Carradice Odyssey: Classic Style, Modern Adventure

With the evolution of bikepacking, it feels like everyone is chasing new ways to solve the same problem: carrying camping gear on a bicycle. Over fifteen years of bicycle travel I’ve tried nearly all of them. Starting with rear panniers, I’ve since strapped bags to every possible part of a bike, frame, forks, seatpost, handlebars, stem, you name it. For a time, bikepackers seemed intent on rejecting traditional touring gear like panniers, racks, and saddlebags, drawing a line between themselves and classic bike tourers who happily continued using them. But those lines are blurring. Many bikepacking brands now offer panniers of their own, and at the start lines of major bikepacking races you’ll increasingly see racks and panniers making a quiet return.

Personally, I don’t see much difference between bike touring and bikepacking; it’s all the same so long as you’re getting out there on your bicycle. I enjoy experimenting with different bag combinations and setups, and there’s value in using the whole bike to spread the load, but sometimes it’s nice to return to the old ways, keeping things simple with a classic saddlebag. Few bag makers carry as much heritage and history as the British brand Carradice.

90 Years Strong

If Homer’s Odyssey is a classic in literature, then I reckon Carradice bags hold a similar place in the world of bike touring and bikepacking. Established in 1932, I can’t imagine many other bag makers have been around for nearly 100 years and are still going strong. Founded by Wilf Carradice, a keen cyclist himself, Carradice shares an origin story with many modern bikepacking brands and was born from Wilf’s own need for quality bags. After making bags for himself, it wasn’t long before he was making them for other cyclists, and so Carradice began.

Long before the word bikepacking was conceived, Carradice were making bags built to go the distance, focusing on products that are strong, waterproof, and of the highest quality. Values they continue to uphold and which remain just as important, no matter what terrain you ride. Carradice bags are still hand-made by skilled artisans, an accolade that is becoming increasingly rare and something worth celebrating. Carradice are so confident in their products that they offer a lifetime warranty, reassuring in a bag often carrying essential survival equipment.

The Carradice Odyssey is part of their Adventure Range, which feels like a modern take on Carradice’s classic styling. The Odyssey 26L saddlebag we have on test retains much of the traditional look of Carradice’s original saddlebags, but uses modern fabrics.

Installed in a Jiffy

The Carradice Odyssey 26L saddlebag has been designed to work with Carradice’s Expedition Bagman Rack and quick release attachment system. This means that prior to installing the bag, you’ll need to install the rack. The rack has a carrying capacity of 10kg giving plenty of scope for filling your bag with essentials.

Installation of the rack is about as simple as it gets, with just one bolt to adjust. Position the top and bottom clamp sections over your saddle rails, then tighten the M8 bolt until secure. If everything is properly aligned, the rack should sit inline with your saddle and rear wheel.

The quick release mechanism makes it very easy to attach the bag to the rack and remove it after use. Under the bag is a pocket that the bottom of the rack slides into. I found this to be a satisfyingly snug fit that immediately added some security to the installation. Once the rack is in the pocket, the rear of the bag sits close to the saddle and rack. From there, simply open the two sliding quick release mechanisms on the rack and slide the matching receiver on the bag into place before releasing the sliders. These lock the bag firmly into position.

At this point the bag is already well secured, but there is also a cinching strap at the rear to further stabilize the saddlebag on the rack. Once attached, installation is complete. At camp, or after a ride, it’s very straightforward to remove the bag while leaving the rack on the bike. It’s worth noting that taking off the Bagman rack is also quick and easy, much more so than a traditional rear rack.

Waterproof & Spacious

I wouldn’t say that Carradice are known for funky colours. Most of their bags stick to muted, classic colourways of black, deep green, and occasionally burgundy. They do currently offer a tweed option on one bag and a safari barley on another. So it’s no surprise the Odyssey Saddlebag comes in one colour choice: black. I reckon this suits a bag rooted in classic heritage and matches its traditional longflap styling. The only external contrast is a small white reflective logo and a white bungee cord criss crossing the top. Inside, the contrast is turned up to eleven with bright orange fabric that helps you find gear in low light.

