London to Paris - which saddlebag?

FoldingJoe

Chaps and chapesses,

I'm doing the London to Paris (Newhaven\Dieppe route) in a couple of weeks.

Wanted to carry with me as little as possible, and was looking at the Carradice Barley as my saddlebag of choice.

I'll be carrying:

3x spare tubes
1 spare tyre (maybe)
Riemann's P20 (if sunny)
Casual shorts
Casual t-shirt
Underwear
Flip flops
Food for journey (Few bars and gels)
Multi-tool
Phone (nexus 6 so take into consideration the bulk)
..other stuff I'll probably carry in pockets

Would the Carradice be big enough for the above list, in your experience?

Any other possible alternatives?

Cheers,
Lee

bobinski

I used the mid sised Apidure seat pack for my london to Paris a few weeks ago. Not waterproof though so would need to use dry or plastic bags to keep things dry. Carried much the same amount of gear although no spare tyre and barely noticed it. Surface pretty good if you use the Hirsch route so would have to be very unlucky to need the tyre.

https://www.apidura.com/shop/?sort=saddle

Snakebite the 2nd

Are you buying from a shop?

If so, take all the stuff you are going to put in the bag and try it out for size.

Failing that put all the stull you are taking into a box of a known volume and compare with the capacity stated for the saddlebag.
This is not as accurate as the shape of box will not be the same as the saddlebag, but it will give you a rough idea.

cookeeemonster

I'd take something a bit bigger to be honest...plenty of options in the carradice range else Bridgestreet saddlebags are another option (lighter too but lose the side pockets)

Condor have a good selection of carradice if you're london based

dhope

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19679746#p19679746]Snakebite the 2nd[/url] wrote:

Are you buying from a shop?

If so, take all the stuff you are going to put in the bag and try it out for size.

Failing that put all the stull you are taking into a box of a known volume and compare with the capacity stated for the saddlebag.

Failing that, put all the items you're taking into a bath full of water and measure the volume displaced :twisted:

FoldingJoe

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19679765#p19679765]dhope[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19679746#p19679746]Snakebite the 2nd[/url] wrote:

Are you buying from a shop?

If so, take all the stuff you are going to put in the bag and try it out for size.

Failing that put all the stull you are taking into a box of a known volume and compare with the capacity stated for the saddlebag.

Failing that, put all the items you're taking into a bath full of water and measure the volume displaced :twisted:

Eureka!!

dhope

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19679773#p19679773]FoldingJoe[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19679765#p19679765]dhope[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19679746#p19679746]Snakebite the 2nd[/url] wrote:

Are you buying from a shop?

If so, take all the stuff you are going to put in the bag and try it out for size.

Failing that put all the stull you are taking into a box of a known volume and compare with the capacity stated for the saddlebag.

Failing that, put all the items you're taking into a bath full of water and measure the volume displaced :twisted:

Eureka!!

To be 100% certain, collect the displaced water and take it with you to Condor to pour into the bag you're interested in.

jzed

Have a look at this:

https://www.alpkit.com/products/koala

I Used a carradice zipp roll for tools, gels, gas etc, and then had a alp kit rucksack which I ended up carrying more than I wanted due to the weather. The Alpkit I saw on a tweet of someone setting off the same day, looks a handy lightweight solution.

There's also a drysack that fits in it, that is £15 and looks like it could be used as a saddle bag itself.

rubertoe

Those alpkit look great.

failing that - get this

elbowloh

When I did a few days riding round brittainy on a regular road bike, I bought an on-sale ortlieb dry bag and two bungee straps and strapped the bag to my bars. sorted.

I do have one of these too:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ortlieb-large-saddle-bag/?lang=en&curr=GBP&dest=1&sku=5360715184&ci_src=18615224&ci_sku=5360715184uk&utm_source=google&utm_term&utm_campaign&utm_medium=base&utm_content=sJ94N6iOb_dc%7cpcrid%7c67090840622%7cpkw%7c%7cpmt%7c%7cprd%7c5360715184uk

FoldingJoe

Went with the Carradice Barley - we'll see how it goes.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

Snakebite the 2nd

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19679778#p19679778]dhope[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19679773#p19679773]FoldingJoe[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19679765#p19679765]dhope[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19679746#p19679746]Snakebite the 2nd[/url] wrote:

Are you buying from a shop?

If so, take all the stuff you are going to put in the bag and try it out for size.

Failing that put all the stull you are taking into a box of a known volume and compare with the capacity stated for the saddlebag.

Failing that, put all the items you're taking into a bath full of water and measure the volume displaced :twisted:

Eureka!!

