Carradice Super C Saddlebag & Bagman Support Review

www.carradice.co.uk
I have had the Carradice Super C Saddlebag and Bagman Support a couple of weeks now and this is what I think about them.

[@sleepycatsqueeze]

Just wanted to say that you understate how cool this company is to deal with. Last year after a mix-up with pannier clips on a factory second they sent the correct ones - and refunded my entire purchase price. I've literally never seen anything like this level of customer care.

[@RidingBicycles]

So true

[@acumenfieldwork2641]

I have been looking for a while for a proper review of these, thank you. I have just bought a vintage set of Super C Rear Panniers and they are massive but I think I will treat my self to one of these also later in the year.

[@RidingBicycles]

Many thanks. I have the Super C Front Panniers and Super C Trunkbag. I will also do a video of these items so people have a better idea about what they can hold. 👍🏽

[@RidingBicycles]

BTW the front panniers make great rear panniers for keeping items light for more off road adventures. ✌🏽

[@RidingBicycles]

Just for your info becarful which Super C saddlebag you buy because they do two sizes. The Super C Audax is smaller than the standard Super C 👍🏽

[@JonByrne]

@@RidingBicycles I originally commented with the wrong account. Yes I have spotted there are two sizes, I think I will go for the big one like yours as will be ideal for the commute as well as for adventures. My panniers are probably 30+ years old I bought them off someone who toured Australia with them. I left them out in the rain for 24 hours and they didn't leak a bit. Proper quality kit from Carradice. I have some of their cheaper Carradura gear and it's fab too.

[@RidingBicycles]

Very good company to deal with too 👍🏽

[@lisahubball1969]

Great review but just a question on mounting a rear light, have you any ideas on where you could put one please?

[@RidingBicycles]

Hi. Cheers. I am on holiday so do not have access to the bag at the moment but looking at the image I think there is a loop strap just under the logo. I am 99% sure but I can verify this when I get home on the 21st.

[@lisahubball1969]

@@RidingBicycles Thanks for your reply, enjoy your holiday and if you could have a look that would be great, thank you.

[@chrisedie2307]

I hook one of the larger Cat Eye rear light through the loop. I also have a dynamo powered light that I have fixed to the back of the bagman using jubilee clips.

[@andrew097]

I you are looking to carry stuff on your bike, Carradice have your solution.

[@braves5696]

Buying this with the sport rack would be fine? The smaller bag won’t fit my shoes

[@RidingBicycles]

It will fit in a sport rack you just won’t be able to fully fill the bag as the difference between the racks is how low they go towards the tyre. But if you are not planning on stuffing the bag full then it will be fine.

[@youtubehandle__]

Do you think this rack and saddlebag would be compatible with a rear rack and panniers?

[@RidingBicycles]

You do not have enough space on my medium sized frames to run the pannier rack and the bagman support. I would not use both together, for more storage I would just use a roll/dry bag strapped in between the panniers or for larger bags across the top of both panniers.

[@youtubehandle__]

@@RidingBicycles Thank you for your reply

[@joecondron2131]

At 8 mins into the video your bag sits nice & tidy on the rack. I have the Super C & the same rack, my bag hangs down over the rack horribly, tbh it looks like a dogs dinner! Looks like the rack is just too narrow.

[@RidingBicycles]

It could be that mine is the expedition size the sport is smaller. The expedition size might be wider. It does say in the website use the expedition size for the Super C. Might be something for you to checkout.

[@chrisedie2307]

I cable tied on a piece of corrugated plastic underneath the bag but on top off the bagman. Stops the sides and pockets drooping and also stops upwards spray from soaking the bag.

[@joecondron2131]

What is brand of bike? Looks like steel...

[@RidingBicycles]

Yep steel. Black Mountain Cycles. Designed by Mike Varley. blackmtncycles.com

[@alexmorgan3435]

Looks a good bag. For me this lovely big bag would be too much of a temptation to fill up so it would be quite heavy then there would be a lot of strain on the seat post risking failure. But the major advantage I see in your set up is that there is very little extra weight in this attachment system to the saddle which is great unlike a traditional rear rack with panniers, beam seat post rack, etc. The Carradice Super C bag itself looks great. I guess it is very durable being Carradice? Is the material they use duck? I have a Specialised Pizza front rack and am looking for a bike specific front bag to mount on it. I looked at Surly's Porteur bag which ticks all but one box as Surly stupidly have not made it waterproof. A bit of an oversight on their part. I currently have an SW Motech motorcycle dry bag which I think is made by Ortlieb or to their design which is good and importantly waterproof but is not really a bicycle specific bag. It mounts easily with suitable straps as well which I guess are similar if mounting on the back of a motorcycle so good in this department. So now I see your review of this Caradice Super C bag and think this is excellent and could just be what I am looking for especially with the nice side pockets, but I cannot see how I could secure it on top of a front rack? There do not seem to be any straps save for the ones closing the lid? Do you think Caradice would be able to attach some for me perhaps one on each end and a couple in the middle? Obviously it might cost me but would they do it if their customer service is so good? Or how about the other brand you mentioned Wizard Works (?) would they be able to make a front bag that I could attach to the Pizza rack or Surly Porter rack do you think? Sorry to go off topic.

