Cheap bags

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

Quoted message said:

When the LBS put on my pannier rack they warned me about the exorbitant
prices of bags and boy were they right.
The first bag I needed was spare cloths etc when riding to work. K-mart had
a bag special on Tosca luggage and I got a perfect sized bag (unrippable
material and guaranteed for life ) for $7.50....just the bees knees.
Been on the web today checking out side bags and there's not much under
$100. Have also checked out the website where a like minded person has made
his own.
At the local $1 supermarket they have square school type backpacks for $13c
each.
How far wrong can you go with a couple of these, a piece of 3 ply stuck to
one side to attach some hooks and keep the shape against the rack and maybe
sew on some extra water holders etc
Aybody had a go at making there own?
thanks...gaza

Yup, made a pair of bags using something very similar to what you
describe (square type school bag with internal 3 ply).

I used alloy lashing hooks, but there are 2 problems with these.
1. the hook will snap off after a while
2. the hook itself is a little short to stay on the rack over bumps at
times.

I made up a length of bungy cord with a loop halfway using a stainless
eyelet and crushed some aluminimum tubes to hold it together. The ends
of the bungy are captured underneath the hooks themselves, they have a
small indentation which helps keep the end in place which has another
small piece of aluminum tube squished on as well.

If I could figure out a better hook system than the lashing hooks I'd be
very happy. For reference, I ride about 180k's to/from work on average
each week and have only broke the hooks 3 times in the last year from
memory so it's no too bad. A cable tie can be used to lash the bags
original inbuilt carry handle to the rack in cases of emergency breakage
🙂
This carry handle is also damn handy for carrying the bag to/from the
bike.

My bags also seem water proof enough for my commute, put it this way
their contents are always far drier than me when it rains 🙂

Cheers Ray

Quoted message said:

....snip.....

Quoted message said:

Aybody had a go at making there own?

I rode for 3 months in the NT with a guy whose panniers consisted of
pairs of wheat bags tied together. His rack was a Karrimor one with
masonite infill.

--
Terry Collins {:-)}}} email: terryc at woa.com.au www:
http://www.woa.com.au
Wombat Outdoor Adventures <Bicycles, Computers, GIS, Printing,
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