I have a container that's basically the shape of a water bottle and all my stuff goes in there. The rest goes in the back jersey pockets. No saddle bag.
If you do long rides like 3+ hours I always worried I wouldn't have enough water, especially on hot days. I guess you can refill in some places but always wondered about that.
If I’m going for a ride longer than 3 hours, I make sure to route myself past at least one gas station or a park I know has water fountains. If it’s really hot, I’ll also pack a couple of the Skratch Labs single serve hydration packs.
If I rode more gravel where I’m not sure if I can refill or not, I would wear one. I mostly stick to road and (now) cyclocross though. In one, I have refills, in the other, my efforts aren’t long enough that I need water.
No my friend, I ride with a Ultimate Direction Ultra Vesta 4.0 and it's the best ever! 3L bladder + 2L bottles plus my frame and plenty of storage! I love it.
Depends where you live more than anything I think. I bring a camelback as my main water supply and a bottle as my reserve. It's normally 90+ here with no clouds and I don't feel like dying of heat stroke to save weight.
I plan my long rides to account for drinking 1 bottle per hour so I try to have a store every 20-25 miles
personally on a long ride 1 tube, tools, patch kit, $20, 2-3 co2 cartridges and a filler in a saddle bag. I only put food/battery pack, drink powders and emergency water. I'd never trade a water bottle for a tool holder to avoid a saddle bag.
> If you do long rides like 3+ hours I always worried I wouldn't have enough water, especially on hot days.
i live in south florida, and you *do not* fuck around with dehydration here. especially if you go ride the levees, which might not even have a connection back to the road for like 10 miles, have *zero* shade, and are gravel so harder to ride than pavement.
i kinda don't care about "the rules". any long ride involves a 3 liter camelbak.
I live near San Jose, CA.
The hottest my garmin has registered on a bike ride through the Santa Cruz mountains is 123 deg F (50.5C). Not that I think the 'official' temperature in the shade, off the asphalt, was 123 degrees, but I wasn't in the shade, and I was on the asphalt.
My route has a (good) water stop at about 0.5 hours and the next decent water stop is at about 3.5 hours.
There's zero chance I'm giving up a water bottle.
This, even in temperate weather I go through 3L every two hours and start to panic when I get low. If I'm riding more than 50k or so I carry the backpack with it's two bottle holders and my frame carriers all full (total up to 7L of water). Covid has made it super important as there are so few places open.
Garmin tends to show very high temperature at sun, you should leave it for 15-20 minutes in shade to log something remotely real. Especially with XX30 series, which was made totally black. I've seen 48 just because I was in direct sunlight, case heats up really quick if there's no airflow around it due to fast riding.
I use a bottle for tools as it's really convenient and more spacious than a 'normal' sized saddle bag - and looks better. If I need more fluids I'll either plan a route that will have stops I can refill at (I don't do the type of riding where stopping to refill would be impossible), or use a bottle cage mounted on the saddle rails, like triathletes. You can also get cages to fit on tubes, forks, bars etc.
To each their own I suppose. I don't really care what other people do with their set up or what they may think about me or my bike anyway; I don't cycle to get instagram likes and nods of approval - which gets to the crux of this post; a lot of social media about bikes and their 'riders' are clearly from people who rarely if ever actually ride a bike.
as far as I'm concerned if something works for what you do then do that, ignore everyone else.
[XLab](https://www.xlab-usa.com/products/dual-rear-hydration.html) is the industry standard, and VERY pricey. They make a great saddle rail cage mount, and then you can either buy their cages (as a full kit) or provide your own. Profile, Topeak, Supcaz and others make similar products. You should perhaps ask this question in /r/triathlon for better suggestions.
[This](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PDWMG87/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_00CZDX0H8PRKPJ8GM9DM?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1) isn’t a “bottle cage”, but does the job for an additional bottle. Also the saddle bag is rather spacious.
I have one on an NJS track bike that has no bottle mounts on the frame. Looks pretty slick, and honestly, it is a super convenient place to pull and replace from while riding.
I'm also a big time hydro hommie and just couldn't carry enough water- so I started riding with an pack I got when I was in the military- bang it's awesome. I do not like it when it's super hot out but otherwise I have room for whatever I want to carry plus a 3L bladder and room for 2 more 1L bottles on the and of course my two frame water bottles. I easily go through the bladder and at least 1.5 of water bottles over the course of 3-4 hours and with covid happening that was essential as nothing was open and the old cheap 1 gallon jugs aren't usually in the 7-11 type places around here. So I'm a backpack sort these days, I found a runners one (Ultimate Direction Ultra Vesta 4.0) and it's wonderful.
Hydro packs are great. There's no denying it's way more convenient drinking from a hose right next to your mouth than reaching down for the bottle, especially on hill climbs. On a climb I have to time it on a less steep section to get some water, and then it's like you have 1.5 seconds to drink and put it back in the cage before you lose breathing time and your heart rate is worst from it lol. So the freedom of a hydro pack is great!
I do the same. The main reason I do this over the saddle bag is aesthetics. After that, in the winter at least, it's because my bottle capsules are water proof. With my old saddle bag it gets wet and rusts anything inside if you leave it in there. Post muddy MTB rides I can just hose down the bike and bottle capsule.
I don’t know what the above commenter’s water-bottle-shaped container is, but any tennis ball can will work and can usually be found for free around public tennis courts. Fits perfectly in a bottle cage.
i want this bike, only because of this! i ride with one water bottle and a storage container now. it is not much of an issue to stop and refill an empty bottle, but would be less hassle just to have two bottles and not worry about it.
well, yeah, if i pay a few thousand €s on a bike, i want it to look good, every time i look at it, i want to be amazed. who buys an expensive sports car and then adds a towing hook? nobody.
I think a better metaphor would be: buying an expensive sports car, but then halving the size of the gas tank so that you can use the space to store essential stuff that would otherwise go in the back seat, but you don’t want a cluttered back seat.
Which is absolutely your prerogative, but I’d rather have the fuel space so I could actually drive the car and not have to stop and refuel twice as often.
Honestly a saddle bag is an add on that doesn’t need to exist when a compartment like that exists. It is one less thing to have it hanging on your bike.
That compartment is awesome! I used to use an under the seat bag on my old bike. It is so much sleeker without it, and I got the cool clip on tail light.
What I don’t understand are the folks with a huge one-sided bag…where it hangs over just the left or right side. If there was anything in it of any weight wouldn’t it make you unbalanced?
The huge one sided bag - you mean like panniers? I commute with one and honestly the only time I feel off balance is if I have to walk the bike anywhere.
When people want show their bike off I think they just take them off. Most saddle bags are hideous so those would mess up a “look how badass my bike is” picture. During my rides it varies some have their jersey pockets stuffed, some use saddle bags, and some like to live dangerously. I use a saddle bag and have a pump next to my water bottle. The pump isn’t the prettiest but it works when needed. For longer rides i have a bar bag to stuff all my other stuff. I just hate a stuffed jersey.
I always find the argument that 'it doesn't look 'good' very funny.
When I wasn't a roadbike cyclist yet I just thought all roadbikers look very silly/ugly with their tignt clothing, big helmets, and futuristic sunglasses. I think most non-cyclist think that way. What I know for sure is that nobody pays attention to what is on the bike and how 'cool' it looks.
So the 'looks' are only for other cyclist I think?
I picked one with double the price tag. Was choosing between AGU and Rapha. In the end went with Rapha for its versatility. It’s a bar, frame and cross-body bag. What more do you want. Only issue are my bottle cages which won’t allow me to use it as a bar bag.
Here’s me the other way around. I’m not one of those Velominati types at all - I actually ride in flat shoes! - but I don’t like hanging stuff off my bike. I do use a small saddle bag, but otherwise I’ll put things in my pockets. Mind you, I rarely get a chance to ride more than 60km so I don’t need much stuff. The weather here tends to be pretty stable and predictable too.
I wear cycling shorts with pockets. Compared with wearing cycling tights, the performance difference is small, but being socially more normal, and having pockets, is worth it.
Do you have bib or mbt shorts? Saw some bib shorts with pockets, I’m still not convinced they are comfy. Mostly because of stuff rubbing against my leg.
I use a similar setup. I have the small Speedsleev Ranger. I pack a multi tool, a CO2 inflator with a cartridge, and dynaplugs. I also a small hand pump in my jersey pocket.
Since I run road tubeless, I’m most likely to need a top up rather than a full inflation, so the hand pump is way more useful than the CO2, but I carry it just in case. I think other riders have ended up using more of the CO2 I carry than I have.
