Accessories Ruck Sacks for Alto Sax

[JasonC]

Hi All,

Has anyone had any experience with a Ruck Sack/Back Pack for an Alto Sax? I'm planning on using my Vespa a lot in the summer (if we get one) so I need something that I can put on my back comfortably. I don't want to attached the Sax to the scooter itself because it vibrates like hell, there would be nothing left of it when I got to where I was going!

The case I have is supposed to be able to go on your back but the bottom of the case is hard so it's not very comfy. I've seen a few on Sax.co.uk but without seeing them I don't know how comfy they are.

Any help appreciated.
Jason

 

[jonf]

My suggestion. Buy a proper bike and strap it to the pillion seat.

Only joking. Serious response - give the guys at sax.co.uk a ringand have a chat. They won't bull***t you.

If you do use a rucksack, be very careful. If you have a bike accident with a large rucksack you can cause very nasty injuries. I know you're unlikely to be going at a huge speed on a Vespa, but if you come off at, say, 40mph, you tend to really tumble and slide. Having a sax on your back will stop you sliding, and can cause really nasty spinal injuries.

Jon

 

[dooce]

If you have a bike accident with a large rucksack you can cause very nasty injuries. I know you're unlikely to be going at a huge speed on a Vespa, but if you come off at, say, 40mph, you tend to really tumble and slide. Having a sax on your back will stop you sliding, and can cause really nasty spinal injuries.

Jon

I 100% agree. Plus in addition to a wrecked scoot and personal injuries, you'll also have a rucksack full of scrap metal. I'm quite happy to take the personal risk of riding my bike and nothing would give me greater pleasure than to go to gigs and rehearsals on it but the end result to my sax, if some twonk pulled out in front of me at a junction, has always put me off.

 

[JasonC]

Thanks both,

Yes I understand the dangers of biking and agree with you, this is just a risk you take when owning a bike and I'm ok with that. I will only be travelling to my teacher anyway with the Sax on my back which is about 3 miles away, so not far, if I need to take it on longer distances I would use the car, if the missus lets me! as I don't have a car myself

I will probably give Sax.co.uk a ring and see what they say, it's a shame there are not any closer shops by me that sell them so I could go and have a look.

Thanks again
Jason

 

[old git]

The majority of motoring accidents happen within seven miles of home. Possibly 'The-everything-is-familiar-and-I-know-where-I am-and-nothing-happens-round-here' syndrome.

 

[JasonC]

The majority of motoring accidents happen within seven miles of home. Possibly 'The-everything-is-familiar-and-I-know-where-I am-and-nothing-happens-round-here' syndrome.

Ha yes you are probably right! but after riding for many years with 10's of thousands of miles under my belt I think the worst problem is other drivers as you can't control what they do!

I won't be put off from using my scooter though as it's what I like to do, I have quite a few trips coming up this year which involve hundreds of miles each, those are the journey's that are most challenging, but great fun! even though I get vibrated to pieces

 

[TomMapfumo]

The BAM Trekking Alto Sax Case is one of the best.......
Available at sax.co.uk for about £165...

Kind regards
Tom

 

[Fredso]

Hi Jason, I suffered an unlicenced Driver only 100 yards from home after more than 13 years riding experience with over 75K on my last bike. At less than 15mph I suffered a broken foot as the car hit that but I slid some distance along the road. Worst outcome is that the wife has banned me from Bikes. I really would suggest keeping the Bike and the Sax separate and maximise enjoyment from both.

 

[kevgermany]

Ha yes you are probably right! but after riding for many years with 10's of thousands of miles under my belt I think the worst problem is other drivers as you can't control what they do!

I won't be put off from using my scooter though as it's what I like to do, I have quite a few trips coming up this year which involve hundreds of miles each, those are the journey's that are most challenging, but great fun! even though I get vibrated to pieces

As an ex-biker I can only say don't understimate the risks - it's not only serious back injuries that can cause the loss of use of your legs (and most other parts of the body below the break) but also vey nasty shoulder injuries which can cause the partial or complete loss of use of 1 or both arms. Get a carrier and stap it on.

