Saddle bags, yay or nay??

I stopped using a saddle bag after about 6 months of riding with one. Drawbacks i found were it getting dirty and the contents getting wet (summer bike caught in shower). I also got frustrated with the mounting system as the straps were difficult to loop through the saddle rails. I hated the way it looked on the bike. I also like to climb out of the saddle and felt that the saddle bag made the bike center of gravity too high when swinging the bike about.

In winter and short summer rides i will use a tool/spares bottle. I will go on longer rides with the spares in the bottle and a single drink. Simply chuck a couple of high 5 tabs in your pocket and a couple of pound coins. If you need a drink top up then jump in a local shop and buy a water. If i'm going on a long summer ride and think i won't find a shop/cafe then chances are i won't need a gilet so i'll use that jersey pocket for the spares pouch which make the second bottle holder available.

I have a topeak wedge thing on at the moment, when I need to carry more (clothes for work etc.) I have two Carradice bags to choose from depending on how much I want to lug around.

I really don't care about how it looks. I'm a fat bloke on a bike, if anyone takes the mickey I think my saddlebag is the last thing they'll pick on.

I have this Scicon one, very small and neat- C02,tube & levers. Only for summer runs though....

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/scicon-elan-210-carbonium-saddle-bag

I have Ortlieb micro:
- small
- Waterproof
- roll-top
- can exchange between bikes fitted with same saddle rail bracket
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ortlieb/cycle/saddle-bags/
Larger outlier saddle bags will fit the same bracket
Being waterproof it keeps my phone dry

Constantly amazed by cyclists who obsess about how light their bike is, paying a fortune for carbon fibre parts to save a few grams or the lightest carbon fibre frame they can afford only to strap the equivalent of a ruck sac onto the seatpost.
So, yay or nay? I let you figure it out....

I've got my pockets, a canister that fits in a bottle cage, small wedge pack and a large-ish Specialised saddle bag; plenty of options. Depends on what sort of ride I'm going on and how much I want to take. If you've stopped somewhere and it's cold, nobody will criticise your saddle bag when you managed to squeeze in some extra clothing and are nice and warm!

My thoughts regarding how and what to carry:
https://toriacycling.wordpress.com/2014/10/12/tutorial-what-to-carry/

The saddle bag is a Specialized Mini Wedgie. Think they're £15.99 or so online.

I have an Arundel pack

http://road.cc/content/review/58532-arundel-dual-seat-bag

They don't get in the way, carry a reasonable amount and come in a couple of sizes

For me it's a yay. A small seat pack means I can keep my jersey pockets free for things I will probably use rather than 'just in case' things. I keep my multitool, tube, emergency gel, levers and patches in one of these:

http://road.cc/content/review/80897-lezyne-m-caddy-quick-release

Another advantage is I just leave them in there on my bike so it's less stuff to collect before going out.
I see the point about spoiling the lines but, eh. Benefits vastly outweigh that small con IMO.

I had a Lezyne one but found the multiple compartments annoyingly restrictive. Had this Scicon one on my daily use “one” bike for the last 2 years, which is still going strong. It’s big enough for spare tube, large multitool, patches, levers, CO2 cannister, CO2 head, and a few wet wipes (in a small bag). Can also get my keys in there at a push. Quick release is handy for when I (rarely) lock the bike in public, give the bike a good wash or (very rarely) race on the thing. The bag looks good too. Scicon also do that flouro aero one that gives you a baboons arse, if you want to go high tech.

http://pro-store.it/en/home/bike-bags-en/saddlebags/61/micro-tools-hipo-...

Topeak Medium - I get 2 tubes, 2 cyls plus connector,2 tyre levers,multitool, Park Puncture box, tyre boot,Park patches,film box with cable ties,multilink spare seat bolt, and mini pump - be prepared.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mobile/lezyne-micro-caddy-qr-small/rp...

I have this one and it is neat and fits all the essentials in. It's a squeeze, so no iPhone, but it's really not the place to keep it.

Saddle bags are way useful. Sometimes there is no room in your jersey pockets.

My small Topeak carries two tubes, two tyre levers, a multi tool, patches and spare links. It is very neat , unobtrusive and durable.

Had a number of saddle bags over the years, all of which failed in one way or another. I use an old bottle cut off half way with a couple of tubes, a multi tool and a CO2 canister in, wrapped in a bit of old teatowel.

Easy to swap between bikes, if I do need two bottles I'll stick a tube and CO2 in a pocket; please don't do the mountain bike thing of taking a load of crap 'just in case'; make sure your bike is roadworthy and you don't need lots of stuff.

