Rucksack advice

sgtpepper1969

Looking for a decent rucksack or hydration pack thats not to expensive & strong enough to carry heavy locks,any advice appropriated

owenlars

http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/product ... 205-rucsac

moarspeed

Get yourself off to a chavy sports shop like Sports Direct, top floor is full of hiking gear, this is where I got great Karrimor backpack for about £12. Hell for as much as I dislike them as a company (for being super chavy), here's a link http://www.sportsdirect.com/Accessories/Backpacks/
If it breaks, just buy another one..... But mine is pretty well made, my GF was with me in the search for a backpack/rucksack, she wanted one too, she was picking up rubbish in other stores and I was pointing out the lack of padding, the poor quality buckles/etc, so when I say this is well made, it really is.

If you start looking around for bike specific stuff you'll pay stupid money for something half as good. It's the same with my other hobby (photography), you can pay crazy money for specialist stuff/accessories, or look elsewhere and find something better and cheaper.

rolf_f

Anything with an airback should do - anything that doesn't have an airback should be avoided like the plague - less comfortable and sweaty back. The airback won't avoid all sweatiness (esp around the shoulders) but it makes a huge difference and keeps the lumpy stuff in the pack away from your back.

sgtpepper1969

Airback is new to me,will do some research,thanks

monkimark

I have a 22 litre Gelert backpack with a sprung mesh bit on the back to stop sweat building up (it still gets sweaty on a hot day but it's better than a standard flat back) - got it for under £20 at sports direct or similar about 5 years ago and it's still going strong. It has chest & waist straps to stop it flapping about and a pocket for a hydration pack bladder too - all very useful for cycling.

I'd agree with the post above - the cycling specific stuff seems to be very expensive for what it offers.

jimmypippa

I have an airmesh one. Most of the time, however my favorite pack is my Alpkit gourdon20 (£22 when availble). It is a 20 litre drybag (kept my phone dry in the bottom of kayaks) and a simple hydration pocket (which I tend to use for keeping maps).

Alpkit has really good customer service and tend to produce mid-range kit at low-end prices.

Mr.Duck

There's no shame in Sports Direct for some things. This Karrimor looks good to me because it should be rain proof... http://www.sportsdirect.com/karrimor-wi ... ack-792023

monkimark

I got a raincover for my rucksack from Decathlon - like the respro hi viz ones only significantly cheaper.

sgtpepper1969

I only want it to put 2 heavy locks in so doesn't need to be to big,just strong & comfy

matt581

I went and bought the 25ltr Karrimor one last night, looks pretty good and ideal for taking a few things to work.

Headhuunter

MOARspeed wrote:

Get yourself off to a chavy sports shop like Sports Direct, top floor is full of hiking gear, this is where I got great Karrimor backpack for about £12. Hell for as much as I dislike them as a company (for being super chavy), here's a link http://www.sportsdirect.com/Accessories/Backpacks/
If it breaks, just buy another one..... But mine is pretty well made, my GF was with me in the search for a backpack/rucksack, she wanted one too, she was picking up rubbish in other stores and I was pointing out the lack of padding, the poor quality buckles/etc, so when I say this is well made, it really is.

If you start looking around for bike specific stuff you'll pay stupid money for something half as good. It's the same with my other hobby (photography), you can pay crazy money for specialist stuff/accessories, or look elsewhere and find something better and cheaper.

I agree, personally I think that any old rucksack will do. No need to spend stupid money on "cycle specific" bags. I wouldn't bother with cheapo Karrimor though. Karrimor used to be a top quality brand but since it was bought by Sports Direct the quality is rubbish. I bought a rucksack from there for commuting, it was cheap and literally lasted about 6 months before all the seams went etc. I went back to my stalwart rucksack - the Quechua Forclaz 50:

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/forclaz-50-b ... 47086.html

It's reasonably priced and pretty strong at £40. Sometimes they're on sale at £30ish. I've had a couple over the years and they last well. The zips are the only weak point, I find they go 1st but that's usually after a good few years service and I used to commute everyday, day in day out, all weathers, also shopping at the weekend, down the pub kicked about on the floor etc and it really lasted. The seams were fine - never split despite heavy usage. They used to come with a 5 year guarantee which the slight more expensive Quechua rucksacks still have - think you need to spend £50 or more to get that...

moarspeed

Headhuunter wrote:

I wouldn't bother with cheapo Karrimor though. Karrimor used to be a top quality brand but since it was bought by Sports Direct the quality is rubbish. I bought a rucksack from there for commuting, it was cheap and literally lasted about 6 months before all the seams went etc.

