Jersey pockets vs saddle bag

book sprite

What are the pros and cons of using rear jersey pockets to carry spare inner tubes, etc as opposed to using a saddle bag on a road bike?

mikeyboy12345

Saddle bag = extra weight, looks crap. Unfortunately might be necessary unless you can convince your missus to follow you in the car with spare wheels! For a longer ride I honestly couldn't carry everything in the jersey - mobile, cards, cash, inner tube, patches, levers, multi-tool, waterproof, etc.

I keep my jersey pockets for things I'll need whilst moving, like gels, energy bars, maybe a small map. Can't stand the feeling of pockets being stuffed to the max!

mattshrops

wot he said ^

One Man And His Bike

I use a saddle bags to carry the tools and tubes and such to stop my jersey cargo pockets from being stuffed, end up pulling your shirt out of shape and make it look like you have an arse the size of Cuba.

I can suffer the fashion police giving my bike a dirty look because I have a saddle bag on and shock horror, rear lights for safety, all the more so when they are having to spend 5 minutes while riding trying to locate an item in an overloaded pocket.

My jersey cargo pockets keep my mp3 player in, a banana and some Fox's mints and a gel perhaps with my sunglasses case in there for spare lenses and also which has my mobile phone in it for extra safety.

Aside from that, I'd rather not have all the heavy stuff in my pockets, and if I can get away with stuffing anything in the saddle bag I will, less chance of stuff falling out of my saddle bag than a rear cargo pocket.

seanoconn

Keep my tools and inner tube in one of my water bottles. Looks a bit better than a saddle bag and won't tear a hole in your jersey pocket.

Phone, food, money goes in the jersey pocket.

Peddle Up!

mikeyboy12345 wrote:

Saddle bag = extra weight, looks crap.!

Marginal weight increase surely? And doesn't a small saddle bag look better than overstuffed pockets with the risk of things wriggling out?

I use a small bag for the repair kit and zipped pocket for phone and cash, with nosh going into the easy access pockets.

Essex Man

seanoconn wrote:

Keep my tools and inner tube in one of my water bottles. Looks a bit better than a saddle bag and won't tear a hole in your jersey pocket.

Phone, food, money goes in the jersey pocket.

Where do you keep your water?

seanoconn

Essex Man wrote:

seanoconn wrote:

Keep my tools and inner tube in one of my water bottles. Looks a bit better than a saddle bag and won't tear a hole in your jersey pocket.

Phone, food, money goes in the jersey pocket.

Where do you keep your water?

I just squeeze the sweat from my clothes and drink that!






I'm not silly, i have two water bottles.

neeb

It's a bummer, but crud attached to the bike and over-stuffed jersey pockets that sag over your arse are equally annoying. I've been trying to optimiise things recently and this is what I've come up with:

On bike: Lezyne carbon drive 2 mini pump (small) attached to frame with the clip that comes with it and bolts to the side of one of your bottle cages. I have always resisted attaching things to the bike, but this does take a substantial and cumbersome item out of the jersey pockets and is pretty low key. Also, it doesn't move or rattle. At all.

In pockets: One 50g continental supersonic inner tube, carefully folded. One puncture repair kit, inside of which I have also crammed a 4mm and a small 5mm allen key, a spare valve and a small philips screwdriver removed from a mini swiss army knife. Two plastic Parks tools tyre wrenches that clip together. Door key. A tenner. Food bar(s). That's it.

DCowling

Bag for tools, I have 3 bikes and all have their own bag and tool set, complete with spare tube, repair kit and pump. that way I know I have not forgotten to put anything in my pocket.
I also have a 4th puncture kit in the shed for any other repairs, so I don't inadvertently forget to put back in the bag ( yes I am forgetful) .
Pockets for phone, cash, spare buff and munchies.

Paul E

Small saddle bag for me, I simply don't give a flying about bike snobs looking down at my bike, yes it even has a rack on it at the moment and a pannier on at the moment because I find it more comfortable than having a ruck sack on.

But on longer day rides everything but phone some snacks and wallet etc will go in the saddle bag.

cougie

Saddle pack for tubes and levers on each bike.

