Author Topic: Bag dilemma  (Read 5851 times)

phil dubya

  • It's a fast bike, but the engine's knackered.
Bag dilemma
« on: 17 June, 2019, 10:10:11 pm »
I've my 600 qualifier this weekend (Flatland Friends) and whilst preparing my bicycle I have have finally been confronted with a dilemma which I've been avoiding for sometime; which bags will I use on PBP?

For FF I think it would be prudent to ride with my PBP setup to iron out any issues, but here's the thing.

I've a super C saddle bag with a whopping 23L capacity but weighs in at 910 grams plus the expedition rack 489gram and Topeak fuel tank bag 0.75L  150grams

Total package 23.75L + 1450grams

or

Super C saddleback 6L 460grams + karrimor handlebar bag 5L 630grams

Total package 11L + 1090grams

Dilemma comes down to this, is a Super C too heavy to lug around PBP?  This is the thing, I do like the additional space it offers should I decide to grab a baguette rather than weight in a queue.  (I'm really bad at queuing, think TVs "Grumpy old men at Christmas"). I also find the saddleback a bit of a faff getting kit in and out.

I'm kinda trying to avoid buying new kit just for PBP too. 

I'd be keen to hear from anyone who has used a super C on PBP before.

wilkyboy

  • "nick" by any other name
    • 16-inch wheels
Re: Bag dilemma
« Reply #1 on: 17 June, 2019, 10:34:44 pm »
I'll be using a Super C AUDAX, i.e. the 9L.  It's actually the Lightweight, but the size is the same.  I WON'T be lugging it around the controls — I'm hatching a scheme to get me some lightweight material and make up a custom musette to fit the essentials to carry over my shoulder (i.e. bottles, brevet, extra layers, nothing else).  Well under 1kg for the saddlebag, Bagman Sport and a small top-tube bag.

A quick strap can hold a baguette to the top of any bag — no need to get fancy, you'll be eating it in short order.  Alternatively, just put it under the lid of the saddlebag and cinch the straps down — it won't be going anywhere.  Last time I think I just put it on top of my front bag with a bungie over the top (I'm not using a front bag this time).

I'll also have a small (tiny) waterproof bag with a change of shorts and jersey strapped to the bagman in front of the bag, effectively under the saddle (the waterproof bag weighs a few grammes — think stuffsac).  It will need to be accessed exactly once.

24L sounds profligate; 11L sounds more realistic.

And, FWIW, you'll still have to queue for baguettes in the café, just not quite as long as queuing for hot food in the restaurant.
Lockdown lethargy. RRTY: wot's that? Can't remember if I'm on #8 or #9 ...

cygnet

  • I'm part of the association
Re: Bag dilemma
« Reply #2 on: 17 June, 2019, 10:40:49 pm »
Bottles just get shoved up your jersey at controls surely. No need for a bag for that.
I Said, I've Got A Big Stick

Wycombewheeler

  • PBP-2019 LEL-2022
Re: Bag dilemma
« Reply #3 on: 17 June, 2019, 10:45:00 pm »
I wouldn't worry about the weight of the bag compared to the weight of the extra 10litres of stuff you'll be fitting in there just because you can.

Eddington  127miles, 170km

Re: Bag dilemma
« Reply #4 on: 17 June, 2019, 10:57:07 pm »
I have never, ever weighed any part of a bike, or anything attached to it.  The main thing with luggage is to keep it small enough that you can only carry the essentials.

Phil W

Re: Bag dilemma
« Reply #5 on: 17 June, 2019, 11:02:41 pm »
Try the setup with the lower capacity just to see if you can fit everything you think you will need in that configuration.  Try packing your setup in next couple of days before weekend. That will tell you what you need to know about capacity. Then you'll know out of your choices which best suits your needs. Don't choose purely on weight.

Re: Bag dilemma
« Reply #6 on: 17 June, 2019, 11:22:00 pm »
The wind resistance of the big bag will be worse than its weight.

I’ve taken to using a packable backpack for carrying food and other random overflow stuff.

rob

Re: Bag dilemma
« Reply #7 on: 18 June, 2019, 08:15:21 am »
I took a carrier bag last time.   Took the required bits from my saddlebag into the control.

wilkyboy

  • "nick" by any other name
    • 16-inch wheels
Re: Bag dilemma
« Reply #8 on: 18 June, 2019, 09:34:52 am »
I took a carrier bag last time.   Took the required bits from my saddlebag into the control.

