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Which one do you like and why? I am getting ready to purchase one for a tour. Thanks
rack pack question
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ok - i'll bite
Aren't they all basically the same? They're long and rectangular, sized to fit a loaf of wonder bread. Velcro straps hold them to the rack. Is it safe to say that the primary difference is style?
We have a couple Performance ones. The older is a rectangle. The newer has side pockets and nice reflective fabric. We never use them any more - seem to be somewhat useless. Too small for commuting or touring. Too big for a wallet and keys. I find it's more practical to use a single pannier, which is easy to unhook and carry, is better supported by the rack, and has a lower center of gravity.
That said, if I ever really felt I'd use one regularly, there's only one choice for my evolving sense of style - the Big Loafer:
http://www.rivbike.com/html/just_in.html
Aren't they all basically the same? They're long and rectangular, sized to fit a loaf of wonder bread. Velcro straps hold them to the rack. Is it safe to say that the primary difference is style?
We have a couple Performance ones. The older is a rectangle. The newer has side pockets and nice reflective fabric. We never use them any more - seem to be somewhat useless. Too small for commuting or touring. Too big for a wallet and keys. I find it's more practical to use a single pannier, which is easy to unhook and carry, is better supported by the rack, and has a lower center of gravity.
That said, if I ever really felt I'd use one regularly, there's only one choice for my evolving sense of style - the Big Loafer:
http://www.rivbike.com/html/just_in.html
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2,643 Posts
Not the most useful items.
I have a Chapak Royan, which goes on a KlikFix seat mount rather than strapped to a rack. It holds warmer or dryer clothing and some food on real long rides and spends most of its life on the shelf. It takes away the spot for my tent and sleeping bag on a tour, complicates placement of blinky lights on a utility bike and is less handy than a handlebar bag.
For style points Carradice look really cool when they're not bouncing around and come in big range of sizes.
I have a Chapak Royan, which goes on a KlikFix seat mount rather than strapped to a rack. It holds warmer or dryer clothing and some food on real long rides and spends most of its life on the shelf. It takes away the spot for my tent and sleeping bag on a tour, complicates placement of blinky lights on a utility bike and is less handy than a handlebar bag.
For style points Carradice look really cool when they're not bouncing around and come in big range of sizes.
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1,616 Posts
Or features, which presumably are far more important than style. I've got a Biria which is pretty much what you describe (long and rectangular, sized to fit a loaf of wonder bread. Velcro straps hold them to the rack) but it also has two small zippered pouches on either side which can hold a cell phone, a couple PowerBars, some Chap-Stick...ispoke said:
*or*
if you unzip them fully, they fold down to become mini-panniers, with elastic hold-down straps that attach to your braze-ons. Big enough to hold a couple extra jerseys, gloves, an 8" frozen pizza, etc.
Plus the main compartment has an expansion zipper, so you could fit two loaves of wonder bread stacked one on top of the other.
It's pretty trick, definitely has a feature set that differentiates it from any of the anonymous black boxes I've seen at Performance.
"Style"? What's that?
I am using the Topeak MTX bag on a Topeak bolt-on rack. The bag/rack combo work together to allow you to push down a "button" and slide the pack off the back of the rack. It's very convenient for commuting, as it's much easier to take the pack off after locking up my bike for the day.
The Topeak MTX bag main compartment is expandable to accomodate jeans, shirt, undies, and (3) bottles of wine (750ML). It also has two panniers that drop down from the side pockets to hold a great deal of stuff (I haven't been able to fill them up yet). It also has a top-lid pocket for wallets, keys and various other stuff like maps, papers, stuff, etc.
I don't use the seat-post clamp on style of rack because I don't like that it is limited to a 20lb. capacity (including the rack and bag), and went with the bolt-on rack that will hold up to 55lbs.
EM
Just my .02, hope it helps.
The Topeak MTX bag main compartment is expandable to accomodate jeans, shirt, undies, and (3) bottles of wine (750ML). It also has two panniers that drop down from the side pockets to hold a great deal of stuff (I haven't been able to fill them up yet). It also has a top-lid pocket for wallets, keys and various other stuff like maps, papers, stuff, etc.
I don't use the seat-post clamp on style of rack because I don't like that it is limited to a 20lb. capacity (including the rack and bag), and went with the bolt-on rack that will hold up to 55lbs.
EM
Just my .02, hope it helps.
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