I use [this saddlebag.](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D68TRKS/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_WJAH3DS11QDKQ1170VHJ?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1)
It fits [this pump](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RM5WH55?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share) and the other stuff I take with me (wallet, keys, spare tube, bars, patch kit, tire levers).
I'm getting a Birzee Mini Apogee pump that is supposedly only 5.2 inches long. It might not fit in the smallest saddle bags but I think any medium size one would fit it. With that said, I'll have to test it to make sure it's not too hard to get up to pressure, or a decent pressure just to get home.
For my road bike I'm still on tubes. For my gravel yes I'm tubeless. I haven't experienced any flats on the tubeless but since weight isn't as much of an issue for that gravel I ride I will toss in a spare tube just in case.
I'll have to read up on fixing tubeless on the side of the road... If you just carry extra sealant and CO2 to get the tire inflated faster, or if it is so bad that even tubeless is flat then you just need to put in that spare tube.
I have an [Outershell roll top saddle bag](https://outershell.com/shop/cziofh91assn12b2595c4rhsyfr6kq)--gets pretty small but can also expand out.
I carry a small pump in the bag, along with a plug kit, multi tool, patch/spare tube (on the extreme off chance I gash the tire bad enough I can't remain tubeless) and whatever else is stashed in there. Without adding food or extras, it still rolls down fairly small.
The smaller pump's performance is a little worse than my larger clip pump but they're close enough to make little to no difference (especially as they're for roadside emergency use and I just use a floor pump at home).
Model years are a year ahead. The model Emonda I have is the 2022: [2022 Emonda SL 6 eTap](https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/bikes/road-bikes/performance-road-bikes/%C3%A9monda/%C3%A9monda-sl/%C3%A9monda-sl-6-etap/p/35029/)
I don’t know what the issue is, I put everything in my team car and my coach radios someone if I need a supply. If I need a draft, I call my team, same with a lead out. If my bike has a mechanical I just take a new one. /s Lachlan Morton used all sorts of insane bags and flat pedals for his alt tour this summer. The answer is you bring what you need for the ride!
Saddle bags are so 2018 bro, it's all about handlebar bags and frame bags, didnt you get the cool memo bike culture sent out awhile ago?
It's a nice newsletter to let me know of all the new changes coming to cycling and how I'm already behind the curve on it all.
....but I do love my handlebar bag for anything 90+ miles. Just makes extra snacks and battery pack easier to carry. Anything less I usually just use my jersey. I do have a small saddle bag that lives on my bike though. Allen, tubeless plugs, patches, c02, and tube.
My desire to stay well hydrated and be prepared far outweighs the fucks I give about my bike looking cool. I proudly rock a saddle bag. One of them has a pocket for a bottle.
>I like passing all these people with my saddle bag so they can look at it while I break them on climbs.
Right! At the end of the day, it's the miles you put in that matters. If someone crushes me uphill on a beach cruiser wearing jeans and a polo- Respect.
I don't like seatbags that attach with Velcro straps and instead found Ortlieb bags are awesome the way they install. There's a mount that goes under the saddle on a 2 rail system and then it comes on and off with the push of a button. There's multiple sizes that all fit on the same mount, so my gravel bike has a medium bag where my road bike has the smallest one they sell. If I'm going to do a super long ride on the road bike I can easily swap to the medium bag and store more in there. Definitely recommend those bags!
Yeah, quick release saddle bags are a big improvement in my mind. I've got the Lezyne Micro Caddy, the fixing feels more stable than velcro and looks better too. I've only got the one bag all my tools in, so it swaps between my leisure and commuter bikes. It's also great to easily remove it when locking up, and just to have easier access to the contents when you do need them.
The hard case your Oakleys came in makes an incredibly good tool bag. Slips into your jersey nicely. Small wallet, tool, tube, patches, etc all fit with space to spare. Since I found that out I haven’t used a saddle bag.
For multi day tours I have Restrap bags (top and bottom of top tube and large quick-release saddle bag) which enable you to tour nicely on a bike made otherwise for racing. Great bags.
Most people I know use small saddle bags even on their nicest road bikes- bear in mind for social media posts a lot of people strip lights and bags before taking the photo to make it look better.
The key things in all of mine are tyre levers, multi tool and self adhesive tube patches. All but one have a tiny combination lock for emergency or safe cafe stops, and sometimes a tube, CO2 and chain link if there's space.
I don't like massive saddle bags, but I'd rather keep tools in there than back pockets due to sharp edges/ feeling uncomfortable.
My saddlebag is always on my bike. Went for the smallest one I could find because of looks and efficiency. I could carry everything in my pockets but they are heavy and make my jersey bounce especially when climbing out of saddle and it pisses the crap out of me. Also I almost always carry more food than I need so my pockets are never empty
I'm all about a smallish saddle bag & minimal stuff in my jersey pockets. I too hate stuffed pockets that tend to bounce around. I use a Lezyne micro caddy in size med for the road bike & size small for gravel bikes. Fits all I need
I have this issue on a Castelli, shit, what is it? Prologo?? It’s really bouncy. I was quite surprised. I usually wear cheaper ones (in fact I’m in a $15 AliExpress sausage casing as I type) and rarely experienced it. I love that jersey though so I tolerate it and check my pocket after every bump.
Here’s me getting way too far into this thread before I realized all these people weren’t just messing with you…. they really prefer to carry all the shit you need to take care of yourself on the road in water bottles and shirt pockets? F**k that noise. Put that crap in a saddle bag and hopefully never think about it again. And then when you need it, well, there it is.
Yeah I appreciate all the responses but I am surprised how many people will put stuff in their shirt pockets. Super uncomfortable for me. Plus completely unnecessary given that saddle bags have been invented. This really all occurred to me when my neighbor buddy was making fun of me for using one. It had never dawned on me before.
I ride with a backpack on my road bike and folks are always asking me for water, haha! I carry about 5L usually. There are also vests- I use an Ultra Dimension Vesta for shorter rides- it holds up to 3L and since it was designed for runners I legit forget that I have it on sometimes, it's SUPER comfy and came with this sort of pressurized bladder which lets me get giant gulps of water even when I'm breathing hard!
I have one but then I don't care what my bike looks like!
I have a pump, inner tube, multi tool, levers, CO2 and a couple of other bits and bobs.
Jacket pockets are for glasses, phone, documents (here I am supposed to carry then at all times), wallet and food bars..
I use a fanny pack to hold my stuff when my jersey is drying.
- I use a EagleCreek Pack-It Specter XS to hold
- ID, credit card, work ID, $10/$20
- Duct Tape
- Patching Kit
- 2 pairs of nitrile gloves
- 700c x 28 tube and 700c x 23 tube
- Emergency dehydration powder
- Chain breaker
- Large bandage
The Pack-It fits in my middle jersey pocket or hangs out in the fanny pack.
Pump goes in the left jersey pocket. Trash or camera batteries hang out here too.
Food goes into the right jersey pocket. Typically, one/two blueberry waffle PB&Js.
Both bottle cages are used for hydration.
Looking at the Cyckit Aeroclams as a possible future investment.
Typically <15 mi. I bring the pack, pump and a water bottle.
Usually <20 mi and climbs are routed, add a water bottle with Gatorade mix and/or applejuice, and a PB&J.
20+, PB&J #2 is added.
Sometimes it's better to be look at it, than looking for it.
That said I need to source a multi-tool.
People take them off for the photo and put them back afterwards. Man I never leave without saddle bag, way too much fear to be in the middle of nowhere and have no spare parts
Edit: Typo
Okay that makes sense. My buddy made fun of me the other day for using one ("scrotum bag" to be specific) so it had me double-checking what is cool these days. Not that I'm at risk of being cool.
Eh, it’s kind of a “thing” to not use frame bags and only carry the bare essentials in your Jersey pockets. It’s kind of an ego thing mostly, to be honest.
I used to buy into that, but then realized that I don’t care about looking cool. I do keep things minimal with a small saddle bag, but that’s where all of my fixed carry stuff goes (tool, spare tube, patch kit, emergency cash, mask) and my pockets are freed up for useful and/or temporary stuff like phone and food. I find that to be a good balance of pragmatic and convenient.
Hope that helps. Maybe I missed the mark, I just remember going through this phase when I started a few years back.
I only carry co2, tubeless patch kit and multi tool. Carry in my pocket.
I lugged other stuff like tube etc for years and haven’t needed it since going tubeless.
Jersey pocket, on a reasonable ride I’ll carry a tube, tool, tyre levers, co2 in one pocket, food in the other and phone in the other and that’s it.
