# Saddle bag rubs shorts



## msohio (Feb 23, 2004)

My saddle bag rubs on my bibs and is wearing the fabric. I use a small bag but if I use the front velco to attach it to the seat post, it rubs. At present, I have the velco that would normally go around the post, attached to the saddle rails behind the post clamp. I am not a big guy, 5' 9 and about 7% body fat, so it is not that my thighs are huge, because they are anything but that. I do use a fairly narrow saddle which I am sure part of the problem. 

I have thought about where else to mount the bag but have not figured out anything. I already have my jersey pockets pretty full so I can't take all the "stuff" out of the bag and put it in my jersey. Have others had this problem, and if so, how did you solve it???


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## S2H (Jul 10, 2005)

msohio said:


> My saddle bag rubs on my bibs and is wearing the fabric. I use a small bag but if I use the front velco to attach it to the seat post, it rubs. At present, I have the velco that would normally go around the post, attached to the saddle rails behind the post clamp. I am not a big guy, 5' 9 and about 7% body fat, so it is not that my thighs are huge, because they are anything but that. I do use a fairly narrow saddle which I am sure part of the problem.
> 
> I have thought about where else to mount the bag but have not figured out anything. I already have my jersey pockets pretty full so I can't take all the "stuff" out of the bag and put it in my jersey. Have others had this problem, and if so, how did you solve it???


Edit: Same thing happened to me.


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## rcnute (Dec 21, 2004)

Same thing happened to me. I think it's because I sit fairly far back behind the BB. I ditched the saddlebag. All you need is a patch kit, frame pump, little bit of cash in your jersey and you're fine. I think.


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## S2H (Jul 10, 2005)

rcnute said:


> Same thing happened to me. I think it's because I sit fairly far back behind the BB. I ditched the saddlebag. All you need is a patch kit, frame pump, little bit of cash in your jersey and you're fine. I think.


And a spare *TUBE*.


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## Eben (Feb 6, 2005)

*Trim the velcro!*

I had the same problem with a bag, the hook side of the velcro strap was long enough to wrap about halfway around the seatpost so that the end of the strap was parallel to my thigh. No matter how careful I was to make sure the strap was fastened securely it would end up coming a bit loose and grabbing at my shorts. One long ride where the thing pulled a nice little hole in my best bibs was enough for me to break out the scissors and cut the hooked side of the velcro short enough so that the end was right at the front of the seatpost. Problem solved.


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## danl1 (Jul 23, 2005)

I have that problem when I try to attach the velcro too high on the seatpost. Allowing it to move down the post a little fixed me up. Obviously means adjusting the seat-end connection a little, too.


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## mr meow meow (Jan 29, 2004)

*I too had the same problem*

My fix was to carefully remove the velcro that holds the bag in place, pull down and remove the bag and carefully toss the thing in the trash!  for real though, I aced my bag and just put everything (one or two tubes, one or two co2, gels, cell phone and mini pump in my jersey pockets. that's what they're there for. Give it a try. It may work for you


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## MR_GRUMPY (Aug 21, 2002)

Even though saddle bags subtract 10 points off your "coolness" factor, there are some bags out there that clamp to your saddle rails without needing the seatpost strap. Since I don't use a bag, I don't know the brands involved, but if you do some looking, I'm sure that you (or someone else here) can turn something up.


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

*Different bag?*

Your best bet is to look at a different saddle bag. There are many different designs on the market and you should be able to find one that attaches so as to not give you this problem.


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## dogmeat (Sep 26, 2005)

*MicroSeatBag and stem bag for cell phone*

Inertia Designs makes two nice bags- 39 in cubed and 24 in cubed.

I use the 39- I can keep a tube, irons, patch kit, and Crank Bros micropump with enough room left over for a couple of paper towels. That micropump is my upperbody workout... it works... eventually. If you mount it wrong, it can rub on your legs a little- but it's easy to mount correctly. The 24 is really cute.

Then I use a tiny stem bag for my cell phone- lighter than carrying more tools.

If you don't want to lose 10 style points, keep stuff in one wide-mouth waterbottle.

'meat


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## Spectrum (Nov 15, 2005)

You may want to try the SCION saddle bags. They attach from under the saddle rails and they do not use a velcro. I had the same issue, now i'm using the SCION and have no problems.
Sorry, that should be SCI-CON.


