Using roll bags as tail bags - what's the drawback?

[MichaelW2]

On my long camping tours I carry a tent crosswise on the front bit of the rack and sleeping bag and inflatable mat in drybags behind the tent, crosswise. I lash them with some medium 700c inner tubes.

 

[mjr]

Back home again now. All worked well. Thanks for the reassurance and advice. The weather was dry and often sunny, so the white bag of locks spent most of the time in the position on top of the two other bags, rather than the waterproofs that I expected.

I think being a bit more aero helped and it certainly made it easier to get over a couple of narrow bridges in Belgium, although my three bags weren't much lighter than my wife's double-pannier setup, which is the other bike in this picture:

Travelogue to come once I finish writing it and download some of my photos.

 

[Floating Bombus]

The bridges must have been incredibly narrow if your wife's panniers were a problem getting over them!!!

 

[mjr]

The bridges must have been incredibly narrow if your wife's panniers were a problem getting over them!!!

They really were - basically wide enough for one person to walk or ride at a time - plus very busy when we crossed because of a nearby maritime festival, so there wasn't really much time to aim for the gap before people in the opposite direction started to cross instead! I can't see it on Streetview but imagine this footbridge in Vlissingen with half the width obstructed by low metal boxes, plus put it unavoidably on a cycle route as well: http://www.instantstreetview.com/@51.44316,3.595675,211.88h,-6.34p,2.65z

Flanders was maybe 80-85% wonderful cycling, but had a few boners like that on the routes which really wouldn't be out of place in the cycle-unfriendliest parts of England.

 

[Floating Bombus]

So how do you say "Silly Sustrans gate" in Flemish?

 

[mjr]

So how do you say "Silly Sustrans gate" in Flemish?

Vlaamse regering bollekes?