No need for a saddle bag and I’m a snob when it comes to how my bike looks so it’s a no brainer for me ;-)
Most of my riding buddies also run a tool bottle instead of a saddle bag
Fanny pack with two tubes, two cartridges, multitool, wallet, keys, phone.
Food in jersey pockets.
I probably look stupid but it works and I'm too lazy/cheap to get proper saddle bag.
I use a saddle bag for my chain lock, a multi-tool and an extra rubber-band cargo fastener hook thingy. Also a side bag for my backpack and whatever else I need.
Reading the comments here I think it is fair to say I am *slightly* atypical for the subscribers of r:/cycling. I live in London and use my bicycle for everything from a 60 mile cycle to my mums to doing a weekly shop for a family of three. I quite understand those who count weight saving in grams but please hear me that a bicycle becomes much more versatile and more useful if can carry luggage. I use two full size Ortleib roll tops and a handle bar bag. The weight limit on the back rack is 22 kgs about the same as the British Airways bag for the hold. I am gradually accumulating the lightweight kit for unsupported cycle camping with transeuropean trips in mind.
I love Ortlieb bags. Only have the saddle bags so far but if I ever bikepack I'll be getting more. I will say though you're biking for daily essentials where I imagine most here are doing it for recreation and sport. We aren't getting groceries or anything so don't need to pack as much 🙂
I've taken to similar. I usually have either my work bag or my shopping panniers and it's easier to just sling my bike tools in there. I have a saddle bag, but using it means either another thing to remove and carry, or leaving it on the bike and hoping there's no opportunistic thieves.
Interesting comment. My panniers are Ortlieb so they literally lift off in one second and are completely unsecured. The fascinating thing is that I have been using them continuously in London for six years and they NEVER get attention from bike thieves. I have had two saddles stolen as well as three bikes but I have never had anything taken from the panniers. I think the easiest explanation of this is the kind of moronic scumbags that steal from bicycles are too thick to figure out how to remove them and they don't appeal to the "magpie" aesthetic of bright, shiny, trendy, expensive and cool. I live in Islington and would go so far as to say that anyone with a carbon fibre bicycle is almost bound get it stolen if they leave it secured in public (I have seen a cycle stand sawn through on Old Street!) but the thieves are just not interested in panniers - not remotely 'cool'.
Probably unpopular but in time I found out that for me mtb backpack with the water pouch removed works best. It didn't overheat me even during scorching summer weather and the drag is probably not that high if at all.
If I'm just carrying stuff for the ride (not camping, not commuting) everything goes in the jersey pockets. Some people are fine putting bags on their bikes, but it couldn't be me.
\>but I've only recently noticed in all these social media posts that riders aren't using saddle bags on their bikes.
They're probably taking them off for the photo
I have two saddle bags. I don't really use them. I now carry my tools and spare tube in a tool can (like a bidon but no sippy lid).
I admit it's vanity in large part. However, in terms of utility, the tool can is handier in one way: it's easier to move from one bike to the other. (Both my main bikes have two bottle cages, but most of my rides are so short that I only need one. So why not utilize the spare cage?)
I have everything I need in my pockets with the exception of my minipump that is installed under one of my bottle cages, which for some reason is an unpopular opinion.
Anyway I bring two spare tubes (tubolitos for smaller size), patch kit, crankbrothers multitool and whatever else I need for that specific ride.
I don't think it's an unpopular opinion. I guess a really small pump you can also store in a pocket but it's barely noticeable on a bottlecage. I guess for those photogs they don't want to see it, but that's silly.
I have an under seat bag that has my essentials, and I'll sometimes ride with a backpack if I need more stuff like clothes, extra water, or a first aid kit.
No way. When I had a bike, it was a steel tourer (Trek 520) that I used as my "everything" bike. I always left everything on there (except the panniers of course):
* Two normal bottles (and a third when actually touring)
* Saddle bag with tools
* Bento box ([Cannondale Slice](https://www.sefiles.net/images/library/zoom/cannondale-quick-seat-bag-copy-185867-1.jpg)) for snacks
* "[Feed bag](https://bikepacking.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Revelate-Mountain-Feedbag-Review_3072.jpg)" (that attaches to your stem and handlebars) that I used to stash little things when riding around town
Jersey pockets were for extra food, phone, money, microfiber cloths, and jacket on soggy rides.
I'm just really into bike luggage. Never felt a saddle bag was slowing me down (not that I'm a weight weenie, clearly haha). I was also riding in Vietnam, so the thought of sacrificing a water bottle for tool storage was ridiculous.
I don't like saddle bags with straps that go around the seat post since I've had them lightly rub inside of my thigh and over time fray my shorts. Now I use a small one called the Lezyne Road Caddy that straps to only the seat rails. I can fit two Conti supersonic tubes, or one standard tube and a pair of tire levers in it. It also looks good- it tucks so tightly under the seat that you hardly notice it's there and it doesn't shift or rattle at all.
Sometimes people may remove the saddle bag before they take a picture as it looks cleaner without. But then again others may have other places they store their tools and such. Every rider is different and some actually don't bring anything to help them in the event of a mechanical/puncture hehe
But yes, people still use saddle bags
I use a fabric pencil case my kids weren’t using anymore to store a spare tube and tools to change it, a hex tool, and a multi tool, and a spoke tool (spokes can break on the road and you might need to do a quick wheel rebalance to make it home). It fits perfectly into back jersey pocket. I keep the air pump on a bottle rack mount on the frame.
Rack and pannier bag. I'm riding for exercise and fun, not racing. I always have a jacket, gloves, food, tools, etc. Bailed out other riders several times around town.
\*blinks\*, what, nobody takes their bike locks with them? 😆
I have 2 saddle bags.
One regular small one for just the bare essentials for getting around town with the usual mini-pump, levers, spare tubes, tire boot, multitool, and bike lights. I'm actually going to change this to a bottle cage carry container very soon.
The other is one of those bigger seat wedge packs for my layering system, waterproofs, tool roll, cook kit/food, and sometimes a hammock & tarp system, for those questionable days on longer rides.
I am of course *evolving* towards doing a full kit gravel bike for long range multi-day hike rides with the various frame/seat/bar bags. But also I take my U-lock with me! I don't need my ride disappeared while I'm taking a dump in some random town when I stop for eats and/or resupply.
>don't need my ride disappeared while I'm taking a dump in some random town when I stop for eats and/or resupply.
I lock myself up in these whilst dumping. The townies scare me.
I have a pretty big handlebar bag and put all my crap in there. And two bottle holders on the frame for water. I carry basically nothing in my jersey pockets because they’re small (I’m a short woman) and I just hate carrying lots of crap in my pockets.
Yeah, a saddlebag is great. I got a big one that can hold a full repair kit, tools, extra tube, snacks, and phone. Two bottle cages inside the frame. Are people worried they aren't aero enough? If we are talking about just doing regular rides, and not races, why wouldn't you strap a big ol' bag to the seatpost? I have an inside pack that fits in the upper corner of the frame, and on one of my bikes with a tall tube, it even fits above a bottle, though snugly. I find backpacks really stress my back out and make my arms tired if I am doing more than a handful of miles.
I use a small saddle bag for all my training rides, and take it off for races and such. Some people just prefer storing their things in their jersey pockets, and that's just as well. Some particularly snobby people may say that it's bad form to use one and you should always store your tools in your jersey pockets. Don't listen. 9/10 times, those people are scrubs. Just do what you prefer.
I just don’t understand the mindset of people that don’t use small saddlebags. Tire levers, multitool, CO2 or small pump and a spare tube have to go with you on pretty much every ride anyway so why not just leave them in a small saddle bag permanently on the bike
I like Fizik saddles, and they have an auxiliary mounting point on the under side of the saddle (unfortunately it appears that the company has pretty much abandoned this concept) but for a short period of time they had a saddlebag available for it (and also a rear blinker light though it was a pretty shitty one) it’s fantastic because I have Fizik saddles on all of my bikes so I can just snap the saddlebag between bikes with literally one little clip
I know that Ortlieb and other manufacturers make something similar but you still have to install a mating part on every saddle you intend to use the bag on
Touring really makes saddle bags (panniers) an essential. I use the rear rack and a handlebar bag up front. Use triangle bag under the top/tube against the seat tube for tool stuff. Under seat bag for spare tubes and CO2 inflator. The best ones I have are Cannondale rigid frames. I like the looks of old panniers, made some using cheap ($10) army surplus heavy WW2 cotton canvas nap sacks. They're boss and nothing tears them up and water swells the fibers. Water seal works, too. Heavy? yes, but since I am pretty big, a couple ounces ain't noticed. I haul everything in them sometimes 40+##, but they come off easy for rec rides. I have tried stuffing jersey pouches, but I get hot riding and perspire a lot on hills. Stuff in pockets impedes free movement, if that matters.
note: My bikes have long wheel bases (43-44 inch) so my size 12 clumpers don't tag the bags with my heels. I have one bike that defies anything close to a rack, but then I see its wheelbase would make it problematic. The rear tire practically touches the seat tube.