The Odyssey is dominated by one large internal compartment secured with a roll top closure. There is plenty of fabric to roll when sealing it, helping keep water out. For extra protection, the main compartment is also covered by a long flap that secures to the base with tough plastic side release clips. These can be cinched tight to keep the load secure or loosened when carrying more gear. Built for wet conditions, it is made in England after all, the Odyssey uses military grade 1000D Cordura and has a fully tape sealed lining.

The main compartment provides most of the 26 litre capacity, but there are also two additional pockets, one on either side of the bag, secured by Velcro flaps that fully cover the openings. These pockets are bigger than they look and provide easy access to smaller items. In addition to the internal storage, there is the bungee cord mentioned earlier and several d rings on the top flap. A carrying handle sits near the quick release mount at the rear of the bag, along with a small loop for attaching a light or reflector.

Going the Distance

One of the aspects of the Carradice Adventure range that I like is the story it tells. This bag isn’t trying to be new or trendy, but built on tradition with a modern twist. The online description doesn’t talk about breaking records or standing out, rather it talks about durability and versatility: “built for on and off-road riding, from gravel paths to rugged trails.”

As someone who rides a bit of everything, the description of this bag spoke to me. Living in Canberra, Australia, every type of riding sits at my doorstep. During testing I rode all those bits, strapping it on for urban commutes, off-road bikepacking, and every bit in between.

First up, this bag can hold a lot of stuff. When I packed it for its first campout, it kept swallowing gear: tent, mat, stove, no problem. The saddlebag I often use only holds about 10-12 litres, so it’s no surprise this 26L pack felt big. Bikepacking aside, it holds more than enough for a day ride or commute and can serve as the only bag for a flashpacking adventure. One warning: when filled to capacity you’ll notice that rear wheel weight on the steepest climbs, much like any loaded rear rack setup.

Interestingly, even when heavily loaded, the Odyssey saddlebag felt fairly unobtrusive. Secured to the Bagman Expedition rack, there’s no side-to-side wag like long seat packs, so there’s little disruption to handling on the road. Because the rack cantilevers off the saddle there’s likely some bounce, but since you can’t see it happening it’s less obvious than a similar front rack. One small niggle: the quick-release sliding bolts rattled a little over the roughest terrain, and I took it over plenty. Over time I began to see the bag more as a smooth-trail pack, ideal for road tours and crispy champagne gravel, but less suited to really rough, rocky mountain biking and bikepacking terrain.

Packing the Odyssey is easy thanks to the huge main compartment and simple roll-top closure. There’s potential to overpack, so I found it best to resist expanding the bag fully. I used the side pockets for snacks and on-off items like gloves. You can reach back and grab things while riding, but I avoid doing this because it’s too easy to drop something. With that in mind, I like the idea of the bungee cord for stashing a rain jacket, but I’d worry about something slipping out without noticing, so I rarely used it.

As mentioned in the installation section, it’s very easy to get the bag on and off the rack, especially with the quick-release. I regularly removed it at camp and when commuting. I especially like this while camping since you can bring the bag into your tent to keep things organised and close at hand rather than leaving it on the bike. I also rode through some proper winter rain during testing and can confirm the waterproof claims on the website. That’s a definite plus, especially for a handmade bag.

A Modern Classic All-Road Solution

The Carradice Odyssey bridges the gap between classic bike touring styling and modern bikepacking needs in several interesting ways. It offers a seat pack style solution that doesn’t rely on rack bolts, but also has the stability offered by traditional racks. The combination with the expedition bagman rack avoids that side to side sway of many seat packs, although it does bounce over the rough stuff. At 26L in capacity, it can hold a lot of gear for $180 (USD) eliminating the need for strapping a lot of other bags on your bike.

Ultimately I think the appeal of this pack comes down to its aesthetics, as much as its function and performance. It’s as undoubtedly tough, waterproof and cavernous, as it is rooted in traditional styling and appearance. For me, I like on-road touring as much as I like off-road touring just as I like my drop bar gravel as much as my mountain bike which makes this bag a versatile and practical choice. However, if you spend all your touring time riding singletrack and mountain bike trails, it’s probably too much bag to hang off the back; instead I’d favour a smaller seatpack like Carradice’s new Colorado saddlebag.

The beauty of cycling is that everyone does it their own way and perhaps the traditional appearance of this pack is the one aspect that won’t make it everyone’s cup of tea, even if it is an excellent brew.