You mean a more elegant way that does not involve using a front rack? I’m not sure there is anything.
Scott’s tarcktical bag. It’s pretty friggan awesome.
technical is not elegant, sorry.
yes elegant without a rack
Do they sell the bag mount separately?
They do, but obviously without the bit that screws onto the bag. If you want to make your own bag instead of using the spare clamp to mount an arkel bag on a second bike, you’ll have to convince them to sell you a bag mount thingie or make your own.
Right, the complete bag mount assembly is what I’m looking for. Have they been convinced before to sell this alone?
Anyone know how much weight can it handle?
I wouldn’t know. I only know what I can see online. I just happen to know about Arkel because I found it when looking for a bag and really liked the looks of the mounting hardware. I ended up buying a Vaude because Arkel isn’t sold here. I think it’s a fairly small company so you probably have a decent chance if you shoot them a kindly worded email.
Most of what I know also comes from the internet, especially in the field of bar bag mounting hardware.
But small company…sounds good, I’ll give them a call. Nitto m12 is a pretty nice object, but I’d be glad to be done with it.
That bag solution:
- Easier access to the top and rear-facing pockets.
- No fucking around with a rack, no need to always have the rack on.
- Sans bag the mount looks pretty ridic, arguably gets in the way more.
- Higher center of gravity, bag further forward.
- Buying mo’ shit.
I dunno, I went full re-enactment with a Berthoud 28, Nitto M12 and Berthoud decaleur… together that system performs very well, is totally stable at all times, and “just works”.
Maybe the old-timer aesthetic isn’t for everyone, but there’s no faulting the functionality. Which, ultimately, is the only reason for having a bag in the first place.
Good breakdown, Patch.
Suddenly a big factor to me. The oft-empty M12 is struggling to keep its welcome just by looking good. A heavier, porteurish rack would be more welcome, but I’ve got a 26er in the works to do my schlepping. Anyway, porteurwise I’d go for a custom rack with dedicated eyelets on the fork, and I’m not getting more work done on this frame or fork.
Hrm, right. That plus the (probably) prohibitive weight limit are deal-breakers. Any bag setup that can be considered an upgrade would need to be positioned better. Reluctant to sacrifice good position for the +'s over a rack setup.
[quote=surfcat]I dunno, I went full re-enactment with a Berthoud 28, Nitto M12 and Berthoud decaleur… together that system performs very well, is totally stable at all times, and “just works”.
Maybe the old-timer aesthetic isn’t for everyone, but there’s no faulting the functionality. Which, ultimately, is the only reason for having a bag in the first place.[/quote]
Oh, I’ve been happy with an M12 and Acorn boxy bag, but both rack and bag could really stand to be bigger and more useful to justify being there. The combo is heavy, expensive and setting up the M12 right with fenders and brakes can get pretty involved. In hindsight, custom rack was the way to go from the start.
Your reenactment bag is probably more spacious than mine, but for any kind I’ve seen the M12 would be better off rotated 90 degrees.
[quote=surfcat]Nitto M12 and Berthoud decaleur
[/quote]
How do you like that decaleur? Do you have version that interfaces with threaless stem?
I recently obtained a crappy VO decaleur. I was playing around with it and i’ve been very 
about committing & putting it on. Its just too reenactment for my taste (and that is pretty difficult). Berthoud is expensive but if it works and doesn’t suck it seems like it might be worth it.
The velcro on the bottom of my Acorn bag has numbered days and anytime I get rad the velcro can’t handle the excitement. Considering dropping the Acorn bag eventually and getting a rigid, modern swift bag.
fwiw, a small square rack (200×200) doesn’t weigh that much more than a teeny rando rack; I built an 200×200(ish) rack for a local randonneuse and it weighed in at ~400gms, which is more than the ~250gms that a M12 weighs, but is much more useful for non-historical-reenactment loads.
[quote=Andrew_Squirrel]
The velcro on the bottom of my Acorn bag has numbered days and anytime I get rad the velcro can’t handle the excitement. Considering dropping the Acorn bag eventually and getting a rigid, modern swift bag.[/quote]
Alternatively you can just punch & grommet holes in the bottom of the bag and lace it to the front rack. Velcro is one of those hooky things that seems really appealing when you start sewing handlebar bags, but unless your client base is one that is obsessive about never letting their rando bag out of their sight it’s better to set up real tiedowns on the bottom of the bag.
[quote=Andrew_Squirrel][quote=surfcat]Nitto M12 and Berthoud decaleur
[/quote]
How do you like that decaleur? Do you have version that interfaces with threaless stem?[/quote]
My Pelican is a full-on re-enactment build, with fenders, downtube shifters and, of course, a quill stem.
With that said, it appears that the threadless stem version of the Berthoud decaleur works just like the quill stem version, so long as you have a 4 bolt faceplate to bolt it to.
The bag absolutely does not jump off the rack or otherwise move around, even when out of the saddle and rocking the bike side to side vigorously. It’s a very solid mounting system.
Derp
Gotta get a berthoud decaleur. Fuck my VO version.
FWIW/ in case anyone cares, I have an Acorn reënactment bag bolted with a single M5 through the stiffener to a Nashbar rack. It’s heavy at 900ish grams plus 200ish for the rack, but otherwise flawless functionally. The single bolt/ stiffener/ no decaleur setup is rock solid—might eventually add another bolt just in case though. It is not waterproof by any means but my shit has never gotten wet in the rain. It’s not huge but totally big enough for a fast 600+ km ride… you can fit everything you need plus a bit of manderesque bullshit that you don’t really need. The pockets and closures are super solid. The elastic loops and hooks that shut the two main pockets forgive extreme overloading; for example you can stuff all your cold weather clothes in the tiny little front tool area, or fit an umbrella/ set of bike rims/ pair of work boots and a thermos/ etc in the main body. The little purse closures that secure the two pockets around the back work great and are easy to use in the cold and the dark with mittens on. Your cuesheet will eventually get wet in the map area but that’s what ziplocks are for. Too much leather but reenactors gonna reenact.
^ a post that needs pix.