Made from an old barrel grill someone left at an apartment complex trash dropoff, and some aluminum pipe from a weather-destroyed small greenhouse. Besides some basic tools like wrench for bike wheel nuts and drill + drill bit to cut a hole in the pipe to fit on the wheel bolt, all I needed was a little welder to fit an attachment point behind the seat stem.
Included are some images of options I considered before realizing my best path forward. Make shit up and use trash to do it!
That’s what I’m thinking about trying to accomplish! The plan is to do some short-range bikepacking with it, but I’m wary of adding too much weight with the heavy metal of the grill. Might just do it anyway and go back if it’s too much.
I’ve always found it interesting/weird how bikepacking seems to have a different ‘style’ than touring or utility cycling. Like using an overgrown seatpost bag instead of a rear rack and panniers, for example. I guess maybe it saves weight(?) and that could be important if your bikepacking route involves hilly singletrack or something, but otherwise I feel like the more traditional ways of handling cargo are more versatile.
It’s more about saving width close to the ground. It doesnt matter on all trails, obviously, but a single-track through a shrubby/grassy area or a trail that’s deeply rutted will be a big pain if you have wide panniers.
I’m not exactly sure what you gain with a seat post bag vs just a bag on the top of a rear rack, though. I guess it is lighter.
Ah, that makes sense. Thanks!