Selle Italia Saddle, Brooks and SQRs

[joy of essex]

Good  morning,

I can't, any longer,  use Brooks saddles on my bikes but I  still want to use my collection of  Carradice Saddlebags; currently sitting on Selle Italia saddles. 

As I understand it saddle bags loops bolted on to the saddle won't work and that the best way of attaching the saddle by using the SQR  system. Is this correct? Are there any other methods?
The bags will be resting on racks .

Looking forward to your responses

[Jakob W]

If the bags are going to be resting on racks, I'd have thought the saddlebag loops (or the twin-slot clamp thing that Carradice sell) will probably be ok, as there's not going to be that much weight on them. Otherwise putting the straps through the saddle rails will probably work ok, though it's not as quick-release as the SQR. I use the saddlebag QR clamp, which is effectively the clamp bit of a bagman QR, for my Camper Longflap in conjunction with a rear rack, and that works very well for me.

[tatanab]

An issue with the SQR is that to lift the bag away you have to lift and then drop below its original position (this from memory since it is at least 15 years since I last had one) so the rack gets in the way of a fully loaded bag.  I did not find it a major problem, just a nuisance.

A more modern option might be to use the QR part from a bagman, since the bag weight is on the rack.  This is dependant on the distance from the saddle rails to the rack being appropriate.  https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/luggage/carradice-bagman-quick-release-clamp/

[Cudzoziemiec]

I never got on very well with the bolt-on loops but the bolt-on clamp works fine. It's a bit heavy but rock solid. I'm talking about this part: https://www.carradice.co.uk/products/saddle-fixing-systems/saddlebag-clamp I'm not aware of any reason it couldn't be used unless, I guess, your saddle has carbon fibre rails. But the QR part from a Bagman is probably just as good, lighter and, obviously, QR.

[joy of essex]

I have the bolt on "loops" in the cellar.  I thought there was a problem with  space and the positioning of the saddle rails that made  using loops of either  sort impracticable..
Hence the use of the QR...

[Cudzoziemiec]

Don't think so, unless it's specific to one sort of saddle. Try it and see, as you've already got it.

[joy of essex]

Time to fettle..

[Jakob W]

I think the major problem with the bolt-on loops (& indeed with most saddle rail clamps) is that they put the attachment point for the bag lower, which can cause wheel interference on a small frame. If the bag's resting on a rack anyway, the vertical clearance is less critical.

[joy of essex]

Thank you all.