Bikepacking for Short People

[@jnzaro10]

I'm 5'2" with a 27" inseam. I just started sewing my own frame bags because FML. Hard enough to find a bike I don't touch the top tube on, so thinking about bags on top of that is painful. Would love to see more short person reviews/options discussed! Thanks Russ!

[@tiffchang6669]

would love to see your bags! I'm the same measurements

[@jojoUK120]

Try searching Emma Pooley (5'2'' ex-pro, AKA the Pocket Rocket) She's done some great shorter riders content)

[@StaggerLee68]

Just finished the BCT, in Arizona. I gave that Thule rack a try and it's bombproof. I'm 5'3" or so on a tall day and ride a very small frame with a dropper. I will say that the weight carries lower, I've extra water carrying capacity on the sides if needed, it's does not budge or wag and can fully drop my dropper. It's also a pretty handy cutting board/speaker shelf for camp. It looks kinda goofier and heavier than it really is. I found one used so gave it a try and for us elves... a very good system. In the end, maybe far easier day in and out than dealing with packing seat bags and gives more options for carrying capacity. Hope it helps, I'm having a good time with it. Cheers.

[@johnlawrencecudal7422]

I'm 5 ft 5 inches and I'm on an XS Salsa Fargo. lmao, my short ass is starting a new review channel for us extra shorties.

[@ME-hm7zm]

I am 5'3"...

[@johnlawrencecudal7422]

@@ME-hm7zm i got you fam.

[@YoSpiff]

I'll subscribe.

[@Wayondon]

5’6” on a Troll. Love it.

[@tardigrada6000]

please do this...please please please?

[@330_Crew]

Tip: if you ride a super small frame with a small front triangle and have a hard time fitting a large water bottle try the King Cage lowering cage. It moves to cage about 1” lower making more room in the frame.

[@jacquot-g]

My bottle cages are already as low as they can go. I have two custom frames ordered with the requirement that I wanted to to be able to carry two 750 ml water bottles. I can get the one on the downtube in and out while riding but not the one on the seat tube; I need to switch bottles. And the space is so tight that only certain brands of cage will fit (and then only in specific positions). In contrast, my production XS road bike came with a sticker advising me to use side-entry bottle cages. Those things are so stiff I can't get a bottle in or out so I use traditional-style cages so I can pull at an angle. Again, no way to move them lower.

[@DanielLenaghan]

That Thule rack is a game changer for anyone wanting to run front bags with a suspension fork

[@SpaceDjoxy]

Doesn't have to neccessarily be panniers on the rack. You can put a backpack or some big dry bag on top of the rack. That will mimic the bikepacking setup in a way and be more offroad friendly.

[@certainperfectratio]

Agreed. I use a rack for my SIR 9 and strap a dry bag on top of the platform. Very stable on singletrack.

[@msambly5310]

exactly Space!

[@jatsajatsa]

Exactly. It's an excellent option, especially if your rack is pretty lightweight anyway

[@robertcoates2752]

I am not even short and I run a Tumbleweed T-Rack like that. I dont really care for the rear bikepacking bag

[@StaggerLee68]

My system exactly. I find it far simpler day in and day out.

[@Mike-vd2qt]

Tubus Logo Evo, chromoly rack that fits over 29er plus mtn bike tires, with Arkel B-26 front panniers that have a locking mech and will not rattle off. Check rack bolts every day like you said. Great video!

[@wsmvolunteers8588]

I look up to you. (I'm 5'7"). And for other reasons as well. I appreciate your videos and your focus on non-competitive recreational and fitness cycling! Thank you!

[@Massproduce201]

Lol

[@amandaalmeda9875]

“Nature abhors a vacuum and empty space in your pannier.” 😹😹 so true. I’ve always used panniers but I just ordered a bag support and Fab’s chest to try on the rear yesterday.

[@cameronlesley2428]

I love this channel it’s diversity of what can be done on a bike fishing painting ect . Live it! Thanks

[@patrickslesicki3546]

Russ excellent topic. Here’s a hack I use with the Carradice rack and Barley. I zip tie a sheet of plastic (blue pool) to the bottom of my rack so the bottom of my bag doesn’t slip through and rub against the tire.

[@patrickslesicki3546]

Trace your plastic so it fits inside the bottom space of the rack. Drill holes in balanced fashion then suspend the plastic with the ties. The sheet will act like a hammock and can ensure no rubbing. If you are too short this will not work.