Small tool bag with mini pump allen keys spoke key and patches and cash that I take with me in the back pocket.

Paul32uk

Paul E wrote:

Small saddle bag for me, I simply don't give a flying about bike snobs looking down at my bike, yes it even has a rack on it at the moment and a pannier on at the moment because I find it more comfortable than having a ruck sack on.

But on longer day rides everything but phone some snacks and wallet etc will go in the saddle bag.

I'm the same. I dont care what others think either. I've been using a cheapo large toppeak saddle bag last few weeks so I can not only carry two tubes, levers, few allen keys, phone, house keys and money. I can also stuff in a spare base layer and thinner gloves when I haven't been able to decide whether I'd need it or not. My pump is on a bracket attached to the bike and my pockets are used for food and empty wrappers once I've eaten the food.

I've not really got that anal about weight and aero yet. My plan is to get down to 25mins on the local 10mile TT course with all this gumph strapped to the bike before I start putting aero bars on and removing cages, bags and pumps.

Gav888

Saddle bag for me, although one of those small ones. Still looks shit but it saves me having to carry my tools / tube etc in the pockets.

marlin151

+1 for a bag.

I use a small zippered washbag that came free on a plane trip some years ago. In mine, I have:-

1xinnertube
1x leyzene puncture patch kit (no glue - brilliant)
1x quicklink
1x spare seatpost collar
2x medical wipes (for road rash)
1x CO2 cartridge / fitting
1x Park tyre boot
2x Park tyre levers
1 pair vinyl gloves
1 x £10 note
1 x tiny multitool (Specialized)
2 x nurofen
1x high5 zero tab.

Amazing what you can get in...plus, when you stop for a puncture, no faffing around underneath the saddle watching all the carefully packed bits fall into the roadside undergrowth as you undo the zip. The bag fits neatly into a rear pocket and weighs just 350g fully loaded as above.

I've got 2 saddlebags sat in my garage gathering dust - never use them anymore.

marlin151

+1 for a bag.

I use a small zippered washbag that came free on a plane trip some years ago. In mine, I have:-

1xinnertube
1x leyzene puncture patch kit (no glue - brilliant)
1x quicklink
1x spare seatpost collar
2x medical wipes (for road rash)
1x CO2 cartridge / fitting
1x Park tyre boot
2x Park tyre levers
1 pair vinyl gloves
1 x £10 note
1 x tiny multitool (Specialized)
2 x nurofen
1x high5 zero tab.

Amazing what you can get in...plus, when you stop for a puncture, no faffing around underneath the saddle watching all the carefully packed bits fall into the roadside undergrowth as you undo the zip. The bag fits neatly into a rear pocket and weighs just 350g fully loaded as above.

I've got 2 saddlebags sat in my garage gathering dust - never use them anymore.

MrChuck

Marlin151 wrote:

1x spare seatpost collar

Really?

neeb

It's the wobbles and rattles that get me. I suppose it depends on the type of bag and how it is packed. The thing is though, with a bit of thought and planning there isn't a great deal you really need to take with you on a 40-60 mile summer ride in inhabited areas. I hardly ever have more than one puncture during a ride, so one spare tube plus a puncture kit is fine. Most of the tools on most multitools are things you will never use. I need 4mm & 5mm allen keys for potential loose headset, brake blocks, saddle clamps etc, a little screwdriver for derailleur adjustment and that's about it. I don't carry a chaintool (I can already hear the screams of horror from the "be prepared" brigade.. ). Truth is, if you fit your chain properly in the first place with the correct tools and never let it or the rest of the drivetrain get beyond .75% worn, it is extremely unlikely to snap. Sure, it might just happen, but there are plenty of other things that might just possibly happen that also would necessitate a walk or a lift home and which you can't make plans for. It's a balance between risk, the consequences if the worst happens, and the everyday inconvenience of carrying something.

marlin151

I ride a R3. OE one cracked on me while back while on a ride. Seatpost slowly sank into the tube until I was riding BMX style...

Luckily just a couple of miles from home. The collar had not been touched since supplied new by the dealer so not over-torqued. A known Cervelo R3 / R3sl problem, apparently.

