So, where to from here?

Many bag manufacturers are now offering stabilized bikepacking bags and harnesses that promise a better user experience.

After trading in the rack and pannier set up, adding rack supports back on your bike may seem like you’ve come full circle. But there are a few reasons why it makes sense to offer stabilized bikepacking bags, past keeping them still.

Note: This article was originally published in 2018 but has now been updated in March 2022.

The Advantages of Stabilized Bikepacking Bags

Cable Clearance
Regular bikepacking handlebar packs naturally rest against the shift and brake cables of your bike. Unless you’re running really long cables, you might be hampering the performance of your brakes and gears. A stabilized handlebar pack will allow you to lift the load off your cables to prevent any performance hindrances.

Reducing Paint Rub
Handlebar packs often have a strap that fits the headtube of your frame to keep it in place. Over time, this strap will have a go at your paint, along with any other parts of the handlebar pack that are touching your frame. The obvious answer is to fit some clear tape to your headtube so that your paint doesn’t get scuffed, but that’s not necessary with a stabilized bag set up.

Eliminating Front Bag Squeak
Along with regular handlebar packs rubbing on your frame, they can also make an infuriating squeak as you slowly turn your handlebars. You can have a squeak-free bike by using a stabilized front bag.

Eliminating Bag Sway
Ahh, the dreaded tail wag of a bikepacking seat pack. The more modern seat packs are pretty good at eliminating this, but with a sloppy pack job, even the best will wiggle around a bit. Stabilized seat packs use rack supports to ensure that your rear load is stable at all times.

Clearance
Sometimes the gap between your seat and tyre, or handlebar and tyre is limited. This often means fitting smaller diameter bags with reduced capacities. Many of the stabilized bags increase this clearance by allowing you to lift a handlebar pack higher, or by cinching down a drybag further back behind the saddle.

The Disadvantages of Stabilized Bikepacking Bags

Fragility
The biggest downside to a stabilized system is that they’re way more susceptible to damage. If you come off your bike or accidentally drop it, you can damage the somewhat fragile rack supports (your bags will be fine). Some products listed here are more durable than others – before buying, it’s prudent to research whether these products are lasting the test of time. I normally search the name of a product plus ‘broken’ or ‘cracked’ into a search engine (eg. ‘Arkel Seatpacker broken’).

Extra Weight
While most handlebar and seat packs are in the 300-450 gram range, the stabilized gear is anything from 400-1500 grams, but more often than not, it’s >600 grams. This may be a concern for those who are racing but won’t make much of a difference to your overall pack weight otherwise.

Front Stabilized Bikepacking Bags and Harnesses

Aeroe Spider Cradle // 479 grams or 170z (without dry bag)
The Aeroe Spider harness allows you to attach any drybag you like to your handlebar, although Aeroe sells a dry bag with webbing in the right spots to suit the harness straps. The maximum luggage weight on this harness is 5kg/11lbs.

Arkel Rollpacker 15 and 25 // 680-748 grams or 24-26oz
This dual-access bag has an accessory bag attached to the front, and it’s all supported with two arms that swoop under the bag to hold it in place. It’s available in either a 15-litre or a rather monstrous 25-litre configuration suited to flat bars. The maximum capacity is 7kg/15lbs.

Blackburn Outpost Elite Handlebar Roll // 795 grams or 28oz
The original Blackburn Outpost was one of the first stabilized bags. The latest version, the Outpost Elite, uses a plastic handlebar mount to attach the harness, and once your drybag is locked in place, two straps keep your bag riding high. The drybag that is provided with the Outpost Elite is 14 litres and the system has a maximum load capacity of 3.6kg/8lbs.

PDW Gear Belly // 1026 grams or 36oz
The Gear Belly uses a handlebar mount to secure the harness in place. It offers cinching straps on both the inside and outside of the harness which ensures your drybag is going nowhere. The Gear Belly without a dry bag is 850g, and it’s 1026g with a Revelate Saltyroll with a 15-litre capacity. The cradle has a 7kg/15lbs capacity.

Salsa EXP Series Anything Cradle Top or Side Load // 640 grams or 23oz
The Salsa Anything Cradle is one of two products that will easily fit a front accessory pouch for a phone, wallet or food. There are two models to choose from: the “Top-Load” is a rolltop drybag that is suitable for drop bars as the bag width is fixed, and the “Side-Load” is a conventional dual-access dry bag. The volume works out to be a touch smaller on the Top-Load model (12.7L vs 13.7L). The handlebar mount can support up to 3.6kg/8lbs and will fit onto 31.8mm or 35.0mm diameter handlebars.

Swood Twisted T-Bar + BXB Goldback Bag // ~1100 grams or 39oz
The Twisted T-Bar takes up a headset spacer slot to support a front bag like the Bags x Bird Goldback you see pictured. As this is a new product, I’m keen to see whether it’s tough enough for long-term off-road use.

Vap Cycling Butterfly 2 // 660 grams or 23oz
Vap Cycling recently unveiled a neat stabilized harness kit to hold a drybag. The mounting kit includes an aluminium structure (two different lengths) that bolts to your handlebar and offers four points for the sling to grab on. The front section doubles as a light and GPS mount, or alternatively, a location for some bar-ends should you be using the optional aero bar elbow pads. The harness is made from a non-slip fabric called ‘Rubbotex’ which is used in the nautical industry, and it’s reinforced with two glass fibre sticks to keep the harness rigid even when not fully filled. The mounting kit and harness weigh in at 490g, which is boosted up to 660g when using the 11-litre dry bag.

Vincita Strada Handlebar Bag // 1.1 kilograms or 2.4lbs
Little known Thai brand Vincita produce a really neat harness called the Strada, which uses a Klickfix handlebar mount to attach and remove your harness from your bike. The supplied dry bag is relatively small at 8.9-litres, but the harness will fit a 15-litre dry bag if you use a flat handlebar.

WZRD Ritual Rack LITE // ~1.2 kilograms or 2.7lbs
The Ritual Rack handlebar is custom made by WZRD Bikes and integrates a dry bag cradle into the handlebar itself. This option is not cheap at all – expect around US $400 for a bar built to your every specification.

Rear Stabilized Bikepacking Bags

Aeroe Spider Rack // 971 grams or 28oz
This seatstay-mounted rack allows you to cinch a drybag to the top as well as up to two Aeroe “Quick Mount Pods” on either side. The rack will support a rather hefty 16kg/35lbs.

Arkel Seatpacker 9 and 15 // 640-720 grams or 23-25oz
The Seatpacker is the narrow bikepacking seat pack option by Arkel. It uses a mini-rack that mounts to both the seatpost and saddle rails to ensure the bag is free from tail wag. Given the design, it can be mounted to a dropper seatpost too if you’re that way inclined. The Seatpacker is available in 9 and 15-litre sizes and will handle 5kg/13lbs.

Note: A friend’s Arkel mini-rack snapped on the Baja Divide route. It’s worth researching whether this product has been recently updated, or alternatively, keep some hose clamps on hand.

Arkel Rollpacker 15 and 25 // 817-900 grams or 29-32oz
The same front Rollpacker bags can be used on the rear too, but you’ll need to purchase the quick-release saddle rack. If you have a limited distance between your saddle and tyre, you can mount these 15 or 25-litre bags on top of the rack (pictured) but if you’ve got ample clearance, hang it underneath the rack for a lower centre of gravity. The maximum capacity of this system is 7kg/15lbs.

Blackburn Outpost Elite Seat Pack // 572 grams or 20oz
The Outpost Elite uses a metal structure that mounts to the saddle rails to minimise bag sway. As the rack does not connect to the seatpost, it makes the Outpost Elite suitable for both dropper seatposts and carbon seatposts too. The maximum capacity is 4.8kg/11lbs.

Carradice Bikepacking Seat Pack // 600 grams or 21oz
This 12-16 litre seat pack (and the specially seat-rail-mounted rack) is made by Carradice, who have been making bike bags for almost a century. It’s available in black, neon or camo and will comfortably carry 3kg/6.6lbs. For heavier loads (6kg/13.2lbs) you can connect a compression strap from the saddle rails to the tab on the underside of the bag to ensure it gets the right support.

Carradice Super C with Bagman QR Support // 1.5kg or 3.3lbs
Carradice have been making canvas saddle bags for a very long time, and there are now more than a dozen models to choose from. These saddle bags can mount directly into the saddle loops behind Brooks saddles, but it’s recommended to use Carradice’s stabilizing rack (called the Bagman QR) that keeps your bag stable and allows you to install or remove the bag in seconds. The Bagman QR support (pictured) is good for up to 10kg/22lbs but is not rated for off-road use.

PDW Bindle Rack // 350 grams or 13oz
The Bindle Rack is a popular option for those with minimal clearance between their seat and tyre. You can use the included straps to cinch down a drybag such as the Revelate Terrapin pictured here. The maximum capacity is 5kg/12lbs and is not able to be used with carbon seatposts.

Rockgeist Mr. Fusion Seat Pack // 560 grams or 20oz
The Mr. Fusion seat packs consist of a dry bag and harness system that’s supported by a mini-rack. You can get the dry bags in large (8-12 litres) or XL size (10-15 litres). The mini-rack is not suitable for carbon seatposts.