I didn't know this, but just looked it up on wikipedia..... I recently bought some Karrimor vibram soled walking/hiking shoes (online), which so far seem to match my previous Merrell boots on quality. But I remember looking at Karrimor shoes in sports direct and feeling that they'd fall apart in minutes.
As for the rucksacks, the one I got has been pretty good, though not as good as my previous Gelert.

I have to wonder if perhaps Karrimor as an attached entity, still have their own say in what they produce, but are producing one line of good quality products and then having an additional cheaper/budget line made to a much lower standard???

Perhaps a little bit like what Specialized did in the mid-90's, with it's range of cheap, low end mountain bikes, which nearly sent the company bankrupt (according to wikipedia).

It's a dangerous game, creating a budget line of products and then attaching a well established brand name to it.

Headhuunter

MOARspeed wrote:

Headhuunter wrote:

I wouldn't bother with cheapo Karrimor though. Karrimor used to be a top quality brand but since it was bought by Sports Direct the quality is rubbish. I bought a rucksack from there for commuting, it was cheap and literally lasted about 6 months before all the seams went etc.

I didn't know this, but just looked it up on wikipedia..... I recently bought some Karrimor vibram soled walking/hiking shoes (online), which so far seem to match my previous Merrell boots on quality. But I remember looking at Karrimor shoes in sports direct and feeling that they'd fall apart in minutes.
As for the rucksacks, the one I got has been pretty good, though not as good as my previous Gelert.

I have to wonder if perhaps Karrimor as an attached entity, still have their own say in what they produce, but are producing one line of good quality products and then having an additional cheaper/budget line made to a much lower standard???

Perhaps a little bit like what Specialized did in the mid-90's, with it's range of cheap, low end mountain bikes, which nearly sent the company bankrupt (according to wikipedia).

It's a dangerous game, creating a budget line of products and then attaching a well established brand name to it.

It's all in Wiki!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karrimor
Looks like the once top quality, family owned business went through the mill after the family tried to bring in investors in an attempt to expand the business in the 90s which ended disastrously and in acrimony ultimately with Sports Direct buying the brand after it went into receivership in 04. As of 2013 most UK manufacturing ceased and transferred to cheap factories in China....

moarspeed

Headhuunter wrote:

MOARspeed wrote:

Headhuunter wrote:

I wouldn't bother with cheapo Karrimor though. Karrimor used to be a top quality brand but since it was bought by Sports Direct the quality is rubbish. I bought a rucksack from there for commuting, it was cheap and literally lasted about 6 months before all the seams went etc.

I didn't know this, but just looked it up on wikipedia..... I recently bought some Karrimor vibram soled walking/hiking shoes (online), which so far seem to match my previous Merrell boots on quality. But I remember looking at Karrimor shoes in sports direct and feeling that they'd fall apart in minutes.
As for the rucksacks, the one I got has been pretty good, though not as good as my previous Gelert.

I have to wonder if perhaps Karrimor as an attached entity, still have their own say in what they produce, but are producing one line of good quality products and then having an additional cheaper/budget line made to a much lower standard???

Perhaps a little bit like what Specialized did in the mid-90's, with it's range of cheap, low end mountain bikes, which nearly sent the company bankrupt (according to wikipedia).

It's a dangerous game, creating a budget line of products and then attaching a well established brand name to it.

It's all in Wiki!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karrimor
Looks like the once top quality, family owned business went through the mill after the family tried to bring in investors in an attempt to expand the business in the 90s which ended disastrously and in acrimony ultimately with Sports Direct buying the brand after it went into receivership in 04. As of 2013 most UK manufacturing ceased and transferred to cheap factories in China....

Most everything is made in China or that side of the world. For them being a US company, my Specialized Sirrus has a "made in Thaiwan" sticker on it's aluminium frame.

Made in China isn't always a bad thing as long as a decent quality system is in place.

sgtpepper1969

I'm looking at getting a 10L celery as its only really for putting 2 heavy locks in,don't want anything to big

sgtpepper1969

Should of said 10L gelert,stupid predictive text.lol

Headhuunter

MOARspeed wrote:

Headhuunter wrote:

MOARspeed wrote:

Headhuunter wrote:

I wouldn't bother with cheapo Karrimor though. Karrimor used to be a top quality brand but since it was bought by Sports Direct the quality is rubbish. I bought a rucksack from there for commuting, it was cheap and literally lasted about 6 months before all the seams went etc.

