Keeping Saddlesack still on rear rack

[Patrick Moore]

I sometimes strap my medium Saddlesack to my dirt road bike which has a rear rack tall enough to clear a 622X60 mm tire and fender, which means that even with the straight-top-tube equivalent of a 60 mm c-c frame the bag rests squarely on the rack.

That’s not a problem in itself, but it does mean that the bag tends to slide side to side a bit, especially if there is some weight in the bag.

Those of you who support your Saddlesacks with a rear rack: how do you secure it to the rack top to keep it from sliding around?

Thanks.

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Patrick Moore

Alburquerque, Nuevo Mexico, Etats Unis d'Amerique, Orbis Terrarum

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[Nick Payne]

I don't know if this would work with a saddlesack - I don't own one - but this is what I do with Carradice bags. The rack is a Nitto R14.

Nick Payne

[Joe Bernard]

I don't secure it, it slides around. If it gets particularly obnoxiously shifted to one side I reach back and move it over. 

[John Rinker]

Hey Patrick,

I like NIck's solution if you've got a tombstone. Typically, I use an Irish strap between the to D-loops on the backside of the saddlesack, like this:

When I touring, I'll use 2 Irish straps set up like this:

Typically, I'll also use these straps to secure my sleeping bag or tent roll to the rack...

Like this:

Hope this is helpful.

Cheers, John

[Patrick Moore]

Thank you, all. Nick, if my rear rack had a tombstone, your technique would be the bees’s knees. John: I will try combining the D rings and my Irish straps. That looks likely.

I have a nice Carradice Rack Trunk that velcro’s handily to the rack tubes, but I asked myself, why use the Carradice if I have the Saddlesack? The Carradice is a worthy bag but not in the league of the Saddlesack.

Patrick Moore, who seeks a mean between Arkel panniers and a musette stashed with the repair kit, in ABQ, NM.

[iamkeith]

The wear patch on the bottom of older saddle sacks had holes in it, intended to fit lashing straps (or zip ties). I used those to secure it to the top a rack.  Could you possibly add some slits to the canvas patch that would work the same way?  I suppose you could use a button hole perimeter stitch if you were worried about them fraying or enlarging but, for less trouble, you could probably just add loops (like belt loops on jeans).  Christmas is coming.... good timing reminder to purchase a speedy-stitcher sewing awl!  They're on my gift list for a couple of my kids this year, as they come of adult age and are expected to fix their OWN crap, instead of making me do it.

[Mark Schneider]

Shovel Research "Rod Stewart" is a very adaptable lightweight rack for keeping front or rear bags up.I use one on the back of my Homer for both the modern Riv bike bags and the Rons Fabio's Chest bag. I use one on the front as well.

On Saturday, October 26, 2024 at 5:19:23 PM UTC-7 Patrick Moore wrote:

[JohnS]

Thanks for the tip on the  speedy-stitcher sewing awl. I could have used one of them to repair our dog's leather leash (I used super glue instead). I'll get one for myself for Christmas.

JohnS

[Patrick Moore]

John: I think you’ve described the solution; thanks. For some reason my Sackville does not have the usual D rings or scuff plate or wear patch with slots, but I can work an Irish strap between the rivets on the underside of the flap fastening strap that I can then affix around a rear rack tube. This method adds the advantage of keeping the bag away from the backs of my legs; I’d been using the Nitto standoff to do this.

I have a Speedy Stitcher and can also attach a leather loop to hold an Irish strap to the bottom of the bag, but I’ll try working one between the flap-strap rivets first.

*******

The Shovel Research bag support looks inviting but this bike has a custom integrated rack with internal wire routing for the tail light.

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[John Rinker]

Glad to help, Patrick. 

I see the newer happisacks have a fabric bottom and a daisy chain for tie-down points. I must say, I'm pleased to have a couple of older saddlesacks with the leather scuff plate, holes for tie-down points, and the D-rings. I guess economics dictates what Riv can offer at a palatable price, but it's good to know that even the newer models have ways to solve the sway.

Cheers, John

[iamkeith]

I refreshed my AllRounder with a new rear rack and bags a couple of years ago, but had forgotten about this until just now.  I think it was a Bagboy model?  Thesre loops and canvas patch were stock, but perhaps this'll spark some ideas for retrofits. I I

[Patrick Moore]

My Saddlesack doesn’t have the canvas (or leather) scuff layer; the only thing to loop a strap to underneath is between the 2 rivets on the underside of the flap closure strap. Nor does it have the daisy chain tie down loops. But a cut-down Irish strap or some similarly thin strap looped around the rear rack tube should work fine.

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[iamkeith]

I was thinking this could give you ideas for a configuration for adding a patch.  The mis-matched color is a good reminder that any old random scrap of canvas/leather/naugahyde/etc will work.    The loops, in this case, are only the two at the back, and were sandwiched between the bag and wear patch.

[Patrick Moore]

Ah, understood — that your scuff-patch is “aftermarket” explains the color difference.

But my handicraft skills, including sewing, and minimal, and I’d not want to mar a nice Saddlesack with my clumsy attempts at alteration. At most, I’d think of sewing on underside loops to attach a strap to. But in the event, I think I can work an Irish strap between the 2 rivets mentioned, and a single strap will suffice to steady the bag.

[Michael Ullmer]

I've had great success with keeping my large saddlesack secure using a long Voile Strap looped through the holes in the leather attached to the underside.