenever I see a picture of Alpkit bags they look saggy in comparison (though not tried one).

I guess there is a lot of cheaper competition now from the big players though not all of it looks very well developed to me.

Anyone tried restrap frame bags?

[whitestone]

I've an Alpkit and a Wildcat custom frame bag for the Spearfish. Sounds extravagant but I bought the frame from IanPV on here and it came with the Alpkit bag which is "full frame" but I wanted to have a water cage and bottle hence the Wildcat bag (which is the one I got earlier this year). Both bags are made from the same material (VX21) on the sides but the Wildcat feels like it is more substantial along the top and bottom where it rests against the tubing. This may be because they use a fixed couple of loops of Velcro for attachment on each tube whereas Alpkit have a webbing ladder so you can loop the Velcro pretty well where you like.

I've not tried Restrap but there's also Straightcut up in Edinburgh - https://www.straightcutdesign.com/, again not used them so no comments as to quality.

[metalheart]

This is pretty much my standard set up:
First Sherpa bikepack (Feshie) by metalheart-UK, on Flickr

Revelate front harness, salty roll and whatever the cheap accessory pack is called.
Ortieb seat pack (the large one, there's a smaller one on the go now I think).
Wildcat medium framebag.
This trip was a simple overnighter with both evening meal and breakfast at Loch Insh so no need for a rucksack neither.

This was on a 4 day trip (photo at the bothy on the AKW):
Camban Bothy on the AFW by metalheart-UK, on Flickr

Only difference is that I've the Revelate gas tank toptube back (and a rucksack for water bladder, etc.). Note the droopy seatpack…

[RIP]

It's no good. I've tried not to, really I have. But Christmas Cheer (bottle of Innes & Gunn) has got the better of me. So, I refer the honourable gentleman to a thread from earlier this year (almost to the day in fact!). Close inspection will show that the initial posts appear to be missing, which is indeed the case. This is because the original poster, a new member, thought we were taking the p1ss out of his superbly original idea for a seatpack - use a traffic cone. I was genuinely interested to see this but photographs came there none, so eventually I decided to try it myself, the results of which you can see on this thread: http://bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk/phpBB ... 82#p139910.

cone2 by Reg, on Flickr

Sadly the inventor took umbrage and indeed took his leave from This Place, which was a shame because we were fascinated! I have to say, though, that if you take up the recommendations in that thread, "we take no responsibility for the outcome" .

R

[middleagedmadness]

Think it was because you went the extra mile reg with a milk bottle for a gas tank ,still p1ss meself thinking of that thread
And not the fact of talk of a traffic cone but the way he got the hump like a 2yr old and never came back

[Ian]

Wildcat is still here. There’s been a steady flow of gear out to all parts of the UK and the wider world over the past 12-18 months, despite a much lower profile on social media. The social media stuff was mostly driven by me, and since we moved to Scotland, time has been taken up with other things, which resulted in less riding, more lower key family stuff, a house renovation and just chilling out a bit

Slightly concerned about the images not showing on the website? We migrated servers a while ago and installed an SSL certificate a while back, but it works every time I visit and I see the same view as everyone else would. I’ll keep an eye on it.

[psling]

I look in from time to time (as you do ) and have not noticed a problem with images whilst browsing over the last 12 months or so [on a lap top rather than smartphone].

[restlessshawn]

Oh done some testing and it doesn’t work on my pc in 3 browsers or my phone...

Then I tried disconnecting my phone from WiFi and it works so it’s my Vodafone broadband blocking them! If I try and click on a link to a pic I get a message saying the connection is not private. Anyway good to here you are still going .

[Lazarus]

Every year bikepacking.com have a post showing the bikes being used for the Tour Divide. There's a lot of variation! http://www.bikepacking.com/bikes/tour-d ... rigs-2018/

I kept thinking how much then another bike had even more. , Bags on top of bags.

[Bearbonesnorm]

kept thinking how much then another bike had even more. , Bags on top of bags.

Bags strapped to bags with more bags balanced on top -I hate that.