Waistpack recommendations?

Paul A. Steckler said:

I'm going to be doing a supported multi-day tour late this
summer, and I'd like to be able to carry a few things,
beyond what'll fit in jersey pockets.

I've seen some waistpacks that are advertised as suitable
for biking. I don't want one of the hydration models; I
have a water bottle cage for that.

Can anyone recommend a particular model of waistpack?

-- Paul

Have you thought about a handlebar bag instead? Much more
convenient and no worries about heat or rubbing.

Paul A. Steckler said:

I'm going to be doing a supported multi-day tour late this
summer, and I'd like to be able to carry a few things,
beyond what'll fit in jersey pockets.

I've seen some waistpacks that are advertised as suitable
for biking. I don't want one of the hydration models; I
have a water bottle cage for that.

Can anyone recommend a particular model of waistpack?

-- Paul

Dear Paul,

Many years ago, the same question about the best waist pack
was popular among U.S. trials riders. We also argued about
whether it was better to wear the pack in front or in back,
an option not available to people who pedal.

A visiting British expert saw our motley collection of waist
packs, shook his head, and pointed out that it made more
sense to let the motorcycle carry things rather than having
ithem bouncing up and down and chafing on our--

Well, he didn't call the waist packs because they actually
tend to hang a bit lower back there, don't they?

Ass-packs may make more sense than a knapsack when you're
walking, want to carry a few things, and may be taking them
out and putting them away frequently, but it usually makes
more sense to use a frame, seat, or handlebar bag to carry
things on a bicycle.

If you still long for a [censored] pack, get one with the widest
belt and biggest, ugliest zippers that you can find. Thin
and medium belts are no fun, and struggling with ordinary
zippers clogged with dust and sweat is frustrating.

Good luck,

Carl Fogel

"Paul A. Steckler" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I'm going to be doing a supported multi-day tour late this
summer, and I'd like to be able to carry a few things,
beyond what'll fit in jersey pockets.

I've seen some waistpacks that are advertised as suitable
for biking. I don't want one of the hydration models; I
have a water bottle cage for that.

Can anyone recommend a particular model of waistpack?

-- Paul

Go to a outdoor/camping store and try them on. It needs to
be big enough. The waist belt needs to be wide enough to be
comfortable. Try various models sitting in a chair bent over
as you would be positioned on a bike. You don't want a
fastening device that ends up in an uncomfortable location.
I have one I have used for years when I need to take a
little extra stuff and when the weather means significant
layer changes during the day. What I'm using is similar to
this: mec.caproduct detail.jspOpen ↗
3C%3Efolder_id=676423&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=13643&bmUID=10836-
05254948 Bill Brannon

Try jandd.comjandd.comOpen ↗ for their medium [censored] pack. They
have them in the "sale items" section for $19. The medium
packs have a wide support area that makes them quite
comfortable despite the large capacity.

Cheers, Shawn

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Ass-packs may make more sense than a knapsack when you're
walking, want to carry a few things, and may be taking
them out and putting them away frequently, but it usually
makes more sense to use a frame, seat, or handlebar bag to
carry things on a bicycle.

I'll agree that it's aggravating wearing a [censored] sack (I
wear one..) for several reasons. However, the biggest
argument against a bag mounted on the bike (at least, ATB's
anyway..) is that they rattle like there's a 6.9 earthquake
going on and you're stuck in a cutlery store!!! If you
decide on a bike mounted bag, prepare to stuff it with rags
and junk to shut up all the [censored] clattering around in there.

My $0.02 worth..

Scott..

S. Anderson said:

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Ass-packs may make more sense than a knapsack when you're
walking, want to carry a few things, and may be taking
them out and putting them away frequently, but it usually
makes more sense to use a frame, seat, or handlebar bag
to carry things on a bicycle.

I'll agree that it's aggravating wearing a [censored] sack (I
wear one..) for several reasons. However, the biggest
argument against a bag mounted on the bike (at least,
ATB's anyway..) is that they rattle like there's a 6.9
earthquake going on and you're stuck in a cutlery store!!!
If you decide on a bike mounted bag, prepare to stuff it
with rags and junk to shut up all the [censored] clattering
around in there.

My $0.02 worth..

Scott..

Dear Scott,

Loose things rattle in bags, whether strapped to frames or
fannies. In any case, a rag isn't the worst thing to have
handy when fixing a bicycle on a hot day or in a rainstorm.