To be 100% certain, collect the displaced water and take it with you to Condor to pour into the bag you're interested in.

I'm disappointed you lot didn't take me seriously.............

whoof

Personally I wouldn't take a spare tyre just make sure that the ones you have on your bike are in good condition. Also replace one inner tube with a repair kit.

FoldingJoe

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19682920#p19682920]whoof[/url] wrote:

Personally I wouldn't take a spare tyre just make sure that the ones you have on your bike are in good condition. Also replace one inner tube with a repair kit.

That's what I'm doing; sage advice.

FoldingJoe

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19682914#p19682914]Snakebite the 2nd[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19679778#p19679778]dhope[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19679773#p19679773]FoldingJoe[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19679765#p19679765]dhope[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19679746#p19679746]Snakebite the 2nd[/url] wrote:

Are you buying from a shop?

If so, take all the stuff you are going to put in the bag and try it out for size.

Failing that put all the stull you are taking into a box of a known volume and compare with the capacity stated for the saddlebag.

Failing that, put all the items you're taking into a bath full of water and measure the volume displaced :twisted:

Eureka!!

To be 100% certain, collect the displaced water and take it with you to Condor to pour into the bag you're interested in.

I'm disappointed you lot didn't take me seriously.............

How did you know I didn't?

Snakebite the 2nd

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19683032#p19683032]FoldingJoe[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19682914#p19682914]Snakebite the 2nd[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19679778#p19679778]dhope[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19679773#p19679773]FoldingJoe[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19679765#p19679765]dhope[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19679746#p19679746]Snakebite the 2nd[/url] wrote:

Are you buying from a shop?

If so, take all the stuff you are going to put in the bag and try it out for size.

Failing that put all the stull you are taking into a box of a known volume and compare with the capacity stated for the saddlebag.

Failing that, put all the items you're taking into a bath full of water and measure the volume displaced :twisted:

Eureka!!

To be 100% certain, collect the displaced water and take it with you to Condor to pour into the bag you're interested in.

I'm disappointed you lot didn't take me seriously.............

How did you know I didn't?

spasypaddy

so i bought the blackburn variant of these. and im very impressed. i can get all my stuff for the day in there and the best part is the dry bag comes out which means i dont have to dismantle it completely everytime i get somewhere like the others



in that bag is pair of trousers, a shirt, boxers, socks and two lunch boxes

andyrr

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19683031#p19683031]FoldingJoe[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19682920#p19682920]whoof[/url] wrote:

Personally I wouldn't take a spare tyre just make sure that the ones you have on your bike are in good condition. Also replace one inner tube with a repair kit.

That's what I'm doing; sage advice.

I'd consider taking something to patch a holed tyre as if you were unfortunate enough to suffer this you could be stuck without something to prevent the tube from bulging outwards.
I carried a section of one of those silvery plasticy-foil type fruit drink cartons that I see discarded everywhere. It's thin enough to not cause a big bump in the tyre but very resistant to abrasion. A section of an old tyre would do but is thicker so you'd feel the 'bump' more.
Occupies no space really but nice for peace of mind.

elbowloh

As it's Paris, I would suggest something small, black and, most importantly, chic.

Maybe something by Chanel?

pastryboy

Something to patch a holed tyre is a good idea. I had a tyre rip open on me a fair distance from home on my commute once and the tube was bulging out of the hole. A folded £5 note sorted it out.

xbnm

I bought some of these a few years back not had to use them so cant advise of their effectiveness.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/park-tools-emergency-tyre-boot-patch/

dyrlac

Ha, once used a €50 note (thanks a lot euroland cash points).

The Rookie

A section cut from a fizzy drink bottle (2litre Pepsi stylee) works very well, the stiffness means it copes with bigger holes, in my case it coped with a 1" long gash in a sidewall.

spasypaddy

so i did L2P overnight at the weekend.

1. its an awesome ride, i recommend it
2. its about 300km from central london via newhaven
3. it rained, it rained a lot. torrential rain for 100km isnt fun!
4. my blackburn bag worked brilliantly! was the only bag to reach paris with all the stuff inside bone dry.

FoldingJoe

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19704095#p19704095]spasypaddy[/url] wrote:

so i did L2P overnight at the weekend.

1. its an awesome ride, i recommend it
2. its about 300km from central london via newhaven
3. it rained, it rained a lot. torrential rain for 100km isnt fun!
4. my blackburn bag worked brilliantly! was the only bag to reach paris with all the stuff inside bone dry.

You obviously didn't take Cycle Route 21!!

spasypaddy

what is cycle route 21?