A Cannier has three pieces of strap, one upper strap, and two side straps. The three of them together are used to hold the lid in place. The upper strap is used as a handle, too.
Finding the right material
Use plastic textile straps. Look for a densely woven, stiff material. Ask for a strap that is UV resistant. Polypropylene (PP) is not UV resistant, and it is usually not densely woven so it deforms easily; not recommended, although it is the most common. Before you buy the strap, compare its weaving density with the ones on a decent backpack. If the strap you have found is looser and softer, try to find a better one.
If you manage to find a really dense, thick and stiff strap, it is ideal, but there is a chance it will not work well as side straps. Sometimes the stiffness of the strap gets it blocked in the strap adjuster, and makes it hard to fasten. In that case, you should find a thinner strap to use as side straps and keep the stiff one for the upper strap. For the Cannier set we use two different thicknesses as well.
We recommend 25 mm wide straps.
Length
The total length of the strap used for a Cannier will depend on the size of the can, but if you buy 2 m, it will be enough.
The side straps final length should be around 27-32 cm - depends on the size of the can, 27 cm probably fits 10 l cans, 32 cm probably fits 35 l cans, but best is to try. If you want to sew a hoop on the end, you will need to add the extra length needed for that. Sewing the hoop has two benefits: it makes it easier to tighten the lid, and the extra added weight to the end of the freely hanging strap will reduce vibrations generated by the wind. Without a hoop or some other weight added to the end of it, the strap can make a lot of noise as it hits the side of the Cannier.
The hoop:
For the length of the upper strap, take the length of the area covered by the strap on the lid, multiply by 2, and add 11 cm. (L*2+11 cm). If you use this length, the strap adjusters will be with their middle aligned with the lid's edge. If you'd like them lower (in case the lid is very short), or higher (if the lid reaches low), adjust accordingly.
The length of the area on the lid covered by the strap:
Punching holes
You will need to punch holes on the straps to be able to mount them with screws on the can. The edges of the holes should be heat-sealed. The same applies to the cuts. The simplest way of punching holes is to push a hot nail through the strap. The drawback is that the molten plastic is not removed, only pushed to the side, and it dries there, leaving the immediate area around the hole thicker than the rest of the strap. If you mount the straps like that, the screws will only press on the middle section of the strap (around the hole), not the whole width of the strap, generating uneven tension in the strap, deforming it with time. You could try using the hot nail to flatten those parts, but it will hardly give satisfactory results. The other way is to use a tube-shaped hot knife, which actually removes the material, by cutting out a circular piece from the strap, and then seals the edge. For a single use application like this, you could take a cable housing cap, and heat it with a pointy soldering iron. You can stick the pointy end of the soldering iron into the cable-hole of the cap, and press down on it like that, cutting the strap with the open end. A 15 w soldering iron will do.
Positioning the holes
Starting from the center of the upper strap, punch three holes at 7 cm, 10 cm and 13 cm away from the center, and repeat it on the other side. These hole distances are symmetrical with respect to the center. Then on both ends punch holes 1,5 cm and 4,5 cm away from the ends.
For the side straps you will need holes only on one end, 1,5 cm and 4,5 cm away from the end.
Screws
For the upper strap you will need the following, twice: M5 x 20 mm screw, an M5 nut with plastic blocking insert, 2 pcs 5,3 mm x 20 mm washers, 5,3 mm x 15 mm washer.
For the side strap you will need the following, twice: M5 x 12 mm screw, an M5 nut with plastic blocking insert, 2 pcs 5,3 mm x 20 mm washers.
We recommend using stainless screws.
A Cannier has three pieces of strap, one upper strap, and two side straps. The three of them together are used to hold the lid in place. The upper strap is used as a handle, too.
Finding the right material
Use plastic textile straps. Look for a densely woven, stiff material. Ask for a strap that is UV resistant. Polypropylene (PP) is not UV resistant, and it is usually not densely woven so it deforms easily; not recommended, although it is the most common. Before you buy the strap, compare its weaving density with the ones on a decent backpack. If the strap you have found is looser and softer, try to find a better one.
If you manage to find a really dense, thick and stiff strap, it is ideal, but there is a chance it will not work well as side straps. Sometimes the stiffness of the strap gets it blocked in the strap adjuster, and makes it hard to fasten. In that case, you should find a thinner strap to use as side straps and keep the stiff one for the upper strap. For the Cannier set we use two different thicknesses as well.
We recommend 25 mm wide straps.
Length
The total length of the strap used for a Cannier will depend on the size of the can, but if you buy 2 m, it will be enough.
The side straps final length should be around 27-32 cm - depends on the size of the can, 27 cm probably fits 10 l cans, 32 cm probably fits 35 l cans, but best is to try. If you want to sew a hoop on the end, you will need to add the extra length needed for that. Sewing the hoop has two benefits: it makes it easier to tighten the lid, and the extra added weight to the end of the freely hanging strap will reduce vibrations generated by the wind. Without a hoop or some other weight added to the end of it, the strap can make a lot of noise as it hits the side of the Cannier.
↓ The hoop:
For the length of the upper strap, take the length of the area covered by the strap on the lid, multiply by 2, and add 11 cm. (L*2+11 cm). If you use this length, the strap adjusters will be with their middle aligned with the lid's edge. If you'd like them lower (in case the lid is very short), or higher (if the lid reaches low), adjust accordingly.
↓ The length of the area on the lid covered by the strap:
Punching holes
You will need to punch holes on the straps to be able to mount them with screws on the can. The edges of the holes should be heat-sealed. The same applies to the cuts. The simplest way of punching holes is to push a hot nail through the strap. The drawback is that the molten plastic is not removed, only pushed to the side, and it dries there, leaving the immediate area around the hole thicker than the rest of the strap. If you mount the straps like that, the screws will only press on the middle section of the strap (around the hole), not the whole width of the strap, generating uneven tension in the strap, deforming it with time. You could try using the hot nail to flatten those parts, but it will hardly give satisfactory results. The other way is to use a tube-shaped hot knife, which actually removes the material, by cutting out a circular piece from the strap, and then seals the edge. For a single use application like this, you could take a cable housing cap, and heat it with a pointy soldering iron. You can stick the pointy end of the soldering iron into the cable-hole of the cap, and press down on it like that, cutting the strap with the open end. A 15 w soldering iron will do.
Positioning the holes
Starting from the center of the upper strap, punch three holes at 7 cm, 10 cm and 13 cm away from the center, and repeat it on the other side. These hole distances are symmetrical with respect to the center. Then on both ends punch holes 1,5 cm and 4,5 cm away from the ends.
For the side straps you will need holes only on one end, 1,5 cm and 4,5 cm away from the end.
Screws
For the upper strap you will need the following, twice: M5 x 20 mm screw, an M5 nut with plastic blocking insert, 2 pcs 5,3 mm x 20 mm washers, 5,3 mm x 15 mm washer.
For the side strap you will need the following, twice: M5 x 12 mm screw, an M5 nut with plastic blocking insert, 2 pcs 5,3 mm x 20 mm washers.
We recommend using stainless screws.
© rackhackers srl - Romania, CUI 46317393, reg. com. J5/1713/2022
Terms and Conditions | Privacy Policy | Refund and Returns | Consumer Protection (ANPC)
© rackhackers srl - Romania, CUI 46317393, reg. com. J5/1713/2022
Terms and Conditions | Privacy Policy | Refund and Returns | Consumer Protection (ANPC)