Patrick, I starting using saddle bags - Carradice Barley most days & Nelson when needed during my 13 years as a long haul commuter. I used and continue to use the Carradice SQR system. For just a minimal amount of metal it provides a high degree of stability and absolutely the fastest on and off the bike quick release available. The really big advantage of saddle bags comes from having them above the fenders. I ride a lot of dirt roads and when commuting a third of my 30 mile RT was dirt. It rains regularly and unpredictably in Vermont so everything I could have above the fenders was a plus for me. You can stuff a lot of stuff into a Barley and never feel the weight behind you. I didn't like having my macbook in the Nelson, but they are a lot lighter now.
We use a small Arkel pannier for every day riding on the tandem and Pat uses the same bag on her Betty. Big panniers are strictly for touring. Now that I'm retiring I never use the Nelson and the Barley rarely gets more than a bottle of wine or a few ears of corn in it. Of course riding in NM is probably very different. Michael On Tuesday, May 26, 2015 at 9:44:50 PM UTC-4, Patrick Moore wrote: > > I know many of y'all swear by big saddlebags, supported or not. I've used > many if not most of the various large (Nelson upward) saddlebags made over > the last 20 years, and though I really like them (I loved the Hoss on the > trike and the Sackville Medium on the Curt) I always, always, always come > back to a rack and panniers. In fact, my first principle of saddlebag use > is: > > *Thou shalt not use a rack, the absence of rack being the very *raison > d'etre, purpose, advantage, benefit, and finality-in-the-Aristotelian-sense > *of > the saddlebag; but thou mayest use a support.* > > So: you reasons "pro" for saddlebags, with or without racks; > > And your reasons "con" for same. > > My two reasons: > > 1. I can carry more in 2 panniers than in the largest saddlebag (well, > I've not used the Sackville Large, but don't tell me it carries more than 2 > Ortlieb Packers or Rollers); after all, if I'm gonna use a rack, then I > might as well get max vol. > > 2. Rack/panniers are flexible: None; 1 small; 2 small; 1 small + 1 big; 2 > big. Not to mention the various patterns, colors, shapes, sizes, and styles > of pannier I can attach or forgo attaching. > > -- > Resumes, LinkedIn profiles, bios, and letters that get interviews. > By-the-hour resume and LinkedIn coaching. > Other professional writing services. > http://www.resumespecialties.com/ > www.linkedin.com/in/patrickmooreresumespec/ > Patrick Moore > Alburquerque, Nouvelle Mexique, Vereinigte Staaten > > ************************************* > *The point which is the pivot of the norm is the motionless center of a > circumference on the rim of which all conditions, distinctions, and > individualities revolve. *Chuang Tzu > > *Kinei hos eromenon. It moves as the being-loved. *Aristotle > > *The Love that moves the Sun and all the other stars. *Dante > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