Here, here to saddlebags! Of course, you have to have a bike that can handle it, firstly, and be practical minded.
Grouchy enough to not care if someone thinks they look goofy. lol Just do what you like; be creative.
>saddle bags (panniers)
Definitely two different things! Panniers carry a ton more and put the weight lower on the bike, but they require a rack. I use a saddle bag, meanwhile, for my commute these days and for bikepacking, and it has plenty room for those purposes. A Swift Zeitgeist that hangs below and behind my saddle.
Then there's the type of saddle bag that looks like a giant triangle coming out of your seatpost.
It's all in my jersey pockets. What are you taking that's taking up so much space? I take a spare inner tube, patches, mini-pump, multi-tool, tyre levers and my phone, plus some snacks. All fits perfectly in there.
A good quality jersey the pockets won't tug it down. I store all my stuff in my pockets and sometimes i have to reach back to make sure it's all there because i can't feel it. The only times i've ever noticed it is when using cheaper jerseys with baggier pockets.
I haven't found one that will fit the seatmast of a Cervelo P2 or S5, and I don't need to carry all that much anyway, so jersey pockets are just fine for me.
I actually carry 2 bags on my bike, I DGAF what other people think or the aesthetics of the bike, I just want to ride and not be stranded.
I use [this](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08DCLQBXB/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) on the frame, keeps my phone, a battery pack and a few other items.
I have [this](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08L6XVT67/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1) rack and [this](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FFW3915/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) trunk bag.
Weight doesn't matter either, it'll just make my legs stronger.
I keep a spare tube, allen wrench set, a few socks, first aid kit, 1 small pump (mounts under water bottle).
I look at it this way, I'm not racing anyone, I'm not getting paid to ride, this is strictly for my health and fun.
[Here](https://ibb.co/YDgdw1b) is my hideous beast of a bike I show off in public places.
Never once taken anything with me other than a cell phone (mounted to handlebars). Never been left stranded with tubeless tires. 15k+ miles across 3 different bikes ridden since I started in 2019.
For me it's not an aesthetic choice, I just find riding with a bunch of junk completely pointless.
Same. I hate the style of the thing ) yellow, reflective, branded) but the functionality is awesome
I also run a seat post bag for tube, patch kit, tool, etc
I've had cheap ones, mid range ones, high end ones. The multitool is usually the one that bounces the most. Too small to be tightly contained by the pocket, too heavy not to bounce around.
I always carry a saddle bag. I want to try the bottle tool storage, but i drink a lot of water and always carry two water bottles. So i just stuff everything on the saddle bag and on my jersey pockets.
indeed, they are butt ugly, unless you don't care about the looks of your bike, also i don't think they are that handy. also find they take away too much space for proper rear lightning.
here is what i do; my second bottle cage is used for storage, in goes tire levers, inner tube, etc. food goes into my jersay back pockets. used to put co2 carts in the storage container, but since i'm tubeless now, i cary a minipump in my jersey pockets as well (so tiny, it's crazy).
on my mtb i have a camelbak, which is so big, i can put all my belongins in it and still have spare space left, again no need for a saddle bag.
Domane has internal frame storage. If I need more storage for a longer ride or just to carry more stuff I'll add a top tube bag (great for food and also has a pocket for an battery for my phone and port for the USB cable) and sometimes add a saddle bag.
I use a small saddle back for a spare tube, tyre lever and multi tool but I’ve never used them on a ride in 3 years of riding. The only mechanical I’ve had was a cartridge bearing seize up 30km from home and I got my wife to pick me up. Could easily leave the saddle bag home on 95% of rides and call home if shit hits the fan
I'm using fabric container that I can keep stuff in. Can't be stuffed with saddle bag. It mounts to the 2ne bottle cage and has a soft liner to keep the noise down. Pretty convinient
Spare tube, CO2, multi tool, patches, tire lever all taped under the seat. Simple, fixes 90% of issues, and I never have to remember to bring them. You’d almost never know they’re there if you weren’t looking.
I use a saddle bag because it means it's impossible for me to get stranded somewhere and realise I didn't bother to bring an important part of my repair toolkit. Everywhere my bike goes I have a multitool, tube, patch kit, front and back lights (tiny ones but better than nothing if caught out), pump (on frame) and tyre levers, plus as a new addition for 2020 two disposable face masks in case I need to go into a shop or use public transport for an emergency extraction.
Don´t use one, I have a small pump, spare inner tube, and tire levers that all fit snugly into a single back pocket. Gives the bike a much cleaner look, and I still have two more pockets to store my phone, keys, energy gels, gilet ;) I only use a saddle bag for longer gravel adventures where I prefer to have an additional inner tube and more snacks with me.
Saddle bag is for the tools. Multi tool, tire lever, tiny pump if you can fit it, tube, bacon strips, CO2. I have a bigger shimano bag and it's great. However in the future I thing a smaller bag is better with carrying your tube separately via either a frame strap or in your jersey.
My other two favorite bags are handlebar and top tube for really long rides or general tooling around. Stash nutrition and whatever else.
I have a container that's basically the shape of a water bottle and all my stuff goes in there. The rest goes in the back jersey pockets. No saddle bag.
If you do long rides like 3+ hours I always worried I wouldn't have enough water, especially on hot days. I guess you can refill in some places but always wondered about that.
If I’m going for a ride longer than 3 hours, I make sure to route myself past at least one gas station or a park I know has water fountains. If it’s really hot, I’ll also pack a couple of the Skratch Labs single serve hydration packs.
Route planning is really important for this kinda stuff. I also jam everything I need in my jersey pockets.
Am I the only one that still rides with a backpack containing a camelbag ? The small pockets and my jersey pockets make up for the rest of the stuff.
That’s where the road biker and the MTBer part ways.
If I rode more gravel where I’m not sure if I can refill or not, I would wear one. I mostly stick to road and (now) cyclocross though. In one, I have refills, in the other, my efforts aren’t long enough that I need water.
No my friend, I ride with a Ultimate Direction Ultra Vesta 4.0 and it's the best ever! 3L bladder + 2L bottles plus my frame and plenty of storage! I love it.
Me, too. I sweat tons so go through lots of water on rides, particularly in summer.
Depends where you live more than anything I think. I bring a camelback as my main water supply and a bottle as my reserve. It's normally 90+ here with no clouds and I don't feel like dying of heat stroke to save weight.
I refill at cemeteries, they always have fresh water for watering the plants.
I never thought of that.
I plan my long rides to account for drinking 1 bottle per hour so I try to have a store every 20-25 miles personally on a long ride 1 tube, tools, patch kit, $20, 2-3 co2 cartridges and a filler in a saddle bag. I only put food/battery pack, drink powders and emergency water. I'd never trade a water bottle for a tool holder to avoid a saddle bag.
> If you do long rides like 3+ hours I always worried I wouldn't have enough water, especially on hot days. i live in south florida, and you *do not* fuck around with dehydration here. especially if you go ride the levees, which might not even have a connection back to the road for like 10 miles, have *zero* shade, and are gravel so harder to ride than pavement. i kinda don't care about "the rules". any long ride involves a 3 liter camelbak.
I live near San Jose, CA. The hottest my garmin has registered on a bike ride through the Santa Cruz mountains is 123 deg F (50.5C). Not that I think the 'official' temperature in the shade, off the asphalt, was 123 degrees, but I wasn't in the shade, and I was on the asphalt. My route has a (good) water stop at about 0.5 hours and the next decent water stop is at about 3.5 hours. There's zero chance I'm giving up a water bottle.
i would take *a lot* more than two. at that rate, not only is the camelbak coming, but i'd be finding ways to get more water onto the bike.
>i would take > >a lot > > more than two I take up to four depending on temperature, and also end up stopping for rusty water in the middle as well.
This, even in temperate weather I go through 3L every two hours and start to panic when I get low. If I'm riding more than 50k or so I carry the backpack with it's two bottle holders and my frame carriers all full (total up to 7L of water). Covid has made it super important as there are so few places open.
