bar or saddle bag?

scruffyduncan

Hi, I am doing the end to end this summer on a racing bike. I can keep luggage minimal but will need a large bar or saddle bag. How much difference does a bar bag make to handling? Does anyone have experience of the carradice SQR tour saddlebag? would this be a better option?

All advice appreciated

Duncan

nun

Both a bar bag and a saddlebag are useful. The saddlebag, a Nelson is a good size, is for clothes, tools, spares etc. and the bar bag for your personal items like wallet, phone, wash kit, keys ipod. Keep everything you could not afford to loose in the bar bag and take it with you whenever you leave your bike.

amaferanga

I used to have a SQR Tour, but sold it as I found it swayed too much if I got out of the saddle on hills. I now use a rack bag (an Agu Yamaska 475) and either a proper rack or a seat post rack depending on which bike I'm using. I bought a seat post rack for about £13 from Decathlon not expecting much, but I'm very impressed with it. I think its a Pletscher Orion. Bar bags are a headache when you want to have lights and GPS as well and you might need longer cable if you have STIs.

I'm also doing an E2E and plan on using my rack bag and seatpost rack along with a top tube mounted tri bag and maybe a mini-bar bag if I can find such a thing.

Stuck on a Giant

I find main difference to handling is when I get out of the saddle, which I consequently try to avoid, and to be honest, probably don't need to do too much anyway. I'm not sure how much of this is due to the bar bag, or the panniers on the back.

I'm with nun in terms of having both. Also, a bar bag with a map holder can be useful, especially if you write a list of directions, much easier to follow than trying to read a map. You'd do well to pack 2 weeks of gear in a bar bag!

Be aware if you've got Shimano that the gear cables may get in the way. I've got interruptor brakes, and had to get an extension piece for my Altura bar bag, which probably exacerbates any handling issues by putting the weight out even further.

geoff_ss

If it was one or the other I'd definitely go for the saddle bag (or rack pack). I don't really like handlebar bags because they affect the handling quite a bit. Having said that, I have used them because they're so handy to carry personal documents, camera, money etc that you need to keep with you off the bike.

I rarely ride without a rackpack anyway (often almost empty) as do most of my riding companions and don't find it a problem at all. They're useful for bringing home shopping on a ride - my wife carried a watering can home this afternoon from our 50 mile Wednesday social ride

Geoff

scruffyduncan

I have shimano, so that could be an issue. Maybe a bigger saddlebag will be the way to go. i am intending to travel very light, stay in b and bs and have stuff posted to me along the way, so I don't think I need huge bags