Author Topic: New Carradice saddlebag rack  (Read 5376 times)

New Carradice saddlebag rack
« on: 17 November, 2013, 08:42:59 pm »
Ordered one of these as soon as I heard on the forum about Carradice introducing them. Really pleased with it. Rock solid including off road. Clever and improved design over the old Karrimor high lift. Longer tangs, non slip webbing and clip, suitable for Barley and larger bags due to design. Will post some pics when I have a chance. I am sure will be of interest to saddlebag audax types and others using Brooks or similar saddles.

http://www.carradice.co.uk/index.php?page_id=product&under=range&product_id=136#prettyPhoto
Get a bicycle. You will never regret it, if you live- Mark Twain

Blodwyn Pig

  • what a nice chap
Re: New Carradice saddlebag rack
« Reply #1 on: 20 November, 2013, 09:52:56 am »
do you find you get ,....posterior / frame interaction, as the frame is quite close to the rivet area, I mean do you detect its there whilst riding, that sort of thing bugs the hell out of me.

Bender

  • Bite my shiny metal a..
Re: New Carradice saddlebag rack
« Reply #2 on: 20 November, 2013, 01:13:32 pm »
How does it actually attach to the bike, the tabs that hook into the rear of the saddle look like they'll just pull out?

Re: New Carradice saddlebag rack
« Reply #3 on: 20 November, 2013, 02:04:29 pm »
Riding a bit high, isn't it? Can it be lowered? I'd worry about interaction.
"A woman on a bicycle has all the world before her where to choose; she can go where she will, no man hindering." The Type-Writer Girl, 1897

Biggsy

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Re: New Carradice saddlebag rack
« Reply #4 on: 20 November, 2013, 02:18:00 pm »
I'd worry about getting my leg over.
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Bender

  • Bite my shiny metal a..
Re: New Carradice saddlebag rack
« Reply #5 on: 20 November, 2013, 02:24:19 pm »
I'd worry about getting my leg over.

Mustn't mustn't.....  ;)

Blodwyn Pig

  • what a nice chap
Re: New Carradice saddlebag rack
« Reply #6 on: 20 November, 2013, 04:26:13 pm »
I ALWAYS worry about getti............ :facepalm:

Re: New Carradice saddlebag rack
« Reply #7 on: 20 November, 2013, 05:16:58 pm »
I just don't get the logic in placing the weight higher than with a standard rack/rack pack or saddlebag.
I already find my bike with a new Bagman system has a distinct pendulum feel to the handling.
It's better on my audax bike where the weight is set much lower on an SQR system.

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: New Carradice saddlebag rack
« Reply #8 on: 20 November, 2013, 06:17:09 pm »
Those who ride tiny frames can have negative clearance between their saddlebag and rear tyre. HK can't use anything bigger than a Barley on her bike.

These new saddlebag mounts look very similar to the old Karrimor mounts. Neither HK or I can use either type of Karrimor mount, due to bum:saddlebag interference. A pity, the tags (vaguely S-shaped in profile) give a quick release mechanism.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

Re: New Carradice saddlebag rack
« Reply #9 on: 20 November, 2013, 10:56:46 pm »
Having  been  using  one  of  these  with  a  Barley  for  about  a  month. No  issue  with  it  swinging  and  no  effect  on handling, yes it  does  raise  the  saddlebag  up  higher, this  was  the  reason I acquired one as  riding  a  smallish frame there  was  not  much  clearance  between  bag  and mudguard. Interestingly  I  still  have  one  of  the  old  Karrimor  versions and  yes  there  is bum contact  with  that, however  not  with  the  carradice model !
Certainly happy  with  mine  which  replaced  a Bagman  support.

Re: New Carradice saddlebag rack
« Reply #10 on: 21 November, 2013, 10:33:31 am »
This looks like the answer to my prayers as the current bagman, in new and older guises is just too big to fit between my saddle and the rear wheel.  The outstanding problem I have is that the new one relies on having bag loops on the saddle.  Very few do these days and even Brooks don't fit them to all their saddles.  It seems to be a complicated exercise to get a saddle you are comfortable with without having to restrict choice to ones with bag loops.
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mcshroom

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Re: New Carradice saddlebag rack
« Reply #11 on: 21 November, 2013, 03:44:33 pm »
You can get bolt-on bag loops though which use the normal saddle rails :)
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Re: New Carradice saddlebag rack
« Reply #12 on: 21 November, 2013, 04:29:12 pm »
I have one and fitted with a nelson lf but have yet to road test it. It fits a b17 and spa nidd fine, but doesn't work with an old saddle where the loops are slightly recessed under the saddle. The two clips that go into the loops can't engage. That might also be an issue where you are relying on 'add on' loops.

Re: New Carradice saddlebag rack
« Reply #13 on: 22 November, 2013, 12:07:57 pm »
The photos on the Carradice website are pretty comprehensive. For a close up from underneath to show how the tabs locate on a B17:



The strap around the seat pillar provides the tension that prevents the tabs from disengaging. It seems pretty secure when I've tried BF&I to dislodge it.

