Saddle bag position question, anyone?

Jessey

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Dec 20, 2004
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I have shires saddle bags, they dont sit the same on my new saddle so wondering what your thoughs are on positioning. Here they are against my saddle
f66dd800cacf60f40188081381170221.jpg

I like the bottle to sit snugged to the back of the flap to minimise bounce, but if I do that the bit that goes over her back is under the panel, im not sure I like the idea of that esp for 300 miles when we go to Wales. Would you;
A) fit further back
B) put under the panel
C) modify the back strap, poss cut out the portion under the panel and add a little strap to the front of the bag to connect to the d ring
D) something else?
 
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I had a friend who had the Shires ones and she put them in front of the saddle - they don't (or at least didn't) come with any fitting instructions. I've seen other people online using them in a similar position to yours in the photo, and I know that some of them seemed happy to tuck them under the saddle panel.
For a long ride though, like you seem to be planning you might do better to get a bigger rear bag that fastens to the back of the saddle? I know the Shires ones tend to bounce around a fair bit at higher speeds...:eek:
 
I didnt get any fitting instructions either but the shires pics show them at the back. Ive not had a problem with bounce as long as they are snug to the flap (as I was albe to do on my old saddles) and ive put a couple of hundred miles on them and I have other saddle bags at the front of my saddle so thats not an option. I have a 3rd bag that will sit across her back attached to the saddle which I will have all my soft gear in (clothes, sleeping bag, tent etc).
I've had a look for other brands but all look like they would have the same issue.
 
Those do look good, I kind of created the same set up, as I already had the shires ones I was trying to avoid spending more when I didnt need to. This is the planned set up, though thats the old saddle.
adfa9802ff25f10285e1c3017abda291.jpg
 
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What saddle bags do you use at the front? I'm after some slightly bigger ones but don't have the D rings at the back of the saddle to attach rear bags on to
 
I used the Shires bags in that position on Ziggy for long hacks in the New Forest. They bounced at canter but didn't seem to bother him. Mind you at that time I probably bounced a lot as well!
 
Those are the stowaway deluxe pommel bags, they are brilliant, no angel uses the same ones too

The stowaway packs are really good, I've had mine pommel packs for about 6 or 7 years now, the cantle packs are good as well, I've got the english ones with the water bottles, and will eventually be getting some without the water bottles as well :D
 
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