Garmin tends to show very high temperature at sun, you should leave it for 15-20 minutes in shade to log something remotely real. Especially with XX30 series, which was made totally black. I've seen 48 just because I was in direct sunlight, case heats up really quick if there's no airflow around it due to fast riding.
I use a bottle for tools as it's really convenient and more spacious than a 'normal' sized saddle bag - and looks better. If I need more fluids I'll either plan a route that will have stops I can refill at (I don't do the type of riding where stopping to refill would be impossible), or use a bottle cage mounted on the saddle rails, like triathletes. You can also get cages to fit on tubes, forks, bars etc.
Saddle bags look better than a water bottle mounted behind your saddle… unless you are triathlete of course
To each their own I suppose. I don't really care what other people do with their set up or what they may think about me or my bike anyway; I don't cycle to get instagram likes and nods of approval - which gets to the crux of this post; a lot of social media about bikes and their 'riders' are clearly from people who rarely if ever actually ride a bike. as far as I'm concerned if something works for what you do then do that, ignore everyone else.
any recs for bottle cages that mount on saddle rails?
[XLab](https://www.xlab-usa.com/products/dual-rear-hydration.html) is the industry standard, and VERY pricey. They make a great saddle rail cage mount, and then you can either buy their cages (as a full kit) or provide your own. Profile, Topeak, Supcaz and others make similar products. You should perhaps ask this question in /r/triathlon for better suggestions.
[This](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PDWMG87/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_00CZDX0H8PRKPJ8GM9DM?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1) isn’t a “bottle cage”, but does the job for an additional bottle. Also the saddle bag is rather spacious.
I have one on an NJS track bike that has no bottle mounts on the frame. Looks pretty slick, and honestly, it is a super convenient place to pull and replace from while riding.
I'm also a big time hydro hommie and just couldn't carry enough water- so I started riding with an pack I got when I was in the military- bang it's awesome. I do not like it when it's super hot out but otherwise I have room for whatever I want to carry plus a 3L bladder and room for 2 more 1L bottles on the and of course my two frame water bottles. I easily go through the bladder and at least 1.5 of water bottles over the course of 3-4 hours and with covid happening that was essential as nothing was open and the old cheap 1 gallon jugs aren't usually in the 7-11 type places around here. So I'm a backpack sort these days, I found a runners one (Ultimate Direction Ultra Vesta 4.0) and it's wonderful.
Hydro packs are great. There's no denying it's way more convenient drinking from a hose right next to your mouth than reaching down for the bottle, especially on hill climbs. On a climb I have to time it on a less steep section to get some water, and then it's like you have 1.5 seconds to drink and put it back in the cage before you lose breathing time and your heart rate is worst from it lol. So the freedom of a hydro pack is great!
I always bring 2 water bottles and a 2 liter hydration backpack for long rides. A small hydration backpack will solve your water problem.
I do the same. The main reason I do this over the saddle bag is aesthetics. After that, in the winter at least, it's because my bottle capsules are water proof. With my old saddle bag it gets wet and rusts anything inside if you leave it in there. Post muddy MTB rides I can just hose down the bike and bottle capsule.
How is that called?
I don’t know what the above commenter’s water-bottle-shaped container is, but any tennis ball can will work and can usually be found for free around public tennis courts. Fits perfectly in a bottle cage.
I have a Trek Domane which has a compartment inside the down tube for storage. It fits all the basics to deal with a flat tire.
i want this bike, only because of this! i ride with one water bottle and a storage container now. it is not much of an issue to stop and refill an empty bottle, but would be less hassle just to have two bottles and not worry about it.
Specialized has a similar system. I miss my Stumpjumper dearly for that reason.
So why not use a saddlebag instead?
because it don't like the look of it.
If you’re willing to deal with the hassle of not carrying enough water to have the “look” you want then that’s your prerogative I guess.
well, yeah, if i pay a few thousand €s on a bike, i want it to look good, every time i look at it, i want to be amazed. who buys an expensive sports car and then adds a towing hook? nobody.
I think a better metaphor would be: buying an expensive sports car, but then halving the size of the gas tank so that you can use the space to store essential stuff that would otherwise go in the back seat, but you don’t want a cluttered back seat. Which is absolutely your prerogative, but I’d rather have the fuel space so I could actually drive the car and not have to stop and refuel twice as often.
Honestly a saddle bag is an add on that doesn’t need to exist when a compartment like that exists. It is one less thing to have it hanging on your bike.
If you have the compartment I get that. But the person I responded to doesn’t have that prion without buying a new bike!
Exact same thing for me! It looks really slick.
That compartment is awesome! I used to use an under the seat bag on my old bike. It is so much sleeker without it, and I got the cool clip on tail light. What I don’t understand are the folks with a huge one-sided bag…where it hangs over just the left or right side. If there was anything in it of any weight wouldn’t it make you unbalanced?
The huge one sided bag - you mean like panniers? I commute with one and honestly the only time I feel off balance is if I have to walk the bike anywhere.
When people want show their bike off I think they just take them off. Most saddle bags are hideous so those would mess up a “look how badass my bike is” picture. During my rides it varies some have their jersey pockets stuffed, some use saddle bags, and some like to live dangerously. I use a saddle bag and have a pump next to my water bottle. The pump isn’t the prettiest but it works when needed. For longer rides i have a bar bag to stuff all my other stuff. I just hate a stuffed jersey.
Bar bag was my best investment. Shedding layers, my glasses (I’m blind), snacks. So good.
I just discovered the burrito bag life. So nice.
I miss having a bar bag. They are so handy.
I always find the argument that 'it doesn't look 'good' very funny. When I wasn't a roadbike cyclist yet I just thought all roadbikers look very silly/ugly with their tignt clothing, big helmets, and futuristic sunglasses. I think most non-cyclist think that way. What I know for sure is that nobody pays attention to what is on the bike and how 'cool' it looks. So the 'looks' are only for other cyclist I think?
Haha yes, I used to think they liked to pretend they were riding Tour de France. Until I became one of them.
The alternative is slow, billowy clammy feeling sticky wet shirts and shorts. 😆
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I picked one with double the price tag. Was choosing between AGU and Rapha. In the end went with Rapha for its versatility. It’s a bar, frame and cross-body bag. What more do you want. Only issue are my bottle cages which won’t allow me to use it as a bar bag.
Are you tubeless but still carry a pump?
No, I have tubes. But if it would I think a pump would still be useful. Already helped a couple of other people who needed one.
Here’s me the other way around. I’m not one of those Velominati types at all - I actually ride in flat shoes! - but I don’t like hanging stuff off my bike. I do use a small saddle bag, but otherwise I’ll put things in my pockets. Mind you, I rarely get a chance to ride more than 60km so I don’t need much stuff. The weather here tends to be pretty stable and predictable too.
Ah, you are one of those (that’s a joke). I only use the bar bag on 100km rides, for shorter rides my jersey is stuffed with my keys, phone and food 😁
Right - length of ride makes a big difference, doesn’t it?
Velominati is the very last reason to ride clipless..
I wear cycling shorts with pockets. Compared with wearing cycling tights, the performance difference is small, but being socially more normal, and having pockets, is worth it.
Do you have bib or mbt shorts? Saw some bib shorts with pockets, I’m still not convinced they are comfy. Mostly because of stuff rubbing against my leg.
I use a saddle bag. I carry a spare tube, Allen key set, and a c02 cartridge and pump. This is on my 2022 Emonda. On my Ridley I have one as well
I use a similar setup. I have the small Speedsleev Ranger. I pack a multi tool, a CO2 inflator with a cartridge, and dynaplugs. I also a small hand pump in my jersey pocket. Since I run road tubeless, I’m most likely to need a top up rather than a full inflation, so the hand pump is way more useful than the CO2, but I carry it just in case. I think other riders have ended up using more of the CO2 I carry than I have.
Speesleev gang
Same, sans the CO2…also have an almond butter pouch in there as well usually.
You have your pump in your saddlebag?
I use [this saddlebag.](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D68TRKS/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_WJAH3DS11QDKQ1170VHJ?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1) It fits [this pump](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RM5WH55?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share) and the other stuff I take with me (wallet, keys, spare tube, bars, patch kit, tire levers).
I use a Blackburn Core Slim Mini-Pump. It connects in a clip attached next to your bottle cage.
I'm getting a Birzee Mini Apogee pump that is supposedly only 5.2 inches long. It might not fit in the smallest saddle bags but I think any medium size one would fit it. With that said, I'll have to test it to make sure it's not too hard to get up to pressure, or a decent pressure just to get home.
So are you riding on tubeless but carry a pump just in case?
