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review

Carradice Bagman QR Expedition

8
£45.00

VERDICT:

8
10
Neat and effective, but pricey, way of attaching a Carradice bag to your bike
Weight: 
430g
Contact: 
www.carradice.co.uk

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If you have a Carradice saddlebag then the chances are you'll already have a Bagman, or one of the assorted variants. Although Carradice bags are a joy and wonder, they can be a bit of a sod to fit to your bike. Unless you are tall enough to have enough space between saddle and rear wheel you'll end up with a saddlebag dragging on your back wheel, which is just rubbish.

One solution to the dreaded 'Carradice sag' is a Bagman support. It's nothing complex, just a bit of tubing bent into a support bracket that holds the bag off your wheel. They come in a variety of flavours, Sport or Expedition and each of these can be had in QR or standard. With the standard models your bag is strapped to the support and has to be undone for removal. The QR versions have spring loaded clips that attach to the bag and allow easy removal. Expedition is the deeper of the two, so if you are a tad stumpy, pick the Sport version. Fitting is simple, just clamp onto the rails of your saddle. I'm testing the QR Expedition here.

The QR comes with a neat fitting system, there's a plastic strip that sits outside the bag and attaches round the dowel that stiffens the back of the bag with a couple of heavy duty cable ties. The plastic strip has a couple of holes that the spring loaded clips on the bracket attach to. It's a very simple but effective system and means that you can easily remove the bag at stops.

At the end of the day it's a very effective way of maximising the use of a Carradice bag. It's a lot of cash for a bit of bent metal and a couple of spring clips but I'd be lost without one - if you don't mind foregoing the quick release function and just want to fight the sag then a standard version Bagman Expedition is getting on for £20 less.

Verdict

Neat and effective, but pricey, way of attaching a Carradice bag to your bike.

road.cc test report

Make and model: Carradice Bagman QR Expedition

Size tested: n/a

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

"Introducing the NEW quick release version of the successful BAGMAN. Designed and manufactured by Edbro Innovations exclusively for Carradice. The saddlebag carrier with built in 21st century Style and Practical Technology.

Ideal for attaching bags to saddles which don't have loops. Recommended for use with the Cadet, Nelson, Nelson Longflap, College, Camper Longflap, Super C and Carradura saddlebags."

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Not much to say really - it's basically bent metal.

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
9/10

Keeps your Carradice where it should be.

Rate the product for durability:
 
9/10

There's nothing to go wrong.

Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
 
7/10
Rate the product for value:
 
6/10

I can't help but think that this is a lot of money for a bit of bent metal and a few springs...

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Very good

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Means I can use a Carradice saddle bag.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Costs a lot for what it is.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes - if you want a Carradice bag then it's pretty much inevitable

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Anything further to say about the product in conclusion?

Essential compliment to a Carradice saddle bag.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 42  Height: 5' 8  Weight: er....85kg

I usually ride: Kona Dew Drop, Dawes Century SE, Carlton Corsa  My best bike is: Guess SC1 scandium

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed, Audax and long distance solo rides

 

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3 comments

Avatar
Benjamin Hall | 12 years ago
0 likes

A no no for a carbon bike?

Avatar
AAN replied to Benjamin Hall | 7 years ago
1 like
Benjamin Hall wrote:

A no no for a carbon bike?

There is no contact between the frame or seatpost with bag or support: everything is fixed to the saddle rails. Mine works very well with the Camper Longflap. I used Loctite on the spring- loaded handles and replaced the shallow headed bolts that secure the wire rack to the clamp. I've had bad experiences with shallow sockets rounding under pressure. 

Avatar
thereandbackagain | 12 years ago
0 likes

I've tried various combinations of bag and rider over the years for commuting (rucksack, courier bag, rack and pannier) and the Nelson Longflap with this QR support system is the best by far.

It has the capacity of a standard pannier, doesn't mess up your bike's handling, is more aerodynamic than rack bags and best of all, no sweaty back.

It's also big enough to easily do a weekend B&B tour, and made in the UK.

One thing to note is the older supports hold the steel bar in with grub screws. These really need a threadlock compound on them to stop them working loose in, in my experience.

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