Saddle bag?

[Jean]

Hi,

I've been using an inexpensive saddle bag for my off road riding, but not surprisingly it's starting to show the results of a hard life on an MTB. My hydration pack has no built in storage as a ready alternative, so before I go shell out some hard earned I thought I'd jsut pick brains about what people use to carry their tubes, tools etc.

Cheers
Jean

[familyguy]

There must be a reason why everyone uses backpacks, hydration or not. They do give far more capacity, you can effectively leave the bike totally bare of add-ons. A backpack can take pump, two tubes, patch kit, hydration bladder, first aid, food, keys, wallet and phone pretty easily. Things can fall out of jersey pockets.

I must be the only guy I see riding an MTB without a backpack. I prefer the bottle and sadde bag combo, even though it means I have to clean sand and dirt off the bottle every time I want a drink though, but its better for my balance not to wear a pack. I'm never far from help though, maybe twenty minutes walk. I think backpacks are a better option for all day stuff by far.

Jim

[Cinder]

I use a saddle bag and bottle as well for much the same reasons as above. I tend to go for the cheaper side of things on saddle bags, because, like you say, they tend to live a hard life. As long as they seem fairly water proof and attach securley I'm happy.

I used to do longer rides, and for those I would take a backpack and take it a bit easier. I've always found backpacks kind of uncomfortable on long rides. Just a combination of the weight, and the sweaty-ness that comes with it.

Looking at cameblbaks now, hopefully with the fandangle ventilation backs...

[trailgumby]

My saddlebag carries: tyre levers x 3, spare tube x 1, patch kit, Topeak 17 multitool with chainbreaker, and a bit of spoke with a hook bent each end to take the chain tension while I rejoin the chain.

Unless it's a quick scoot to the shops or a quick blat down the downhill section from 19th Hole at Manly Dam and straight back (I live nearby), the backpack always comes with me.

This is why:
On Saturday I did a couple of hours at Cascades on the weekend with a mate. By the time I included the ride to his place and back it was three hours.

It wasn't all that warm, but with all the ups and downs and humidity under the canopy I went through:
* a 750ml bidon of gatorade
* 1.75l of water
* a gel

If it hadn't been for the Camelbak I'd have been in trouble - the fluids ran out just as we got to the final road leg back to his place (a km or so) and I topped up at his place. The last 5km back home I had nothing left in the tank and just sort of crept along.

I can easily go through a litre an hour, so I can't practically carry enough water without a hydration pack.

Drinking water taps aren't available by the side of the trail, and you can quickly get yourself a long way from help, so there is a list of minimum items that I carry in addition to what's in the saddle bag:
* Due to the way the shock is mounted a pump doesn't really fit on the bike, so the pump goes in the pack.
* Often I'll carry the shock pump along as well, although the main reason for it living in the hydration pack is so that i don't forget to pack it for away rides.
* A spare patch kit,
* mobile phone (always),
* camera (sometimes),
* wallet with $50 in small notes,
* a small set of square nose sidecutter pliers - which came in useful on Saturday
* a gel

On half-day rides (the longest I've done so far) I'll pack a banana and an apple, more gels, and a second tube.

If it's a point-to-point ride rather than a loop, I'll carry a spare derailleur hanger.

Depending on weather: a rain shell.

All of the above is a bit of a squeeze for a saddle bag. Yes a pack is a bit warm, but you get used to it. And it doubles as a spine protector if you go OTB.

[Jean]

Thanks for that. I can see the value in a pack and I intend eventually to get a slightly bigger hydration pack with some storage aboard, but for the mechanical essentials I do prefer the saddle bag. Most people I see out and about seem to not to use the saddle bag, so it's interesting to see that people here do.

I think I'll stick with a saddle bag and see what works and has reasonable longevity.

[Fred Nurk]

I don't know that I've ever gone out without a Camelbak (I own two of them, varying storage sizes)in recent times, but I certainly appreciate the freedom of not having a backpack for rides. In recent times (I used to commute with an enormous Lowepro backpack and a waterbottle) I've just used the Camelbak, and certainly appreciate the option of not having to bend down to get the bottle, nor to have to hold it with one hand whilst drinking from it.

I've got two bikes, so the effort of grabbing the backpack with all the gear (pump, tubes, multitool, phone, wallet, etc) is easier no matter which bike I've got. I have been caught leaving the pump in the wrong pack, but thats my own fault. If I only had 1 bike, the saddle bag would be a reasonable solution, but I still end up preferring all my gear to be stuck in the backpack.

In the end, its whatever works for you, and if you know you've always got your tubes and tools under the saddle, then that makes sense. As trailgumby said though, extra hydration on longer rides as a reserve is a fantastic thing though.

[Mulger bill]

I carry tools in me saddlebag. Pump on the frame.
On short runs where food and hydration isn't an issue I use a bumbag for the tubes, wallet and phone. Everywhere else means a hydropack.

Shaun

[ireland57]

I use a back pack, a saddle bag and a bike water bottle.
I have a medium size saddle bag (hangs under seat; 2 compartments). It takes spare tubes x 2, patch kit, tyre levers, wire, valve undoer, spare derailleur hanger, something else (forgot). It's a squeeze.

Someone pointed out a while back that every time you lift your bum off the seat you are lifting a heavy back pack also. Hence the saddle bag.

The back pack has water 1 1/2-3 litres, glasses, emergency light, toilet stuff, food.

I don't like the back pack much but it's a lot, lot better than being stuck with no food.
I try to lighten the back pack as much as possible expecially for the longer harder rides.

[il padrone]

There must be a reason why everyone uses backpacks, hydration or not. They do give far more capacity, you can effectively leave the bike totally bare of add-ons. A backpack can take pump, two tubes, patch kit, hydration bladder, first aid, food, keys, wallet and phone pretty easily. Things can fall out of jersey pockets.

I guess you could always use a real saddlebag and it'd carry all that gear plus more

[lacticacid]

I just picked up a triangular frame bag ("Jandd" brand on Ebay from the US)... mainly looking at as an add-on for lightweight offroad touring, but I think it is small enough to use for general riding.