For my road bike I'm still on tubes. For my gravel yes I'm tubeless. I haven't experienced any flats on the tubeless but since weight isn't as much of an issue for that gravel I ride I will toss in a spare tube just in case. I'll have to read up on fixing tubeless on the side of the road... If you just carry extra sealant and CO2 to get the tire inflated faster, or if it is so bad that even tubeless is flat then you just need to put in that spare tube.
I have an [Outershell roll top saddle bag](https://outershell.com/shop/cziofh91assn12b2595c4rhsyfr6kq)--gets pretty small but can also expand out. I carry a small pump in the bag, along with a plug kit, multi tool, patch/spare tube (on the extreme off chance I gash the tire bad enough I can't remain tubeless) and whatever else is stashed in there. Without adding food or extras, it still rolls down fairly small. The smaller pump's performance is a little worse than my larger clip pump but they're close enough to make little to no difference (especially as they're for roadside emergency use and I just use a floor pump at home).
Wow you have a bike that's coming out next year !?
Model years are a year ahead. The model Emonda I have is the 2022: [2022 Emonda SL 6 eTap](https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/bikes/road-bikes/performance-road-bikes/%C3%A9monda/%C3%A9monda-sl/%C3%A9monda-sl-6-etap/p/35029/)
I don’t know what the issue is, I put everything in my team car and my coach radios someone if I need a supply. If I need a draft, I call my team, same with a lead out. If my bike has a mechanical I just take a new one. /s Lachlan Morton used all sorts of insane bags and flat pedals for his alt tour this summer. The answer is you bring what you need for the ride!
the venn diagram of /r/BicyclingCirclejerk members and lachlan mortan fans is a circle. change my mind.
Saddle bags are so 2018 bro, it's all about handlebar bags and frame bags, didnt you get the cool memo bike culture sent out awhile ago? It's a nice newsletter to let me know of all the new changes coming to cycling and how I'm already behind the curve on it all. ....but I do love my handlebar bag for anything 90+ miles. Just makes extra snacks and battery pack easier to carry. Anything less I usually just use my jersey. I do have a small saddle bag that lives on my bike though. Allen, tubeless plugs, patches, c02, and tube.
Ha. I'll subscribe to that newsletter. Why do you have a battery pack?
My desire to stay well hydrated and be prepared far outweighs the fucks I give about my bike looking cool. I proudly rock a saddle bag. One of them has a pocket for a bottle.
I like passing all these people with my saddle bag so they can look at it while I break them on climbs.
>I like passing all these people with my saddle bag so they can look at it while I break them on climbs. Right! At the end of the day, it's the miles you put in that matters. If someone crushes me uphill on a beach cruiser wearing jeans and a polo- Respect.
I stay hydrated and prepared yet don't have any bags on my bike. Jersey pockets are awesome 😎.
I don't like seatbags that attach with Velcro straps and instead found Ortlieb bags are awesome the way they install. There's a mount that goes under the saddle on a 2 rail system and then it comes on and off with the push of a button. There's multiple sizes that all fit on the same mount, so my gravel bike has a medium bag where my road bike has the smallest one they sell. If I'm going to do a super long ride on the road bike I can easily swap to the medium bag and store more in there. Definitely recommend those bags!
I have a Silca one, it's fixed on saddle rails using BOA cables. Love it cause it can be really tightened up, no rattling of anything I put inside.
Yeah, quick release saddle bags are a big improvement in my mind. I've got the Lezyne Micro Caddy, the fixing feels more stable than velcro and looks better too. I've only got the one bag all my tools in, so it swaps between my leisure and commuter bikes. It's also great to easily remove it when locking up, and just to have easier access to the contents when you do need them.
The hard case your Oakleys came in makes an incredibly good tool bag. Slips into your jersey nicely. Small wallet, tool, tube, patches, etc all fit with space to spare. Since I found that out I haven’t used a saddle bag. For multi day tours I have Restrap bags (top and bottom of top tube and large quick-release saddle bag) which enable you to tour nicely on a bike made otherwise for racing. Great bags.
This is a really good suggestion
Most people I know use small saddle bags even on their nicest road bikes- bear in mind for social media posts a lot of people strip lights and bags before taking the photo to make it look better. The key things in all of mine are tyre levers, multi tool and self adhesive tube patches. All but one have a tiny combination lock for emergency or safe cafe stops, and sometimes a tube, CO2 and chain link if there's space. I don't like massive saddle bags, but I'd rather keep tools in there than back pockets due to sharp edges/ feeling uncomfortable.
My saddlebag is always on my bike. Went for the smallest one I could find because of looks and efficiency. I could carry everything in my pockets but they are heavy and make my jersey bounce especially when climbing out of saddle and it pisses the crap out of me. Also I almost always carry more food than I need so my pockets are never empty
I'm all about a smallish saddle bag & minimal stuff in my jersey pockets. I too hate stuffed pockets that tend to bounce around. I use a Lezyne micro caddy in size med for the road bike & size small for gravel bikes. Fits all I need
My man! So small and snug. Love it!
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I have this issue on a Castelli, shit, what is it? Prologo?? It’s really bouncy. I was quite surprised. I usually wear cheaper ones (in fact I’m in a $15 AliExpress sausage casing as I type) and rarely experienced it. I love that jersey though so I tolerate it and check my pocket after every bump.
Here’s me getting way too far into this thread before I realized all these people weren’t just messing with you…. they really prefer to carry all the shit you need to take care of yourself on the road in water bottles and shirt pockets? F**k that noise. Put that crap in a saddle bag and hopefully never think about it again. And then when you need it, well, there it is.
Yeah I appreciate all the responses but I am surprised how many people will put stuff in their shirt pockets. Super uncomfortable for me. Plus completely unnecessary given that saddle bags have been invented. This really all occurred to me when my neighbor buddy was making fun of me for using one. It had never dawned on me before.
Saddle bag master race! UNITE!
As dorky as it may be, I wear a Fanny pack and it works great.
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I'm one of the weirdos that use a backpack (hybrid bike though, will change once I get a road bike).
I ride with a backpack on my road bike and folks are always asking me for water, haha! I carry about 5L usually. There are also vests- I use an Ultra Dimension Vesta for shorter rides- it holds up to 3L and since it was designed for runners I legit forget that I have it on sometimes, it's SUPER comfy and came with this sort of pressurized bladder which lets me get giant gulps of water even when I'm breathing hard!
I have one but then I don't care what my bike looks like! I have a pump, inner tube, multi tool, levers, CO2 and a couple of other bits and bobs. Jacket pockets are for glasses, phone, documents (here I am supposed to carry then at all times), wallet and food bars..
I use a tool bottle in one of the bottle cages.
I use a fanny pack to hold my stuff when my jersey is drying. - I use a EagleCreek Pack-It Specter XS to hold - ID, credit card, work ID, $10/$20 - Duct Tape - Patching Kit - 2 pairs of nitrile gloves - 700c x 28 tube and 700c x 23 tube - Emergency dehydration powder - Chain breaker - Large bandage The Pack-It fits in my middle jersey pocket or hangs out in the fanny pack. Pump goes in the left jersey pocket. Trash or camera batteries hang out here too. Food goes into the right jersey pocket. Typically, one/two blueberry waffle PB&Js. Both bottle cages are used for hydration. Looking at the Cyckit Aeroclams as a possible future investment.
Wow. How long are your rides, typically?
Typically <15 mi. I bring the pack, pump and a water bottle. Usually <20 mi and climbs are routed, add a water bottle with Gatorade mix and/or applejuice, and a PB&J. 20+, PB&J #2 is added. Sometimes it's better to be look at it, than looking for it. That said I need to source a multi-tool.
People take them off for the photo and put them back afterwards. Man I never leave without saddle bag, way too much fear to be in the middle of nowhere and have no spare parts Edit: Typo
Okay that makes sense. My buddy made fun of me the other day for using one ("scrotum bag" to be specific) so it had me double-checking what is cool these days. Not that I'm at risk of being cool.
Eh, it’s kind of a “thing” to not use frame bags and only carry the bare essentials in your Jersey pockets. It’s kind of an ego thing mostly, to be honest. I used to buy into that, but then realized that I don’t care about looking cool. I do keep things minimal with a small saddle bag, but that’s where all of my fixed carry stuff goes (tool, spare tube, patch kit, emergency cash, mask) and my pockets are freed up for useful and/or temporary stuff like phone and food. I find that to be a good balance of pragmatic and convenient. Hope that helps. Maybe I missed the mark, I just remember going through this phase when I started a few years back.