Off to try it out in the real world :)

Re: New Carradice saddlebag rack
« Reply #14 on: 22 November, 2013, 06:07:12 pm »
And just to round this off after a 25k jaunt along the roads through the potholes of Sussex:

Overall: brilliant bit of kit.
Leg over - no problem
Stability  - very solid. I threw a heavy lock and chain in with a few other bits and pieces and it was fine despite the fact that the contents were weighty and must have slid around
Clearance - I can fit a fist between the rack and my lower back. I have to slide a long way back on the saddle before making contact with the rack - so far back as to be highly uncomfortable.
Fitting - mounts in 10-15secs, demounts in 2
Ergonomics - easy to reach the side pockets while still riding

Only time will tell but it's a great start.

Re: New Carradice saddlebag rack
« Reply #15 on: 22 November, 2013, 08:23:04 pm »
Wot he said ^^^^^
Get a bicycle. You will never regret it, if you live- Mark Twain

Blodwyn Pig

  • what a nice chap
Re: New Carradice saddlebag rack
« Reply #16 on: 24 November, 2013, 07:56:25 pm »
can we move this to the review section, its good info and will other wise get lost. ::-)

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: New Carradice saddlebag rack
« Reply #17 on: 30 July, 2014, 12:25:42 pm »
I've just ordered one. I'd previously decided it it would be a Nice Thing To Have but was unnecessary expenditure.

It's become a bit more necessary as a consequence of my Bagman QR mechanism disintegrating on the way home yesterday. Had to secure my Barley to the mount with zip ties to stop it falling off.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: New Carradice saddlebag rack
« Reply #18 on: 30 July, 2014, 01:45:17 pm »
It's become a bit more necessary as a consequence of my Bagman QR mechanism disintegrating on the way home yesterday.
Usually the trigger pin comes out, which allows the spring to fire the support pin out of the end.
Generally it happens when there's no weight on the bag loop, when fitting or removing the bag, so there's a reasonable chance of finding it, but I suppose a road bump could also allow it out.
Carradice will probably give you a new release pin set if you grumble.

Old release pins are screw in, and benefit from locktite, newer ones are a rolled springy thing that benefit from a bash with a hammer.

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: New Carradice saddlebag rack
« Reply #19 on: 30 July, 2014, 02:28:53 pm »
Usually the trigger pin comes out, which allows the spring to fire the support pin out of the end.

Yup, that about sums it up. It happened while I was en route, so fat chance of finding the trigger pin. Fortunately, the support pin stayed in place until I removed it. It would probably be easy to molish a replacement trigger pin (I couldn't see a thread in the socket so I'm assuming it's the newer bash-in type) but I'm looking at this as a serendipitous excuse to buy a Classic rack, which I had been considering anyway. Two attractions of the Classic for me, as previously mentioned...

One, I've always been happy with the Bagman support except that because it mounts to the saddle rails, my saddle has to be set further back than I'd like. Using the Classic rack will allow me to set the saddle further forward.

Two, when off the bike, it provides a carry handle for the bag.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

jogler

  • mojo operandi
Re: New Carradice saddlebag rack
« Reply #20 on: 30 July, 2014, 02:41:21 pm »
I'd previously decided it  would be a Nice Thing To Have but was unnecessary expenditure.


That was exactly my initial thought.However it became an itch I had to scratch after seeing Canardly's.

I sold my SQR brkt,which had been getting no use for a while, to convince myself that I had avoided unnecessary expenditure ;)
I'm chuffed with mine.I like the way it swaps between saddles with no need for tools & it's absolutely effortless.Plus the bottom horizontal rail provides an excellent mounting position for a rear light.

Currently mine is being used in conjunction with a Carradice Camper longflap.

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: New Carradice saddlebag rack
« Reply #21 on: 01 August, 2014, 11:48:13 am »
Impressively prompt service from Carradice - ordered Wednesday, arrived in Thursday's post. So I got to use it on this morning's commute. First impressions very favourable. :thumbsup:

One observation: it's quite tricky to get adequate tension on the seatpost strap. Shame you can't tighten it after closing the fastening. Or can you? Maybe I'm doing something wrong.

Also, has anyone been tempted to add any kind of damping on the bar that rests against the saddle rails? I'm thinking of wrapping it in a bit of old inner tube or somesuch, just to reduce the effect of vibrations.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

jogler

  • mojo operandi
Re: New Carradice saddlebag rack
« Reply #22 on: 01 August, 2014, 01:00:00 pm »


One observation: it's quite tricky to get adequate tension on the seatpost strap. Shame you can't tighten it after closing the fastening. Or can you?

I connect the two parts of the snap buckle & pull the free end back towards the handlebars,iyswim,& tuck the loose strap under the tensioned strap that is in contact with the saddle post.

I do not start with the strap adjusted to the correct length as it were.It's a slack fit before I pull on the free end as referred to above.
hth

eta I've done nothing relating to vibration elimination

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: New Carradice saddlebag rack
« Reply #23 on: 01 August, 2014, 07:43:42 pm »
I've worked out what the problem was - the strap was threaded wrongly through the buckle, so it was impossible to adjust the tension after fastening it. Sorted it now.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: New Carradice saddlebag rack
« Reply #24 on: 02 August, 2014, 07:34:04 am »
Also, has anyone been tempted to add any kind of damping on the bar that rests against the saddle rails? I'm thinking of wrapping it in a bit of old inner tube or somesuch, just to reduce the effect of vibrations.
I've done that on my 1970s version.  I use a toestrap for the seatpost strap and pull it up very tightly, also to reduce any vibration.