I didn't know this, but just looked it up on wikipedia..... I recently bought some Karrimor vibram soled walking/hiking shoes (online), which so far seem to match my previous Merrell boots on quality. But I remember looking at Karrimor shoes in sports direct and feeling that they'd fall apart in minutes.
As for the rucksacks, the one I got has been pretty good, though not as good as my previous Gelert.

I have to wonder if perhaps Karrimor as an attached entity, still have their own say in what they produce, but are producing one line of good quality products and then having an additional cheaper/budget line made to a much lower standard???

Perhaps a little bit like what Specialized did in the mid-90's, with it's range of cheap, low end mountain bikes, which nearly sent the company bankrupt (according to wikipedia).

It's a dangerous game, creating a budget line of products and then attaching a well established brand name to it.

It's all in Wiki!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karrimor
Looks like the once top quality, family owned business went through the mill after the family tried to bring in investors in an attempt to expand the business in the 90s which ended disastrously and in acrimony ultimately with Sports Direct buying the brand after it went into receivership in 04. As of 2013 most UK manufacturing ceased and transferred to cheap factories in China....

Most everything is made in China or that side of the world. For them being a US company, my Specialized Sirrus has a "made in Thaiwan" sticker on it's aluminium frame.

Made in China isn't always a bad thing as long as a decent quality system is in place.

No, true, made in China is always a problem but Karrimor went from a small firm with high quality manufacturing and lifetime guarantee - if a seam or zip went 10 years into a rucksack's or jacket's life you could send it back to be repaired - to being a name plastered on A N Other rucksack made in a big plant in China with rubbish quality.

It's gone the same way as a lot of top end UK brands like Wedgewood china and Waterford Crystal - both firms went bankrupt and the names were sold off to savvy investors who shifted manufacturing to Eastern Europe or Asia where they continue to pump out goods with the names but nowhere near the quality.... Got a friend who has worked at Selfridges in London and has sold Wedgewood and Waterford since before they went under and he says the quality these days is comparatively awful...

Headhuunter

sgtpepper1969 wrote:

I'm looking at getting a 10L celery as its only really for putting 2 heavy locks in,don't want anything to big

Nothing like 10l of celery.... This?
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/17l-rail-tra ... 45758.html

sgtpepper1969

Headhuunter wrote:

sgtpepper1969 wrote:

I'm looking at getting a 10L celery as its only really for putting 2 heavy locks in,don't want anything to big

Nothing like 10l of celery.... This?
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/17l-rail-tra ... 45758.html

I only want it to put 2 heavy locks in so don't want it to be to big that's why I was looking at the 10L gelert which is too expensive either

mikebikemike

I guess it depends on the individual but I don't like carrying heavy locks on my back so lock them to my belt when commuting - not so useful I guess if you're in Lycra.

dilemna

sgtpepper1969 wrote:

Headhuunter wrote:

sgtpepper1969 wrote:

I'm looking at getting a 10L celery as its only really for putting 2 heavy locks in,don't want anything to big

Nothing like 10l of celery.... This?
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/17l-rail-tra ... 45758.html

I only want it to put 2 heavy locks in so don't want it to be to big that's why I was looking at the 10L gelert which is too expensive either

2 heavy locks you say ...... on your back. I would get some cheap pannier(s). 2 heavy locks on your back is going to be pretty uncomfortable and potentially very painful if you come off. But that's just my penny's worth.

A Deuter Speedlite 10 is a good little pack, only 300g and doesn't allow you to carry too much. I use it when on my road bike riding to work carrying change of kit for ride home and other essential knick knacks.

Headhuunter

dilemna wrote:

sgtpepper1969 wrote:

Headhuunter wrote:

sgtpepper1969 wrote:

I'm looking at getting a 10L celery as its only really for putting 2 heavy locks in,don't want anything to big

Nothing like 10l of celery.... This?
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/17l-rail-tra ... 45758.html

I only want it to put 2 heavy locks in so don't want it to be to big that's why I was looking at the 10L gelert which is too expensive either

2 heavy locks you say ...... on your back. I would get some cheap pannier(s). 2 heavy locks on your back is going to be pretty uncomfortable and potentially very painful if you come off. But that's just my penny's worth.

A Deuter Speedlite 10 is a good little pack, only 300g and doesn't allow you to carry too much. I use it when on my road bike riding to work carrying change of kit for ride home and other essential knick knacks.

Not really, most if not all rucksacks have heavy padding around the back. I used to ride daily with the aforementioned Decathlon rucksack on my back with 2 massive D locks tucked in the pocket just in the back. The issue with rucksacks as I mentioned, is if they're loaded up and heavy, in the case of an accident they cause injuries....

