Military Bike Bags

Carrying gear is an important part of riding but specialized bags can be expensive.  Reader CamoDeafie came up with an affordable options for those wanting to tote stuff around on their whip.

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My Name is CamoDeafie and I operate a VERY small tactical gear business.  I had a pile of USGI military equipment and after noticing how expensive dedicated panniers and bike bags were locally, I decided to dive into my pile of equipment, and came out with several bags with which to experiment.

This is the first attempt with my father's Bridgestone MTB/City commuter; 2 Army Frames on the cargo rack with straps, and reversed (relative to how they;re worn on person), and army rucksacks on them, and a 50 caliber ammo can being used as a waterproof trunk.

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Riding it around town, I found it to be very difficult to get on when swinging leg over the rear wheel; so when I got the Leeworld Mountain Sport and 60s Schwinn Skyway, I decided to test the smaller bags I have on the Skyway, found it to be satisfactory, transferred the Skyway;'s rear cargo rack to the Leeworld since the Leeworld is my primary bicycle.

Using 3 USGI 3-day field packs in woodland camo, and 3 USGI Medical Pockets in same pattern, I have put in a comprehensive medical kit in the two small pouches between the seat and the larger bags, and cold weather cap and wool glove liners with leather outer gloves in the 3rd small pouch positioned on the stem; and in the 3 larger bags, I have 2 to 3 days worth of clothes in one, a blanket and a rain poncho in another, and a fleece sweater and a lighter outer jacket in the third.

I have room for another bag in between the rack bags, OR the ammo can, if i can find my long bungee straps for securing it without drilling holes; and I am on the look out for a specific style rear rack since the Leeworld does not have brazed eyelets for rack mounts, so it is either one done the same as the Skyway, mounted to the seat post clamp bolt location, or one that clamps in between the seat stays, above the bridge, or one that attaches to the bridge where rear brake can be mounted.

Comments

[Nobody]

Two ALICE packs with frames, and a .50 can...

What's not to love!!!!

[Hjhalterman]

Hmmm. Substitute a cargo pack shelf facing rearward over the back wheel, add a jerrycan rack and mount one of the shortened European 2.5 gallon/10 liter jerrycans, and the rig would be quite attractive for motorcyclists as well.

[Torque]

Great thinking!

What size Alice Pack did you use? Large or Medium?

Thanks,

Torque

[pdxr13]

The Idea in general of 2 backpacks as panniers is great. ALICE medium is good because they are cheap and sturdy, but that doesn't mean aluminum REI packs from 1979 couldn't be just as useful.

A sturdy rack well-attached to the frame is most important.

Cheers.

[13B on a bike]

There's a cheap simple kit to add a lock to a .50 caliber can that requires drilling a single hole in the can. Should be able to seal it well enough to keep it waterproof. Would make a lockable "trunk" that should be good enough to keep most sticky fingers out of your gear.

[CamoDeafie]

Torque; I used Mediums; the large is much much bigger....anyhow; yes a REI frame could work as well; and these are ideas :) and yes I know of the lock kit for the 50 cal ammo can :)

I am currently putting together another bicycle on the cheap that will use two 50 cal ammo cans as hard panniers; and have both front and rear sturdy cargo racks...and a BMX high rise handlebar to make more room on the handlebar area for a sleeping bag to be lashed onto the handlebars.

[Jsquared]

Have you had a chance to check out the tire-spray in wet conditions? Just wondering how the ALICE rucks hold up under constant rain like in my part of the country?

[doug johnson]

those are all great ideas i bee thinking of something along the same line as you.. i want camo panniers but cant find any so maybe ill hit the surplus store. would love to see what you come up with next

[CamoDeafie]

Jsquared; I havent tried the ALICE in wet conditions; but I can say they will hold up to the rain here (in Oregon) just as well as they did in Fort Lewis where they came from....

Doug; I believe you would do very well with MOLLE Sustainment Pouches; they are roughly of the same size as the Schwinn black panniers, and mounts via MOLLE straps to a frame rack...only issue is not having a stiff panel in the backs, but you could go around that by getting an old binder and cut the middle part (where rings are) and put the panels inside; I have a couple of those bags that I am planning to put on my next bike, one holds a Stansport 2 man A-frame tent just fine without the poles....the poles would be strapped to the rack on top or to the frame, not sure yet.

[CamoDeafie]

I have acquired a Topeak rack for my CyclePro Classic project; it was once hacked to work with a Roadmaster MTB, in a terrible way, no pics of that hack, sorry lol....but anyways, I find that MOLLE Sustainment Pouches works very good on this particular rack, along with some off brand "improved butt pack" as a center bag, there are pictures at my blog :)

[Army Retiree]

ALICE packs won't hold up to rain. They're not waterproof by any means, which is why the military issued waterproof bags for sleeping bags and other gear, and why everyone who went to the field always brought along lots of heavy-duty trash bags and ziplock freezer bags to keep all their clothing and stuff dry.

The "3-day" packs --- everyone called them "butt packs" --- are a good size for panniers and can be found for good prices, but they need a stiffener or backing to keep them out of the spokes.