Roswheel Off-Road Seat Pack // 600 grams or 21oz
Roswheel makes medium and large-sized seat packs (8-litre or 15-litre) that are suitable for off-road riding. A 27.2mm or 31.6mm diameter support rack keeps everything stable, but like similar rack designs – these are not suitable for carbon seatposts.

Tailfin AeroPack Carbon and Alloy // 600-780 grams or 21-27oz
The AeroPack is a little different because the rack connects at both the seatpost and rear axle. The included 20-litre dry bag ends up sitting on top of the rack where you’d normally find a standard seat pack. Two long cinching straps allow you to expand your volume even further if you need to by adding an extra drybag as pictured. Given the solid rack design, the Tailfin is good for 12kg/26lbs.

Topeak Backloader X Seat Pack + Backloader Wishbone // 723 grams or 25oz
The Backloader X harness is designed to be used in conjunction with the optional Topeak Backloader Wishbone. With the harness connected to the stabilizer, bag sway is significantly reduced. A neat feature is the bottle cage mounts on either side of the Wishbone that add extra water capacity. The Topeak bikepacking harness is available with either 10 or 15-litre dry bags.

VAP Cycling Kangaroo Seat Pack // ~600 grams or 21oz
VAP Cycling makes a rear bikepacking harness with lower rack support. The system comes with a 15-litre dry bag and you can get the Kangaroo rack for 27.2mm, 30.9mm or 31.6mm diameter seatposts. This bag/rack combo is not suitable for carbon seatposts.

Other Bikepacking Bag Stabilizers and Protectors

Stabilizers: Woho, Topeak, Williamly, ECYC, Rhinowalk, Minoura
These products are designed to stabilize any seat pack you like, but please note: they get mixed reviews regarding whether they do an effective job. Woho came up with this rather simple stabilizing bracket that has now been copied by a handful of manufacturers. These brackets mount directly to your saddle rails and cradle either side of your seat pack to stop bag way. The bottle cage mounts on either side of the bracket are a bonus.

Rockgeist Armadillo Dry Bag Protector
And lastly, you can simply mount a rack to your bike and strap down a dry bag using rubber straps. If you are planning to do this, please protect your dry bag from wearing against your rack on bumpy roads. Rockgeist makes a bag protector called the Armadillo. Alternatively, you could cut some plastic to separate your dry bag fabric from the metal rack.

Click HERE to see the complete list of bikepacking bag manufacturers and HERE for my roll-top, basket bag and saddlebag resource.

The post The BEST Stabilized Bikepacking Bags & Harnesses (With Rack Supports) appeared first on CYCLINGABOUT.

This is actually not the first time Lidl has offered incredibly cheap bike gear. These new bikepacking bags sell alongside £9.99 panniers (each), £6.99 floor pumps and £4.99 travel floor pumps.

So are these bikepacking bags actually worth buying?

NewBoler, Roswheel, Sahoo, Pod Sacs

The supplier who is making bikepacking bags for Lidl is also making bags for half a dozen other brands (most well-known on Aliexpress and Amazon). All of the bikepacking bags produced vary slightly, in both materials and features. The Lidl bikepacking gear definitely looks to be the cheapest in quality, with very simple clips, low-cost bag attachments and fewer straps overall.

Given that virtually the same products have been out in the wild for many years now, we have a pretty good idea if these products are worth a try.

Should You Buy The Crivit Bikepacking Handlebar Harness?

Maybe, on sealed roads preferably.

The Crivit Handlebar Harness looks to use a lower-quality fabric and less webbing than any of the other similar options. The main issue with this bag is that the handlebar straps don’t actually do a good job of providing a firm bag fit to your handlebars because there is a gap between the webbing and harness fabric. Some users have resorted to using an extra strap around the harness to pull the entire dry bag inward for a proper fit.

Essentially, the bag will hold onto your bars, but it will be a floppy. This may not be too much of an issue on sealed roads, but it will be really annoying on the dirt. The bag also doesn’t have any handlebar strap spacers, so expect it to rob you of the inner hand hold of your drop bar.

Specs:
Waterproof dry bag
L49 x W15cm
9L Capacity (Closed)
4.5kg Capacity

Should You Buy The Crivit Bikepacking Seat Pack?

Nah, it’s terrible.

NewBoler makes a similar seat pack to the Crivit, and it’s a hunk of junk. Well, it works… but the seat post strap is not adequately grippy, which results in the bag slowly slipping upwards towards the seat, tilting the rear of the bag down towards the wheel. The seat rail straps also like to cut into the soft bag material (especially after a few uses) which further tilts the bag towards your wheel (HERE is a pic of what I mean).

Should you have a magically grippy seatpost and you pack your bag well – you will still have to deal with some bag wag. If you’re looking for a bombproof budget option, just strap a dry bag to an aluminium rack.

Specs:
Waterproof
L58 x W29.5 x H14cm
8L Capacity (Closed)
5kg Capacity

Should You Buy The Crivit Bikepacking Frame Pack?

Yeah, if the dimensions are ok (40cm under your top tube).

If I were buying any bikepacking gear from Lidl, this would be it. It’s 2-litre half-frame pack that is seam-sealed with a waterproof zip. In general, the fabrics used look like they’ll handle some abuse – just be careful with that zipper, especially around the mud.

Specs: 
Waterproof
L40 x W5 x H10.5cm
2L Capacity
2kg Capacity

You Can See A List Of Bikepacking Bag Manufacturers HERE

The post Should You Buy The World’s Cheapest Bikepacking Bags For £9.99!? appeared first on CYCLINGABOUT.

Not to worry, we are living in a time when bag options for bikes are seemingly endless!

Note: This article was originally published in Sept 2018 but has been updated in Feb 2020.

The Benefits of A High-Rider Bag Setup

Volume doesn’t need to be a priority.
It’s pretty easy to get more than 50 litres out of a front and rear bag. Add in a full-sized frame pack and you’ll be good for a multi-year trip! In addition, high-rider bags will fit cheaper camping gear, as well as products that use less-packable synthetic insulation.

Easy access.
These bags mostly employ roll-closures, small clips and zippers to make access to your gear very quick and easy. They also open up super wide so that you can dig around and re-organise gear without removing anything from the bag.

Narrower and more aerodynamic than panniers.
Panniers have a large surface area that slows you down more than a set of bikepacking bags (I’ve calculated 6-8% slower at my cycling speeds). While high-rider bags are a bit bigger than bikepacking bags, they should still work out a couple of percent faster than panniers.

Higher from the ground than panniers.
If you’re cycling on rocky trails, through ruts or past a whole bunch of tightly-packed shrubs you’ll know that ground clearance is key. A high-rider setup gives you all the ground clearance you’ll ever need.

The Physics of A High-Rider Setup

The weight distribution of gear on your bike has a pretty dramatic effect on the way your bike handles.

A low centre of gravity is the most ideal characteristic for maintaining stable bike handling with a load. This principle calls for any weight associated with your bike to be distributed low. That’s why panniers are so great for bike travel; they allow your gear to be distributed as low as practically possible.

High-rider bags, on the other hand, are arguably the worst place you can carry gear because the weight is distributed at the highest possible points.

That said, most bikes will still handle a high-rider setup perfectly fine, provided you pack light. I’d suggest around 10kg/22lbs front and rear as an ideal maximum. If you do have more weight, consider adding a frame pack, a set of cargo cages or some bikepacking panniers so that you don’t need to compromise your bikes handling any further.

At the front of the bike, high-rider bags have a greater impact on your steering than panniers or cargo cages. This is because the weight is distributed in front of the steering axis. When you turn your bars, a high-rider bag has to move around a larger steering arc, resulting in both heavier steering and exaggerated effects of ‘wheel flop’. This basically means that your handlebars will constantly want to pull to the side while you ride at low speeds, requiring some extra effort to keep the bike in a straight line.

Wide handlebars are key in managing the steering effects of high-rider front bags, especially if you’re lugging closer to 10kg/22lb. The additional steering leverage will not only make your steering lighter and more precise, but it will provide additional clearance for larger volume high-rider bags too. Pick some handlebars wider than 600mm if you can, which is almost all flat or riser handlebars. The Curve Walmer is a great option if you prefer drops.

The Quirks of Wide Rear Saddlebags

If you spend time riding steeper off-road routes, you will likely find that a wide saddlebag will get in the way of your thighs when you need to shift your body weight backwards. I’ve found that for anything steep, regular bikepacking seat packs or bikepacking panniers like the Revelate Nanos are the better options.

I’ve also found that rolltop saddlebags need to be used in combination with either a rear rack supports like the Carradice Expedition or a mini rack like the adjustable Nitto R14 Rivendell. These lightweight racks will both prevent thigh rub and give you the best rough road stability. Saddlebags are a borderline pass on smooth roads without a support, but you’ll likely have to put up with a bit of bag sway and thigh rub.

