[Closed] Ortleib seatpack

No but .....

I examined one at the bike show. It had rubberised grips on the inside of the seatpost straps that seemed to stop it waggling about too much. And it seemed to be large and well put together.

It seemed better than my Revelate rear bag and I was intending to get one for this year's trips.

Then I decided to move house - so that purchase hasn't happened!

Yep

Need to be pretty brutal with how you compress it down but once you do that its largely wag free. Seems to be holding up well to me being brutal with it too

Yes. Rode one down the Tour Divide this year - had it for several months before that. Just over 10,000km riding done with it and it's still waterproof and probably going to last longer than my bike.

Can't really fault it bar the size - it's huge. Great if you want to take lots, not so great if you're only taking a bit. Little movement when filled if you pack it smartly - heavy things near the seatpost.

[url= https://c1.staticflickr.com/8/7648/28840589756_2264af6320_b.jpg [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/KWxyxw ]DSC00383.jpg" target="_blank">https://c1.staticflickr.com/8/7648/28840589756_2264af6320_b.jpg [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/KWxyxw ]DSC00383.jpg"/> [/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/13995637@N08/ ]Greg.May[/url], on Flickr

Currently abusing one of the framebags.

Useful, thanks. I killed my modified cheapo KTM pack over the last couple of days so need something else - bucking the 'open holster' orthodoxy because I like having a clean drybag I can take into the tent.

Yeah I perhaps have not tested mine like Greg - it gets used on my regular commute so opened and closed 6 times a week and packed badly each time.

Duc - Member
... and packed badly each time.

Don't worry, I too am a master of the bad pack.

*smash things into bag while tired*

F it, it'll do.

I've been interested by these too. Looking for something with more volume than my Koala, and ideally with less sway when I'm out of the saddle. I see Alpkit have a 17 litre Big Papa now as well. I wonder how that compares..

Broadly my standard trip to and from work goes something like - pack bag and give it the beans to tighten it up - fit to the bike and forget or Fot to the bike and pack bag ride a quarter of a mile up the road - get pissed off with the swinging "udder" under the saddle and stop and gorilla it up tight and then no issues.
I always pack it off the bike in the morning as I turn off down a bridleway 200 yards after leaving and its fun so don't want to stop

I've also found you need roll the shit out of the seat pack or it will waggle.

First outing I had it dip and rub the back tyre on medium hits....

I would hate to try with a smaller pack as I find it alright sized for all my crap... 😳

OK, got one through the post and I'm a bit dubious - massive trumpet shape sticking way out behind the saddle, and a somewhat last generation strap arrangement. OTOH, the sides of the 'fin' to which the straps attach aren't sewn closed, so I could get a better strap configuration stitched into place without too much cutting. Materials and quality seem good, it's just the basic design.

Think I'll keep it in the bag unused this week, get a couple more options delivered and see which one grabs me most.

No matter how wiggly it isn't as bad as an Apidura seat pack. .

I'm still of the opinion that one lyrics Revelate and Wildcat have successfully managed the wagging issue. Maybe I need to see a well-packed Ortlieb, or maybe some folks expectations are too high.

Hint to stop the waggle:

Take less stuff.

Aye but there's that whole self-control thing (or lack of it) 🙂

The 'waggle' isn't really an issue though, you adapt to it within minutes.

Probably true enough, but I've ended up going for the Alpkit Big Papa instead - nominally similar volume, different shape, arguably better strap arrangement.
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To illustrate the narrow leading profile of the Ortlieb bag, you can't get the nose of an Alpkit tapered Airlok bag into it.

Interesting comparison pics!

Similar claimed volumes, as you say, but if you haven't returned the Ortlieb yet I wonder if all the clothes stuffed in that would fit in the Big Papa (and vice versa).

Pretty similar, I think. I had the Alpkit folded down more in those pics. Exact volume is academic - the Alpkit is big [i]enough[/i], that's all that matters: sleeping bag, liner, mat, Poundland pillow (great bit of kit), other bits'n'bobs, plus the spare room to carry a few days' food when needed.

@sixpotbelly - As Scotroutes says, the better bags/harnesses have very little sway due to their better means of attachment. You'll always get some sway as you've got a weight cantilevered off the saddle/seatpost but with good packing you really don't notice it. Last weekend I did the Rovaniemi 150 winter race and used a 13L Alpkit Tapered Airlok bag in a Wildcat Tiger harness. I'd a set of spare clothing suitable for temps in the -15C range (trousers were in the frame bag) plus a bivy bag in there. Sway/wiggle just wasn't an issue.

There was a thread on here where someone made their own version of the Blackburn attachment bar to stop their Alpkit bag from swaying.

Look at the second of Montgomery's shots which is of the top of the two bags: the Ortlieb has a fixing in the centre which fits between the saddle rails whereas the Alpkit doesn't. The Alpkit bag looks like it relies on a rubberised pad being clamped up against the rails - could be wrong on that as I haven't seen one in the flesh.

on a sidenote

if you roll/fold them the other way around water will run of your bag and not sit in the fold.

No, the Alpkit does (stitched rather than bolted), but it also has another strap with cam buckles that runs over the rails. Net effect will be similar to Wildcat et al, I think.

I run a lot of seatpost, and make use of that fact. The modified KTM pack I was using is a similar shape and size to the Alpkit and, set low down, is/was rock steady.
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Thanks whitestone and montgomery. Wary of hijacking the thread but I have a lot less seatpost showing (combination of riding a gravel bike and being less than tall), which I know doesn't help the swagger as it puts more of the bag out behind the saddle.

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About the best I could do with my Koala.

I think I might do the same as you, montgomery. Order one of each and see how they fit when loaded.

If you are close to the Lakes then Ghyllside Cycles in Ambleside have Ortlieb kit in stock so you could check in person. We happened to be passing before Xmas and they sorted my wife out with something for her fat bike as she's too short to use a "soft" saddle bag.

@montgomery - fair enough re the Alpkit. It's hard to make out the bar tacking on the straps so it's not obvious that they are fixed on the top of the bag.

Notes on folding the Ortlieb pack.

Roll down away from the closure so water doesn't sit in it (as others have suggested) then cross the straps. Works well for smaller loads.

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