Carradice Super C saddlebag

[Chuffy]

Just got one of these to review for Road.CC but I'm having trouble getting it to fit on any of our bikes.

The standard method is with two straps on the saddle loops and another strap round the seatpost. If I do this then the bag is pulled over onto it's 'face' by the seatpost strap. It also sits on the tyre, regardless of whether the seatpost strap is fitted or not.

It's going back, someone else will review it instead, but I'm intrigued now, does anyone else have bother getting these beasties to sit properly? I've got a bad case of WTF? and Why Bother?

 

[Noodley]

Mine fits fine. I'll go look for a pic.....

 

[Noodley]

I should add that was the first time I had fitted it and it was not the best fit.

I have since learned how it works properly.

 

[Chuffy]

Different bag.

The one I've got is one of these:-

See those red reflective strips? No bloody use if they're pointing down at the ground...

I've done a bit of Googling and the gist seems to be that you need a Bagman support bracket or a much bigger bike.

 

[Chuffy]

You've got one of these haven't you?

 

[Noodley]

I thought it was the bag I had...sorry.

 

[Chris James]

Chuffy, as you have identified, you need a support of some sort.

Either a bagman, SQR mount, a saddle bag support (all available via Carradice) or a rack.

When I was a kid you could buy a support that looped around your seat stays, so you didn't have to bolt it on the frame. I used it to support a Karrimor sadle bag. I don't know if anyone still makes them. I suppose Carradice are the only game in town now?

 

[New Horizon]

Welcome to the wacky world of Carradice, happily esconced in the 1950's, still churning out stuff that requires endless bodges and expense to make it sort of work, and that’s after the initial hefty expense. Some people love it, and they're welcome to it.

 

[Chuffy]

Welcome to the wacky world of Carradice, happily esconced in the 1950's, still churning out stuff that requires endless bodges and expense to make it sort of work, and that’s after the initial hefty expense. Some people love it, and they're welcome to it.

I have to say that after trying to get the damn thing to fit on all five of our bikes AND trying to get their SQR support system to fit, all without success, I'm inclined to agree with you. Beautifully made, great material, but rubbish design and engineering. Probably best if someone else reviews it, because I'd be less than kind....

 

[MacB]

Main reason I went for the Arkel rack pack rather than then Carradice I set out to buy. Too much faff and I wanted something that would easily go on all my bikes.

 

[Chris James]

I think you are all bieng a little harsh. The Super C saddlebag has a capacity of 23 litres so is effectively the same size as a medium rucksack. It is not surprising that it needs some support to stop it waggling around.

If you buy the purpose made support then I don't think there is loads of bodging required (I wouldn't know, I don't have one!)

New Horizon, if Carradice are so crap what alternative do you suggest with the same carrying capacity? MacBludgeon's rack pack requires a rack for support (which are more expensive and heavier than the Carradice saddle bag support), as do panniers. You can use the same rack to support a Super C.

I have an old Camper Longflap I occasionally use with a rack, but mostly I just don't carry much stuff. The Super C is huge and sized for Bed and Breakfast touring. For days rides Noddles Barley looks the ticket and he doesn't use any support with that.

 

[Chuffy]

I think you are all bieng a little harsh. The Super C saddlebag has a capacity of 23 litres so is effectively the same size as a medium rucksack. It is not surprising that it needs some support to stop it waggling around.

If you buy the purpose made support then I don't think there is loads of bodging required (I wouldn't know, I don't have one!)

New Horizon, if Carradice are so crap what alternative do you suggest with the same carrying capacity? MacBludgeon's rack pack requires a rack for support (which are more expensive and heavier than the Carradice saddle bag support), as do panniers. You can use the same rack to support a Super C.

I have an old Camper Longflap I occasionally use with a rack, but mostly I just don't carry much stuff. The Super C is huge and sized for Bed and Breakfast touring. For days rides Noddles Barley looks the ticket and he doesn't use any support with that.

I think the answer to that is that of the five bikes I tried to fit the Super C to (and the SQR support system) none would take it. However, four of the five will happily take a rack, with the minimum of fuss.

The Carradice website doesn't give the clearence that the bag needs, so you might need a support for it, or you might not. If not, then you have to buy another part, but you won't know that until you've looked at the bag drooping face down onto your tyre and wondered WTF you've done wrong. My bike is not small either, it's actually slightly too big for me (54cm frame) so to me, the bag is just badly designed. If it's going to need a support for anything other than a large frame, then build the support into the feckin' design!

Frankly, after all that faff I couldn't give a stuff about how well made they are or how much they will carry...

 

[nilling]

Every so often I fancy buying a Carradice saddlebag - nice retro styling

But after looking on their web-site I seem to get put off for some reason. Now after reading Chuffy's experience I'm glad never bought one and I'll stick to panniers and rucksack.

 

[Crackle]

I think the answer to that is that of the five bikes I tried to fit the Super C to (and the SQR support system) none would take it. However, four of the five will happily take a rack, with the minimum of fuss.

The Carradice website doesn't give the clearence that the bag needs, so you might need a support for it, or you might not. If not, then you have to buy another part, but you won't know that until you've looked at the bag drooping face down onto your tyre and wondered WTF you've done wrong. My bike is not small either, it's actually slightly too big for me (54cm frame) so to me, the bag is just badly designed. If it's going to need a support for anything other than a large frame, then build the support into the feckin' design!

Frankly, after all that faff I couldn't give a stuff about how well made they are or how much they will carry...

Yup. I nearly bought the Barley when I was looking for a day bag but was put off by various bodge articles on the web about how to stop it resting on your wheel and I didn't want the SQR mount. FF has got that setup and is perfectly happy with it though.

In the end I settled on this because I didn't want to leave a rack permanently attached, it's fine but threading the straps through the buckles requires patience and a knife; how daft is that, surely it's not hard to design straps that go through the buckles fitted.

 

[MacB]

Like Nilling I was perusing the Carradice site with intent to buy, the different fittings led me to search on reviews. The amount of comments that I came across, akin to Chuffys', led me to seek another bag. Appreciate my option only works with a rack but then all my bikes will have racks. If I do go down the route of no rack then I may revisit the Carradice idea.