Re: Tubular bag
Posted: Sun Nov 04, 2012 4:57 pm
There are tons of threads here on this very same subject, some with very good pictures too. Personally, I've tried just about every single option under the sun. I gave up quickly on the bag under seat or toe strap under the seat as my arz and thighs are too fat and made them rub against the spare or the strap or the bag ruining my shorts in one simple ride. Also, I went through 5-6 different bags to only come to the simple conclusion they are all either way too big or way too small. The idea solution in my mind there would be a clam shell made out of carbon fiber that is barely the width of a tire inside but big enough to allow a folded tire inside. Costs more to make than what it would make. Hence, nobody makes them.
Next came the jersey pocket. I folded the tire in several ways and finally settled for the most compact and reproducible folding procedure I found. I took black electrical tape to keep it tightly folded. Works perfectly. I also added a small pump to it and it all fits inside one of those bags that come with sunglasses. Perfect solution in my mind. Used that for years. Quit using the CO2 cartridges after I had an episode in the middle of nowhere where I ran out of CO2 and had no pump (used to carry 3 cartridges BTW).
The last solution that I know works, but I personally never used is the water bottle cage holder. You can either use a cut up bottle or buy one of those neat containers that are basically the bottom portion of a water bottle with a flat screw on lid. Works very well if you can manage to fold your tire appropriately so it fits inside. Difficult to nearly impossible to fit a pump in it with the lid on. CO2 can be fit inside besides the tire though. Reason I don't favor this idea is because I live in South FL and it is a boiling volcano weather year round. I want all the fluids I can carry in those 2 cages!! I drink about 1 large bottle per hr, so I don't want to have to stop every 1 hr to reload water. Plus, it is hard to plan around that where I live. I have ridden in Italy and France, and if I rode there all the time this would not be an issue at all as there are water sources everywhere.
I have used sealant over the years and it has worked well for me maybe 20% of the time at best. The other 80% required a tire change after sealant use. I don't carry it anymore.
Next came the jersey pocket. I folded the tire in several ways and finally settled for the most compact and reproducible folding procedure I found. I took black electrical tape to keep it tightly folded. Works perfectly. I also added a small pump to it and it all fits inside one of those bags that come with sunglasses. Perfect solution in my mind. Used that for years. Quit using the CO2 cartridges after I had an episode in the middle of nowhere where I ran out of CO2 and had no pump (used to carry 3 cartridges BTW).
The last solution that I know works, but I personally never used is the water bottle cage holder. You can either use a cut up bottle or buy one of those neat containers that are basically the bottom portion of a water bottle with a flat screw on lid. Works very well if you can manage to fold your tire appropriately so it fits inside. Difficult to nearly impossible to fit a pump in it with the lid on. CO2 can be fit inside besides the tire though. Reason I don't favor this idea is because I live in South FL and it is a boiling volcano weather year round. I want all the fluids I can carry in those 2 cages!! I drink about 1 large bottle per hr, so I don't want to have to stop every 1 hr to reload water. Plus, it is hard to plan around that where I live. I have ridden in Italy and France, and if I rode there all the time this would not be an issue at all as there are water sources everywhere.
I have used sealant over the years and it has worked well for me maybe 20% of the time at best. The other 80% required a tire change after sealant use. I don't carry it anymore.