Thomas' school bag is big, cumbersome and heavy - even without any items in it. The distance between his handlebars and saddle is quite narrow. So, when he rides with the bag on his back, it gets caught under his saddle every time he starts and stops.
He hasn't really complained very much. But in my observation, it seemed unsafe and annoying for him to ride every day to school in this way as we ride on the pavement and have to give way at each road crossing.
His bicycle is a Frog Hybrid 55 with a Racktime pannier rack installed. We were considering a purchase of a pair of pannier bags for him and thought about what he would need.
These were the criteria for his pannier bags:
- waterproof
- high visibility (the school bag is currently dark green with a very small strip of reflective tape)
- robust
- something he could use when we go cycling as a family
- reasonably priced
As his pannier rack is quite low, the low riders pannier bags that would be suitable:
- KLICKfix Classic low-rider pannier
- Ortlieb Sport-Roller Classic
Unfortunately, these type of bags are really expensive, especially waterproof ones. They would cost almost as much as his bicycle! Thus we were not too keen if these bags get damaged at school.
I thought that I should attempt to convert his school bag to a pannier bag. I brought some ripstop nylon which were fluorescent green/yellow, some orange reflective iron on tape with different widths and all purpose thread. This was all trial and error. There was nothing to lose.
The Brief:
- waterproof / water resistant
- high visibility
- robust
- lightweight
- minimum fuss to put on and take off
- easily replaceable
The Materials:
- pencil
- cutting mat
- ruler / straight edge
- rotary cutter
- pins
- safety pin
- ripstop nylon
- tracing paper (I used cheap baking paper)
- reflective ribbon of different widths
- all purpose thread
- elastic
- candle
- matches
- embroidered applique patch (as a detail to personalise the bag)
- sewing machine with roller foot
The Method:
- Measure the school bag
- Draw approximately what I want it to look like in 3D and then, work out the amount of pattern pieces that are required.
- Draw and cut pattern pieces paper based on the measurements. In this case, there are 3 pieces of paper (front, back and side). The side is only drawn and cut out once as the other side will be mirrored.
- Mark on where I'd like the reflective tape to be on as well as the location of hole at the back.
- Pin paper onto ripstop nylon with seam allowance as well as allowance for elastic at the bottom of each panel. I will be using a 6 mm (width) elastic.
- Trace over the paper pattern onto nylon ripstop. I used ordinary lead pencil as this will rub off in time
- Draw seam allowance all around. I like these to be quite wide (20mm) as I will be burning the edges.
- Unpin
- Cut cloth using rotary cutter. This will prevent fraying of the ripstop nylon. There should be a total of four panels of cloth. Two of the pieces are mirrored to each other (the sides).
- Light a candle. Cut a small sample of the cloth.
- Burn the edges of the cloth. Take care not to stretch the material while burning. Burning the edges will prevent fraying
- Pin the reflective tape onto the guidelines
- Sew straight. Take care to increase the stitch length. This prevents the cloth from being weak from the number of holes created by the stitches. Use roller foot for the sewing machine as the material is quite slippery.
- Pin front and side panel together. Sew
- Pin the other side panel to the front. Sew
- Pin back piece onto the three panels. Sew
- Fold the seams together. Sew
- Cut an extra small panel to the hole. This method will be as if I am making a welt pocket.
- Light a candle
- Burn the edges of the extra panel.
- Pin extra panel on top of the hole is suppose to be
- Sew as per making welt pocket
- Finish the seams of the extra panel
- Fold to house the elastic. Sew. Remember to leave a gap to feed in the elastic.
- Feed elastic with a safety pin.
- Pin to the opposite side of the elastic. Guesstimating how much I will need. But do not cut yet.
- Try it on the bag and check for snugness.
- Cut the elastic once content with its length. Sew the elastic together. Then sew the hole that was left for the feeding of the elastic
- Add detail to the front panel to personalise.
Trial and Error
How is the bag fixed onto the rack? How do you prevent the bag from sliding side to side while the bag is being ridden?
First trail was to clip the waist buckle that came with the school bag that no one uses! But that became loose as Thomas rode. The other thing that happened was the bag was swinging side to side.
I tried a remedial solution with a couple of velcro strips that were sewn in a butterfly shape fixed with safety pin. These velcro were not long enough or strong enough and the bag would either unpin the safety pin or just undo the velcro.
Then, I found some super strong velcro that was from an abandoned Beto bicycle child seat. I used that to fix the bag onto the frame. Then, I connected two waist buckles to form the length (one of which was from Ella Mae's bag). This I looped over the pannier rack and clipped to the front and tighten. So far, it seemed to have solve the problem. I will be making another one for Ella Mae as she will be starting primary school next year. Either Thomas or I will be carrying both school bags on our pannier racks. Therefore another option of attaching two of the bags to the rack with minimum fuss will be investigated. Until then, this solution will be a sufficient.
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