Saddle bags have no place on a road bike, and are only acceptable on mountain bikes in extreme cases.
Saddle bags: how do we define them? Is it a saddle bag if it attaches to the seat post and the saddle, if it has a zipper, if it is leather, has two natty straps with buckles, if it swings below the saddle like bumper bollocks?
I weaned myself off a discreet EPMS after twenty-five years of use. I was not happy about transferring the contents to a rear pocket but I’m a team player so I conformed. Previous to that was the ‘core sew-up tire held under the saddle with spare toe clip strap. Back then bikes only had one bidon cage, held on with paint ruining metal clamps. The position forward of the seat tube was reserved for a silca frame pump. Some ride with a tire in a jersey pocket, but with no second bidon to bastardize, it usually had to go under the seat. At least we weren’t wearing tires around the shoulders. I’m not that old, FFS.
When I see professional cyclists out training here, they rock the EPMS. Am I going to correct Ryder, not in this life. I couldn’t catch him to start with, if I did I would be too winded to explain myself and really, why? If you ride clincher tires, with inner-tubes or sealant, one has to carry some tire levers and a spare tube, at a minimum. My custom waterproof phone/money/drivers license/inner-tube/levers/5mm allen wrench bag was a fat bastard. Getting things out of it quickly or elegantly was near impossible.
Then Lezyne came to the rescue with the waterproof mobile phone/money/card /fits in cycling jersey pocket, wallet. They actually didn’t come to the rescue, I paid retail for it but the design rescued me with its brilliance. The phone is in a safe waterproof compartment yet one can access and operate it through the clear plastic window. So all that went into my center rear pocket, but left me with a tube/levers/5mm allen key to stow, in another pocket? Nay, it’s the Lezyne caddy sack, I’m thinking this tucks under the seat, held with old toe clip strap; the clincher rider’s spare tire, without the tire. It’s a sew-up without the outer casing. It’s a nod to the old school in a nice waterproof pvc dry sack, and yes, that is crap.
What does Frank say? I believe his words will be something like “What you have here is a crude looking EPMS held under you saddle with a nasty looking old strap.” Where does he store his spare sew-up tire? I’m already abusing Rule #1, Rule #30 and now Rule #31 too. Luckily or sadly, he is many miles away probably won’t get wind of this.
[dmalbum path=”/velominati.com/content/Photo Galleries/j.andrews3@comcast.net/EPMS/”/]
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What? What is this abomination? A keepers article on how to subverting rule #29? SHAME! You are correct; what you have there IS a crude EPMS and it violates the rules regardless of definitions simply because the rule exists to ensure respect of the race machine and it's clean lines.
Have you ever heard of a zip-loc bag? Cheap, repleaceble, water tight, light etc etc. I carry two, which when flat are in the order of 12cm by 8cm. When full they are smaller than a jersey pocket. One carries the phone/cash/card and a second carries a tube, two levers, Co2 canister and inflator and a multitool. Yes it all easily fits in and the second stays sealed up on the shelf in the garage to be slipped into the jersey before I head out.When I ride tubbies, a spare is folded in half twice and slipped into a cotton sock. This keeps it together nicely and keeps it clean and tidy.
There is no need for that ugly arocity you have there. Wake up man.
@James
Agreed. Perhaps the EPMS is to distract from the most hideous saddle ever conceived!!
@piwakawaka
I have used my mutltitool on several occasions to fettle with both my saddle height/angle and cleat position. Besides that, it gets an outting to others bikes from time to time.
I agree, this HAS to be a troll. It's laughable to suggest that a phone, a credit card, tube, tool and a Co2 leads to "bulging pockets! Pack them properly and it all lays flat in the pocket no more than the thickness of a rolled tube.
@Mikael Liddy Sticky Pod!! I just ordered one of these. Brilliant!
@Beers
My namesake street? Quebec?
@JACD214 Nah sorry, piwakawaka...
Yuck! and BTW the old Caddy Sack was much better. The new Caddy Sacks come in two sizes...Too Small and too Large ugh!
@Rob C
It's actually an old arm warmer that was crashed and torn up. I just used the piece that was still intact. And God I wish Castelli would sponsor my slow ass.
@frank
This.
@Gianni
Oh, like you couldn't see this coming. "I'll make a post about making my bike ugly as shit, and justify it by saying I need to drag a bunch of crap with me. What could possibly go wrong?" Considering the kind of freaks that hang out here...I mean...really dude?
@EricW I thought it was something like that... Now stick it in your pocket......Or get really fast. Classic.