Carradice, traditional bagmaker since 1929

Wilf Carradice started making bags in 1929 and the legacy is now on a third generation.

One of those days when you’re aimlessly browsing the web, just trying to get away for a while, and following one link after another to see where it leads you, we came across a series of photos of Carradice bags and saddlebags dating back to the 40’s, 50’s, 60’s and 70’s.

Not the photos, but the bags.

So we wanted to share some of those photos and also tell some details about the history of Carradice which has been making bags since 1929. Wilf Carradice, the founder of the company, retired in the early 70’s, handing the company over to a cyclist who saw the potential and understood that he had the opportunity to continue the artisan tradition of bag making.

Today, Carradice is run by the second generation…or third if we count founder Wilf.

This bag, probably from before World War II, no longer has the side pockets and has new leather straps to attach to the saddle. But you can see that in terms of design, it is not far from current designs. In any case, to last so many years, not only the quality must have been extraordinary, but the owner(s) must have taken very good care of it.

The 1940s

Here we have an original bag from the 1940s, reinforced with green cotton in the middle. The model is the Camper Saddlebag.

The 1950s

This original 1950s rear pannier does not yet have the C-System Pannier, the hook and rail that today’s panniers have.

The 1970s

Pair of rear saddlebags from the 1970s. Also made from Cotton Duck, Carradice’s material par excellence.

The 1980s

Here is a Camper Saddlebag in green from the 80s. A bit more “square” than the current Campers.

Made in the UK

Carradice, located in the northern English town of Nelson, is the last British firm still making traditional cycling bags. Carradice makes all of these products by hand in-house using methods that have worked since the 1930s. Using materials such as the rugged, tried and tested Cotton Duck that is also highly water resistant, Carradice produces a unique line of products that is renowned for quality and durability. Nearly a dozen people work on the production of Carradice bags which are made in 5s. There are Carradice bags for all types of cyclists and they offer a full range of equipment to suit the needs of experienced cycle tourists as well as those who are not so experienced.

Dating a Carradice bag

Many bags have remained in production with only minor cosmetic changes and this is particularly true of the Camper and Nelson models. The best way to tell how old a Carradice bag is to go by the address on the oblong labels (3cm x 1cm).
-Pre WWII: 16 Bedford Street
-From the mid 1940s to 1960: Leeds Road
-1961 to 1979: North Street
-1980 to 1983: Brook Street
-1984 to present: St Mary’s Works Westmoreland Street (A former textile factory)

The Cotton Duck fabric

The relative merits of Cotton Duck vs nylon/polyester have been debated on numerous occasions among cycle tourists. The main drawback of Cotton Duck is its weight (the Camper Saddlebag weighs 1150g compared to 550g for a comparable polyester base bag). But the drawbacks of nylon/polyester are the gradual loss of waterproofing over time and poor resistance to the inevitable wear and tear caused by leaning the bike against walls. Nylon/polyester also tends to sag when empty, which is not the case with the stiffer Cotton Duck.