View Full Version : Luggage Capacity
I'm trying to buy some soft luggage for this weekend's trip.
local shops have
buffalo sports tank bag - 24 litres - £60
buffalo sports panniers - 33 litres - £80
i like the idea of panniers better than a tank bag, but a tank bag is easier to carry off the bike i presume.
If you could only chose one, which would you get?
Depends on how much stuff you need to take. Id go for a tail pack and tank bag.
fizzwheel
22-09-06, 09:31 AM
Id go for a tail pack and tank bag.
What Viney said...
SoulKiss
22-09-06, 09:48 AM
Id go for a tail pack and tank bag.
What Viney said...
As mentioned, I went for the full Oxford Humpback set-up - there are deals to be had on the full rig-out (basically get one part of the set up for about £10).
I use the Tailpack day-to-day.
The panniers add a little width to the bike, so not so good for filtering in tight traffic - which is a necessity going from West London to South London (A4, Earls Court Road - blergh!).
Tankbag is same size (same bag different mount) but as it obscures my TomTom when mounted is very much optional - tho the TomTom can go in the map pocket......
Panniers will be good when I go away for a few days, or when the wife is on the back, making the Tailpack unusable.
David
they haven't got any tail packs in stock and i need to get something on my lunch break. can't afford two items unfortunately.
If the tank bag has a nice map pocket think i'll go with that, then i can have my sat-nav & clothes in there, and sleeping bag in a rucksack.
cheers guys.
Ceri JC
22-09-06, 10:38 AM
My order of preference for how luggage effects the ride/handling:
1. Tankbag
2. Panniers
3. Tailpack
4. Rucksack
My order of preference for how easy the luggage is to fit:
1. Tankbag
2. Rucksack
3. Tailpack
4. Panniers
I'll alter whether I base it on ride quality/ease of fitment on several factors: What I need to carry, how much of a rush I'm in, what sort of distance I'm doing and the roads I'll be on (no point aiming for ride quality if it's all motorways, rather than A and B roads).
All Oxford first time luggage, bar the rucksack(s). Tankbag is modified to have the headstock strap removed. I found it got in the way (on one occassion shortening how far I could move my bars), it was a pain to do up and perhaps, most importantly, I considered it to be unsafe. The idea is that if for some reason the magnets stopped working (unlikely- tested in hard braking from 110-0 and it moved about 1cm) it'll stop the tank bag falling off. Sorry, but if it comes off, I'd rather it fell onto the road, rather than dangled about near my front wheel, getting tangled in the brakes and locking the front up!
I'll add luggage based on my need for capacity. Sometimes, if I need a large rucksack at the other end (eg camping/walking) I'll take my clothes in a rucksack and pack the hard stuff in the tank bag/panniers or bungeed to the bike.
i got the panniers, thought the tank bag would annoy me, and that i wouldnt really notice the panniers. Filtered through town traffic and they were no problem. - not full of stuff though admittedly
also they had one tank bag that was too small for a decent amount of stuff, and the other was the same price as the panniers. same price, less space...
good post ceri. think it sums up the pros & cons quite well.
Sat nav!! :lol:
takes the arguments out of car journeys :roll:
instigator
22-09-06, 12:18 PM
they haven't got any tail packs in stock and i need to get something on my lunch break. can't afford two items unfortunately.
Then you're in luck. Tail packs are crap. Tank bags are good though. (opinion based on oxford tail pack which are rubbish). Panniers are ok until you scuff someones mirror whilst trying to negotiate traffic. :lol:
Alpinestarhero
22-09-06, 12:24 PM
Sat Nav - prevents people from using common sense:
"The sat nav says this big, muddy, dirt track is a road!"
"If the sat nav says so dear, then drive along"
*5mins later*
"We're stuck!"
And similar situations involving Fords across roads and stuff...
Matt
northwind
22-09-06, 01:39 PM
The oxford saddlebags, when fully expanded, are bigger than my house. Sure they're more than 30-odd litres.
on the sat nav issue, i've never got stuck so far... i generally know the way i'm going, but find the sat nav useful for negotiating city centres and housing estate mazes where i've never been before. plus if you take a wrong turn in a maze of back streets it tells you straight away.... "recalculating". Instead of taking a wrong turn and following the remaining crappy directions that your mrs' dozy mate has given you to the other end of town.
So long as you're not a total numpty they can be quite useful tools.
Will be able to report on the water resistance of buffalo sports panniers after the weekend... looks like its going to be ****ing down.
iprideaux
23-09-06, 07:25 PM
The oxford saddlebags, when fully expanded, are bigger than my house. Sure they're more than 30-odd litres.
IIRC, my Oxford panniers are 50 liters each when they're fully expanded, 25 when they're zipped up. IMHO, get the panniers, a cylindrical bag which is as long as the panneirs are across the bike, and a bungee net to fix it with.
i prefer the tail pack.
its not that much bother to put on your bike.
tank bags **** me off, they rob me of precious space under the windscreen, and they act like a pillow - tempting me to sleep on the M25.
they scratch your tank, and leave marks, and are just generally crap.
there good for showing off and walking into work and slapping it on the radiator though.
panniers are good, but not really ideal for commuting.
me ? i just generally use a backpack.
SoulKiss
25-09-06, 03:06 PM
i prefer the tail pack.
its not that much bother to put on your bike.
tank bags p*ss me off, they rob me of precious space under the windscreen, and they act like a pillow - tempting me to sleep on the M25.
they scratch your tank, and leave marks, and are just generally crap.
there good for showing off and walking into work and slapping it on the radiator though.
panniers are good, but not really ideal for commuting.
me ? i just generally use a backpack.
I am SOOO glad that my laptop was in my Tailpack this morning rather than my backpack (was only bringing the Little Laptop today so it fits). I have it as a current mission in life to NEVER wear a rucksack again while riding.
David
take it you crashed then ?
ive got an airbag laptop bag designed for the job.
never used it on the bike though to be honest, never took my laptop on a bike for that matter.
There's always the trusty bungy net/rucksack/bin bag option...
PsychoCannon
26-09-06, 08:42 AM
I got a 70 litre camping backpack with a zip on 20 something backpack and a tank bag and I carry more than enough without making the bike any wider so I can still filter ;)
The only problem is the backpack catches the windsheer of artics something rotten ;)
I got a 70 litre camping backpack with a zip on 20 something backpack and a tank bag and I carry more than enough without making the bike any wider so I can still filter ;)
The only problem is the backpack catches the windsheer of artics something rotten ;)
i've used that technique before and hated it. couldn't sit right and it was HEAVY.
Panniers went down a storm. They were a little difficult to fit and have rubbed a load of paint off the grab-rail - more down to my technique than anything. Somethign to watch out for though. Worrying thing is going for a pi*s in the motorway services, leaving them unattended on the bike. Would be easy to get into them.
I fitted a sleeping bag in one side and weekends worth of clothes, shoes and wash kit in the other side. Could have fitted more in. Didn't even notice they were there even filtering through the friday traffic on the M4.
Wasn't raining so i couldn't test the waterproofing luckily!
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