You might better object to the paint damage from a
bag's straps.

Carl Fogel

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Dear Scott,

Loose things rattle in bags, whether strapped to frames or
fannies. In any case, a rag isn't the worst thing to have
handy when fixing a bicycle on a hot day or in a
rainstorm.

You might better object to the paint damage from a
bag's straps.

Carl Fogel

I used to use the underseat contraption. I had a rag in
there trying to quiet the cacaphony but it eventually drove
me insane, hence my present state of affairs. ;-) It still
rattles a bit around my Michelin pneu, but it seems to be
once degree removed from the vibration, on a "liquid damper"
system. And you're absolutely right, the rag is dang handy.
No complaints there.

Cheers,

Scott..

Dan Daniel said:

Have you thought about a handlebar bag instead? Much more
convenient and no worries about heat or rubbing.

My thoughts exactly. Or alternately, a good-sized saddlebag.

Why would you want something hanging on your body, chafing
you and soaking you with your sweat?

--
-------------
Frank Krygowski [To reply, remove rodent and vegetable dot
com, replace with cc.ysu dot edu]

------------ And now a word from our sponsor ------------------
For a quality usenet news server, try DNEWS, easy to
install, fast, efficient and reliable. For home servers or
carrier class installations with millions of users it will
allow you to grow! ---- See
netwinsite.comsponsor dnews.htmOpen ↗ ----

Quoted message said:

I'm going to be doing a supported multi-day tour late this
summer, and I'd like to be able to carry a few things,
beyond what'll fit in jersey pockets.

I've seen some waistpacks that are advertised as suitable
for biking. I don't want one of the hydration models; I
have a water bottle cage for that.

Can anyone recommend a particular model of waistpack?

-- Paul

Okay. get this one and take out the water bladder:
hydrapak.compop.htmlOpen ↗

I like it because it hangs down kinda low on my hips (not
directly on my waist) when loaded with water. It's roomy and
the belt part is extremely sturdy.

Pat in TX

"Frank Krygowski" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Dan Daniel said:

Have you thought about a handlebar bag instead? Much
more convenient and no worries about heat or rubbing.

My thoughts exactly. Or alternately, a good-sized
saddlebag.

I have a Topeak handlebar bag on my other bike, which I
quite like.

However, the fat bar on my road bike won't accept the Topeak
mount clip -- I tried.

So I need some other means of carrying things.

-- Paul

In article <[email hidden]>,

Frank Krygowski said:

Dan Daniel said:

Have you thought about a handlebar bag instead? Much more
convenient and no worries about heat or rubbing.

My thoughts exactly. Or alternately, a good-sized
saddlebag.

Why would you want something hanging on your body, chafing
you and soaking you with your sweat?

I guess it's easy to take stealable stuff with you, after
parking the bike to go into a store or something.

Last summer I met my next-door neighbour at the green
grocer's down the street; he was stuffing an entire
watermelon (big one) into his backpack for the ride home. I
thought he was tempting Murphy's Law a bit too much, but he
made it home okay.

I hate packing stuff on me, when there's a whole bike to
load it on. But I guess it boils down to personal
preference. And a [censored] pack (or a handlebar bag for that
matter) ain't a backpack with a huge watermelon in it.

But I figure a handlebar bag might be more accessible on the
fly than a waistpack. And if it's easily detachable, it
should be just as convenient to pack around off-bike. Plus
there's the benefit of route sheet/map holders on the
handlebar bag's lid.

I just had a thought -- I wonder if the Original Poster
might find something that best meets his requirements at an
army surplus store? Something to investigate, anyway.

cheers, Tom

--
-- Powered by FreeBSD Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn [point] bc [point] ca

Paul A. Steckler wrote:
:: I'm going to be doing a supported multi-day tour late
:: this summer, and I'd like to be able to carry a few
:: things, beyond what'll fit in jersey pockets.
::
:: I've seen some waistpacks that are advertised as suitable
:: for biking. I don't want one of the hydration models; I
:: have a water bottle cage for that.
::
:: Can anyone recommend a particular model of waistpack?

Get on of those bags that fits on the top tube....mine has
compartments on either side...so I put my garage door opener
on one side, along with my mobile phone, keys, and on the
other side I put some food and paper towels. Still plenty of
room left, too.

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

...

Quoted message said:

I hate packing stuff on me, when there's a whole bike to
load it on. But I guess it boils down to personal
preference. And a [censored] pack (or a handlebar bag for that
matter) ain't a backpack with a huge watermelon in it.