Rolltop Bags (>20-Litres)

CARRADICE CAMPER LONGFLAP // 23L and £94
The Camper Longflap has been around for longer than I’ve been alive. It was originally designed around Brooks saddles as they have two rear loops which fit the bag’s adjustable straps, but these days you can find saddle loop adapters from Velo Orange and Hobo Pieces to suit your preferred saddle. Most people prefer to use the Carradice bags with a support to reduce any bag wag. Check out the supports by Carradice, Yellow Bird Society or Ocean Air Cycles. If you head off-road, you will want to support this bag with a minimal rear rack. Check out suitable rack options from Tubus, Nitto, Surly, Thule, Tumbleweed and Velo Orange.

ROADRUNNER JUMBO JAMMER // 26L and US $215
The Jumbo Jammer is a positively massive bag at 26 litres. It’ll fit on your handlebars or behind your saddle. You may like to support this bag with a minimal front or rear rack, especially if you head off-road. Check out some suitable rack options from Tubus, Nitto, RatKing, Surly, Thule and Velo Orange. The Ratking and Thule seem to sit the tallest.

RON’S BIKES FABIO’S CHEST LARGE // 30-44L and US $279
Fabio’s Chest is the largest handlebar/seat pack made by Swift Industries – it expands all the way to 44 litres as seen in the picture above. This is one super-wide bag, so make sure you’ve got the drop bars to match if that’s your style (I like the Curve Walmer 55 or 60cm). The way the Fabio’s Chest mounts to the rear is via some 9″ Titan Straps which are threaded through your saddle loops. Don’t have any saddle loops on your seat? No problem. Hobo Pieces makes the Restuvus loop adapter and Velo Orange makes some more affordable aftermarket Saddle Loops. You will want to support this bag with a minimal rear rack, especially if you head off-road. Check out some suitable rack options from Tubus, Nitto, Surly, Thule, Tumbleweed and Velo Orange.

TRIBULUS LIMITED ENDOVER // 22L+ and US $195
The Endover is a 22-litre+ handlebar pack that’s only 445 grams! For comparison, that’s about 30-50% of the weight of comparable bags. It mounts to the bike via six straps, two of which are clips that allow you to access the goods in your bag. Keep in mind that this bag requires a bit more handlebar-to-tyre clearance than most handlebar packs, given its sheer size. Many people like to support this bag with a minimal front rack – check out some rando rack options from Nitto, Surly and Velo Orange.

WIZARD WORKS SHAZAM! // 20L+ and £179
The Shazam! rolltop uses a hard shell 1000d Cordura outer with bright yellow waterproof nylon inner. A lightweight aluminium length is used in place of the traditional wooden dowel to keep the bag in shape, meaning it will go on even the gnarliest trails. The Shazam! can fit directly onto your handlebars, or if you prefer it as a saddlebag, is has been designed specifically around the Carradice Expedition support.

Oversized Bikepacking Bags (>20-Litres)

ARKEL ROLLPACKER FRONT & REAR // 25L and US $200-225
In a class of their own are these super neat 25-litre handlebar (or seat) packs and matching racks to keep everything stable. The racks themselves require no tools to add/remove them from your bike. If you have lots of exposed seatpost, you can hang the rear Rollpacker upside down to lower its centre of gravity. The front bag and rack weighs in at just 748 grams while the rear version is 930 grams.

Basket Bags (>20-Litres)

DARK REALM WALD BASKET BAG // 20L+ and US $100
The Dark Realm bags are also designed around the Wald 137 & 139 baskets but can mount to a front porteur rack using some adjustable straps. Dark Realm uses some pretty funky material patterns to give your bike a bit of character – check out the hand-dyed xpac option!

PORCELAIN ROCKET MEANWHILE // 20L+ and US $60
PR has recently introduced a seam-welded bag designed specifically to fit the Wald 137 & 139 baskets. Two simple clips on either side of the bag loop into the basket to keep it in place. As these bags are quick and easy to make, PR only charges you US $60 for one.

WIZARD WORKS ALAKAZAM! // 20L+ and £170
The Alakazam! is available in two sizes and designed to fit the Wald 137 and 139 baskets. It will unroll and expand out vertically to ~40 litres, closing with some pop buttons and staying in the one place thanks to two straps that loop over the top.

RESTRAP BASKET BAG LARGE // 30L+ and £65
Restrap makes three different basket bags with zipper closures. The size large is designed to fit snugly in the Wald 157 basket, and the size medium pairs with the Wald 139 (but it’s a bit less than 20 litres). It’s worth noting the Wald 157 basket alone weighs a whopping 3.5kg/7.8lbs, so perhaps keep this setup away from any hills!

Porteur Rack Bags (>20-Litres)

OUTER SHELL ADVENTURE RACK BAG // 20L+ and US $220
The Adventure Rack Bag is custom-made to suit different porteur rack models by Pass and Stow, Velo Orange, Soma, Surly, Origin8, Specialized and Rawland. You can add the decaleur kit if you’re planning some off-road use.

LAPLANDER PORTEUR BAG // 30L+ and US $245
These positively gigantic porteur bags are designed specifically to fit the Velo Orange Porteur rack. The retro styling is a bit of a favourite for those with older steel bikes and wool jerseys.

ORIGIN8 RUSH MESSENGER PORTEUR BAG // 20-38L and US $54
The best value item on this list is the Rush Messenger flat rack pack! It’s designed specifically around the Origin8 front porteur racks, and when empty, will fold fully flat. This roll-top bag ain’t waterproof, so you might want to throw the important stuff into dry bags if you’re heading out into wet conditions.

SURLY PORTEUR HOUSE BAG // 20L+ and US $125
The Porteur House bag is ideally designed to fit the Surly 24-Pack Rack but will fit other similar sized racks too. While the outer material isn’t waterproof, there’s a waterproof liner inside the bag to keep all of your gear dry. The 24-Pack rack isn’t particularly light at 860 grams, and only really fits Surly forks, but it’s strong enough to handle up to 13.6kg (30lbs).

SWIFT INDUSTRIES POLARIS PORTEUR BAG // 20L and US $237
Designed around the Velo Orange Porteur front rack, the custom Polaris has been seen on bikes for about a decade. Over this time it has been refined to be durable, functional and stylish. The 20-litre bag comes in at 910 grams.

INSIDE LINE EQUIPMENT PORTEUR RACK BAG // 20-42L and US $180-200
The waterproof Porteur Rackbag has an insanely big max volume of 42L with the included tie down straps! It can be fitted to a Pass & Stow, Velo Orange, Soma or Cetma rack via two underneath straps. It’s available in a waxed cotton canvas or Cordura nylon exterior.

Rear Rolltop Aero Bags (>20-Litres)

TAILFIN AEROPACK // 20L + 5L (dry bag) and £169 (inc alloy rack)
While most trunk style bags offer around 10L of storage, the Tailfin AeroPack has longer dimensions which help it offer double the volume – but keep in mind you need to have a relatively high seat to achieve the maximum volume. Two long cinching straps allow you to expand your volume even further by adding a drybag to the top. These all-in-one bag and racks are designed to fit almost any bike. The AeroPack Aluminium rack/bag combo weighs in at 910 grams and the Carbon model at 800 grams.

Why Not Check Out More Bag Lists? Stabilized Bikepacking Bags, Bikepacking Panniers and Bikepacking Bag Manufacturers

The post All About High-Rider Saddlebags, Rolltop Bags & Basket Bags appeared first on CYCLINGABOUT.

Why Should You Use Bikepacking Bags?

1. They will fit almost any bike – just strap them on, fill them up and you’re away.
2. They’re light – a full system is typically under 1000 grams, less than the weight of a single pannier.
3. They encourage you to pack light – this means you can cycle uphill faster and reduce the wear on your bike parts.

I’ve created this list to showcase all bikepacking bag manufacturers, products and prices, so you to make the most informed purchasing decision possible. The only problem is that there are so many great products! 

It’s worth noting that you usually get what you pay for. The more expensive bags are made with top-notch materials, a choice of colours and can usually be custom-tailored to your bike.

This article was originally published in June 2015 but has been updated in Dec 2019.