[@weeringjohnny]

I had the issue of the saddle pack hitting the rear tyre of my fat bike. I solved it with the Portland Design Works Bindle Rack. It attaches to the seat post very quickly so you can easily take it off when not required, keeps the bag off the tyre, acts as a mini-mudguard, allows zero sway because of the under-saddle straps and you can use pretty much any dry bag you have in your collection. Great if you don't want to invest in a Carradice-style saddle bag and dedicated support.

[@noamross]

Rockbros makes a nice budget 12-14L saddle bag with a fairly steep upwards angle. Lots of clearance for me on a road/gravel bike, and I'm 5'8".

[@dgroberts79]

I have the same saddle bag and it's worked out fine even in the rough. I'm 161cm (5'3") on a XS Trek Checkpoint.

[@Wayondon]

Thanks Noam. Been looking at them but a number of reviews indicate failures in the suspension mounts. Any probs?

[@nicolasreed8002]

+1 for the Thule rack. I used one of them to retrofit my cross bike so I could run panniers on my fork I put a stupid amount of weight in them and even road on some long gravel stretches and it held up like a champ. I used a version of that rack from maybe 10 years ago, and the setup was kind of complicated and unnecessary. I hope Thule has simplified the setup and done away with some of the proprietary nonsense. Great video Russ! Keep'em coming!!

[@StaggerLee68]

Just beat the crap out of one on the BCT recently. Hands down a winner, and I can run my dropper fully. Win!

[@juliapoelstra3624]

My first gravel bike had no issues with a seatbag, but my newer Salsa Fargo's tire was about an inch away from that same seat bag! Bike geometry can make a big difference too. I was reluctant to try rear rack and panniers, but man is it ever handy now.

[@stevencouncil1859]

Oveja Negra bags have done me right. Multiple sizes with each style and very smartly designed.

[@sagehiker]

The issue is real. Thoughtful video. I have a short inseam but knuckle draggers for arms. 5’9” and 30 inseam. I am headed toward light or slim panniers with rear rack, cages for water in the middle, and front bag with rack. Little to no single track in my imagined future.

[@debthomas1293]

This is a great video. I was one of those “new to bikepacking” fools who bought a seat bag and couldn’t get it off the tire. I thought I was doing it wrong. At the last minute, I had to buy a crazy rack off Amazon to make my trip. I ended up strapping the seat bag on my rack. It worked and saved my trip. I would have loved a video like this. The other issue I ran into was availability was low so it didn’t leave me with a lot of options.

[@GMoneyLove]

I feel like we should be retitling the video as "Bikepacking for People with Short Inseams." Russ, you are taller than me. I'm 5'8" and ride a 54cm or Med frame. The difference is inseam length, which many times determines frame size. I don't consider myself short. No, I'm not a rower or basketball player, but still. Beyond that, certainly, frame size and geometry impact what will fit where. Some great ideas and solutions in the video. Thanks!

[@teddgram]

For years I've noticed the bags you've recommended and never understood why you liked them. Now I get it. When you run low on height between the seat and the tire, you have to find alternatives. Also, people that are tall(er) can also run into this issue if they pick a larger frame and end up having a short seat height. This is making me realize that I need to keep that in mind for the next bike.

[@waisinglee1509]

Another vote for Tailfin or even the Arkel seatpost option.

[@slowridescott]

I'm 5'-5" on a small Fargo 29er. Blackburn Outpost Elite seat bag rocks!

[@joshuaburt4207]

Bushwhacker fits perfect on small frames. I ride a 51cm GT and it fills most of the triangle. Affordable options on Ebay.

[@donnyo65]

Interesting video - my brother wants to start touring with me (after I recover from a big shoulder op!). He is also 5'9" and is insisting on the bike packing route. One company I found. that may be useful for the vertically challenged, is Alpkit. You send them a template of your frame and they make a bag to fit it exactly thus maximising storage. I'm sticking with my panniers but am going smaller and using a Carradice saddle bag with a frame, which I love. I'm binging on touring videos while I sit here with my arm in a sling hoping that I recover before my long suffering wife smothers me in my sleep!

