Are bike bags now cool?

[HobbesOnTour]

I've never seen a trailer like that before, that's ace! What is it?

That's an ExtraWheel trailer, an older model - the newer is a bit different.

It's a fantastic bit of kit, a great way to use a "normal" bike to carry panniers without a rack. It comes into its own off-road.
It uses the same size wheel as the bike so in emergency I have a direct front wheel replacement and a spare rim for the back. That has come in handy 😀

it's a Polish company and I found them very good to feal with.

 

[Drago]

"Cool" is something to aspire to if you're 45 and still live with your Mum. To anyone else it's a frivolous exercise in pointlessness.

Bag up or otherwise based purely upon your own preference, and nuts to what the adenoidal voiced cardigan wearers think about it.

 

[Milzy]

Only in the gravel scene.

 

[PaulSB]

Feck it!
I'm really uncool - I've so many bags I bring a trailer along!

Nope......that is cool. Love it.

 

[MichaelW2]

According to some guy on YouTube, the chainstays of bikepacking bikes are shorter for a more agile ride. That and the absence of rack eyelets on lighter weight MTBs may also account for the divergence between the two types. Modern special bikepacking bikes seem to have an excess of eyelets. Carradice saddle bags, which may be ideal for bikepacking are not widely known in the USA (home of bikepacking) and then only amongst very trad minded tourists.

 

[matticus]

According to some guy on YouTube, the chainstays of bikepacking bikes are shorter for a more agile ride. That and the absence of rack eyelets on lighter weight MTBs may also account for the divergence between the two types.

Going by the email just arrived from Planetx with pics of 4 bikes, some guy must mean "shorter than on Cargo Bikes"

 

[Ian H]

There's no need to bother the style police. If you're going a short distance you don't need to carry much. If you're doing a substantial ride or a multi-day tour, you take what you need: clothing, tools, etc.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

And I still have my 80s KS100e Karrimor Panniers, Bardale bag and a large Karrimor Cotton Duck Saddle-bag (better than Mrs FFs Camper Longflap)!

I have a Karrimor Outward Bound I rucksack in the loft. Bought it off a mate at school for £5 in 1977. That cotton duck as well and will survive a direct nuclear strike.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

According to some guy on YouTube, the chainstays of bikepacking bikes are shorter for a more agile ride.

Oh dear!

The whole point is that bike packing bikes don’t exist. Bike packing luggage allows a person to use their everyday lightweight racer for longer trips with an overnight stop somewhere. So the rise of ultra racing and the luggage on display means more short day trippers (roadies) are discovering the joys of touring. Their tours might only have a single overnight so far, but it’ll grow on them.

 

[Blue Hills]

Bikepacking is definitely a fashion statement for some - i saw a young bloke at kings cross once with the entire kit - bike/all the bags/all his lycra was totally colour co-ordinated. He clearly thought he was someone's wetdream.
No idea where he was going - for a furtive bivi in the dales perhaps?

 

[Landsurfer]

Bikepacking is definitely a fashion statement for some - i saw a young bloke at kings cross once with the entire kit - bike/all the bags/all his lycra was totally colour co-ordinated. He clearly thought he was someone's wetdream.
No idea where he was going - for a furtive bivi in the dales perhaps?

More likely into his marketing office in the centre of the smoke !

 

[Blue Hills]

More likely into his marketing office in the centre of the smoke !

pretty sure he was getting a train out of kings cross

 

[Landsurfer]

I have tried to do the seat pack thing ... for years .... many years ...but..
I always end up fitting the rack again and the single pannier ....
I'm not riding the Tour de Yorkshire ... i'm off for a ride ... having my car keys, wallet, phone (yes i know .. it's switched off !! ) rain jacket, pump, tools, spare rash vest, .. bananas, jelly babies .... just makes me enjoy the ride more ...
It's just like that, it's just the way it is .....

 

[Landsurfer]

pretty sure he was getting a train out of kings cross

So marketing company in Finsbury Park ...
Like you, i hope he was off on a grand adventure ...

 

[Moodyman]

Has the bikepacking look replaced the fakenger (fake messenger)?