Bikepacking Bags By Country

Argentina

Asgard Equipamiento

Top Tube Bags // 0.5L, 1.5L – US $9-20
Stem Bags // 1L – US $23
Seat Packs // 4L, 14L – US $18-46
Frame Bags // Custom – US $23-29
Handlebar Harnesses // 20L – US $29

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Australia

Bike Bag Dude

Top Tube Bags // Two Sizes – AUD $100-120
Stem Bags // One Size – AUD $60
Anything Cage Bags // One Size – AUD $90
Frame Bags // Custom Sizes – AUD $220-350
Handlebar Harnesses // One Size – AUD $80
Handlebar Rolls // Four Sizes – AUD $150-210

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Terra Rosa Gear

Frame Bags // Custom – from AUD $220-$320
Handlebar Packs // Custom – from AUD $150
Seat Packs // Two Sizes – from AUD $165-220
Top Tube Bags // Two Sizes – AUD $95

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Treadlite

Half Frame Packs // S, M, L – AUD $125
Full Frame Packs // Custom – AUD $200
Top Tube Bags // Two Sizes – AUD $65-$75
Stem Bags // One Size – AUD $45

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Brazil

Aresta

Top Tube Bags // 1L – US $17
Stem Bags // 1.5L – US $20
Frame Packs // Custom Sizes – US $54
Handlebar Sling // One Size – US $54
Seat Packs // 12L – US $61

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Canada

Atwater

Stem Bags // One Size – CAD $65
Full Frame Packs // Custom – CAD $148
Seat Packs // 11L – CAD $209
Top Tube Bags // One Size – CAD $48

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Arkel

Seat Packs // 9L, 15L, 25L – CAD $240-$300
Handlebar Packs // 15L, 25L – CAD $240-$260

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Porcelain Rocket (Now Rockgeist)

Frame Packs // Seven Sizes – CAD $250
Seat Packs // 12L, 15L – CAD $240
Handlebar Harnesses // One Size (inc pocket) – CAD $160

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Phantom Packs

Top Tube Bags // Two Sizes – CAD $63-67
Frame Packs // Custom – CAD $115-189
Seat Packs // 6L, 8L, 12L – CAD $110-125
Handlebar Packs // 8L – CAD $100

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Chile

Akatanga

Frame Bags // Custom
Seat Packs // Custom
Handlebar Packs // Custom
Accessory Bags // Custom
Top Tube Bags // Custom

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Choike

Frame Packs // Custom – 55000 to 134000 CLP
Half Frame Packs // 2.6L, 3.1L – 44000 to 46000 CLP
Handlebar Harnesses + Drybag // 10L, 15L – 35000 CLP
Anything Cage Bag // 6L – 16000 CLP
Seat Packs // 7L, 10L, 15L – 47000 to 65000 CLP
Stem Bags // 1L, 2L – 15000 to 25000 CLP
Top Tube Bags // 1.2L – 25000 CLP

See the bikepacking bags HERE

China

Azur

Handlebar Packs // 9.5L – US $45
Seat Packs // 8.1L – US $60

Newboler

Seat Packs // 10L, 12L – US $19-29
Handlebar Harnesses // 7L – US $19
Frame Bags // Half, Full – US $10-25
Top Tube Bags // S, M – US $11-13

Rockbros

Seat Packs // 14L – US $56
Frame Bags // 8L – US $10-25

Rhinowalk

Seat Packs // 10L – US $53
Frame Bags // Half – US $27
Top Tube Bags // 0.8L – US $20

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Roswheel

Handlebar Packs // 9L, 15L – US $93-113
Half Frame Packs // 6 Sizes – US $77-$100
Top Tube Bags // 0.5L, 0.75L, 1L – US $40-53
Seat Packs // 8L, 17L – US $120-147
Stem Bags // 1L – US $47
Top Tube Bags // 1.5L – US $35

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Czech Republic

AcePac

Top Tube Bags // 0.7L, 0.8L, 1.2L – US $23-$36
Stem Bags // Three Sizes – US $18-24
Half Frame Packs // Two Sizes – US $50-$68
Seat Packs // 16L – US $87
Handlebar Packs // 16L – US $78
Accessory Packs // 5L – US $61

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Author

Frame Packs // 1.7L, 2.7L, 2.7L
Seat Packs // 12L
Top Tube Bags // 1L, 2L

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Everbike

Handlebar Packs // 12L, 15L – €75
Top Tube Bags // 0.4, 0.8L – €35
Stem Bags // 0.7L – €39
Seat Packs // 8L, 12L – €73

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Sport Arsenal

Frame Packs // 2.6L, 3.8L – €18-€24
Handlebar Packs // 10L – €33-€77
Seat Packs // 8L, 11L, 15L -€33-€82
Top Tube Bags // 1.5L, 2.5L – €51

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Estonia

Bikepacking Estonia

Top Tube Bags // One Size – €35
Full Frame Packs // Custom
Half Frame Packs // Custom

See the bikepacking bags HERE

France

Copra

Top Tube Packs // 2L – €70
Half Frame Packs // Custom – €120

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Helmut Equipement

Stem Bags // 1.3L – €60
Half Frame Packs // 2.7L, 3.5L, 4.5L – €115-€120
Anything Bags (2) // 3.5L – €205
Top Tube Packs // 0.6L, 1.4L – €90-€115

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Germany

Burgfyr

Frame Bags // Two Sizes + Custom – €58-€119
Handlebar Packs // One Size – €110
Stem Bags // 1.7L, 2.4L – €23-€48
Top Tube Bags // One Size – €48

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Ghost

Handlebar Packs // One Size
Accessory Packss // One Size
Seat Packs // One Size
Frame Packs // Three Sizes

Gramm Tourpacking

Seat Packs // 8L, 12L – €100-€220
Handlebar Packs // 7.5L – €300
Frame Bags // Custom – €180-220
Anything Cage Bag // 8L – €100
Top Tube Bags // 0.4L, 1L, 1.2L – €70-€120
Porteur Bags // 10L, 11L, 12L – €300-€340

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Ortlieb

Seat Packs // 11L, 16.5L – US $160-$175
Handlebar Packs // 9L, 15L – US $140-$160
Accessory Packs // 3.5L – US $80
Frame Packs // 4L, 6L – US $135-$150
Half Frame Packs // 4L – US $150
Top Tube Packs // 0.8L – US $65

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Vaude

Seat Packs // 12L – €100
Handlebar Packs // 19L – €90
Fork Bags // 5L – €40
Frame Packs // 8L – €75
Top Tube Packs // 5L – €50

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Italy

Kicking Donkey

Stem Bags (2) // 1L – €39-€50
Half Frame Packs // Custom – €70-€80
Full Frame Packs // Custom – €100-€120
Handlebar Packs // 3.3L, 8L, 18L – €59-€159
Seat Packs // 12L, 17L – €89-€105
Top Tube Bags //1L – €39-€44
Down Tube Bags // 1L, 1.5L – €39-€45

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Miss Grape

Half Frame Packs // 3L, 4L, 5L – €75-€105
Seat Packs // 13L, 20L – €139-€149
Stem Packs // 1L – €45
Top Tube Packs // 1L – €55-€60
Handlebar Packs // 10L, 17L – €115

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Rusjan

Frame Packs // Custom – €208-€270
Handlebar Packs // Four Sizes – €195-€230
Seat Packs // 6L, 8L, 12L, 17L – €160-€214
Top Tube Bags // 1L, Custom – €150-€210

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Japan

Fairweather

Half Frame Packs // 1.7L, 2L, 3.5L – US $49-81
Handlebar Packs // 15L – US $139-$147
Stem Bags // 1L – US $46-$52
Seat Packs // 6L – US $132-$138

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Wanderlust Equipment

Frame Packs // Custom – ¥8800

See the bikepacking bags HERE

The Netherlands

BBB

Half Frame Packs // 4L – €40
Seat Packs // 10L – €80
Handlebar Packs // 10L – €60
Stem Bags // 0.95L – €20
Top Tube Bags // 0.55L, 0.75L – €30-€50

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Custom Merit Gear

Full Framebag // Custom // €120-200
Half Framebag // Custom // €80-140
Handlebar Harness and Dyneema Dry Sack – €120 (€80 + €40)
Dyneema Dry Sack // Custom – From €25

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Radical Design

Seat Packs // One Size – €190
Front Loader // 29L – €275

See the bikepacking bags HERE

TimTas

Handlebar Packs // 20L+ – €99
Frame Packs // Custom – €90
Seat Packs // 8L – €90
Stem Bags // 1L – €38

See the bikepacking bags HERE

New Zealand

Cactus Outdoor

Handlebar Harnesses + Dry Bag // 15L – NZ $139
Seat Packs // 10L – NZ $179
Top Tube Bags // 1L – NZ $89
Stem Bags // 1L – NZ $49

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Dancing Moose

Handlebar Harnesses // 20L – NZ $188
Seat Packs // 15L – NZ $222
Frame Packs // Custom – NZ $230
Top Tube Bags // 0.8L, 1.5L – NZ $89-$96
Accessory Bags // 2L – NZ $76

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Robo Kiwi

Handlebar Harnesses // 12-20L – NZ $169-$179
Seat Packs // 14L – NZ $189-$199
Frame Bags // Custom – NZ $169-$189
Top Tube Bags // 0.8L, 1.9L – NZ $64-$74
Stem Bags // 0.9L – NZ $49-69
Accessory Bags // 2L – NZ $59

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Stealth Bike Bags

Frame Bags // Custom – NZ $220
Seat Packs // 8L, 10L – NZ $195-$170
Handlebar Packs // 7.5L, 9L – NZ $145
Handlebar Harnesses // One Size – NZ $145
Accessory Packs // 2L – NZ $65

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Poland

BikePack

Top Tube Bags // One Size, Custom – US $23-$27
Frame Packs // Custom – US $80-$103
Handlebar Harnesses + Drybag // 12L – US $65
Seat Packs // 5L, 11L – US $60-$86
Stem Bags // 1L – US $26
Accessory Packs // 3.5L – US $34

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Jack Pack

Top Tube Bags // 0.35L, 0.45L, 1L – US $18-$26
Frame Packs // 2.5L, 4.5L, 6L – US $39-$65
Seat Packs // 4L, 9L, 17L – US $52-$78
Stem Bags // 1L – US $16