[@RidingBicycles]

Yes they are made of duck. I had the surly 24 rack and bag. The surly set up is great but their rack was quite heavy. Your specialized one will be a lot lighter. I was thinking of getting the specialized rack myself last month but ended up getting a Tubus combined rack and pannier Mount for the front of one of the bikes. I don’t think Carradice would do the custom thing, but Wizard Works make front bags for racks and baskets. They do some standard colours or you can go full custom although this option is more expensive. Although these bags are in a basket they also have a strap underneath. I would enquire before buying if they could put extra straps on. They look really good. I am looking forward to receiving my saddle bag from them. wizard.works/collections/now-available-in-stock-colours/products/alakazam Here is a review of the basket bag for you bikepacking.com/gear/wizard-works-alakazam-review/ Hope this is useful 👍🏽

[@RidingBicycles]

I was being dense!!! Rather than asking them to add extra straps to the bag you could just zip tie the relevant basket to your rack like I did. The 137 is for the smaller Wizard Works bag and the 139 is for the larger. You can buy the racks from Wizard Works but if they are out of stock you can also get them here. They are light and not too expensive. Cheaper than having extra straps added to a bag I would imagine. The baskets look cool and are also very practical. freshtripe.co.uk/accessories/racks-and-baskets/baskets/

[@alexmorgan3435]

​@@RidingBicycles Thank you very much for your replies. Unfortunately looking at the Bikepacking.com review the Wizard Works bag is not waterproof which is a must for me. The basket they use looks a dead ringer for one I was following on Amazon for £14 but which are unfortunately now unavailable. From the dimensions they seem like a perfect fit for the Specialised Pizza Rack and the Surly 24 rack which is a tiny bit wider. Yes I got the Surly 24 rack as well and I agree with you it's heavy. Everything with Surly is heavy. Their front Nice rack ways a tonne compared to the Specialised Pizza rack. The Surly Porteur bag would be ideal except it's not waterproof. Not really sure I want to fit a basket on the front even though I had initially considered it as an option. On reflection it adds even more structural weight to the front before you even put anything in it to carry. I'll look more closely at the Caradice Super C bag and see if I can get it to work. I suppose I could put bungees around it to hold it but then that really defeats accessibility opening and closing getting to stuff. Here's the SW Motech bag I got which cost about £35, is fully waterproof and has suitable mounting straps, although I got mine from Sportsbikeshop.com. They don't seem to do this size any more. Pity as it's good. Here's another website that is selling them, but in Germany. www.fc-moto.de/epages/fcm.sf/?channable=0248d469640038343036323034303080&WG_UK&ObjectPath=%2FShops%2F10207048%2FProducts%2FBC.WPB.00.018.10000&Locale=en_GB&wgu=7757_187205_1621113027172_e54f7923f1&wgexpiry=1628889027&source=uk_webgains&Locale=en_GB&siteid=187205&affiliateid=71875&referer= The next size SW Motech do is 35 litres which I already have covered with an Ortlieb 31litres medium rack pack bag which is good. I just want bags that are waterproof and easy to attach and take off. I have had non water proof stuff in years gone by and can now do with out the anxiety and headache of stuff getting wet in a down pour. Used to have Altura Orkney bags the original black ones which were great but they just weren't waterproof which did my head in the end. Had to put on yellow covers if it rained. Sometimes in very bad weather they used to blow off. Ridiculous. Still got them but never use them. I'm thinking at this stage I shall stick with my SW Motech bag which is pretty good just that it is in battleship grey and doesn't have easy access side pockets like your Carradice Super C which are very attractive although the SW Motech bag does have an external zip pocket big enough for a phone or wallet. There are other very good makes of rugged motorcycle luggage aimed at motorcyclists going on adventure riding. They seem to have much better means of attaching bags to a bike albeit motorbike and most of them seem to be waterproof. Anyway thank you very much again for all your help. Btw when we are allowed to travel again I think I shall be paying a visit to some German and Dutch bicycle shops to see about a Pinion/Gates bike. So thanks for all your previous advice, help and suggestions with this. ATB.

[@RidingBicycles]

Yeh that looks like a sturdy waterproof bag. I just remembered this role top bag that I bought about six months ago. I actually bought two one direct from the BTR website and one from their store on Amazon. It is a roll top bag fully waterproof and three straps run around the bag to hold it in place it would work with a front rack as well. It does look like you would need to keep an eye out for when they are back in stock though. www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BTR-Waterproof-Bike-Pannier-Rear-Rack-Bicycle-Bag-Cycling-Accessories-Dry-Bag-/124724136405?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286

[@RidingBicycles]

road.cc/content/review/btr-waterproof-bike-rack-bag-278143