[@stevenr5149]

Russ is spot on with everything. I am 5 "2.5' and ride a 45 norco search with 650B wheels. I have the bedrock blackdragon seatpost bag. You just need 5.25 inch between rear wheel and seat rails. It fits and works great. No sag because of the retention plate they use under the rails. VERY solid. Overall, a lot less options in smaller bike sizes, but luckily enough to get by in my experience.

[@bicishoots]

Lighting up the Partypace sign on cue was cool. Great info, as always.

[@MeNtAlmil]

THE SIGN LOOKS SO GOOD!

[@fayleya3865]

I did 2 weeks of mostly single track with pannier and rack on my mtb and it worked just fine. I had to add some extra straps to stop the bags flying off on large bumps but other than that it was all good. In the Munda Biddi track here in Western Australia, the rack and panniers have taken over from bags just because of ease of use (and party pace over speed is becoming more popular)

[@corcaa]

I'm 5'5", have a small Dean Scout frame with 26" tires and I'm very happy with my Revelate Designs bikepacking bags. ;p

[@Wayondon]

This short guy appreciates this! Merci.

[@AndrewDemack]

Budget friendly and surprisingly long lasting is the Topeak MTX. Rack top bag with fold out panniers. Not a waterproof setup so you just double bag, but super flexible and when paired with a Topeak rear rack, super easy to take on and off the bike. Mine has lasted about four years so far, not daily use but very frequent and I’m not great at looking after my gear :-)

[@jeffk433]

Russ, you are not short. Maybe slightly short legs. However, all your points regarding bike size & rear bag options are spot on. I am also 5'9" 30" inseam. Usually a medium frame rider. Bike design is another major issue for clearances. Slacker seat tube seems to push seat bags more towards horizontal. Surprised I have yet to see a spacer to put behind the seat tube to help move bag back and thus make easier to increase the angle. And yes, it might require some extra strapping to eliminate sway. Looking forward to the next video. I also want to try a Tailfin bag & rack on my gravel bike.

[@whiteryanc]

This is a hard-hitting subject I can empathize with...5'4" makes bag choices tough for sure!

[@StaggerLee68]

You've got an inch on me! Go rack and dry bag/voile straps, never think about it again. Full dropper use is groovy for us. Just tried the Thule rack for a week of thrashing... awesome and much easier to live with day to day. Tail bags are outdated!

[@slateization]

Thanks for this! We need more bike advice for us shorties :)

[@lkassimatis]

I'm 5'8" I use an Arkel Randonneur with a 13L dry bag. NO ISLETS NEEDED, and a quarter of the price of the racks you mentioned at the end. Has the stability of a rack with the profile of a seat pack, and because its just a dry bag, you can change the carrying capacity depending on each trip.

[@PathLessPedaledTV]

I've used that in the past and it works fine. The cam lever eventually wore out on mine and I couldn't get it to lock without slipping on rocky terrain. I still prefer the easy access of a Carradice rather than a dry bag.

[@WildOutdoorLiving]

Even if you are tall enough to fit all the popular Bikepacking bags you will still be very limited on space. That actually is a great thing on single track but on pavement or gravel a bit more volume with the options listed here is very practical.

[@BangTheRocksTogether]

Oh dear. Russ when I heard you describe yourself as short I assumed that you were genuinely short, not the same size as me. So, that means that I am short, not average, and you're even more my guru that you were before. Keep up the good work...

[@OneLessCar]

I'm happy for more people to get out on bikes, call it what you want bikepacking used to be known as lightweight touring, just ride your bike! I chose not to go down the "bikepacking" route bag sway, leg rub, hard to get to your stuff, weight is higher on the bike. I've been out on a trip with those with bags strapped to their bike, I used my tailfin (a thru axel option).... I had no more stuff than the others, probably less, the panniers are a reasonable size but still slim/sleek. And most importantly NO RATTLE or movement. So it's clear panners don't = heavier. People talk about the width of the bike but my tailfin is no wider than my handlebars so I don't understand this comment.

[@JamieTec]

My eyes lit up when I saw this video Russ! All hail the low boiz & galz! My rear rack arrives tomorrow. I plan to just strap a dry bag to the top or maybe a small pack.

[@dougcohenmiller]

Panniers! They are so easy to load and organize. I have a custom pair by Donut Sack bags out of Ohio, and a pair of Jandd wet rabbit (?) panniers and both use the same hook and bungee. I ride on rough terrain as a matter of course and it’s aok. I love that my load is low too.

