I'm going on an overnight ride this weekend with a couple of friends and while getting my stuff together I noticed that my old saddlebag (made by Custom Cycle Fitments (aka John Forester)) had seen better days. The poly coating inside the pack cloth is starting to peel. It's also a bit small for my camping load.

So I sat down last night and made a new bag. I used cotton duck canvas that was in the remnants bin at Seattle Fabrics. It feels similar to the fabric used by Ostrich and Berthoud for their handlebar bags (more like the Berthoud fabric). It is not waxed.

The bag is 18" wide, 8" tall, and about 10" long. It easily fits my Hennessey Hammock, sleeping bag, a sleeping pad, stove, lock, and jacket. There are no side pockets, I might add them later if I miss them. There is a long flap. There is a Carradice Camper-style drawstring.

Anyway, it's pretty crude but will meet my needs. I don't use saddlebags much anymore, but they are handy for camping.

Proposed changes in order of desire:
* velcro or side straps to keep the top flap closed
* fix my sewing mistakes
* side pockets for tools

I started measuring fabrics at 6:15pm and was done putting all of my tools away at 10:15. The fabric cost $9 for 3/4 yard, I used about half a yard. The buckles, webbing, trim, etc, probably added about $10 more in total cost. Hence the title, $20 and 4 hours.