Top tube or frame bag a no no?

Ive got a stem mount bag

Ive got a stem mount bag which is great on longer rides I also have never been a fan of carrying things like my phone in the back of my Jersey. If i take a tumble an cant get back id much prefer to be able to ring someone.

Im probably going to get mocked but meh. Pump and multitool are discreet frame mounts. Tube CO2 keys an phone in the saddle pack and long rides munch in the stem bag.

Things like Gels or other generally soft stuff im fine with in the jersey so arm warmers etc.

crikey wrote:

crikey wrote:

I struggle to see why you would need one, quite apart from the aesthetic considerations. You have 3 rear pockets to put food and anything else in, and/or a saddlebag. It’s surely not that much of an issue to reach behind you? Please don’t turn road biking into the equivalent of mountain biking, where one has to take the kitchen sink in an over stuffed Camelbak on every ride ‘just in case’.

My mate does this, he is known to have a book in there as well for when we stop for coffee. Full size D lock, spare clothing everything you could think of except the hydration bladder it was designed for

Y’all are carrying too much

Y’all are carrying too much stuff .

60 miles:

Food = breakfast before, banana on the bike, 1x get-me-home gel.

Drink = 1 normal size bottle, 2 if it’s really hot or if racing.

Spares = levers, tube, CO2, micro-multitool and quicklink, all fits in a pouch the size of my ancient iPhone.  Add stick on patches and pump if puncture paranoia sets in. 

Clothing = gilet most of the time or Hotpack if rain paranoia sets in.

Plus phone, emergency tenner and debit card of course.

All of the above in jersey pockets. 

The more storage space you have the more stuff you’ll carry, the heavier and harder to ride your bike will be, the slower you’ll go, the longer you’ll be out so the more stuff you’ll need (repeat).

Bit like mountaineering – go fast and light or be prepared to hire sherpas…

Big Engine wrote:

Big Engine wrote:

I use my two cages for water. At the moment I can carry 1750 ml in them, and 2000 ml is the maximum they’ll take. It sounds like a lot, but I use all of that 1750 ml on a 60 mile ride. I’m going to try the collapsible bottles to enable me to carry more fluid. The other solution is buying it when out, but as a solo rider that necessitates the kind of portable or ‘through-a-hatch’ establishment that you find more on the coast.

or a cafe (or even pub) with outside seating where you can sit in the sun next to your bike.  I have also in the past taken my bike into petrol stations, I have also carried a cable lock on the frame onm a long ride so I copuld pop into a national trust cafe. I wouldn’t use this lock to secure my bike all day oin the city centre but at certain places, I feel it’s safe enough while I eat.

On the water bottles, my point was if you carry more than two at the start, you can carry more than 2 at the end, why the need for collapsing them?  Or you could even through the rules completely out the window and use a camelbak, I have a 3l one, I never use it any  more because riding with nothing on my back is more comfortable.

Big Engine wrote:

Big Engine wrote:

I bought a medium-sized Topeak saddle bag today after having a micro-sized one for the last three years.

I’ve had a road bike for nine months, and my longest rides are always 50-60 miles now. As the weather improves so till will my ‘average-maximum-distance’, to coin an ugly phrase.

The doubling or-so of my bag’s capacity will enable me to carry more food and gels, vital on long rides. I find that anything up to forty miles or so can be done with basic food and water, but as you start popping over half-centuries more often, so your need for supplements increases. It’s a bit of a bugger because foodstuffs can be made cheaper at home, but it’s hard replicating an isotonic drink or the kick of a gel.

All of this blather (sorry, I’m excited about long rides in the year to come 😀 ) is a preamble to asking a question.

Does anyone use the ‘collapsible’ bottles that are £3-ish? If so, are they effective at staying sealed, and are they unobtrusive when carrying after use?

Never heard of these. What is the benefit? If you can carry them at the start you can carry them to the end. Unless you plan on using your bottle cage for surplus early layers.

I generally carry multi tool, two tubes, patches, levers and spare link in a saddle bag. Top tube bag with two energy bars and a pack of gel shots and keys in a side zip. Pockets are for spare layers wallet and phone. Pump on frame (small boardman pump) when doing 100 mile rides being prepared is key. I wouldn’t want to get stuck 50 miles from home.

On smaller rides (30 miles) I don’t use those. Just a micro saddle pack just big enough for one tube and levers.

crikey wrote:

crikey wrote:

I struggle to see why you would need one, quite apart from the aesthetic considerations. You have 3 rear pockets to put food and anything else in, and/or a saddlebag. It’s surely not that much of an issue to reach behind you? Please don’t turn road biking into the equivalent of mountain biking, where one has to take the kitchen sink in an over stuffed Camelbak on every ride ‘just in case’.

I don’t think three rear pockets are enough for a long ride, especially if you take a rain jacket or an extra layer you plan on taking off during the ride.

I used to have a small saddle bag on both bikes, and patches/levers/multitool in both, plus a pump by the bottle cage.  Apart from anything else, it saves the faff of storing that stuff somewhere and means you never get 2 miles down the road and realise you have forgotten it.

I got rid of them when I got the new bike, wanted to keep it as sleek as possible.   I have a Lezyne Caddy Sack which keeps the levers, patches and tools in one place and fits a jersey pocket well; the second takes a spare tube or two, and the third is cash keys phone.  

What if I want some gels and bars?  I bought a Gore windproof top recently, partly because it has two extra small pockets around the rib area that are perfect for a couple of gels and bars.  I’m still not convinced that is enough though!

What’s all this about

What’s all this about rattling saddle bags? If you can’t solve that problem, I’m quite astounded some of you can figure out how to get on a bike.

Bulging jersey pockets are far more unsightly than a small saddle bag.

While I don’t use a top tube bag myself, I’ve nothing against those who do.

OK, if we are comparing here
OK, if we are comparing here goes:

Small case (a re-purposed pencil case for me) with tubes, tools, keys and cash in middle pocket.
Pocket pump also in middle pocket.
Rain jacket and mobile phone in left pocket.
Food in right pocket.

If I’m wearing arm warmers and want to take them off they go down the front of my bibs.

Things change a bit for longer rides as I like a 3rd bottle which goes in my middle pocket and my jacket gets left at home. The same goes for longish rides in the dark where my batery takes up one of my bottle cages. These are unusual examples for me and I’d get a little saddle bag if they were more regular.