[@gradywright]

Oveja Negra’s seat pack worked well for my girlfriends small frame low tire clearance.

[@neilgoth1974]

Mini racks like the Tumbleweed T-Rack and a dry bag up top tied down with Voile straps works well.

[@jenrotten]

Arkel rollpacker is definitely the way to go for short people! Though it is very expensive... I’m 5’1” and it works great for me

[@jrreed6992]

5-6 here, just finished the Sky Islands Odyssey on a small frame Surly Ogre with 27.5 x 3 inch tires. Used a Revelate Pika small bag and yep lots of tire rub, had to really pull the straps tight to keep it from rubbing. Still wore a hole thru the fabric.

[@Wayondon]

Great info and timely as well. Thanks

[@snafu0o0o]

Being a bit shorter and just wanting to have some fun, this is the least stressful explanation of what to do to, uh, just have some damn fun! Look forward to the next one since I’d love to load up the MTB for sections of the Colorado Trail.

[@vermilionink]

Thanks for this! I'd been daydreaming of a more sleek bikepacking setup, but at 5'3" maybe I should be content with my rack!

[@orci77]

We just went for a rear rack. While I took a set of front panniers from Ortlieb because they are smaller my girlfriend just went for a 20 liter drybag. After our first trip I was surprise how good her setup worked. Also the drybag is lighter than any bag and also cheaper.

[@spagornasm]

EXTREMELY helpful video, thanks Russ!

[@augustindebie2397]

My GF on a S sized frame uses a toptube pack but puts it on top of the toptube instead of inside the frame. If you fix it correctly to the seatpost and the headtube, no excessive wobble !

[@csadams404]

thank you for making this video!

[@radbikeadventure]

Great tips! Us short people are totally up for the creative challenge of figuring a way to hold all our stuff lol. The topeak backloader 10L has been working well on my Kona Sutra (size 48) but I have more trouble w clearance on the front tire w my Roadrunner Jammer bag. Probably time to reinstall the front rack!

[@joshwhitee]

Stoked to get out bikepacking this year. I'm not short but always love checking out bag videos anyways!

[@outbackwack368]

I love this stuff! Thanks! I'm 5'7", 30" inseam. Don't forget about seatpost rack options. Check out the Arkel Randonneur Rack. I'd have to replace my carbon seatpost for that. I'm now in the planning stages of how I want to set up my Cannondale Topstone Carbon for my FIRST overnight test trip (after my doc clears my health in June). All I have now is an Outershell front bag that I'm not overly pleased with. And why is it that almost everything now is only made in BLACK??? I live in the desert where black is a major negative. I can't even mount my phone. Plus, my bike is light green so it can be hidden in the woods easier :-)

[@Korina42]

Don't know if you've read the comments, but others have suggested a rear rack and a bag strapped on top; you keep the aero/not snagging, with less jiggery pokery. And I hear you about *every*thing being black. Ugh.

[@LittlebigJessica]

I’m surprised by all of the comments about Russ/viewers not seeming short. At 5’7” I always struggle with the idea of saddle bags and bike packing vs touring. I did just order the North St bags though, so I am glad to get another seal of approval on them!

[@PathLessPedaledTV]

It’s the tall bike bros :)

[@LittlebigJessica]

@@PathLessPedaledTV also can’t really use top tube bags...

[@joeumbrell8774]

I'm 5'5 with a 32 inseam and ride a 52cm frame. I previously used a rear bag from Green Guru Industries but there was minimal rear tire clearance and the bag flopped around too much so I sold it. Turns out that I actually don't carry that much stuff and switched to a smaller Burrito style front bag and haven't looked back.

[@thebr0wnhornet]

Axiom streamliner racks! They are slimmer than normal racks, work with disc brakes, hold 50kilos, and aren’t too expensive. I’ve fit 700x40 underneath. You can just strap your saddle bag to the top or use a long skinny dry bag like I do. Can add panniers if you need tons of gear

[@tracywilkins9599]

I feel your pain, Russ. At 5'7", I've given up on "standard" bike packing seat packs, and am a happy camper with a rack and lightweight panniers by Arkel.

[@cccorlew]

5'7", or as we call it here, "right sized."

[@Mike-vd2qt]

Agree, Arkel B-26 front panniers on Tubus Logo Evo rear rack. Great combo, will not rattle off or break like Ortlieb panniers.