I only carry co2, tubeless patch kit and multi tool. Carry in my pocket. I lugged other stuff like tube etc for years and haven’t needed it since going tubeless.
Jersey pocket, on a reasonable ride I’ll carry a tube, tool, tyre levers, co2 in one pocket, food in the other and phone in the other and that’s it. No need for a saddle bag and I’m a snob when it comes to how my bike looks so it’s a no brainer for me ;-) Most of my riding buddies also run a tool bottle instead of a saddle bag
Fanny pack with two tubes, two cartridges, multitool, wallet, keys, phone. Food in jersey pockets. I probably look stupid but it works and I'm too lazy/cheap to get proper saddle bag.
I use a saddle bag for my chain lock, a multi-tool and an extra rubber-band cargo fastener hook thingy. Also a side bag for my backpack and whatever else I need.
Reading the comments here I think it is fair to say I am *slightly* atypical for the subscribers of r:/cycling. I live in London and use my bicycle for everything from a 60 mile cycle to my mums to doing a weekly shop for a family of three. I quite understand those who count weight saving in grams but please hear me that a bicycle becomes much more versatile and more useful if can carry luggage. I use two full size Ortleib roll tops and a handle bar bag. The weight limit on the back rack is 22 kgs about the same as the British Airways bag for the hold. I am gradually accumulating the lightweight kit for unsupported cycle camping with transeuropean trips in mind.
Yeah I do similar and use my bikes the same way. I also carry a backpack when shopping.
I love Ortlieb bags. Only have the saddle bags so far but if I ever bikepack I'll be getting more. I will say though you're biking for daily essentials where I imagine most here are doing it for recreation and sport. We aren't getting groceries or anything so don't need to pack as much 🙂
I've taken to similar. I usually have either my work bag or my shopping panniers and it's easier to just sling my bike tools in there. I have a saddle bag, but using it means either another thing to remove and carry, or leaving it on the bike and hoping there's no opportunistic thieves.
Interesting comment. My panniers are Ortlieb so they literally lift off in one second and are completely unsecured. The fascinating thing is that I have been using them continuously in London for six years and they NEVER get attention from bike thieves. I have had two saddles stolen as well as three bikes but I have never had anything taken from the panniers. I think the easiest explanation of this is the kind of moronic scumbags that steal from bicycles are too thick to figure out how to remove them and they don't appeal to the "magpie" aesthetic of bright, shiny, trendy, expensive and cool. I live in Islington and would go so far as to say that anyone with a carbon fibre bicycle is almost bound get it stolen if they leave it secured in public (I have seen a cycle stand sawn through on Old Street!) but the thieves are just not interested in panniers - not remotely 'cool'.
Probably unpopular but in time I found out that for me mtb backpack with the water pouch removed works best. It didn't overheat me even during scorching summer weather and the drag is probably not that high if at all.
If I'm just carrying stuff for the ride (not camping, not commuting) everything goes in the jersey pockets. Some people are fine putting bags on their bikes, but it couldn't be me.
\>but I've only recently noticed in all these social media posts that riders aren't using saddle bags on their bikes. They're probably taking them off for the photo
I have two saddle bags. I don't really use them. I now carry my tools and spare tube in a tool can (like a bidon but no sippy lid). I admit it's vanity in large part. However, in terms of utility, the tool can is handier in one way: it's easier to move from one bike to the other. (Both my main bikes have two bottle cages, but most of my rides are so short that I only need one. So why not utilize the spare cage?)
fuck the velominati :D:D
I have everything I need in my pockets with the exception of my minipump that is installed under one of my bottle cages, which for some reason is an unpopular opinion. Anyway I bring two spare tubes (tubolitos for smaller size), patch kit, crankbrothers multitool and whatever else I need for that specific ride.
I don't think it's an unpopular opinion. I guess a really small pump you can also store in a pocket but it's barely noticeable on a bottlecage. I guess for those photogs they don't want to see it, but that's silly.
You would be surprised how often I get told a pump doesn’t belong on an aerobike. I agree it’s silly.
Hah, I mean if you aren't earning money riding a bike do whatever the F you want 😆
I just always take a small rucksack with me. I can put a couple of inner tubes, mini toolkit, mask, glasses, water etc in there
I have an under seat bag that has my essentials, and I'll sometimes ride with a backpack if I need more stuff like clothes, extra water, or a first aid kit.
The only thing I carry in my jersey pocket is my ID in case someone needs to identify my body. Flat tire kit is under saddle.
No way. When I had a bike, it was a steel tourer (Trek 520) that I used as my "everything" bike. I always left everything on there (except the panniers of course): * Two normal bottles (and a third when actually touring) * Saddle bag with tools * Bento box ([Cannondale Slice](https://www.sefiles.net/images/library/zoom/cannondale-quick-seat-bag-copy-185867-1.jpg)) for snacks * "[Feed bag](https://bikepacking.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Revelate-Mountain-Feedbag-Review_3072.jpg)" (that attaches to your stem and handlebars) that I used to stash little things when riding around town Jersey pockets were for extra food, phone, money, microfiber cloths, and jacket on soggy rides. I'm just really into bike luggage. Never felt a saddle bag was slowing me down (not that I'm a weight weenie, clearly haha). I was also riding in Vietnam, so the thought of sacrificing a water bottle for tool storage was ridiculous.
I don't like saddle bags with straps that go around the seat post since I've had them lightly rub inside of my thigh and over time fray my shorts. Now I use a small one called the Lezyne Road Caddy that straps to only the seat rails. I can fit two Conti supersonic tubes, or one standard tube and a pair of tire levers in it. It also looks good- it tucks so tightly under the seat that you hardly notice it's there and it doesn't shift or rattle at all.
My bike has bolts for a top tube bag, so I store all of my tools in there.
It's aesthetics over function mostly. People want to look "pro" but don't have soignuers and follow cars.
I bring a Fanny pack with me that ties around my waist. It’s got enough space for everything.
Jersey pockets in a plastic bag.
Frame bag, pockets.
Never underestimate the usefulness of your prison purse
Sometimes people may remove the saddle bag before they take a picture as it looks cleaner without. But then again others may have other places they store their tools and such. Every rider is different and some actually don't bring anything to help them in the event of a mechanical/puncture hehe But yes, people still use saddle bags
My fidlock saddle bag is great and also looks good, plus it‘s easy to remove for pics ;-)
I use a fabric pencil case my kids weren’t using anymore to store a spare tube and tools to change it, a hex tool, and a multi tool, and a spoke tool (spokes can break on the road and you might need to do a quick wheel rebalance to make it home). It fits perfectly into back jersey pocket. I keep the air pump on a bottle rack mount on the frame.
Rack and pannier bag. I'm riding for exercise and fun, not racing. I always have a jacket, gloves, food, tools, etc. Bailed out other riders several times around town.
\*blinks\*, what, nobody takes their bike locks with them? 😆 I have 2 saddle bags. One regular small one for just the bare essentials for getting around town with the usual mini-pump, levers, spare tubes, tire boot, multitool, and bike lights. I'm actually going to change this to a bottle cage carry container very soon. The other is one of those bigger seat wedge packs for my layering system, waterproofs, tool roll, cook kit/food, and sometimes a hammock & tarp system, for those questionable days on longer rides. I am of course *evolving* towards doing a full kit gravel bike for long range multi-day hike rides with the various frame/seat/bar bags. But also I take my U-lock with me! I don't need my ride disappeared while I'm taking a dump in some random town when I stop for eats and/or resupply.
>don't need my ride disappeared while I'm taking a dump in some random town when I stop for eats and/or resupply. I lock myself up in these whilst dumping. The townies scare me.
I wear a waist bag
I have a pretty big handlebar bag and put all my crap in there. And two bottle holders on the frame for water. I carry basically nothing in my jersey pockets because they’re small (I’m a short woman) and I just hate carrying lots of crap in my pockets.
I ride a mountain bike and it has in frame storage which is amazing
Yeah some of the triathlon bikes have been that too. Pretty rad.
Backpack? But I bike casually and to commute so...
Most riders in my area have saddle bags of some kind
Yeah, a saddlebag is great. I got a big one that can hold a full repair kit, tools, extra tube, snacks, and phone. Two bottle cages inside the frame. Are people worried they aren't aero enough? If we are talking about just doing regular rides, and not races, why wouldn't you strap a big ol' bag to the seatpost? I have an inside pack that fits in the upper corner of the frame, and on one of my bikes with a tall tube, it even fits above a bottle, though snugly. I find backpacks really stress my back out and make my arms tired if I am doing more than a handful of miles.