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Triglav

Seat Packs // One Size
Handlebar Packs // One Size
Frame Bags // Custom
Fork Bags // One Size

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Russia

Kailer

Frame Bags // 3.5L, 5L, 6L, Custom – US $41-63
Handlebar Harnesses // 16L – US $52
Seat Packs // 8L, 15L, 20L – US $44-60
Stem Bags // 1.5L – US $13

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Kravets Bikepacking Gear

Handlebar Harnesses // 12L – US $68
Seat Packs // 14L – US $77

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Notnee Bikepacking

Seat Packs // 14L – US $30
Handlebar Harnesses // US $35
Frame Bags // Custom – from US $37
Top Tube Bags // S, M – US $15

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Packrat Moscow

Handlebar Harnesses
Seat Packs
Frame Bags
Top Tube Bags
Accessory Bags

See the bikepacking bags HERE

SENNA

Frame Bags // Custom – US $35-40
Handlebar Packs // 17L – US $36
Seat Packs // 5L, 12L, 17L – US $25-50
Stem Bags // 1L – US $13

See the bikepacking bags HERE

UralTour

Frame Bags // Custom – US $40-50
Seat Packs // 11L – US $45
Handlebar Packs // 14L – US $40

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Spain

Geosmina

Top Tube Bags // 0.6-1.0L – €37-42
Cargo Cage Bags // 4L – €45
Frame Bags // 2.5L, 7.5L – €35-40
Handlebar Packs // 10L – €49
Seat Packs // 10L – €80

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Inuvik Studio

Frame Bags // Three Sizes
Top Tube Bags // One Size

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Sweden

Endless Trails Outdoor Equipment

Handlebar Packs // One Size – US $121
Accessory Bags // One Size – US $62
Frame Bags // Custom – US $167
Seat Packs // One Size – US $122
Stem Bags // Two Sizes – US $50-72
Downtube Bags // One Size – US $44

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Switzerland

Capricorn Bags

Full Frame Packs // Custom – CHF 99-150
Half Frame Packs // Custom – CHF 99

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Spok Werks

Top Tube Bags // Two Sizes
Stem Bags // Two Sizes
Frame Bags // Custom
Seat Packs // Two Sizes
Handlebar Packs // Four Sizes

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Taiwan

Birzman

Frame Bags // 2.5L, 3L – US $47-59
Handlebar Harnesses // 9.5L – US $59
Top Tube Bags // 0.8L – US $39
Stem Bags // 0.75L – US $29
Seat Packs // 6L – US $79

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Giant

Frame Bags // Full, Half – US $79-$89
Handlebar Harness + Drybag // 10L – US $80
Top Tube Bags // 1L – US $30
Seat Packs // 9L – US $74

Merida

Cargo Cage Bags
Frame Packs
Seat Packs

Woho

Full Frame Bags // 9L, 12L – US $104-$114
Half Frame Bags // 2.75L, 4L, 4.7L – US $58-$65
Handlebar Packs // 3L, 13L – US $62-$111
Handlebar Harnesses // One Size – US $29
Accessory Packs // 1.2L – US $29
Seat Packs // 12L – US $100
Stem Bags // 1.2L – US $35
Top Tube Bags // 1L – US $35

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Thailand

Conquer

Top Tube Bags
Stem Bags
Frame Bags
Seat Packs
Handlebar Packs

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Vincita

Frame Bags // 2.6L – US $35-75
Handlebar Harnesses // 5L, 9L – US $115-122
Seat Packs // 9L, 15L, 24L – US $79-139
Top Tube Bags // 0.8L – US $39

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Ukraine

7R Workshop

Top Tube Bags // Custom – US $70-$120
Half Frame Packs // Custom – US $115-$140
Full Frame Packs // Custom – US $140-$170
Handlebar Harnesses // 16L, 18L, 20L – US $120-$165
Seat Packs // 16L, 18L – US $125-$193
Stem Bags // One Size – US $31
Rack Top Bags // Custom – US $40-$95

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Bag4Bike

Seat Packs // 7L – US $59

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Fast-N-Light

Seat Packs // 13L, 17L – US $45-50
Handlebar Harnesses // 8L, 15L – US $32-35
Frame Bags // Half, Full, Custom – US $28-40
Stem Bags // 0.75L – US $12

See the bikepacking bags HERE

KasyBag

Seat Packs // 15L – US $36-51
Handlebar Harnesses // 10L, 15L – US $33
Frame Bags // Custom – US $25
Stem Bags // 0.9L, 1.5L – US $16
Top Tube Bags // 0.4L, 1.0L – US $14-16

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Rogov

Frame Bags // Custom – US $100
Top Tube Bag // 1L – US $30
Handlebar Packs // 12L, 17L – US $70
Seat Packs // 6L, 11L, 19L, 26L – US $50-100
Fork Bags // 5L – US $40
Stem Bags // 1L – US $20-30

See the bikepacking bags HERE

United Kingdom

Alpamayo Designs

Seat Packs // One Size – £85
Frame Bags // Three Sizes + Custom – £55-115
Handlebar Harnesses // 10-20L – £60
Top Tube Bags // 1L – £29
Stem Bags // 1L – £25

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Alpkit

Top Tube Bags // 0.75L, 1L, 1.5L – £35-37
Stem Bags // 1.4L, 1.8L – £15-£35
Frame Packs // S, M, L, Custom – £40-£100
Seat Packs // 3L, 12L, 13L – £15-£65
Handlebar Harnesses // Two Sizes – £12-45
Handlebar Packs // 13L, 20L – £13-£35

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Altura

Frame Bags // 5L – £49
Handlebar Bags // 12L – £49
Seat Packs // 6L, 12L – £49-59
Top Tube Bags // 1L – £29

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Apidura

Top Tube Bags //0.5L, 1L – £25-39
Stem Bags // 0.8L, 1.2L – £29-35
Frame Bags // 3L, 4.5L, 5.3L, 7.5L, 12L, 14L  – £55-118
Seat Packs // 9L, 11L, 14L, 17L – £77-110
Handlebar Packs // 9L, 14L, 20L – £64-86
Accessory Bags // 4.5L – £33-41

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Carradice

Seat Packs // 16L – £90
Top Tube Bag // 1.5L – £28
Handlebar Pack // 3.5L – £47

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Bike-Bag

Frame Bags // Custom – £40-55
Top Tube Bags // Two Sizes

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Lomo

Seat Packs // 13L – £33
Handlebar Packs // 3L – £17
Frame Bags // 4L – £23

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Mack Workshop

Handlebar Packs // Two Sizes – £30-60
Seat Packs // One Size – £75
Frame Bags // Four Sizes + Custom – £40-62

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Restrap

Frame Bags // S, M, L – £39-59
Seat Packs // 13L – £89
Handlebar Harnesses // One Size – £55

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Tailfin

Seat Pack + Rack // 20L – £209-£349

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Wildcat Gear

Frame Bags // S, M, L, XL, Custom – £65-160
Seat Packs // 5L, 8L – £70-75
Handlebar Harnesses // Two Sizes – £65-75

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Wizard Works

Full Frame Packs // Custom – £110-200
Basket Bags // 12L+, 20L+ – £170-190
Saddle Bags // 20L+ – £179
Top Tube Bags // 0.85L – £65
Stem Bags // 0.8L, 1.0L – £55

See the bikepacking bags HERE

United States of America (1)

Alpine Luddites

Top Tube Bags // Custom – US $140
Mini Frame Packs // One Size – US $80-$100
Half Frame Packs // S, M, L, XL, Custom – US $140
Full Frame Packs // Custom – US $175-$475
Handlebar Harnesses // One Size – US $70
Handlebar Packs // 12L, 15L – US $175-$200
Seat Packs // 12L, 15L – US $175-$350

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Andrew The Maker

Top Tube Bags // Custom – US $65
Frame Bags // Custom – US $160-220
Seat Packs // One Size – US $35
Handlebar Packs // One Size – US $65

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Banjo Brothers

Top Tube Bags // One Size – US $15
Stem Bags // One Size – US $19
Frame Bags // S, M, L – US $32-40
Seat Packs // 6.5L – US $49
Handlebar Packs // 4.5L – US $29

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Becker Gear

Frame Bags // Custom
Seat Packs // Custom

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Bedrock

Top Tube Bags // One Size – US $65
Stem Bags // One Size – US $49
Frame Bags // Custom – US $160-200
Seat Packs // 12L – US $175-190
Handlebar Packs // Two Sizes – US $150

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Blackburn

Top Tube Bags // S, L – US $20-45
Frame Bags // S, M – US $59-65
Handlebar Harnesses // One Size (inc. DryBag) – US $99
Seat Packs // 11L – US $119

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Boulder Bikepacking Gear

Top Tube Bags // S, M, Custom – US $50-90
Frame Bags // Custom – Start US $75
Handlebar Harnesses // Custom – Start US $70
Seat Packs // 6L, 10L, 12L – US $110-130

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Broad Fork Bags

Jones Handlebar Packs // One Size – US $60-70
Top Tube Bags // One Size – US $45
Frame Bags // Custom Two Sizes – US $75-145