[@maxxfurygts]

Russ if you can also throw in a look at the Topeak Tetrarack system that'd be fantastic!

[@kymcopyriot9776]

Nice work and good advice as always, Russ. My wife understands my biking enthusiasm but is not necessarily plugged in to the whole 'gravel specific' thing (I should probably get stickers...) so for my birthday I received...a rack and panniers. Not super stylish on my sleek gravel bike but what the hell, I'm rocking those bad boys with a smile on my face. Meanwhile, good to see there are workable options for the more petite folks out there but still happy to be six-two myself. Ahem.

[@pambikes6030]

I'm 5 ft and ride a 47 cm Rivendell Betty Foy w/ 26 in wheels. I can use either rack and bags, Fab's chest that is supported by a pec dec or pull a trailer. Fab's chest is above the seat - it doesn't hang down. Going up is key since I have no clearance. Can't put too much weight in it though so this would only be for an overnight. Trailer or bags would be for longer. I'll need to try both out.

[@PathLessPedaledTV]

If I were to build a custom bike I might do it around 26" for that reason.

[@bencollett86]

I'm 168cm (5' 6" I think) and use a simple drybag and voile straps attached to the Brooks eyelets, works pretty well with a stuffed 13-15L bag reasonably wide and plenty of clearance left. Great budget option too.👌🏽 BTW love the reference to RSF. Would love to see PLP interview them one day!

[@vinniep01]

Carradice Longflap, top tube bag, front bag, small front bag equals loads of space. To be honest the Longflap fits in everything I need.

[@YoSpiff]

I don't know why I watched this, since I know all this from experience. 5"7" and ride a 50-52cm frame. I had someone in a forum telling me the Carradice Junior should hang just fine on my bike with clearance. When we posted pics of our bikes, he realized I was much shorter than he was and that no, it would not fit on my bike with clearance. If you have cantilevers, Sunlite makes a cheap front rack that can be modified to fit on the rear as a nice support. The Carradice Barley is much less in circumference and does fit on my bikes with about 2" clearance. Maybe look at the Topeak Tetrarack for your upcoming video as well? I can loan you one I am not currently using if you'd like to include it.

[@sheilastallard]

Looks like I'm first to comment.....so here go's. We had to carry a child, potty (!) and other items. We got around this by using Blackburn "lowriders" on the front with Carradice mini panniers. About 1979/80 when we did this.

[@enriquevillasenor9386]

As usual, good review. I enjoy hearing a variety of options. However, if a three speed, rack and panniers were good enough for Heinz Stucke, my rack and panniers will have to keep going for a while. Blessings to both of you.

[@GiorgioCamozzi]

I can also reccomend the tailfinn aeropack, aerotrunk and or panniers. It's expensive, yes, but it works eith dropper posts, full sus mtbs and pretty much any other bike... Imo it's a great investment:)

[@CanonFirefly]

It would be great to see a review of some cheaper bags. I've been eyeing off the Rockbro bags (saddle and bar bags) but would love to see a review from someone I trust.

[@ArtanisKizrath]

I'm on the short side riding a 51cm frame (XS). I use the Ortlieb saddle bag and it has LOTS of clearance. My main problem though are frame bags. Most are just too big for my small frame. I also use the small Ortlieb frame bag but I couldn't carry a lot.

[@rodstapley4958]

Have you considered a Carradice Low saddle bag? They specifically have a shorter depth and improve the chance of keeping the bag off the rear wheel - especially with a good bag support.

[@joshuameier3544]

Tailfin is another system for bikes that aren't meant to take racks. Pricey, but pretty svelte and ingenious.

[@jojoanggono3229]

I feel your pain brother, I myself ride a S frame. A backpack is also a pain in your back for long ride. I don't like saddle bag since they always get splattered with dirt. For me, the only real solution is a front rack.

[@chrislonsberry1974]

Timely video. A small group of us are planning a bike packing trip for this Summer and we have some short folks in the, one being 5’1”. Your suggestions are helpful and looking forward to the rack video. Any other tips on this subject would be greatly appreciated.

