Carradice Bagman Expedition Saddlebag Support Rack with Quick Release

The Carradice Bagman Expedition Saddlebag Support Rack (with Quick Release) ensures that you can carry substantial loads securely with some of Carradice’s larger capacity products – including its new 26L Odyssey Saddlebag. It performs brilliantly on the road, is incredibly secure and will open up bigger adventures on any bike.

> Buy now: Carradice Bagman Expedition Saddlebag Support Rack with Quick Release for £79.95 from Carradice

I’ve been using a Bagman Sport Saddlebag Support with a 9L Carradice Audax Super C saddlebag for the last eight years and I have always been impressed by the load-carrying stability that it provides.

This larger version has the same 10kg recommended weight limit (I’ve never got close to this) and it allows you to use larger saddlebags such as the very traditional-looking 24Lt Camper Longflap and the more contemporary 26L Odyssey Saddlebag that is part of Carradice’s new Adventure Range.

The standard version of the support costs £49.95 but the addition of the Quick Release adds another £30 to the price. This might seem quite a lot of money but the ability to remove bags and head into a bunkhouse for a few hours sleep, knowing you don’t have to go back out in the cold and rain to retrieve a charging cable, toothpaste or other random item that you left on the bike, is well worth the added cost.

It also adds to security when you leave your bike outside a cafe stop. You can take everything with you and it takes less than a minute to reattach the bag when you get back to the bike.

This was my first time using this feature and I am now a real convert to the added functionality and convenience that it offers.

Easy attachment

I am a perennially cack-handed bike fettler – but even I find this remarkably easy to set up. One large hex key bolt is all you need to attach the top and bottom clamp to the saddle rails on your bike.

There are two additional bolts that secure the wire frame, but unlike the Bagman Bar Rack (the handlebar version of this support) you can secure these before you attach this product to your bike, making it easier to adjust.

That also makes it relatively simple to move from one bike to another. If you are using the non-quick-release version and a more traditional Carradice product with buckles and straps to anchor to the saddle, then it is slightly harder to do this. My original Carradice Bagman Saddle Support has stayed attached to the same saddle for this reason.

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In fact, for the last two years I have taken to moving the entire seatpost, support rack and bag from one bike to another, rather than trying to refit. A note of caution here – I originally had my rear dynamo lights attached to the saddle support, which made it impossible to move. If you are just getting your lighting and baggage system set up at the same time, don’t fall into this trap.

Aesthetically, most Carradice products – such as the Camper Longflap or Nelson Saddlebag – offer a traditional look that fits with a touring or audax aesthetic, rather than slicker ultra-distance and sportive events.

They look great with a leather Brooks saddle, but it’s worth noting that they aren’t compatible with the full range of Brooks sprung saddles, so do check before you buy.

Made for adventure

This quick-release version does away with the need to wrap a leather strap around your saddle rails. I used it with the new Carradice Odyssey on a heavily loaded trip across Wales and back on some very steep mountain roads, over gravel and some of the worst potholed descents I have ever experienced. (You can navigate to the very spot using the What Three Words location: Pinch-flat/Haematoma/Concussion).

The saddle support’s performance on the road was exceptional. There was no rattle, no sway, no movement. It made easy work of tough ascents and for the most part I forgot I was carrying anything at all.

It might not have the sleek looks of modern products aimed at the ultra-distance end of the market, but my hunch is that it can match pretty much all of them in terms of performance.

Value

Almost £80 seems a lot for what is basically a bolt and a piece of bent metal. Unlike a pannier rack, it doesn’t offer a great deal of flexibility in terms of loads or baggage. This is really designed for use with Carradice products and little else. So you are buying this product because you value the functionality and aesthetic you get with Carradice bags and you want to commit to their products.

The £30 that the quick-release capability contributes to the cost also seems quite steep… but I am now sold on this feature and I think it’s a real investment. I often use a Carradice Super C handlebar bag that is equally easy to remove and take into a cafe stop and I value being able to do this, especially when I want to lug spare battery packs, cables, money, phone, extra clothing so that I can use my time off the bike efficiently.

Arguably this product does a similar job to a Tailfin Pannier Rack – offering stability for a specific range of saddlebags. Made from alloy and carbon and weighing significantly more, that product will cost you £140 and lock you in to Tailfin bags. Suddenly the Carradice support looks like rather good value to me.

The Topeak MTX Beam Rack E Type is another similar support system that means you have to buy in to a specific luggage range. This costs just £56.99 but it is bulkier and the suggested weight limit is just 9kg. Again Carradice’s less complex system looks like relatively good value.

The decision here really comes down to the luggage system that you want to use. If you love the Carradice aesthetic – whether that’s the traditional leather and canvas or the newer Adventure range – then one of the support systems it offers is going to be an essential purchase.

I am a big fan of Carradice bags because they open fully, allow easy access to your gear, keep it dry in foul weather and will last for years. But none of these saddle bags perform at all well without some sort of support, so if you value that functionality this support rack is an essential purchase.

For other luggage options, check out our best pannier racks and pannier bags buyer’s guide.

Conclusion

If you want to use Carradice saddle bags then you need one of these – whether you opt for the smaller Bagman option or the larger Expedition support. The Expedition with Quick Release is a brilliant product that will deliver many years of great adventure and allow you to use the biggest Carradice bags on the market.

> Buy now: Carradice Bagman Expedition Saddlebag Support Rack with Quick Release for £79.95 from Carradice

Verdict

An excellent support rack that will give you superbly stable riding even when carrying heavier loads and years of good service

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