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Carsick Designs

Handlebar Packs // One Size – US $240
Seat Packs // 10L – US $125
Stem Bags // Two Sizes – US $35-40
Fork Bags // 4L – US $45

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Cedaero

Frame Bags // Custom Half/Full – from US $149
Seat Packs // One size – from US $119
Top Tube Bags // from US $55

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Cleaveland Mountaineering

Top Tube Bags // One Size – US $40
Frame Bags // Custom – From US $110
Handlebar Harnesses // One Size (inc Pocket) – US $75

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Crater Packs

Frame Bags // Custom – US $125-140
Seat Packs // Two Sizes – US $80-120
Handlebar Packs // One Size – US $120

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Defiant Pack

Top Tube Bags // One Size – US $43
Stem Bags // One Size – US $34
Frame Bags // Custom – From US $160
Seat Packs // XS, S, M – From US $115
Handlebar Harnesses // One Size (inc. pocket) – US $113

See the bikepacking bags HERE

DirtBags

Frame Bags // Custom Half/Full – US $90-175
Seat Packs // 12 Litres – US $95
Stem Bags // 1.2L – US $40
Top Tube Bags // 1.6L – US $50

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Donut Sack

See the bikepacking bags HERE

eoGEAR

Seat Packs // 6.8L, 8.2L, 12L – US $63-119
Top Tube Bags // 1.1L – US $26-39

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Fun Bags

Seat Packs // One Size – US $100
Handlebar Packs // Two Sizes – US $80-90
Frame Bags // Custom – US $110-165
Top Tube Bags // One Size – US $45

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Green Guru

Seat Packs // 16.2L – US $110
Frame Bags // 1.3, 2.7L – US $40

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Gryphon Workshop

Frame Bags // Custom

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Jandd

Top Tube Bags // Five Sizes – US $19-29
Frame Bags // Four Sizes – US $42-49

See the bikepacking bags HERE

United States of America (2)

J.Paks

Top Tube Bags // Two Sizes – From US $60
Stem Bags // One Size – From US $50
Frame Bags // Custom – From US $150
Seat Packs // 5L, 14L – From US $110
Handlebar Packs // One Size – US $180

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Kaibab Customs

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Lezyne

Handlebar Packs // 7L – US $49
Seat Packs // 7.5L – US $69
Stem Bags // 1.3L – US $26
Top Tube Bags // 0.8-1.2L – US $25-29

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Lone Peak Packs

Top Tube Bags // Two Sizes – US $25-35
Frame Bags // Three Sizes – US $37-79

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Moosetreks

Frame Bags // 6L, 6.5L, 7L, 8.5L, 12L, 14L – US $37
Stem Bags // 1L – US $25

See the bikepacking bags HERE

No Logo Bikepacking

Top Tube Bags // One Size
Stem Bags // One Size
Frame Bags // S, M, L, Custom
Handlebar Harnesses // One Size

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Nuclear Sunrise Stitchworks

Top Tube Bags // Two Sizes – US $40-50
Stem Bags // One Size – US $35
Frame Bags // Custom
Seat Packs // Two Sizes – US $145-155
Handlebar Harnesses // One Size – US $95

Learn more HERE

Oveja Negra

Top Tube Bags // Two Sizes – US $45-50
Frame Bags // S, L, Custom – US $75-200
Seat Packs // 10L, 20L – US $120-125
Handlebar Harnesses // One Size – US $50

See the bikepacing bags HERE

Outer Shell Adventure

Top Tube Bags // Two Sizes – US $38-55
Stem Bags // 1L – US $55
Frame Bags // Three Sizes – US $80-90
Seat Packs // 10.5L, 16L – US $160-165
Handlebar Harnesses // 5L, 10L – US $40 + $25-35 (drybag)

See the bikeapcking bags HERE

Pack NW

Stem Bags // One Size – US $50
Half Frame Pack // Custom – US $120
Full Frame Pack // Custom – US $200
Top Tube Bags // One Size – US $60

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Portland Design Works

Seat Pack Racks // 14L – US $88
Handlebar Harnesses // 12L – US $99

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Rad Bags

Full Frame Packs // Custom – US $175-$200
Half Frame Packs // Custom – US $125
Stem Bags // 1L – US $70

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Revelate

Top Tube Bags // Two Sizes – US $38-55
Stem Bags // One Size – US $39
Frame Bags // Three Sizes – US $90-165
Seat Packs // 12L, 14L – US $90-125
Handlebar Harnesses // One Size – US $75

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Road Runner

Cargo Cage Bags // 8L – US $50
Stem Bags // 1L, 1.5L – US $40-60
Frame Bags // 2L, 4L – US $75-120
Porteur Bags // 15L – US $140
Handlebar Packs // 10L, 29L(!) – US $140-200

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Rockgeist

Top Tube Bags // One Size – US $48
Stem Bags // One Size – US $48
Frame Bags // Custom – From US $100
Dropper Post Seat Packs // 10L – US $85
Handlebar Harnesses // One Size – US $66

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Rogue Panda Designs

Top Tube Bags // One Size – US $40
Down Tube Bags // One Size – US $40
Stem Bags // One Size – US $40
Frame Bags // Custom – US $75-140
Seat Packs // 13L – US $105
Handlebar Packs // 10L, 14L, 18L – US $80

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Salsa Cycles

Handlebar Packs // 15L – US $99
Accessory Packs // 1.7L – US $50
Anything Packs // 4.5L – US $30
Full Frame Packs // More than 20 Sizes – US $119
Half Frame Packs // Five Sizes – US $99
Seat Packs // 14L – US $119

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Specialized

Seat Packs // 8L, 10.5L – US $130-140
Frame Bags // 3L, 5L, 8L – US $90-110
Handlebar Packs // 13L, 23L – US $130-135
Top Tube Bags // 0.75L – US $50
Fork Bags // 1L – US $40

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Spindle

Stem Bags // 1.2L – US $70
Handlebar Packs // Jones Loop Fit – US $85-$95

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Swift Industries

Stem Bags // 0.3L, 1L – US $45-$50
Handlebar Packs // 2.5L, 3.5L, 34L, 44L – US $86-$280
Seat Packs // 8.5L, 10L, 11L, 12L – US $125-$199
Handlebar Harnesses // One Size – US $50
Half Frame Packs // S, M, L – US $80-$89

See the bikepacking bags HERE

United States of America (3)

Teknikul

Top Tube Bags // 1.0L, 1.4L – US $45-50
Frame Bags // Custom – US $99-150
Seat Tube Bag // 0.7L – $45
Fork/Anything Cage Bag // 3.0L – US $45

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Topeak

Seat Packs // 6L, 10L, 15L
Frame Bags // 3L, 4.5L, 6L
Handlebar Packs // 8L
Top Tube Bags // 0.75L

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Urban Desert

Top Tube Bags // 1L – US $36
Stem Bags // 1L – US $20
Frame Bags // 3.5L, 4.5L, 5.2L – US $46
Seat Packs // 16L – US $69
Handlebar Packs // 16L – US $49

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Wanderlust

Stem Bags // One Size – US $58
Top Tube Bags // One Size – US $53
Anything Cage Bags // 1.4L – US $60
Frame Bags // S, M, L – US $160
Seat Packs // 12L – US $140
Handlebar Packs // One Size – US $110

See the bikepacking bags HERE

Please let me know in the comments if I have missed any bikepacking bag manufacturers, and I will include them in the next update.

The post A Complete List of Bikepacking Bag and Frame Bag Manufacturers with Prices appeared first on CYCLINGABOUT.

Let’s break this down.

Minimalism

I’ll start by suggesting that minimalism either appeals to you, or it doesn’t. Minimalists have existed in the bike travel sphere for over 100 years, strapping bags to racks or simply selecting two panniers instead of four.

It’s well known that carrying less gear means you can select a lighter/faster bike and therefore travel longer distances with the same effort. In fact, this is a positive feedback loop: reduce bike weight > travel longer distances > carry less food and water > reduce bike weight further. So while bikepacking bags may force you to think twice about what you’re carrying, minimalism as a philosophy is equally applied to all bike luggage setups, panniers included.

I think it goes without saying that someone with a minimalist mindset is unlikely to walk into a bike shop and pick up a 16kg touring bike with 5kg of panniers, bags and racks. This setup will not only offer excess volume, but the heavy-duty components will be superfluous with a minimalist’s load. Similarly, someone wanting to carry a camp chair is unlikely to investigate a bikepacking setup. This is the crux of the problem when comparing a sturdy touring bike with four panniers to a svelte adventure bike with a bikepacking ensemble – these setups appeal to different people who want to conduct different types of adventures.

How Should We Compare The Weight Of Pannier Vs Bikepacking Bags?

The only way to truly compare the weight difference between luggage setups is to match the bag volumes. That is, to assume that you’ll pack both luggage setups with the same gear volume. I’ve seen people make weight comparisons where the bikepacking setup has less than half the volume. The panniers are always going to be heavier when extra textiles are used, and racks are fitted to accommodate the sheer volume!

Right, let me show you how panniers can actually be lighter than bikepacking bags.