One tip for stopping the rattles - cut off a piece of old innertube and put it over your CO2 cartridge / multitool / chaintool etc. Works a treat.

dgstewart

Topeak saddle bag for me - "small" size (not the very smallest, which is "mini"). I have a mounting clip on all bikes so I just move the saddle bag onto the bike I'm using. In the bag goes:

Two spares tubes (wrapped in freezer bag).
One tyre lever.
Pump (very compact but does the job well enough).
Phone.
Keys (in separate side section).
Allen keys (in separate side section).
Money (in separate side section).
Some "emergency" food (cereal bar or gel).

The only thing that goes in my jersey pocket is food for that day. I don't like the feel my pockets bulging out all over the place, so only keep the bare minimum in them.

thegreatdivide

One of those micro Continental inner tube bags with 1 x tube, 2 x levers, 1 x wafer thin puncture kit, 1 x Co2 bottle and a couple of small Allen keys squeezed in. It's so small you hardly notice it's there (cough).

The jersey pockets get the food, phone, house key, tissues, skull cap, windproof jacket, cash and Co2 head.

gary.hounsome

Sadle bag for me - i keep an inner tube, tyre leavers, multi-tool, spoke key pair of glatez gloves in the winter and my keys all packed in a way so i do not have any rattles.

Will then keep flap jacks and other food depending on length of ride in pockets. I also use a top tube bag if im on a new long ride to keep my iphone in as it also has my cyclemeter routes, if its a route i am familiar with phone will also go in the saddle bag.

It's all about being comfortable and feeling confident you have enough yet minimal tools to get you home and keep you safe whilst out.

MrChuck

Crank Bros multi-tool, tiny little box of Park glueless patches, 2x tire levers, 1 tube, debit card, £5 note, tire boot, phone, keys, Topeak Pocket Rocket pump, and a few bars, all in jersey pockets. I don't feel like I'm particularly overburdened with that lot.

In spring/autumn though I might jam a gilet in there too and then it does start to feel a bit of a squeeze. I have a very small seat pack for when it's a bit much.

robz400

Used to have a saddle bag for everything but on the new bike I can't seem to fit a rear light without my leg hitting the clamp bit everytime i peddle.

So currently have one of those long thin rear lights zip tied to the bottom of the seat and carry any spares in my jersey pockets.

It feels awkward at first but once moving I soon forget anything is there.

If I could come up with a way to fit a rear light i'd probably put a small saddle bag back on...

JD_76

As little as possible in my jersey:

Mini Pump
1 x Tube
Tyre levers
Food
Mobile phone
Money
+
Spare wheelset
Seat
Groupset
Kitchen sink
Bar tape
Brake pads
Duck call
1966 Massey Fergusson tractor steering wheel (you never know)
Chain split link
Carrier pigeon.

I think thats about it....

dgstewart

JD_76 wrote:

I think thats about it....

Surely a folding picnic table for long gentle summer rides?

JD_76

dgstewart wrote:

JD_76 wrote:

I think thats about it....

Surely a folding picnic table for long gentle summer rides?

Thanks mate, slipped my mind that one as it tucks away so neatly in the side pocket.

One Man And His Bike

robz400 wrote:

If I could come up with a way to fit a rear light i'd probably put a small saddle bag back on...

Topeak BarXtender (My review, pics and info about it)

Or try one of those fibreoptic Flare rearstay lights maybe?

dgstewart

robz400 wrote:

If I could come up with a way to fit a rear light i'd probably put a small saddle bag back on...

The Topeak saddle bags have a little "loop" on the back that you can hook a rear lght onto. I have a Smart Lunar 1W light clipped onto mine - works fine.

MichaelW

If you come off the bike, you will land on whatever is in your back pocket. If that is an inner tube and some sandwitches, you will come off better, if it is a bunch of keys, tools and other hard stuff, it will hurt.

bianchimoon

seanoconn wrote:

Keep my tools and inner tube in one of my water bottles. Looks a bit better than a saddle bag and won't tear a hole in your jersey pocket.

Phone, food, money goes in the jersey pocket.

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