Talk to me about cargo cages...

[Blair512]

So I've recently acquired a Ramin 3+ which has braze ons to mount cages on the fork. My thinking is if I can utilise 2 cages I can ditch a bar bag and frame bag and save the lovely paint job! So what's the go to cage that everyone is using?Is there a decent budget option? And will these affect bike handling any more than having the equivalent weight on the bars?

[Steezysix]

I've got a couple of the Blackburn cages that work well. Paired up with a couple of 5l drybags they're good for when the bike is fully loaded and I need extra storage. They do make the steering slower/heavier but you get used to it quickly.

[lune ranger]

I also use Blackburn with 5L dry bags.
Never use them without a bar bag though, just as extra capacity on winter trips.
They can catch a bit on gorse and stuff but are otherwise completely fine.

[Blair512]

Thanks chaps, I had looked at the Blackburn cages but wasn't sure what size of bag it would take, I might give them a try. What dry bags do you use? Alpkit?

[lune ranger]

I got some cheap thick ones on eBay for a few quid.
They are a sort of PVC material like Ortleib panniers or old school caving dry bags.
I prefer them to light bags like the Alpkit ones because they are a bit more robust and abrasion resistant. Placed low on a fork the bags are quite vulnerable.

[restlessshawn]

What sort of diameter kind of object would fit a blackburn nicely? Just having bosses brazed in to my forks and wondering about just carrying my 750 mug in one

[ootini]

I'm going to flog my salsa anything cages if you're interested?

[middleagedmadness]

Have a look on planet x ,I had a couple of podsacs 5l bags Offa them £5 each , virtually indestructible old type pannier material