Panniers That Are 21% Lighter than Bikepacking Bags!?

Ultralight Rear Pannier and Drybag Setup (38L)
Arkel Dry Lite Panniers (30 Litres): 540g
Tubus Airy Titanium Rack: 233g
Sea-To-Summit UltraSil Drybag (8 Litres): 30g
Compression Straps: 50g
Total: 853 grams 

Bikepacking Setup (37.5L)
Ortlieb Handlebar Pack (15L): 417g
Ortlieb Seat Pack (16.5L): 430g
Ortlieb Framepack Large (6L): 232g
Total: 1079 grams

Surprised? I was! I always assumed that the rack infrastructure and waterproof nature of the panniers would tip the balance here. But the Tubus titanium rack is about the same weight as a large packet of potato chips and the Arkel Dry Lite panniers less than a small bidon of water. Once you strap a lightweight drybag to the top of the rack, it’s pretty hard for a waterproof bikepacking set up to match the weight.

What About F+R Panniers With Hooks?

Front and Rear Pannier Setup (50L)
Ortlieb Gravel Packs x2 (50L): 2320g
Tubus Tara Rack: 360g
Tubus Airy Rack: 233g
Total: 2913 Grams

Bikepacking Setup (50L)
Ortlieb Handlebar Pack (15L): 417g
Ortlieb Accessory Pack (3.5L): 206g
Ortlieb Seat Pack (16.5L): 430g
Ortlieb Framepack Large (6L): 232g
Anything Bag x2 (9L): 398g
Anything Cage HD x2: 440g
Total: 2123 Grams

When you fit a front rack to a bike or use panniers with hooks (or both!), the weight starts to add up. But the difference with the volumes matched is still under 800 grams (1.8lb). That’s not insignificant, but it’s also a very small percentage of the overall weight of your body/bike/luggage/food/water – probably under 1% of the total.

Volume-Weight Potential

BIKEPACKING.com recently suggested that the biggest weight savings are what you can’t fit into a bikepacking setup. While I agree that having less storage space will make you think twice about whether you can take it (ie. if you can’t pack it, you won’t), I don’t think this is a good reason to ditch the panniers (I’ve listed better ones below). That’s because it’s ultimately your choice to fill the space, and if you have a minimalist mentality, you don’t need volume constraints to be on top of that.

How Much Does Weight Affect Cycling Speed?

I took my touring bike with two large panniers (mounted to my rear rack) on a 15.37km (9.5mi) long undulating route which offered 276m (905ft) of climbing. I rode around this course all day with different loads to find out how much each extra kilogram affected my cycling speed. It turned out that each extra kilogram is worth somewhere between 10 seconds (flat) and 90 seconds (hilly) over 100km.

I suggest keeping this information in mind whenever considering matters of weight on a bike trip.

Bikepacking Bags Are More Aerodynamic

Aerodynamics have a very significant impact on your speed, especially when compared to my weight testing. On my hilly test course when carrying 20 extra kilograms it worked out to be 18 minutes slower over 100km. To put that into perspective, that time difference is essentially the same as the difference between bikepacking bags or four panniers with equal weight (17 minutes). That’s a lot!

Summary

I wrote this article to dispel the myth that racks and panniers have to be heavy. I think that matching the luggage volumes is the best way to draw a weight comparison between setups because if you’re interested in bikepacking bags over panniers, you’ll also be the type who can be a minimal packer.

That said, I personally wouldn’t pick either luggage option on weight alone. Bikepacking setups are:
– More aerodynamic (6% in my case)
– Better on rough roads and trails
– Really good at distributing weight (especially frame bags)
– Able to fit bikes without rack mounts

Panniers have their place too. They are:
– Quick to remove from a bike
– Easy to carry off the bike
– Easy to organise
– Better equipped to fit odd-shaped objects
– More protective of laptops

Ok, time to take whatever luggage setup you’ve got and enjoy the ride.

The post Panniers vs Bikepacking Bags: Can Panniers Actually Be Lighter? appeared first on CYCLINGABOUT.

Right – let’s dive in.

Jones Handlebar Bag Options

There’s an obvious nook for some gear to nestle amongst on the Jones H-Bar. Check THIS video to see that the handlebar still remains usable with these bags.

Broad Fork Bags Banana Hammock // US $60
This bag is designed to fit a banana, phone, water bottle, sandwich or anything else you may need quick access to. Available in different colours and both padded and unpadded. Dual zippers make it easy to open it with both your left and right hand.

Jones H-Bar Pack // US $64
Jones has just released this 95-gram waterproof bag. The middle zipper has a small loop at the end which really helps to open and close the bag one-handed!

Jones LoopHole H-Bar Pack // US $98
The LoopHole pack has been around for a few years but is still available. Compared to the recently released model the zipper is harder to access, it’s not waterproof, the attachment points aren’t optimised to allow the best hand positions and it’s 70-grams heavier than the latest version. Could be an ok option if you find one cheap.

Rockgeist Dr Jones // US $129
The Dr Jones is a neat little bag comprising of a loop compartment, wallet-lid (which you can detach and take with you) and a cargo net on the front. It’s designed to fit both the flat and riser versions of the Jones Loop along with the Surly Moloko handlebar. It’s available in multiple fabric types and colours!

Wildcat Tom Cat Jones Handlebar Bag // £52
This 75-gram, 1.5 litre VX21 nylon bag from the UK is another great option, being the lightest on the list.

The Surly Moloko Handlebar Bag

Moloko Handlebar Bag
This urethane-coated nylon bag by Surly is designed specifically around their Moloko handlebar. The elastic straps across the top are a great feature that allows you to scrunch up a rain jacket or fit a quickly accessible layer of clothing.

Four-Point Harness For Jones Handlebars

With more handlebar infrastructure comes the ability to offer extra bag stability. Four-point harnesses will prevent your handlebar pack from dropping while you ride.

Revelate Designs Sweetroll Kit for Jones Bars // US $10
This system can anchor the Sweetroll better than almost anything else. The Revelate Designs Sweetroll has provision for two additional straps to suit the Jones handlebar. The straps and foam spacers will provide more hand clearance than the other bikepacking bag options too.

Carsick Designs Handee Randee for Jones Bars // US $240
This dedicated Jones bar bag uses four clips/spacers to achieve a perfect fit. The two removable goodie bags on the back, as well as the front roll pocket, make this an ultra-functional bag option.

Rockgeist Loop Bar Harness // US $50
A specially-designed harness for either the Loop or Moloko handlebars. Attach any dry bag you like by putting it in the harness and tightening everything up with the 2x Voile straps.

BarYak Four-Point Harnesses

Ok, this isn’t technically an alt handlebar product, but it is another four-point handlebar harness option.

BarYak X Revelate Designs Harness
The BarYak is a customisable mount that permits you to fit both additional accessories (eg. light, GPS) as well as a set of aerobars to your handlebars. This accessory bar allows for a similar four-point mount to the Jones H-Bar. Instead of using the Sweetroll model with an additional strap kit, you instead use the Harness model that features existing straps (normally used for a front accessory pocket) to complete the four-point mount.

Fitting A Handlebar Pack To Jones Handlebars

Regular Handlebar Packs
If the dimensions on your handlebar pack suit, you may find that your current handlebar pack already fits (or a canvas saddlebag in the case of the picture above). You may be able to use the frame strap around your stem and the handlebar straps at the front section of your Jones H-Bar.

Custom Bags
Don’t forget that most of the bikepacking bag manufacturers can fit custom alt handlebar mounts to your handlebar pack. If you want a handlebar harness or handlebar pack with four mounting points, they’ll do it. If you want some additional mounts to suit the Crazy Bar, they’ll do that too. Custom bags manufacturers rock!

Fitting A Bicycle Touring Handlebar Bag

I love regular touring handlebar bags: they’re waterproof, mounted/removed in seconds, protective of camera gear and have a map holder. As the crossbar on some of the alt handlebars stops the regular mount from fitting – a few people have worked out some hacks.

But please note, the further forward the weight sits in front of your stem, the more detrimental the weight is to your bike’s handling. I don’t recommend carrying much more than a kilogram or two with these setups…

The Accessory Bar
As Ross from RollingEast had enough spacers under his stem, he swapped out a few for a Thorn Accessory Bar to fit his Ortlieb handlebar bag bracket. An Ortlieb Mounting Extension was necessary to get the appropriate opening clearance from the Jones handlebar. The Accessory Bar is also a handy place to mount your GPS computer or bell.

Schmidt Light Mount
Matt from ModernPracticality found that the Schmidt H-Bar light mount was strong enough to hold the Ortlieb cable mount. He was then able to fit the Ortlieb mounting wire according to specification.

Leon’s Modified Stem Mount
A video was published on YouTube by Leon Bailie showing a creative way to fit an Ortlieb Ultimate 6 Pro E. He cut an old stem in half and fitted the handlebar section plus a shim to the front of his Jones handlebars. The Ortlieb cable mount was then fitted as usual.

CycleMonkey Bolt Hack
Neil from CycleMonkey drilled a hole into the back side of his Jones handlebar and fitted a bolt to use as a brace for the wire mount.