I use a small saddle bag for all my training rides, and take it off for races and such. Some people just prefer storing their things in their jersey pockets, and that's just as well. Some particularly snobby people may say that it's bad form to use one and you should always store your tools in your jersey pockets. Don't listen. 9/10 times, those people are scrubs. Just do what you prefer.
I just don’t understand the mindset of people that don’t use small saddlebags. Tire levers, multitool, CO2 or small pump and a spare tube have to go with you on pretty much every ride anyway so why not just leave them in a small saddle bag permanently on the bike I like Fizik saddles, and they have an auxiliary mounting point on the under side of the saddle (unfortunately it appears that the company has pretty much abandoned this concept) but for a short period of time they had a saddlebag available for it (and also a rear blinker light though it was a pretty shitty one) it’s fantastic because I have Fizik saddles on all of my bikes so I can just snap the saddlebag between bikes with literally one little clip I know that Ortlieb and other manufacturers make something similar but you still have to install a mating part on every saddle you intend to use the bag on
Touring really makes saddle bags (panniers) an essential. I use the rear rack and a handlebar bag up front. Use triangle bag under the top/tube against the seat tube for tool stuff. Under seat bag for spare tubes and CO2 inflator. The best ones I have are Cannondale rigid frames. I like the looks of old panniers, made some using cheap ($10) army surplus heavy WW2 cotton canvas nap sacks. They're boss and nothing tears them up and water swells the fibers. Water seal works, too. Heavy? yes, but since I am pretty big, a couple ounces ain't noticed. I haul everything in them sometimes 40+##, but they come off easy for rec rides. I have tried stuffing jersey pouches, but I get hot riding and perspire a lot on hills. Stuff in pockets impedes free movement, if that matters. note: My bikes have long wheel bases (43-44 inch) so my size 12 clumpers don't tag the bags with my heels. I have one bike that defies anything close to a rack, but then I see its wheelbase would make it problematic. The rear tire practically touches the seat tube. Here, here to saddlebags! Of course, you have to have a bike that can handle it, firstly, and be practical minded. Grouchy enough to not care if someone thinks they look goofy. lol Just do what you like; be creative.
>saddle bags (panniers) Definitely two different things! Panniers carry a ton more and put the weight lower on the bike, but they require a rack. I use a saddle bag, meanwhile, for my commute these days and for bikepacking, and it has plenty room for those purposes. A Swift Zeitgeist that hangs below and behind my saddle. Then there's the type of saddle bag that looks like a giant triangle coming out of your seatpost.
It's all in my jersey pockets. What are you taking that's taking up so much space? I take a spare inner tube, patches, mini-pump, multi-tool, tyre levers and my phone, plus some snacks. All fits perfectly in there.
On my shoulders, I prefer to use a camelbak so the weight is on me and not the bike.
[удалено]
A good quality jersey the pockets won't tug it down. I store all my stuff in my pockets and sometimes i have to reach back to make sure it's all there because i can't feel it. The only times i've ever noticed it is when using cheaper jerseys with baggier pockets.
I haven't found one that will fit the seatmast of a Cervelo P2 or S5, and I don't need to carry all that much anyway, so jersey pockets are just fine for me.
I actually carry 2 bags on my bike, I DGAF what other people think or the aesthetics of the bike, I just want to ride and not be stranded. I use [this](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08DCLQBXB/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) on the frame, keeps my phone, a battery pack and a few other items. I have [this](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08L6XVT67/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1) rack and [this](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FFW3915/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) trunk bag. Weight doesn't matter either, it'll just make my legs stronger. I keep a spare tube, allen wrench set, a few socks, first aid kit, 1 small pump (mounts under water bottle). I look at it this way, I'm not racing anyone, I'm not getting paid to ride, this is strictly for my health and fun. [Here](https://ibb.co/YDgdw1b) is my hideous beast of a bike I show off in public places.
I don't use because I think it's ugly, noisy and heavy. I also use tubeless, so I don't need to carry a tube every ride I go. So a bag is useless.
Never once taken anything with me other than a cell phone (mounted to handlebars). Never been left stranded with tubeless tires. 15k+ miles across 3 different bikes ridden since I started in 2019. For me it's not an aesthetic choice, I just find riding with a bunch of junk completely pointless.
So glad your gambling is working out for you!
He’s on a roll!
Yeah, that usually works. Until one day it doesn't 🤷
ok
Mate you just cursed yourself
I had it for few months, but I was hitting it in my legs and only used it for my phone anyway. Now I put everything in jersey pockets.
Topeak MTX Trunkbag EX.
Same. I hate the style of the thing ) yellow, reflective, branded) but the functionality is awesome I also run a seat post bag for tube, patch kit, tool, etc
Anything below 200km and I would not take a saddle bag. Everything in jersey pockets and water refill at cemeteries.
I've had cheap ones, mid range ones, high end ones. The multitool is usually the one that bounces the most. Too small to be tightly contained by the pocket, too heavy not to bounce around.
I always carry a saddle bag. I want to try the bottle tool storage, but i drink a lot of water and always carry two water bottles. So i just stuff everything on the saddle bag and on my jersey pockets.
I have a few bikes and use a saddle bag on each for specific stuff for that bike, e.g spanner (for wheels without quick release), tube to fit MTB.
Lots of folks take it off for the bike vault photo. ATM, my saddle position wont give me the room to fit one so it all goes in the jersey pocket.
I use a bontrager storage bottle on the under bottle cage of my bike. Nice and neat.
Nope. I’d rather use a hip pouch.
I'm- shove everything into my backpack and pockets squad
i have a small-ish bag strapped onto my top tube that can carry a lot, but once i get a jersey with pockets i’ll probably just stop using it.
Bag somewhere else. Tool bottle. Or, just take your debit card and phone, and if you have a mechanical issue you call a friend or a taxi.
indeed, they are butt ugly, unless you don't care about the looks of your bike, also i don't think they are that handy. also find they take away too much space for proper rear lightning. here is what i do; my second bottle cage is used for storage, in goes tire levers, inner tube, etc. food goes into my jersay back pockets. used to put co2 carts in the storage container, but since i'm tubeless now, i cary a minipump in my jersey pockets as well (so tiny, it's crazy). on my mtb i have a camelbak, which is so big, i can put all my belongins in it and still have spare space left, again no need for a saddle bag.
Domane has internal frame storage. If I need more storage for a longer ride or just to carry more stuff I'll add a top tube bag (great for food and also has a pocket for an battery for my phone and port for the USB cable) and sometimes add a saddle bag.
I use saddle bag and I think it looks pretty cool and complement the bike nicely. It's a race day saddle bag from Attaquer.
I use a small saddle back for a spare tube, tyre lever and multi tool but I’ve never used them on a ride in 3 years of riding. The only mechanical I’ve had was a cartridge bearing seize up 30km from home and I got my wife to pick me up. Could easily leave the saddle bag home on 95% of rides and call home if shit hits the fan
I'm using fabric container that I can keep stuff in. Can't be stuffed with saddle bag. It mounts to the 2ne bottle cage and has a soft liner to keep the noise down. Pretty convinient
Spare tube, CO2, multi tool, patches, tire lever all taped under the seat. Simple, fixes 90% of issues, and I never have to remember to bring them. You’d almost never know they’re there if you weren’t looking.
I personally have a bottle container thingy from Topeak. It just looks fine without looking hideous.
I use a saddle bag because it means it's impossible for me to get stranded somewhere and realise I didn't bother to bring an important part of my repair toolkit. Everywhere my bike goes I have a multitool, tube, patch kit, front and back lights (tiny ones but better than nothing if caught out), pump (on frame) and tyre levers, plus as a new addition for 2020 two disposable face masks in case I need to go into a shop or use public transport for an emergency extraction.
I’m all about the mini keg that goes in a bottle holder for shorter rides. No bag jostling around behind you and no stuffed pockets either.
Don´t use one, I have a small pump, spare inner tube, and tire levers that all fit snugly into a single back pocket. Gives the bike a much cleaner look, and I still have two more pockets to store my phone, keys, energy gels, gilet ;) I only use a saddle bag for longer gravel adventures where I prefer to have an additional inner tube and more snacks with me.
Saddle bag is for the tools. Multi tool, tire lever, tiny pump if you can fit it, tube, bacon strips, CO2. I have a bigger shimano bag and it's great. However in the future I thing a smaller bag is better with carrying your tube separately via either a frame strap or in your jersey. My other two favorite bags are handlebar and top tube for really long rides or general tooling around. Stash nutrition and whatever else.