[@StaggerLee68]

I'm 5'3" on a "tall day" and on a very small frame. The Thule rack has been a beast and solves all my issues. I can run my dropper with full drop, the load does not budge at all and it's a cleaner system to live day to day with. I found one 2nd. hand so tried it recently on the BTC, Arizona. Bombproof and clean design, worth a look for sure. I just run a dry bag or my small ski mountaineering dry back pack if I';m carrying more. two bottle cages on each side for extra water/food,etc.capacity. They are out of the way and don't hit my legs when pushing/thrashing/ groveling. It ticks all the boxes for us elves. Cheers

[@cccorlew]

Dang, You regularly mentioned how short you are, so I was shocked to find out you're actually a couple of inches taller than me. Now I think you're just another tall guy. Still, another good video, despite your ungainly height.

[@TwangoDoom]

Maybe a bike with smaller wheels, 26" or even 24" of you are 5 foot or under, would be the best idea (Not that those will be easy to find)

[@PMcKay00]

29" is too big for short people in my opinion. It causes too many geometry compromises, let alone clashing with accessories like seat bags.

[@Korina42]

@@PMcKay00 exactly. But the big 3 bike companies don't want to carry another wheel size, so their marketing dept. convinces us that 700c is just the bestest ever! Fortunately there are still vintage mountain bikes out there, even if they're getting a little harder to find.

[@markthorrowgood3266]

26" wheels are great. DT Swiss 545d 26" rims have a max load of 150 kg; built with 350 hubs and champion spokes they're perfect. A Surly XS frame later, or a small 27.5 alloy frame with fat 26" rubber and you have a bikepacker. 26" wheels with light tires have amazing acceleration and they're really tough.

[@TheGotoGeek]

Absolutely! I have friends that I would love to design 24" wheel bikes for, but the tire selection just isn't there.

[@orangemoonglows2692]

i feel like a lot of people have egos that are too big for them to go down to a 26". i actually rode a folding bike with 20" wheels because i wanted a small wheel. couldn't find a small wheel, only 750.

[@milanb.6022]

This just shows how messed up bike sizing is in general. My wife is 5'9" and she's on a size XS gravel bike which has stack/reach of a road bike size 52, and it fits her perfectly. Gravel bikes front ends tend to be long and tall which doesn't really work with drop bars. Even worse are suspension fork corrected bikes which are simply too tall for most people under 5'10 or so.

[@julierossall7569]

So this applies to almost all women!!?! Love my Arkel Seatpacker!!

[@kathardt-holoch4361]

Timely. I just bought a rack for my new Liv Devote after coming to the conclusion that it would be really tough for me to carry everything I need for a solo adventure.

[@BruceChastain]

I would consider 5'9" pretty average. I personally don't really like these saddle bags, just seem wobbly and annoying. Personally I just go with a little backpack and frame bags. If I really want more pannier it is.

[@PathLessPedaledTV]

5'9 is average but short for cycling and basketball.

[@mirzamarcou5168]

It’s pretty tall for women. 5’4”/5’5” is the average.

[@WildOutdoorLiving]

@@PathLessPedaledTV I looked this up because I was curious but the average height of a world tour road cyclist in 2017 was 5’9” and fun fact most pros size down their frames significantly so most road bikes are likely designed around the 49 to 54cm sizes. (I used this group as I couldn’t find any other data) That said none of that discounts the fact that you and many other people struggle with Bikepacking bags as they are extremely low volume and are a poor fit for smaller frames. It’s great to see these solutions you’ve presented and I think we will continue to see a shift in the type of bags that are made available.

[@dougcohenmiller]

Yeah maybe average but when average is riding on the smallest frames some companies make 50cm, 52cm small etc), I wonder if the “bike industry “ is too tall to see folks shorter than that even 😂

[@BruceChastain]

I’m 5’7” and I life in general I always thought it would be nice to be a little taller, but in cycling I think I’m just right.

[@hardtailparty]

Yes!

[@zenofthemoment]

You also don't have to run panniers with a rack, you can run stuff sacks voile strapped to the sides and top of the rack (a'la Trek 1120). Keeps them nice and high up, and more quiet and secure than panniers. And it's still IG worthy. Check my IG for proof. For full suspension bikes, Topeak just released racks for full suspension bikes that look really interesting. Tetrarack, I think they're called? Seem worth a look to me.

