What Type Of Bicycle Saddle Bags Do I Need?

You're ready to go on a nice bicycle tour but you don't know what type of bicycle saddle bags will best fit your gear and equipment. In order to find the right bicycle saddle bags, you need to answer a few questions. Are you going on a long trip over several days or just a short ride over a day or two? Most importantly, how much weight will you carry on your bike?

If you're going on a short trip then you probably won't need large panniers that sit over the front and rear wheel. So if you're traveling a short distance for only a day trip then you probably need smaller bags that don't require an over the wheel rack to mount them. These include; behind the seat bags, handlebar bags, and under the top tube bags.

I would start by looking at behind the seat saddle bags. These are really easy to mount right under the seat and cause the least impact to your riding. Low wind resistance and they don't impede your ability to steer or pedal the bike.

The same goes for a handlebar bag. It will hold about the same amount as a large behind the seat bag and rests right on your handlebars. The only caveat is that you must remember that having anything attached to your handlebars will slow your ability to turn the bike. So keep your loads light in handlebar bags.

A great choice for small loads is a good under the top tube bag. This bag is very aerodynamic and light in weight. You'll have just enough room to hold your essentials such as; cell phone, wallet, some bike tools, and maybe a bag of peanuts. Keep loads to a minimum to prevent the bag from impeding your pedaling.

If you plan on going for a multiple day trip over many miles then you need to carry a lot of weight safely. If you try to cram too much gear in your small day trip bags you'll risk a crash because your weight will be too high on your bike. You need panniers or bicycle saddle bags that will solve all your problems.

That's where panniers or bicycle saddle bags that hang off of front and rear racks over the front and rear wheels. These bags will allow you to carry much more weight safely. So finding the best bicycle saddle bags is about deciding on how much weight you need to carry and for how long.