But I figure a handlebar bag might be more accessible on
the fly than a waistpack. And if it's easily detachable,
it should be just as convenient to pack around off-bike.
Plus there's the benefit of route sheet/map holders on the
handlebar bag's lid.

Do you know of any handlebar bags which hang low enough to
fit under aero bars? I like the aero bars on my tourer, but
haven't located a handlebar bag which will work with them.

....

--
Remove the ns_ from if replying by e-mail (but keep posts in
the newsgroups if possible).

"Dan Daniel" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Have you thought about a handlebar bag instead? Much more
convenient and no worries about heat or rubbing.

I have personally used both quite a bit. The very nice thing
about a waistpack is that you are wearing it -- you don't
have to carry around a handlebar bag, which is designed more
for sitting on your bike than being a purse. They are
awkward to carry around. The secondarily nice thing about a
waistpack is that it cuts off cold air flow up your
shirt/jacket/jersey, which is a disadvantage in the summer,
but it much cozier in the winter.

I have a cruddy waistpack as they go, though, so I won't
recommend it to the OP.

Warm Regards,

Claire Petersky Please replace earthlink for mouse-potato
and .net for .com Home of the meditative cyclist:
home.earthlink.netWelcome.htmOpen ↗ See the
books I've set free at:
bookcrossing.comCpeterskyOpen ↗

"Roger Zoul" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Get on of those bags that fits on the top tube....mine has
compartments on either side...so I put my garage door
opener on one side, along with my mobile phone, keys, and
on the other side I put some food and paper

towels.

Quoted message said:

Still plenty of room left, too.

Yes, those look good. I've seen the ones from Nashbar
and Jandd.

But is there a way to make one of those work when there's
already a frame pump that runs along the top tube? Are the
straps long enough to reach around a pump, or would the pack
be stable enough if affixed directly to the pump?

-- Paul

Paul A. Steckler wrote:
:: "Roger Zoul" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
:: "]news:[email hidden]...
::: Get on of those bags that fits on the top tube....mine
::: has compartments on either side...so I put my garage
::: door opener on one side, along with my mobile phone,
::: keys, and on the other side I put some food and paper
::: towels. Still plenty of room left, too.
::
:: Yes, those look good. I've seen the ones from Nashbar
:: and Jandd.
::
:: But is there a way to make one of those work when
:: there's already a frame pump that runs along the top
:: tube? Are the straps long enough to reach around a pump,
:: or would the pack be stable enough if affixed directly
:: to the pump?

I have one made by Jandd, but I don't have a frame pump.
Mine has 4 straps -- one goes around the length of the top
top, so it is very long. Another, right above it, also goes
around the top tube but is less than an inch in length along
the direction of the top tube. The other two straps go
around other lower tubes toward the front of the bike to
hold the bag fixed in place so it won't move as you ride.

Now, if your frame pump is no thicker than your top tube and
you have some room to get the straps through it, I do
believe it would work, provided your pump is long enough.
Obviously, your pump would need to be attached in a sturdy
manner to support the additional weight of the bag. You
might find, however, some other problems -- there might not
be enough room for the bag to fit due to its lower position
under the pump. My bag goes toward the front -- right below
where the stem and top tube meet, so if you lower it too
much things may not fit right.

That long strap that goes around the top tube does not come
with any extra length, so it must wrap around either your
top tube or pump. Those two lower straps are made (on the
Jandd) to be cut to length, so you can custom fit the bag
to your bike. So, there may be more flexibility there than
I imagine.

Good luck.

In article <[email hidden]>,

David Kerber ns_dkerber@ns_ids.net said:

Do you know of any handlebar bags which hang low enough
to fit under aero bars? I like the aero bars on my
tourer, but haven't located a handlebar bag which will
work with them.

If you go to
bikeforums.netshowthread.phpOpen ↗ and scroll
down, you'll see pix of stuff that just might be the answer
you're looking for.

cheers, Tom

--
-- Powered by FreeBSD Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn [point] bc [point] ca

Paul wants a [censored] pack...

Some years ago I discovered an el cheapo *.Mart h'bar
bag that doubles as a [censored] pack. It is not technically
wonderful; just a couple of velcro loops to affix it to
straight bars (or unencumbered drops). But it holds
just enough wallet-keys-phone-lip balm to be ideal. Try
the big box retailers, as well as LBS and Google. HTH
--Karen M.