Racks and Panniers for Road Bike

[colinr]

I may be doing a short tour (few days) and want to be able to carry luggage, wondered if anyone has recommendations on a rack/pannier set up for a road bike that has no fittings for such practicalities?

I've seen ones that have an extra long skewer and attach with the rear wheel, beam ones, various seatpost attachments, bodging with p-clips. Any best option?

Also, with my tiny 49cm frame, am I going to be hitting panniers with my heels? Should I look at something like a Carradice Longflap instead? Plan to travel very light so it may well be big enough.

 

[frank9755]

I would go for a saddlebag - a racing bike simply handles much better than it would if you try to fit panniers

This comes up a lot as many people have the same need - I gave a fuller answer recently here

 

[colinr]

Thanks, I'm leaning towards the Low Saddle Carradice Longflap as recommended to me elsewhere. There may be camping but it'll be roughing it with a Bivvy bag and a hedge

 

[jayonabike]

I have a Carradice Pendle on my road bike, I use this for day long rides. I much prefer this compared to a rack and pannier.

 

[ChristinaJL]

With the carradice bags, just make sure you have enough room between the saddle and the wheel, else the bag will just rub on the rear wheel. I have a 51cm women's road bike and only the barley fits. Although a bigger bag might fit on the saddle support, I've not tried my camper longflap bag as that's on my touring bike.

 

[Holdsworth]

I found that with the bagman support, you can fit a larger bag to the saddle. With the Lowsaddle on the rails it only just about fits, whereas with the support there is ample room between it and the wheel. I could've actually gone for a larger sized bag and it still would've been fine.

 

[colinr]

They really have thought of everything. That's good to know if I struggle with space, thanks.

 

[Paul_Smith SRCC]

I found that with the bagman support, you can fit a larger bag to the saddle. With the Lowsaddle on the rails it only just about fits, whereas with the support there is ample room between it and the wheel. I could've actually gone for a larger sized bag and it still would've been fine.

That’s the advantage of both the bagman and even more so the SQR Uplift, although note with the latter it attaches to the seatpin, so many prefer to use a cheap alloy pin if they are currently using a carbon pin

Paul Smith

Touring Tips

 

[frank9755]

I just use a rack to support my saddlebag.

My Tortec Ultralight weighs the same as a Bagman, looks a lot less odd if you ever take the bag off and gives you lots more carrying options.

 

[Paul_Smith SRCC]

I just use a rack to support my saddlebag.

My Tortec Ultralight weighs the same as a Bagman, looks a lot less odd if you ever take the bag off and gives you lots more carrying options.

I also used a rack as a support for over twenty years with my Carardice Nelson long flap (it lasted that long); although my bike was set up to take a rack, with pannier bosses, if like colinr my bike didn’t have these I would use something along the lines of the Bagman or Uplift



Paul Smith

Touring Tips

 

[Baggy]

My Christmas pressie was a QR Bagman (like the one pictured above) and it works a treat on my 50cm frame. I use a Barley, but as Holdsworth says have lots of room for a bigger bag.

I just use a rack to support my saddlebag.

My Tortec Ultralight weighs the same as a Bagman, looks a lot less odd if you ever take the bag off and gives you lots more carrying options.

But...if you don't have rack mounts it can be a pain in the bum to fit one! I don't think a Bagman looks any more or less odd than a rack, though the latter obviously does give you more options.

Edited: Paul beat me to it re: rack mounts!