Re: RE: [CR]TA bike bags...how to? Let me Help

(Example: Framebuilders:Tony Beek)

From: <CYCLESTORE@aol.com>
Date: Sun, 2 Sep 2001 11:53:38 EDT
Subject: Re: RE: [CR]TA bike bags...how to? Let me Help
To: Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Cc: francopedia@yahoo.com


Hi gang,

To expand upon this and other messages about TA bags and mounts.

The big elastic loop was designed (I feel) to loop over the back of the stem. Ancient and modern stems work fine with or without an exposed bolt as the 72-73 angle of classic stems tends to keep the loop taut and secure and with any tension at all on the strap prevents articles and bits from flying out of the top off the bag. The hook on the rear of the bag will secure the top flap down (by elastic loop) when the bag is removed from the bike for transport.

On a related subject a fellow brought by a 1971-1972 Gitane TDF bike Friday and it had a very nice (really) Pivo stem on this machine that had some heft to it. I had forgotten on this model the quill/extention juncture was oversized and bulged and would secure a TA bag elastic loop very well indeed. I wondered if the design was so intended?

TA bags were the classic even when I started serious cycling as a young teen in the early 1970's. Any fellow with a TA bag (rack or sans rack) was generally known as a fellow who knew the ropes in this bike game and could a patch a sewup on the side of the road if need be. No cell phones in the old days.

Besides the TA support rack, many French small builders made excellent racks to support a TA or similar bag. My Rene Herse was set up for Randonnee's and has a Flashlight mounted to the rack on the right side below bag level and a generator front lamp mounted on the left side with the wires cleverly routed through the rack tubing and hidden under the mudguard. Mike Barry at Bicycle Specialties in Toronto does high quality work of this type as well.

On bag supports and quick releases. The TA bags I have seen here and overseas were primarily mounted to the tops of the handlebars using the supplied leather straps. However those keenly in the know had a builder make (Mariposa, Rene Herse, Alex Singer, Gilles Berthoud -many others) a quick release bag support that would many times replace the binder bolt of the stem and offset the bag away from the bars giving more room to grab the bars on top and providing a quick release feature.

I seem to remember TA making some of these though never sold here in America (to my knowledge). Also JPR made some crude but effective bag quick release carriers that could be replicated with home workshop skills for those so inclined.

"Vive a la France" Gilbert Anderson Raleigh NC In a message dated 9/1/01 1:52:44 AM, francopedia@yahoo.com writes:

<< Thanks Mark, the bag only has the one hook on the TA side. So if it just loops around the stem, won't the small contents fly out when you ride over a bump?

Scott


--- Mark Petry wrote:


> It does have handlebar straps, which are fine unless
> you have an Alex Singer
> bag mount...
>
> the elastic loop goes over the back of the stem, or
> there is a little, kind
> of hard to reach, hook on the back of the bag.
>
> Old pros use the stem...
>
> markp
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: classicrendezvous-admin@bikelist.org
> [mailto:classicrendezvous-admin@bikelist.org]On
> Behalf Of scott davis
> Sent: Friday, August 31, 2001 6:34 PM
> To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
> Subject: [CR]TA bike bags...how to?
>
>
> Greetings from Minnisoda, I have a TA bag similar to
> the one in this ebay auction:
> http://ebay.com/<blah>
>
> This is a handlebar bag, isn't it? If so:
> 1. Does it attach to the bars and stem by way of
> straps through the slots--see 2nd foto?
> 2. The front flap apparently fastens w/ elastic
> string
> loop and metal hook on the TA side. How does the
> rear
> flap fasten, since there is no metal hook for the
> rear
> elastic loop? Does it somehow connect to the
> straps?
> Thanks in advance again. Scott
> >>