Carradice Barley Saddle Bag (Green with Honey Straps)

The original waxed canvas saddle bag.  The Carradice Barley is a traverse style saddle bag, it goes across the saddle, unlike contemporary bike packing saddle bags.  The Barley is the smallest bag that Carradice makes that still has the super useful side pockets.  Big enough for a thick pair of socks, or a coffee mug / alcohol stove and windscreen. 

The bag can hold 9 liters of whatever.  It's too small for all of but the most minimal summer camping loads, but it's a fantastic day bag, perfect for year round riding with plenty of room for layers, food, a camera, and a sketch pad.  

Carradice has been making bags in England since 1932.  They're still made there, and most of the bags are signed by the person who sews them.  Carradice uses thick waxed canvas for the outer material, durable, highly water resistant, made for English weather.  The straps are leather and the hardware is metal.  These are top quality bags that are remarkably affordable.  Compare the cost of say, a Swift bag, which is 60 dollars more and made with much less expensive materials in a factory where works are paid a fraction of what the British workers make.  I've seen Carradice bags from the 70's that still function perfectly, faded but fine.  You can rewax them occasionally to reup the water proofery. 

Barley saddle bags don't need a rack unless you have a small frame (say 52cm or smaller) or don't want the saddle bag brushing your thighs.  If you fall into either of those camps, get a Nitto R-10 rack or a Carradice Sport Bagman Rack.  You need either saddle bag loops (Brooks saddles) or bolt on saddle bag loops, which we also sell to attach it to the saddle.  Install it with the buckle inside the bag, it will cinch closer to the saddle, and wobble less.  

 The rack in the pics is a Carradice bagman sport.  The bag pictured on the rack is a taller Lowsaddle Longflap, so just imagine the Barley being a bit shorter and narrower.  The first pic is indeed the Barley, though!