Guest Report: Carradice Factory Visit

Editor's note: Mark aka Hudsonic is one of our favorite flickr contacts and vintage cycling enthusiasts. When photos of his recent field trip to Carradice showed up on his photostream, we immediately requested an archival field report.

Vintage print ephemera

'twas a simple enough plan. Ride the 60 or so miles from Sheffield, South Yorkshire to Nelson, Lancashire to kneel on the Cotton Duck prayer mat outside The Church Of Carradice. The home of arguably the first and finest sadldlebags ever to grace a Brooks saddle. Simple except for the fact that this is the spine of England. Have a look at a place called Triangle en route. This place was an instrument of torture. The hills really were alive with the sound of music. However, after a good few fig rolls, we made it, and it's everything you'd want it to be. Handcrafted excellence, hammered and sewed amid an aromatic air of leather and cotton duck. We were greeted by friendly and knowledgeable staff. Keen to share their expertise and show how these fine cycle bags are still being made. After all this time the process has barely changed. More than 80 years after Wilf Carradice made his first bag. Long may it continue.