Further to yesterday’s post, your cycling superiors, who have been testing bikes for 25 years and know much more than you do, have abandoned the laughably obsolete saddle pack in favor of the clearly-superior-in-every-way downtube storage compartment:
It hardly bears repeating at this point that if you’re not riding a plastic bike with a glove compartment in it you’re a total loser, and that strapping your tools to the underside of your saddle is the cycling equivalent of transporting your belongings in a hobo’s bindle:
But what if bicycle glove compartments aren’t all they’re…cracked up to be, so to speak? In fact, one commenter even indicated that his literally did crack, or at least the latch that closes it did. So I asked my intern to a little research, and sure enough, these things can and do have problems, who’d-a thunk it?
Here are some replies:
Mine stays on the bike but sometimes it sits like this.. so the water can go inside the frame when I wash the bike..
I have lost mine during my third ride. I have just ordered a new one and i consider using a strap in the future…
I have the same issue. Not while riding but when transporting my bike on the back of my car. I arrived at my destination to start riding and the lid was gone. Including my co2 canister and pump. Bad start of the day. I guess wind got under it and lifted it.
I ordered a new one but with this one, just like the old one, there is a small gap where wind can get under it. I strap it down while transporting it.. Bad design I’m afraid
I lost mine yesterday
I lost mine too
Well, same as brought up in other post…. the lid just barely holds on and I’ve had to turn back to retrieve on a ride once before.
I live in Costa Rica so it rains often and the fact that it does not have a tight fit allows for water to get inside as I transport the bike on the car. Pretty bad as humidity is an issue and I’ve had to clean the inside pouch a few times.
I just lost mine today!
I just had this problem too. Only the 4th ride and it’s gone. I see lots of people are having issues. I don’t quite understand why it’s so flimsy.
Wait, I thought downtube storage compartments solved the problem of wet tools:
I unpacked the pack earlier this week and the contents are pretty much totalled. The inner tube has corrosion on the valve, my multi-tool is rusted shut and the glueless patches have glued themselves together – not to mention the C02 cartridge that’s so corroded I’m scared to use it in case it fails.
So, I’m left with a three-figure bill to replace what’s been ruined inside a pack that, despite the claims, does let water in.
So who’s the wet tool now?
And lest you think I’m singling out Canyon, a storage compartment by any other brand name can get just as lost:
Or simply loose and rattly:
Of course one solution is to just go with it:
But is it safe to ride a bicycle with a missing storage compartment lid?
And what do you even call these things?
Fortunately, you can in fact purchase a replacement:
But you’d better hurry, because there are only two left:
I guess they can’t keep ’em in stock since everyone keeps losing them.
It would not surprise me to learn that Canyon makes more money selling replacement lids than they do on the bikes themselves. In fact, given the state of the industry, I suspect that at this point they only make the bikes so they can sell people the lids. Basically, carbon gravel bikes are now the equivalent of ink jet printers, and the storage compartment lids are the cartridges, which is where the real money is.
At least $25 isn’t that much money for the unfortunate Canyon consumer to pay…unlike the poor schnook who needs a replacement lid for a Chek Trekpoint:
That will cost you almost four times as much:
And hey, if you like fussing with internal cable routing, you’ll love fishing stuff out of your downtube:
Don’t worry, it only took him three hours to get it out:
Losing your tubeless tire plugs in your downtube…now that’s a modern cycling problem.
Speaking of tubeless, I recently received the following email from a reader:
As you probably know, Calvin Jones retired from Park Tool. He recorded a few last videos before he left. “Sealant Just Where You Need It” was published on YouTube today. I won’t necessarily call it sealant porn but try watching from the 5:30 mark.
So yeah, I watched it.
Here’s the video:
And here’s the money shot:
Now I need a shower.
Speaking of creating problems for yourself, few people do it better than aging outlaw cyclist Lucas Brunelle, who recently uploaded this video:
Okay, this is what it’s like in New York right now:
[I wasn’t even riding when I took this photo, I was just walking. Because the bike lane was clear, but the sidewalk wasn’t. Welcome to Mam-commie’s New York.]
Do you know how badly I wish I was somewhere sunny and warm right now? Meanwhile, here’s Old Man Brunelle, who’s gotta be pushing 80 at this point, in lovely Miami:
And what is he doing with himself? Riding around with a bunch of people in PNS jerseys who are one-quarter of his age and having completely pointless and avoidable interactions with the police:
Like…why? For chrissake, stop hitting yourself, Lucas! Hop on your bike and ride to the beach or something, nobody will bother you. Why speed around with a bunch of unruly Freds when you know you’re just going to have to stop? And you absolutely know it’s going to happen, because you’ve been posting basically the same video for at least the past six years:
I mean what is the point of going through this over and over again?
You’re really sticking it to them.