Love the Lezyne pods, but both of mine lasted around a year before the zips went. Back to pockets for me.

Why are you bothered what it looks like? Or maybe you're a RaphaMan....

I have a Lezyne pod caddy like this;

http://www.tredz.co.uk/.Lezyne-Pod-Caddy-Saddle-Bag_78060.htm?sku=250918...

It fits all of the essentials and is smart enough to not bake your bike look like it's good lines are being besmirched by a messy velcro bag. QR fits onto the saddle rails, so to get bits out of it is no hassle at all.

Mike Cotty has one on the Col Collective videos, and that settles the argument for and against for me.

Tool bottle for shorter rides. Topeak aero bag when I want two bottles, large ortlieb saddle bag for long rides.

To me, an overstuffed jersey looks much more ridiculous than a saddle bag ever will. And frame mounting the pump is fine as well!

I have previously had a Topeak, but found that a little bulky and rigid, so it wasn't possible to really squeeze stuff in and feel all the space was being used.
I have since purchased a Lezyne Caddy Medium Loaded, which comes with a multi-tool, tyre levers and stick-on patches. There's room inside for some cash, an inner tube, CO2 head and 1 or 2 CO2 cartridges and a pair of spare contact lenses. I could maybe just fit another tube in if I really stuffed it. It tightens nicely onto the saddle rails, and holds its position well under the seat. By tightening the straps, you squash it down to a minimal size that minimises the eyesore factor to those who are easily offended! It's something I can fit and forget - it rarely gets used or removed, but it's always there when needed. Recommended!

Training ride I just shove it in pockets no problem.
Longer rides & Audaxing, I go big and have one of the large Ortlieb saddle bags. Can put absolutely everything I need, a battery pack, all sorts of tools, extra food, rainjacket and so on.
To me it looks more appropriate than the little diddly saddlebags swinging about.

Not a fan of saddlebags at all as a general rule but the cyckit posted earlier looks decent.

Much prefer the bottle option personally.

Not only do I use a Saddle Bag-Topeak Aero wedge but I also use a top tube bag to keep food in on longer rides. I don't care how naff it looks, all I care about is getting food out without having to scrabble around in my back pockets particularly when wearing a gilet (which with the wind that we have had this year has been on most rides). Who cares what others think, after all the majority of the cars and pedestrians think that we are a bunch of Lycra wearing idiots and that doesn't bother us.

pockets r for food. saddlbags for spares

Carry your bits in your pockets or use a saddle bag when you've got too much to carry.

A neatly tucked away saddlebag is, in my opinion, a far more aesthetically pleasing option than turning the rider into a sort of backwards kangaroo. Bulging back pockets are not comfortable, aero, or attractive. There's little point preserving the 'clean lines' of the bike if the rider looks like an overflowing garbage bag.

And 'bag' can be a bit of a misnomer. You can get some solid cased ones (http://road.cc/content/review/118101-btwin-comp-04l-seat-post-bike-bag) that remove any risk of ungainly 'floppage' from the bike's rear end.

I recommend that one, by the way - providing it works with your saddle.

I use an aero wedge as I don't fancy landing on stuff in my pockets, my last major off had me land on my back and my phone was in a central waterproof pocket, fortunately the 2 gels in the centre pocket took the impact not my spine. (Was quite a mess and at first I thought I had a bleed that hadn't been noticed.)

It really doesn't bother me and I'll probably continue to use one on the BMC I'm trying to get permission to buy, at least until some one starts following me in a car. And the modern offerings do look better than the leather tool roll I used to carry.
Though I find I do have to empty it from time to time to give everything a chance to dry out as my multi tool is developing a thin layer of rust.

Funny how a tiny saddlebag under the seat can bother people so much. Once you're on the bike it's dwarfed by your big, fat arse

Look at reviews at wiggle. Topeak Aero Wedge that may be low on glamour but is robust and does the job fine.
Continental and Schwalbe both make one just big enough for a tube and levers, though you might squeeze a house key or £10 note in as well:
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/continental-tube-bag-with-tube-and-ty...
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/schwalbe-race-saddle-bag-inc-tube-tyr...

Have you considered a tool bottle?
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/lifeline-storage-tool-bottle-small/?curr=GBP&dest=1

Maybe they look naff, but you won't see it while you are riding, and it's a handy tool carrier. It's like when the barber asks how you want the back of your hair - flat or tapered? - not bothered as I'll never see it