From experience, I want something that is hands-free and attached to me  ::-)

I’ve taken to using a packable backpack for carrying food and other random overflow stuff.

I did have a tiny packable rucksac from Alpkit a while back ... it turned out to be too tiny and it's somewhere, just not anywhere I've looked since then  :facepalm: 

Anyway, thanks Grams — that looks like it might fit the bill as a replacement.  Fabric sourced and stitched — by someone else — and stocked in Cambridge  :thumbsup:
Lockdown lethargy. RRTY: wot's that? Can't remember if I'm on #8 or #9 ...

Re: Bag dilemma
« Reply #9 on: 18 June, 2019, 01:40:04 pm »
I went with a large Nelson Carradice last time and all the sh*t I packed in it.... well not great. Keep it small and take a few straps. I have taken to using a musette lately for stops and random extra food pickup and guess what, the bag designed to hold small amounts of food on the bike is perfect for just that :-)

I will be: Small (5l) barbag - I just like to have stuff to hand - a 10l bikepack saddle bag which will be 6l full. Roughly equal to Wilkyboys capacity, just split more to the front. 10 or 11l should be plenty with modern gear providing you are only banking on one change of shorts and shirt.

Phil W

Re: Bag dilemma
« Reply #10 on: 18 June, 2019, 01:48:21 pm »
What is this change of shorts and shirt you speak of, a new concept for PBP?

Re: Bag dilemma
« Reply #11 on: 18 June, 2019, 03:50:37 pm »
What is this change of shorts and shirt you speak of, a new concept for PBP?

Ha! Well I am not bothering, but I accept that might be a little grim for some :-)

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: Bag dilemma
« Reply #12 on: 18 June, 2019, 03:52:11 pm »
Some of us delicate flowers prefer a clean pair of shorts every day.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Bag dilemma
« Reply #13 on: 18 June, 2019, 03:57:21 pm »
What is this change of shorts and shirt you speak of, a new concept for PBP?

People seriously do PBP on a single pair of shorts?

Changing shorts regularly (daily for me), is one of the best things I've found for keeping the saddle sores at bay.

As for the OP's question, Not doing PBP, but I find a musette to be invaluable on the bike. I started using one after a rider on RatN2018 recommended it, and it's made life so much easier.

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

Phil W

Re: Bag dilemma
« Reply #14 on: 18 June, 2019, 04:03:24 pm »
Well I suppose it keeps the ride interesting.

"Musette, small, elegant bagpipe that was fashionable in French court circles in the 17th and 18th centuries. The bagpipe was bellows-blown, with a cylindrical double-reed chanter beside which the instrument-maker Jean Hotteterre, about 1650, placed a short stopped chanter with six keys giving notes above the main chanter compass.

The musette employed a “shuttle” drone: a short cylinder with about 12 narrow channels variously connected in series to supply four drones, each sounded with a double reed and tuned or silenced by slider keys moving in the slots through which the bores vented to the exterior. The bag was typically covered with silk or velvet, and the pipes were of ivory."

vorsprung

  • Opposites Attract
    • Audaxing
Re: Bag dilemma
« Reply #15 on: 18 June, 2019, 04:42:38 pm »
I haven't used a super C on PBP before but I will be this time

PBP isn't a hilly ride and the tiny extra weight of a slightly bigger saddle bag is insignificant

The main problem with a larger saddle bag is related to Ianh's point that one should take the minimum amount of stuff

If you have a bigger bag then you will take more crap

Re: Bag dilemma
« Reply #16 on: 18 June, 2019, 05:06:43 pm »
For my 2d worth, when comparing all up weight of rider and bike/gear, the smallest % of weight is gear carried, so worrying about a kg here or there isn't worth it, you gain on the downs what you lose on the ups (well not quite). I think on long rides the ability to access things, and have little comforts outweighs the small loss in speed, afterall faffing at controls loses more overall average speed than a bit of extra weight.

Don't ask me what my all up weight will be for PBP, but it will be a lot because I can take a lot, I'm even toying with taking full camping gear so I can have a sleep where I need to rather than at a control.

wilkyboy

  • "nick" by any other name
    • 16-inch wheels
Re: Bag dilemma
« Reply #17 on: 18 June, 2019, 05:24:53 pm »
Changing shorts regularly (daily for me), is one of the best things I've found for keeping the saddle sores at bay.

