Country Bag

The Country Tan Canvas I’ve been drooling about…

Thought a lot about my options… Mainly trying to choose between the Nigel Smythe Country Bag and Carradice Barley saddlebag.

I love the look of both these bags, but the country bag is the winner for me as far as photos and Internet viewing can take me. That’s one of the problems with items like this. There is no real way for me to see the bags in person before purchasing one online.

I’m not concerned about a lack of quality or workmanship. Both manufacturers have high reputations. It’s the little things that can mean a great deal in a bag like this.

• How simply will it open?
• How far back will the lid go?
• Will it spill contents when sitting open?
• What about volume. It’s one thing to read about it; it’s another to pack it.
• Will the side pockets be useful and practical?
• Will I like it better then I would have the other one?

The NS cost more (substantially) then the Carradice, about $60 more. The problem for me is I’ve wanted one since the first time I saw it. I’ve never cared for a black saddle bag and so never really lusted for a Carradice until I saw the Barley.

Here’s one thing I notice about my riding style. I’ll head out on a Saturday morning for a day ride but as the day wares on I find myself wanting to pick something up here and something else there, and while I’m out I might as well stop by the market before I head back home. Now my bike is set up as a tour bike, slash commuter bike, slash big hunk of steel, but I’d still rather not rattle down the road with metal Wald baskets on the rack all the time. I really want capacity… but at the same time I really don’t want to feel like a rolling caravan. I have no real idea how to truly address this problem but the new bag is an attempt at it.

There are many that have gone before me and done valuable research on these bags:

Covering issues of portage and capacity in most critical areas. One can only be grateful.

For good, bad, or ugly the country bag is the one making it’s way cross country to my house as I write this and I’ll give it a review online after some use.