Q45 bag solutions
- Thread starter Joe
- Start date
I have a Radical Designs Universal Racer. I can use it on my V20 and S40 but it doesn’t fit on the Q because of the way the bracket that sets the height of seat back of the Q sticks out. The bag has a sleeve that slides over the seat and it won’t fit over the bracket. I have used the bracket to mount a conventional saddle bag but that’s quite small. For larger bags I think you need to buy the rack that fits the Q unless someone else has better ideas.
benphyr
Guru-me-not
I don’t have that bag but the website pictures look as though you could undo the bottom straps and attach them below the seat bracket. Or is that sleeve not adjustable?
Regardless, you should be able to put the sleeve over the cushion if it won’t sit under it.
Or maybe I’m just not seeing it right.
Regardless, you should be able to put the sleeve over the cushion if it won’t sit under it.
Or maybe I’m just not seeing it right.
I don't know what I was thinking. I was responding away from access to the actual bike and bags and remembered wrong. I just went down to the basement and was able to put the bags on my Q45. The only problem is that my waterbottles are mounted on the back of the seat and the bags block access but there are plenty of other ways to put bottles on the Q.
benphyr
Guru-me-not
You may have problems with the wheel rubbing on the bags if you don’t have fenders, wheel skirts, and they hang down far or the wheel comes up. Experience talking again- I have a different bag that hangs on the seat - when my bag is empty it hangs down more and sometimes rubs and bonks the fender.
Joe
Member
xtal: Thanks for taking the time to fit your Universal Racer bags to the Q -- looks like this might be a viable option for me
No idea what a fix for the sway would look like --
I'm not naturally mechanically minded, but recumbent ownership might well motivate growth in this regard
Joe
Member
Commonsensible -- ty ben
benphyr
Guru-me-not
I can’t take all the credit. My bag is an old touring handlebar bag and it has a stiff u shaped plastic thing that holds the bag open on the handlebar. When I use it on the Cruzbike I hang it on the seat back and the stiffness provided by the bag keeps it above the tire.
My specialty is making what I have do what I need.
My specialty is making what I have do what I need.
pherreshoff
Member
I have adapted a couple of trader joes insulated bags (~ $7 each) to work as underseat panniers on my quest. I sewed a piece of 1" nylon webbing to connect the two bags together near their front. The webbing drapes over the frame in front of the seat. I sewed 4 pieces of webbing to the back of the bag making loops which fit snugly over a piece of pcv pipe which in turn is attached by a handlebar stem to the tube which holds the back of the seat.
I've used it for about 2.5 years, pretty much daily including for all of my grocery shopping as well for touring, and it is holding up well. The bags are waterproof except at the zipper, so, when it rained, puddles would collect inside the bags. That was solved by constructing a cover of mylar repurposed from some cracker bags. I have attached an old large laundry detergent bottle to the kickstand mount, using hardware from the kick stand, to prevent the bag from rubbing on the rear wheel, which it would sometimes do depending on how full the bags were filled. (On my first big tour, I used an empty milk carton for the spacer and no mylar cover, and that worked fine.
.
I've used it for about 2.5 years, pretty much daily including for all of my grocery shopping as well for touring, and it is holding up well. The bags are waterproof except at the zipper, so, when it rained, puddles would collect inside the bags. That was solved by constructing a cover of mylar repurposed from some cracker bags. I have attached an old large laundry detergent bottle to the kickstand mount, using hardware from the kick stand, to prevent the bag from rubbing on the rear wheel, which it would sometimes do depending on how full the bags were filled. (On my first big tour, I used an empty milk carton for the spacer and no mylar cover, and that worked fine.
.Attachments
I have the Solo Racer bag(s?) which has the sleeve instead of the straps over the seat.
The adjustable strap that is diagonal on the outside of the bag can be pulled tight to keep the bag from swinging in and rubbing on the wheel.
My bags are always full enough so that they don’t flop around.
I also have metal fenders which helps ensure no contact with the wheel.
The adjustable strap that is diagonal on the outside of the bag can be pulled tight to keep the bag from swinging in and rubbing on the wheel.
My bags are always full enough so that they don’t flop around.
I also have metal fenders which helps ensure no contact with the wheel.
Joe
Member
Brad -- thanks for your response. I've seen your bag(s) in the RD catalog -- either the Solo Racer Narrow or Wide model, yes?
Helpful to hear that the unit fits on the Q seat -- i think you're the first here to have had lived experience with this.
Next project: fenders. I'm not mechanically inclined, but i imagine i'll be able to figure it out with the support of the group & the threads on the topic which are already in existence
thanks again for weighing in on this
yes I have the Solo Racer Wide.
sorry for any confusion, but I don’t have a Q so I am not sure whether you would do best with the one of the Solos or with the universal.
I was reacting to @xtalbike ’s comment above about needing to find a way to keep the bags from swaying too much.
I am using the bags on a hard shell seat on my Schlitter Freestyle. Using the straps on the outside that secure across the zipper is effective at preventing the bags from swinging toward the wheel. The bags can swing away from the wheels a little, but I have never felt any disturbance from the bags while riding.
I have a headrest and lights mounted on the top rear of my seat. The bag slips over them, but it is a little tight and cuddly to take the bag off the bike. I don’t know if it would be quicker to get the universal on and off. This is not much of an issue for me as most of my rides don’t involve any long stops with the bike unattended on short stops, I just grab my phone and money and take a chance on the bike tools and supplies.
I find them to be a good solution for rides of 100 miles or less. I have room for tools, a spare tire, some tubes, snacks, clothes, and phone and money.
( Yes, I try to reduce the likelihood of needing to call for a ride home. )
Good luck finding a solution that works for you.
Brad
Joe
Member
Cool -- and thanks for clarifying
