Top tube bag attachment

[Peteaud]

I have never ever had a small saddle bag fall off, even when going down the rough stuff at Cwmcarn.

Even the lidl one fitted to the wifes bike has remained on with no problems and that was only a £5 inc the tools.

The one on my current mountain bike is a topeak one i bought about 10 years ago, and its still going strong.

 

[HovR]

Clip on saddle bags are prone to falling off? That's news to me.

Both my clip on saddle bags (a Topeak one on the MTB, and a cheap Lidl one on the road bike) have been completely rock solid, and I fail to see how they could come off short of the whole thick plastic and metal bracket snapping in half - And even if that were to happen, it still has the velcro strap attaching it to the seat post. If you were still concerned, you could add some tie-wraps as well - Just make sure the bolts are done up tight enough!

 

[e-rider]

Clip on saddle bags are prone to falling off? That's news to me.

Both my clip on saddle bags (a Topeak one on the MTB, and a cheap Lidl one on the road bike) have been completely rock solid, and I fail to see how they could come off short of the whole thick plastic and metal bracket snapping in half - And even if that were to happen, it still has the velcro strap attaching it to the seat post. If you were still concerned, you could add some tie-wraps as well - Just make sure the bolts are done up tight enough!

if you read the reviews online you will find many cases of them falling off (and very unhappy customers)

 

[PaulSecteur]

I have a secteur with the "banjo string" brake cable and I use a tri bag too. I wouldnt just wrap the straps around the top tube and cable, instead thread the strap between the tobtube and cable, that way there is no interference with the brakes.

Also, make sure the little tab thingies line up with the buckles to stop the buckle rubbing your paintwork.

 

[HovR]

if you read the reviews online you will find many cases of them falling off (and very unhappy customers)

I disagree that they are "well known to fall off". Never heard that before now, and never had issues with them myself. I even looked at some reviews on Amazon and Evans and found no complaints of this.

I could see that if you bought a product of inferior quality with a bracket made of cheese then it could happen, or by some user error, such as not tightening the bolts up enough, or not letting it "click" in to place - But if you buy a quality product such as one made by Topeak you should have no problems.

 

[NormanD]

It's not unheard of for a saddle bag to fall off, my son bought a new bag, the revolution range from EBC and after the third time it fell off (latch came undone, bag caught in wheel and ripped off) EBC replaced it. The fault was a miss-molded clip arm, which came undone due to road vibration.

So it can and does happen

 

[Peteaud]

if you read the reviews online you will find many cases of them falling off (and very unhappy customers)

But you have to wonder how many were fitted correctly in the first place.

Even the LIDL ones seem very secure.

 

[Edge705]

Decathlon are doing a great basic saddle bag at the mo 4.99 its so easy to attach (velcro both sides) with a front safety strap I throw my bike all over the place on a rough commute and its failed to dislodge at all so and its weighed down with 2 Co2 catridges, multi tool, speare tube, tyre levers, inflator head, and a patch kit in the small compact bag.

IMO its a great bag which does not make the back of your bike look like a tourer BTW No offence to tourers
http://www.btwincycle.com/EN/b-twin-0-4l-pannier-17148324/
here is the pic but I cant find it in the online store Oh I do love a Bargain

 

[youngoldbloke]

I have a secteur with the "banjo string" brake cable and I use a tri bag too. I wouldnt just wrap the straps around the top tube and cable, instead thread the strap between the tobtube and cable, that way there is no interference with the brakes.

Also, make sure the little tab thingies line up with the buckles to stop the buckle rubbing your paintwork.

+1 - you can also use strips of inner tube under the straps to protect paint work/graphics. Re saddle packs falling off - for security use an old toestrap or similar around the the bag and through the saddle rails.

 

[Polite]

I have purchased a Topeak Fuel tank (top tube bag) which has 3 velcro straps to attach to the top tube. However I have some cabling running under my top tube, so I'm not sure how the velcro should attach without interfering with these cables. I tried slotting it under the cabling, but the velcro has to go back on itself, so there is no room to fit two layers of velcro under the cabling. Any ideas? Thanks.

Hi. I'm thinking of getting one. Is the front Velcro strap adjustable so you can tighten it around the stem?

 

[Phoenix Lincs]

I've got a top tube bag and it's great for sportives etc when my hands get a bit numb and I can't dig around in my back pockets for food etc. I put the fasteners closest to myself between the bike and the cables, fasten it through the D-ring then back through between the tube and cable. The one further forward, fits over the cable loosely, but it keeps it secure.
Does any of that make any sense?

 

[jay clock]

Hi. I'm thinking of getting one. Is the front Velcro strap adjustable so you can tighten it around the stem?

Yes, it is adjustable and mine has a long strip of velcro on the side to allow for different stem sizes. Ideal for small snacks, gels, and i can cram quite a lot in for a long race.

not immediately obvious but mine has two small side pockets which allow space for coins, money, lipsalve etc. Effectively a double lining

 

[John the Monkey]

Clip on saddle bags are prone to falling off? That's news to me.

I had a pricey Fizik one, of which I'd have said the same.

Until the moment the bag mounted part of the bracket snapped, and sent the bag roadwards, that is. The velcro strapped ones aren't that much more of a hassle, and are more secure (the Specialized "wedgie" I have has already outlasted the Fizik fourfold).

 

[HovR]

I had a pricey Fizik one, of which I'd have said the same.

Until the moment the bag mounted part of the bracket snapped, and sent the bag roadwards, that is. The velcro strapped ones aren't that much more of a hassle, and are more secure (the Specialized "wedgie" I have has already outlasted the Fizik fourfold).

Well, that's fair enough I guess, people are obviously having their saddle bags fall off. I'm still using my clip-on Topeak saddle bags, and they still haven't fallen off, so I'm trying to work out quite where all these issues are coming from.

Heck, the wedge bag in my profile pic was initially on my cheapo Halfords mountain bike, years ago. Then I moved it along to my Dawes where it was for over a year, and now it's on my Peugeot. It's also been on and off the Specialized mountain bike I use whilst at the trail centre in the Forest of Dean. Quality bag in my opinion.

 

[John the Monkey]

... so I'm trying to work out quite where all these issues are coming from.

Gotcha. I guess, for me, it's that I don't find the velcro attachment a hassle, and having had to retrieve one pricey (so hopefully, decent quality) clip on bag from the road, not using a clip on type seems worth the little extra hassle when I want to take the bag off. If you've had clip on bags that have always performed perfectly, that equation probably balances differently.