This has affected me badly the past six months or so, hence a change of shorts halfway.  When it came to it, the pack size and weight were not significant (tiny and about 300g).
Lockdown lethargy. RRTY: wot's that? Can't remember if I'm on #8 or #9 ...

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Bag dilemma
« Reply #18 on: 18 June, 2019, 05:33:23 pm »
Changing shorts regularly (daily for me), is one of the best things I've found for keeping the saddle sores at bay.

This has affected me badly the past six months or so, hence a change of shorts halfway.  When it came to it, the pack size and weight were not significant (tiny and about 300g).

Yeah. On RatN, my daily routine was to get to the hotel, lube the chain, put shorts in to soak, shower, rinse shorts, wrap in towel, stand on towel, hang shorts to dry. I carried 3 pairs, but only used 2 in the end (was planning to camp more).

I use these soap flakes: https://amzn.to/2ZxFIRO

They have the advantage of not being liquid based, so nothing to leak in your bag. Also very compact. I use 3-4 per wash. They have a specialised version for washing clothes, but I take the generic, so I can use it for me too, if need be.

On an event like PBP, there's not really any point in doing laundry, just carry an extra pair. (I'd probably carry 3 pairs, plus the pair worn).

On events with a bagdrop, shorts is the first item I put in there.

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

Re: Bag dilemma
« Reply #19 on: 18 June, 2019, 07:14:56 pm »
I haven’t used a saddle bag for Audax rides since the 1980s. Since then I’ve mostly used seat packs of various sizes according to length of ride apart from a phase when almost everyone used rack packs on their steel bikes.
From 2017 LEL onwards I’ve used the same 10 litre seat pack for all of my Audax rides and just roll it up a bit when it’s not full. I find it about right for what I regard as essentials for a long ride. I also have a fuel tank bag on my top tube that holds up to 10 x 40g energy bars and 4 gels.
On multi day rides I always carry a spare pair of shorts, but I would only use them if I really needed to. On the last LEL I carried shorts and had some in each drop bag but still wore the same ones all the way round because they were comfortable. Last few PBPs I’ve also only worn one pair of shorts all the way round.


Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Bag dilemma
« Reply #20 on: 18 June, 2019, 08:17:23 pm »
Super C saddleback 6L 460grams
If anyone should want to follow Dubya's lead, I have one of these I've been meaning to get around to selling...
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Re: Bag dilemma
« Reply #21 on: 19 June, 2019, 08:27:41 am »
What is this change of shorts and shirt you speak of, a new concept for PBP?

People seriously do PBP on a single pair of shorts?

I was astonished to learn people are riding Tour Divide and Race to the Rock with just a single pair of shorts. 2 - 3 weeks in the same kit, with long days to boot.

My routine is generally to wear one pair and have another pair in reserve. So if I wash one pair I don't need it to be dry a few hours later when I set off again. Even using the towel rolling and standing on it process, things always feel damp.

On my recent Norwegian 1000km audax I used the first pair for the first 820km, so I could have a fresh pair for the ferry crossing across to Denmark.

Eddington: 133 miles    Max square: 43x43

Re: Bag dilemma
« Reply #22 on: 19 June, 2019, 08:46:52 am »
I took two pairs when I did TCR the first time.  But I found that one pair was better than the other so wore them for all but two days. 

When I did IndyPac I meant to take two pairs, both of the better type, but I forgot to pack the spare pair!  It was fine.  I washed them 2 0r three times, whenever I was in a hotel where I was confident they'd dry in time. 

I always take another pair of non-cycling shorts for sleeping or any other non-cycling occasions. Last PBP I wandered round the Dreux control after my shower in 'trousers' consisting of black boxer shorts and leg warmers and nobody batted an eyelid.

rob

Re: Bag dilemma
« Reply #23 on: 19 June, 2019, 08:51:48 am »
I carried 2 pairs on the last PBP.   I put the spare pair on for the last 300k.

Not sure I'll bother with the extra pair this time.

Re: Bag dilemma
« Reply #24 on: 19 June, 2019, 09:26:30 am »
Carried spare top, shorts and socks on the last 3 PBPs. First time showerd and changed part way around, last two kept the same kit on all the time. Still debating this time. Definitely a spare pair of socks in case of very wet feet.     
“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” ― Albert Einstein