I've since switched to panniers but they come with their own problems, the bike is heavier and less controllable and I've found that with a lot of weight over the back wheel, it's more likely it will lock up in heavy braking situations whereas with a rucksack you can shift your body (and rucksack) weight around as you brake to control the bike...

nigglenoo

Headhuunter wrote:

Not really, most if not all rucksacks have heavy padding around the back. I used to ride daily with the aforementioned Decathlon rucksack on my back with 2 massive D locks tucked in the pocket just in the back. The issue with rucksacks as I mentioned, is if they're loaded up and heavy, in the case of an accident they cause injuries....

I've since switched to panniers but they come with their own problems, the bike is heavier and less controllable and I've found that with a lot of weight over the back wheel, it's more likely it will lock up in heavy braking situations whereas with a rucksack you can shift your body (and rucksack) weight around as you brake to control the bike...

I don't know how all these rucksack lugging types cope with all the sweat and discomfort, I would never have anything bigger than a bum bag attached to my person when cycling on the road. I use a variety of different options to attach anything I need to carry to the bike according to the amount I need to carry, from four panniers plus rack top tent when cycle touring to a small saddle pack in warm weather on a day ride when I know I only need puncture kit, multitool and flapjack. Other options in between are a saddle bag (big range of sizes from Carradice up to 24 litres plus more space under the extendable flap on the Camper Longflap), saddle pack, bar bag, or rack pack if there is a rack fitted, plus combinations of these.

For the OP I would suggest a small saddle bag such as a Carradice Junior (9 litres): http://www.carradice.co.uk/index.php?pa ... duct_id=42 or a large saddle pack such as the Carradice Super C: http://www.carradice.co.uk/index.php?pa ... duct_id=34 8 litres and quite aerodynamic attached to the saddle and tucked underneath you.

If you don't have bag loops on your saddle the solution is these: http://www.carradice.co.uk/index.php?pa ... duct_id=88

You might think they are a bit expensive and old fashioned looking but they are proven designs that will last for decades, the cotton duck fabric is extremely hard wearing and waterproof. There are quick detach options which would be helpful for high crime areas, have a browse around the Carradice site.

Headhuunter

nigglenoo wrote:

Headhuunter wrote:

Not really, most if not all rucksacks have heavy padding around the back. I used to ride daily with the aforementioned Decathlon rucksack on my back with 2 massive D locks tucked in the pocket just in the back. The issue with rucksacks as I mentioned, is if they're loaded up and heavy, in the case of an accident they cause injuries....

I've since switched to panniers but they come with their own problems, the bike is heavier and less controllable and I've found that with a lot of weight over the back wheel, it's more likely it will lock up in heavy braking situations whereas with a rucksack you can shift your body (and rucksack) weight around as you brake to control the bike...

I don't know how all these rucksack lugging types cope with all the sweat and discomfort, I would never have anything bigger than a bum bag attached to my person when cycling on the road. I use a variety of different options to attach anything I need to carry to the bike according to the amount I need to carry, from four panniers plus rack top tent when cycle touring to a small saddle pack in warm weather on a day ride when I know I only need puncture kit, multitool and flapjack. Other options in between are a saddle bag (big range of sizes from Carradice up to 24 litres plus more space under the extendable flap on the Camper Longflap), saddle pack, bar bag, or rack pack if there is a rack fitted, plus combinations of these.

For the OP I would suggest a small saddle bag such as a Carradice Junior (9 litres): http://www.carradice.co.uk/index.php?pa ... duct_id=42 or a large saddle pack such as the Carradice Super C: http://www.carradice.co.uk/index.php?pa ... duct_id=34 8 litres and quite aerodynamic attached to the saddle and tucked underneath you.

If you don't have bag loops on your saddle the solution is these: http://www.carradice.co.uk/index.php?pa ... duct_id=88

You might think they are a bit expensive and old fashioned looking but they are proven designs that will last for decades, the cotton duck fabric is extremely hard wearing and waterproof. There are quick detach options which would be helpful for high crime areas, have a browse around the Carradice site.

The sweat didn't ever bother me whilst I was cycling, I cycle, I get sweaty - personally I just embrace this! The issue comes when the rucksack starts to get a bit whiffy with the sweat build up, large rucksacks are a bit of a pain to wash and dry.

Coach H

MOARspeed wrote:

For them being a US company, my Specialized Sirrus has a "made in Thaiwan" sticker on it's aluminium frame.

FWIW Specialized has never manufactured in the US and has always outsourced production back to the very first product Mike Synard 'marketed'.