Seat bag for Brooks saddle

[creadinger]

I have 3 Brooks saddles for my bikes and have no intentions of using anything else in the future. As much as I like these saddles though, I cannot find a suitable seat bag that either A) doesn’t cost $1,000,000 (I’d consider anything under $70 I guess), Isn’t enormous – for example the Carradice Barley bag is huge and unnecessary for day rides. C) doesn’t look completely lame like my current seat bag – some random thing we got from REI a few years ago.

If you have a Brooks saddle and use a seat bag what do you have?

While I’ve been agonizing over the decision on which one to buy I’ve checked – Velo orange, Carradice, Brooks, Rivendell, and Acorn. The only one I really liked was the Acorn roll bag – http://acornbags.bigcartel.com/product/roll-bag but it’s such a small operation they’re extremely hard to get. I suppose the Carradice zipped roll is probably the closest approximation, but I think it’s still too big for what I need.

All I’m looking to carry is a spare tube, multi-tool, patch kit, and some tire levers.

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[TwoWheelsDC]

I guess I went with the “lame” look…I’m rocking a B17 with a Topeak bag that I picked up at Performance for like $25. I like Brooks for comfort, but I find the smugtastic cottage industry of old-timey looking accessories that goes with them to be a total racket. Maybe I’m the converse of a retrogrouch, a gnudouche if you will, but I don’t think mixing a Brooks with “regular” stuff looks lame.

That said, if you haven’t already looked, BicycleSpace carries a ton of Brooks stuff (I don’t think they carry Carradice, but I’m not totally sure), so you can actually put eyes on it in person.

[creadinger]

Thanks for the input. Yeah I agree it is a racket. Some of it is WAY overpriced, but on the other hand some of it looks like it’s designed to be bomb-proof which is nice.

How does your Topeak bag attach? The ones that I have seen won’t work with the Brooks because the rails are so far apart. My current lame one (cannot remember the brand, but I can picture the logo – looks like a big red sun) just uses a nylon strap that attaches with a backpack style clip.

[TwoWheelsDC]

@creadinger 33701 wrote:

How does your Topeak bag attach? The ones that I have seen won’t work with the Brooks because the rails are so far apart. My current lame one (cannot remember the brand, but I can picture the logo – looks like a big red sun) just uses a nylon strap that attaches with a backpack style clip.

Mine has the clip system, which is pointless for me because I only have one Topeak bag, but whatevs it was all that was in stock…anyway, I didn’t have any problems fitting it on my B17, but IIRC, it definitely had the potential to not fit if I’d had the saddle positioned differently. My saddle is in a pretty standard position though, so I think it wouldn’t be a problem for most people.

[Dirt]

I stopped using Brooks saddles a decade ago.

I started using Ortlieb’s seat bags recently. O could care less what they look like, but I really like the way they work. I have 2 Saddle Bag Micros and 1 saddle bag (The smaller of the sizes). The micros are great for road riding. The Saddle Bag is better for mountain biking, though I’ve found it a hair wider than I’d like when I get to serious drop-ins where I have to get off the back of the saddle, but don’t have time to lower the seatpost. Both are waterproof enough if closed properly to keep the stuff inside really dry. That makes things like multi-tools and quick links last a lot longer.

They also are pretty good with visibility. They’ve got 3m tape on 3 sides.

http://www.ortliebusa.com/ProdList.asp?scat=25

[DaveK]

I don’t have a Brooks, but I have one of these and like it a lot. It even has leather on it!

http://www.competitivecyclist.com/za/CCY?PAGE=BUY_PRODUCT_STANDARD&PRODUCT.ID=6670&MODE=

It doesn’t rub my shorts when I pedal, which is a big deal for me. I’ve already had to write off one pair from my old seat bag.

[KLizotte]

I like the look of the old-timey stuff but would be worried about buying anything “too nice” because of theft (the bag, not the bike). If you plan on leaving the bag on the bike while its parked on the street you may want to give this issue some consideration.

[Rootchopper]

I’ve been riding Brooks saddles for a long time. I recently bought a Zimbale bag that is significantly smaller than a Barley and bigger than some of the rolls I’ve seen. It’s essentially a Carradice knock off made in Korea.

BTW, I would prefer to have a bigger bag, myself. Santa, can I have a Barley bag? I’ve been good.

[hyunoodle]

Hey creadinger,

Don’t settle for less. Reach for the stars! You saw my Acorn roll-bag tonight; I hold exactly what you mentioned in it- tire levers, patch kit, spare tube, and crank bros multitool! I bought mines 2 years ago, you just have to stalk the website on the day they’re going to update the store. I think everything sold out in 5 minutes.

[Dickie]

I was just in Bikes@Vienna and they had a pretty good selection of leather and brook’s style saddle bags on display. I have to second Klizotte’s thoughts about theft though. Looking at Dirt’s link to Ortlieb (Thanks Pete.. gonna have to get one myself) they mention an adapter specific for Brooks saddles so that might be a really great and simply solution.

[Author]

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