 

[gladsaxisme]

Hi...STATISTICS...STATISTICS

The probable truth of those stats is that 99% of people on the road only ever use their vehicle to travel within a ten mile radius of where they live for 99%of the time, and also those people that never go anywhere are the worst drivers on the road so it's the most likely place for accidents to happen.

So if I were you I wouldn't worry too much about the long runs but get very scared when your getting near to home because all the accidents happen where you live. You must have some terrible drivers where you live.

Sorry can't help you with the rucksack but £165 seems a bit steep to me enjoy your riding

 

[JasonC]

Thanks Tom, that does look like a decent quality case/bag, I'll have a search around and see if I can find any other info/comments on it.
The price is a bit hefty but if it does the job well then I don't mind paying the price, it would also double as a normal case as well so it would replace the standard one I have already which is only very basic.

Also thanks for all the safety advice! I am aware that bikes are dangerous but it's not going to stop me from using one, not unless I crash and are no longer able to ride one at least. I understand what you are saying gladsaxisme but don't forget that on the long runs I will be passing through many peoples home towns which are just as dangerous as mine! or maybe not because my missus drives around in mine

 

[Taz]

As someone who has had to have a very "make do and mend" approach for many years, I understand your need to use whatever transport is available. Take on board all the safety advice from the others, I don't use bikes so I have no knowledge of the needs of a musical biker! However, I would suggest a good hard case into which your sax fits very snugly. It's your choice as to whether you attach it to yourself or the bike. Good luck with your search.

 

[old git]

Jason,
Neither bikes or cars are dangerous, it is what we or other people try to do with or to them. And that held true the two times I laid one on the road and the umpteen times I wasn't as good at trials, scrambling, enduro, grass tracking and road racing as I thought I was. Same on four wheels.

Have surrendered the licence as the eyes aint too good, declaring it to be forty-eight years of undiscovered crime. Also provides good excuse when reading music.

 

[jonf]

I'm with you on continuing to use the bike - I ride mine to and from work every day except when it's snowing, about 300 miles a week. I know the risks, and ride accordingly, and I'm going to continue to ride unless I'm physically unable to do so. The only reason for commenting about risks of backpacks is that I really don't like riding with anything on my bike.

I do sometimes take saxes on the back of my bike, and I strap them to the back seat, without any probs. I know that my bike (a massive BMW) is very different to yours, but I'd give some serious thought to fastening it to the back seat. Vespas do seem to rattle and vibrate a bit, but isolating the sax from the vibrations with extra foam inside the case might do the job. Just a thought.

Jon

 

[JasonC]

Hi Jon,

Yes I might look at getting a case that will allow me to strap it to the scooter instead, but the vibrations do worry me and I'm not sure adding some extra foam will help, I guess the only way to find out is to try it.

I do prefer attaching things to the bike instead of my back where possible as its a lot more comfortable for a start, but I have used a backpack when transporting my laptop because obviously this is a lot more delicate than most things, like the sax.

I will let you know how I get on, it wont be for a month or two anyway yet.

Thanks again.
Jason

 

[Luluna]

In the olden days of the 1970s, I used 2 bungee cords (one threaded through the case handle) to strap it to a rack on the back of my 10 speed bike. I looked like a giant dork, but it never fell off and worked like a charm.

 

[AlanU]

Your back is much more delicate than a Saxophone. Do not attach it to yourself.

The answer is to 'bungee' the case to a carrier fixed to the machine.
How bad can the vibrations be on a Vespa?

 

[AdamBradley]

Bad, they have next to nothing in place to dampen engine vibrations.

 

[JasonC]

Yes vibrations are very bad! I can only ride it for 30 mins max at a time otherwise I would be shook to death!

I'll have a look at some cases in the flesh I think and see if there are any good enough to dampen the vibrations, if not I'll stick to my original plan of plonking it on my back. Its a risk yes but so is just going out on the bike anyway.

 

[gladsaxisme]

Hi
like every one else I really think you should strap the sax to the bike there used to be a very relevant safety ad on the tele which used to say let the bike take the strain it might be before your time but the advice still holds good.

I think you may be worrying a bit too much about the vibrations affecting the sax and anyway it's all your own fault you should ave got a lambretta like wot I ad when I wos a Mod back in the day Muuuuuuch smoooover john