[@racamnetino]

Arkel stuff while expensive is pretty good for smaller people. The rollpacker as a way to compensate

[@olsmxl6975]

Thanks for the video. This has helped solidify my plan for bags. I'm 5ft 4 and have a Small cyclocross bike as well as a dual suspension mtb. The cyclist bike has a very small frame triangle and no real room for a seat bag. The mtb has even smaller frames triangle. The panniers with a removable rack will be ideal on both bikes. I can also strap a dry bag to the top of the rack and a handle bar roll. One kit that I can swap between bikes! Only issue will be that most of the weight will be in the rear. Any thoughts?

[@alex1derrvid]

Rack with small Ortlieb pannier on drive side only. Doesn't get in the way when pushing. Plenty of capacity but not too much. Asymmetric loading? Try it. Doesn't bother my bike. And I don't wear a backpack. Unless I'm backpacking!

[@marcdavidson3676]

This is exactly what I was looking for, thanks Russ. Btw, I am 5'8" with 30' inseam. So I usually ride a medium sized bank because my legs and arms are a bit longer than average so I probably can get away with using bike packing bags (I think).

[@Massproduce201]

I think alot of the problem stems from this recent trend of smaller frames?? I’m 5’9 and ride 53s generally can fit a 55 if needed. 51s feel nice to throw around but extremely low in the front. That caradice with saddle support bracket looks like an awesome solution for those with small frames.

[@ceciliaeleon]

Would you be able to provide links directly to some of the panniers you've mentioned? I know I could look it up on my own, but if you're able to link it then that would be extra helpful! Thank you.

[@mikkoolavijarvinen3653]

Carradice should make a new adjustable version of their Super-C SQR Slim saddlebag, I kinda like mine, but I'm not short, I'm just all back with minimum amount of legs attached, and my saddle is a back as possible in a setback seatpost, and mean legs sometimes hit it, also it's so low it start to interfere with mudguards.

[@keithkreatives]

Bedrock makes a great dropper compatible bag

[@ec-bi2ok]

Wondered if you have ever looked at the PDW bindle rack? Thinking it might help with shorter riders and with bag sway

[@mistermatsuda]

Hey you grew an inch since your early videos!

[@robappleby583]

I'm surprised you're 5'9" Russ, from your many comments about how short you are over the years I thought you were around 5'6" or so. Meself, I'm 5'10", so we're effectively the same. I have a problem with rear tyre clearance for saddlebags and my solution has been to use a rear rack for my large Sackville saddlebag - which probably needs one anyway. It works great but it looks clunky and I've always wished for a more elegant solution. But - it works. And I can always use my Ortlieb panniers when I need to.

[@PathLessPedaledTV]

Height is one factor in bike size. Inseam and leg length is more important. I have the legs of much shorter "normal" person.

[@CentristRN]

Thule purchased that system/company. If they kept the ratchet strap system of the original, an impressive piece of kit.

[@PathLessPedaledTV]

I know. It was New Zealand based and called the Freeloader.

[@AmarChadgar]

Finally. A video for me.

[@corynardin]

While I am not short, I appreciate this perspective.

[@markroberts9630]

Arkel Lites FTW!

[@GrafEnsker]

is there another supplier than carradice for the bag style shown at 4:08? might be a more fun commuting bag, if it can be big enough

[@GrafEnsker]

@@cjohnson3836 I'll have a lok at them. Thank you :)

[@GrafEnsker]

@@cjohnson3836 thanks, will do that :)

[@Naturally_Fly]

Russ, there was a product I think you reviewed in a previous video, it would allow adventure racks or bottle cages on the fork with out Braze-Ons, what was it?

[@PathLessPedaledTV]

Funnier Bike Works

[@alexisbeshara2321]

You should include the Topeak Tetraracks in your next video

[@jonpoon3896]

About to spend the money on Tailfin rack and bag system... 😔

[@SiopaoSauc3]

Seatclamps with rack eyelets!

[@lisagraham943]

5'2" here and a 28.5 inseam. I have an xs TOPSTONE and can barely get 2 waterbottles on it. Any suggestions for small frame bags??

[@stevenr5149]

I have the DKlein handlebar it is small and light. It sits far above the front wheel. I also use a feed bag on each side my handlebar to make up for lack of a frame bag. much better option with my xs frame. much easier reach as well.

[@lisagraham943]

@@stevenr5149 i have a handlebar bag, which is fantastic, but looking for a frame bag thats fits the in the triangle where the waterbottels are. I want that to be able to carry,small sleeping mat, tools, charges etc