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## cmatcan (Oct 6, 2005)

how the heck are you people sitting when you ride your bikes??? first the thread about the guy snagging shorts on cables and now this...i really can't envision this, but i would think it has something to do with the design of your saddlebag.


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## curtw (Mar 27, 2004)

dogmeat said:


> Inertia Designs makes two nice bags- 39 in cubed and 24 in cubed.


I use the Inertia Designs 24. It's tiny on the outside, but big enough for all of the necessities. It's also taller than it is wide, so it'll help avoid any thigh-rubbing. Just enough room for tire levers, spare tube, patch kit, CO2 inflator and two cartridges, 2-4-6 mm Allen wrenches, Swiss Army knife (phillips screwdriver instead of corkscrew) and an insurance card. 

Cell phone and house key go into the jersey pocket, and I'm off. My buddy calls me a Fred for not carrying a chain tool, but I figure that's what the phone is for.


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## Hardy Cyclamens (Mar 21, 2005)

Old school here. I'm on the bike to ride, not keep in touch with the world by cell-phone. (Besides which, most places I'm riding are out of service coverage for cell phones.) 

But let's step back a square and think about this. 

Only thing I carry while riding is ID, keys, money/atm card, and tools necessary to change a flat. Oh yeah, and a wrench too for minor adjustments. 

I put the NEW TUBE in a sock to keep it from getting scuffed. When I fix a flat, I use the sock as a "hand towel." 

Bikes these days are high tech and reliable. I keep mine scrupulously maintained and clean. Cleaning after a ride is time spent going over the whole bike looking for mechanical problems, making adjustments. 

If you're in shape and the bike is ready to ride, you shouldn't need a saddle bag, tool kit, cell phone and gawd only knows what while you're riding. I have an under saddle bag about the size of an anjou pear. It's narrower than the road bike saddle. No rubbing. 

(Cell phones these days are fine, small, light. But ditch the other crap and let's get serious.)


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## cmatcan (Oct 6, 2005)

Hardy Cyclamens said:


> Old school here. I'm on the bike to ride, not keep in touch with the world by cell-phone. (Besides which, most places I'm riding are out of service coverage for cell phones.)
> 
> But let's step back a square and think about this.
> 
> ...


you're not old school-if you were old school you'd wrap tubes over your shoulders and rock toe clips. youre bringing levers, a tube, wrenches, a mibi-pump or cartridges, money, a card.......still not exactly travelling light. if youre hauling all that anyways, my cellphone adds about an extra 160 grams so i think i can handle that, eddy. plus, you said you shouldnt carry a tool kit, but that carry tools. HUH??? beyond tools and a cell phone, what other 'JUNK' are you talking about??


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## Mersault (Jan 3, 2005)

cmatcan said:


> you're not old school-if you were old school you'd wrap tubes over your shoulders and rock toe clips.


Ok, I know this is an older thread, but I came across it looking for something else.

That quote cracked me up. Thanks for the laugh


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## Stogaguy (Feb 11, 2006)

*In defense of old school…*



Hardy Cyclamens said:


> I put the NEW TUBE in a sock to keep it from getting scuffed. When I fix a flat, I use the sock as a "hand towel."


I’ll defend Hardy on this one. The tube sock is truly old school. “Everybody” did this back in the 70s, the days before the high quality clinchers, when the tubular reigned supreme with serious riders. As opposed to a patch kit (and or tube) you carried an extra tubular. Most folks folded their spare and put it in a sock. You put the tire in the foot portion of the sock, twisted the sock a full turn and doubled the ankle of the sock back over the foot. The whole package was then secured under the saddle with a toe strap (extra coolness points for using only Alfredo Binda Extra toe straps).

On a separate but related topic, IMHO for the purposes of this forum, we should define “old school” as dating to the first bike boom of the 70’s when:

Bike racing was still a “fringe sport”.
Steel frames reigned supreme.
All serious riders (except touring types) rode tubulars all the time.
Virtually all racers rode Campy Nuevo Record gruppos because that was just about the only decent stuff available.
Most cycling clothes were made out of wool.
The ABL controlled racing (OK, they changed the name to the USCF in ’75). This is now USA Cycling.
The list could go on and on… Please feel free to add.
If you this definition is not "old" enough for you are truly a cycling history buff or older than dirt (but not in a bad way).


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