Storage

[emmyG71]

Hi. I don't like carrying a lot of stuff in my jersey pockets and prefer to carry it on my bike in saddle bag or top tube bag, but my friend said this would add extra weight. Surely the weight will be the same regardless of if it is in my pocket or on my bike?! Just wondered what you guys did, and whether you could reccommend any good small storage bags, bearing in mind that I have very little room underneath my saddle.
Thanks. 😊

 

[Dogtrousers]

The added weight will be the actual weight of the bags themselves (not much at all), and possibly also the weight of the additional crap that gradually accumulates in the bags and you carry around anyway just because you can. (Oooh look at my new bag, I've got room to carry this big chain tool, a spare set of cleat bolts, a roll of duck tape and a baby grand piano. In they go!).

Topeak do a good range of underseat wedge bags in various sizes.

Carrying hard and pointy things in your jersey pockets can potentially be dangerous as they could hurt if you fell on them.

As for what I do - I have a rack with a rack bag full of all sorts of unnecessary rubbish. But not the baby grand piano.

 

[Milkfloat]

Weight on the bike is far better than weight on your body.

 

[Slick]

The reasoning for weight on the bike and not your body is definitely sound, but I much prefer the weight off the bike on my commute rides, although when going further afield the panniers are a must.

 

[si_c]

I'm the same, I really dislike weight in my pockets - it's ok for an hour or two, i.e. phone and keys, but I'd really rather not.

I have a selection of bags that I put on the bike - ranging from frame bags to simple behind the stem bags and saddlebags.

The thing with these is as @Dogtrousers says you keep adding bits - in my case with a frame bag I'll tend to put sandwiches, snacks, a rain jacket, tools, batteries, cables, locks, derailleur hangers etc which for an afternoon out could be a bit much. On the other hand, if it rains I stay dry, if i get hungry....

Edit: Just to add, most of the time I tend to take just a stem bag and put my keys/bank card/cash and a few snacks in - tools are always on the bike in the saddle bag and the pump is on the frame. That means I just carry my phone in my middle jersey pocket if wearing lycra or a pocket in my shorts if not.

 

[cyberknight]

If you have a spare bottle cage you can get cannisters to put stuff in planet x had some from £2, during cooler weather club rides i take 1 bottle that itop up at the cafe stop and carry gilet/jacket etc in one as well as using a small saddle bag for tube etc

 

[cyberknight]

https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/BOTAWB/tankita-bottle-box