Don’t forget to check out my Bikepacking Bag Manufacturer List and 10 Awesome Bikepacking Tech Innovations.

The post List of Surly and Jones Handlebar Bag Options For Bikepacking appeared first on CYCLINGABOUT.

Having used dozens of tents over the years, I feel like I’m getting closer to a tent that is suitable for my needs.

This will be an in-depth Mont Moondance tent review, offering a tour of all of the features, as well as my thoughts after six months with the tent.

For bicycle touring I prefer the following tent characteristics:
– Freestanding (you can’t use pegs on concrete)
– A tough floor (for protection against the elements)
– Brown or green in colour (camouflage)
– Two-person (so that I can sleep a friend or fit my gear inside)
– Dual vestibule (so that my friend can escape without sitting on me)

Note: I discuss these characteristics in more detail in my resource about buying a bicycle touring tent.

All of these things led me to Mont, an Australian outdoor gear manufacturer. I sent them an email informing them that their Moondance 2 tent looked, on paper, perfect for my needs. They were confident that I would love their tent, so they sent one out to test on my month-long trip in Japan, as well as a handful of winter nights in the Australian backcountry.

If it passed these tests, I would take it on my trip from Argentina to Alaska.

Mont Moondance Tent Review

Let’s do a bit of a tour first…

The Pitch

The Mont Moondance is a freestanding tent. This is my preference for bicycle touring because they can be pitched without any staking, you can pitch the tent without the fly, they have great ventilation and they have a smaller overall footprint.

Colour co-ordinated clips make pitching the Mont Moondance tent really easy. Your job is to remember is that the orange clips are where your head will rest, and you can then lay the inner in the orientation that suits. The poles snap together into the hubs to make the one-piece asymmetric frame.

You can then match the coloured tent poles and coloured tent clips. It’s fine to put the poles in one at a time as they will stay in place without popping out. The clips and hubs on the inner are now ready to be hooked up to the poles, and finally, the ridge pole can be inserted on top.

With the inner constructed, locate the coloured orange/green connectors on the fly and match them to the clips too. Stake out as much of the tent as you need, and should it be windy you may want to velcro the fly to the poles – these reinforcements will allow the guy ropes at the ends to better stabilise the tent in the wind.

The Floor

In an effort to drop the advertised weight, thick nylon floors are surprisingly uncommon amongst backpacking tents. The Mont Moondance is an exception here with one of the thickest floors I’ve come across on a sub-2000g tent.

To make sure my previous tent floors survive the distance, I’ve always coupled them with groundsheets. The thing is that groundsheets/footprints often weigh between 200-300 grams by themselves, which effectively brings lighter tents more in line with the weight of the Moondance.

While there is a groundsheet option from Mont (US $50), I don’t plan to use one because I feel confident the heavy-duty floor will last the distance. Not only is the floor tough, but I haven’t seen any water make its way up through the 10,000mm PU floor material.

On a side note, Mont makes a ‘3D footprint’ which is essentially a groundsheet with a 5-10cm wall that sits up around the edges. With the poles, fly and 3D footprint, you can have a pretty lightweight shelter that will prevent water ingress and creepy crawlies in your sleeping bag.

Two Inner Tent Options

This bit is super neat.

Mont produces two different tent inners depending on the season you’re camping in. Buying a second inner isn’t cheap – it’s US $270, but that works out cheaper than a second tent of this calibre.

Both Mont Moondance tent inners share the same floor, pole clips, pockets and zips. The difference is the upper: the summer inner uses No-See-Um mesh to allow heat to escape, while the winter inner uses 20D nylon from the floor to the roof.

The four-season inner is just 100 grams heavier and is what I’ve been using on trips with overnight temperatures below 10 degrees Celcius (50F).

Impressions

I’ve now experienced most weather conditions in the Mont Moondance tent, with the exception of some ultra-high winds and heavy snow… but I’ll get that while CyclingAbout The Americas.

I’ve been really happy with how the tent has performed so far. Everything from the pitch to the design, to the quality and finish, appears to be top-notch. Even with my two-metre body plus a friend, there’s ample room for sitting up inside in the tent.

The dual doors are excellent for sneaking out at night for a quick whizz (pee) without waking your mate, and the fact the doors open really low means it’s easy to get in/out without shaking the tent.

The tent seems to ventilate well and the shape of the tent has meant I’ve never had condensation drip inside. In freezing conditions, the condensation builds on the fly overnight so you’ll need to be careful when packing up the tent.

Given I travel solo with a two-person tent (after all, one-person tents are not much smaller/lighter), I am afforded the luxury of having my gear inside my Mont Moondance tent for easy access. I also feel a bit better sleeping with all of my valuables by my side.

The Mont Moondance tent comes with a ‘care package’ including a pole repair sleeve, glue and some nylon for patching up any tears.

Would I Recommend It To A Mate?

Absolutely.

The Mont Moondance tent is well-made and hardy. It ticks all of my boxes in terms of being freestanding, having a tough floor and using a dual entrance/vestibule.

It is a touch on the pricey side at US $540, but I figure that if you use an expensive tent all the time they can be cheap on a per-night basis.

I’ve taken my Mont Moondance tent to Argentina with the four-season inner where I am expecting overnight low temperatures between -20 and 10 degrees Celcius for the first eight months. When I reach Ecuador I will send my four-season inner back to Australia and will switch it to the mesh inner for Colombia and Central America. And depending on the weather in Canada and Alaska, I may need to swap the inners over one more time before I finish.

Let’s see how we go.

The post Mont Moondance Tent Review: Tough Enough For The Americas? appeared first on CYCLINGABOUT.

We’ve seen all kinds of solutions, such as bags supplied with mini racks (Porcelain Rocket, Arkel, Specialized), internal metal reinforcement (Ortlieb), rail ‘wings’ (Bedrock Designs) and specially-designed drybag and rack setups (PDW).

While these stabilized bags undoubtedly work at reducing tail wag, perhaps there is a simple solution for all other models?

The Woho Saddlebag Sway Stabilizer

Woho has come up with a rather simple aluminium stabilizing bracket, which I think you’ll agree is pretty damn neat. Mounting on the saddle rails it cradles either side of your saddlebag and keeps it in check. It’s barely noticeable when you have a saddlebag in place!

Not only does the stabilizing bracket work its magic with the bag, it provides 2x triathlon-style bottle cage mounts. There’s a chance you’ll have lost some of your bottle space inside your frame to a full frame bag, so this could be the perfect storage location for water. Or maybe you were looking for extra water storage anyway? Simply bolt your favourite cages on and off you go.

And if you don’t need the additional cages, don’t use ’em. Simple.

The mount measures 15cm L x 12cm W x 10cm H (5.9″ x 4.7″ x 4.0″) so it may not necessarily fit all saddlebags depending on the bag width just behind the saddle. I’d suggest it should fit most, however. The Woho Stabilizer adds only 77g (0.17lb) to your bike’s weight, bringing your non-stabilized bag setup in line with most of the already stabilized options anyway.

You can get these anti sway bars from the Woho Online Store for US $20. Shipping will possibly match the value of the product depending on the region, so I’d recommend finding a friend to go in with you.

Here’s 10 Awesome New Tech Innovations For Bikepacking Bags

The post Is This Saddlebag Sway Stabilizer The Perfect Solution For Bikepacking Bags? appeared first on CYCLINGABOUT.

I recently got an email from The Open Road telling me they’re putting the final touches on the world’s first bicycle touring board game. I’m all about incorporating bicycle touring into my every thought, so I thought it’d be cool to share.

How Did The Bicycle Touring Board Game Come About?

Blair and Carl wanted to create a game that represented their love and passion for the outdoors. They thought about a variety of outdoors ideas and concepts for the game and eventually arrived at the decision to run with bicycle touring.

The map is largely based on the United States Bicycle Route System and features many of the landmarks that the USA is famous for. I’m fairly certain that playing this bicycle touring board game would be a great way to familiarise yourself with the geography of the USA!

As the gameplay was finalised, they started producing prototypes that looked as much like the final version as possible. Blair and Carl took The Open Road to game-specific stores, as well as different restaurants and bars to test it with everyone.

They engaged Dutch artist Saskia Rasink to do all the illustration work. I think you’ll agree that her original designs look rather beautiful!

Basic Gameplay

The object of the game is to journey from one coast to the other. It starts with each person selecting one east coast, west coast and heartland card. This determines the route you’ll be taking. Each person has a ‘pannier’ that they load with energy, money and playing cards.

Energy cubes propel you forward, money cubes afford you luxuries and the playing cards offer strategic advantages. Like a bicycle tour, the tactical rationing of these resources will be necessary for completing your adventure. Accumulating playing cards and the more decisive Mother Lode Cards can give you an edge against other players. Headwinds, broken spokes, snapped pedals, thieves and more may disrupt your journey and force you to rethink your strategy.

How To Get The Game

The Open Road is currently on Kickstarter and it’s only $40. If you back this game and it meets the $25,000 goal, the game will be delivered by the end of the year. Maybe this game is the perfect prep for completing my year-long, 12,679mi USA bike tour with 70-degree weather every day!?

The post How Cool Is The World’s First Bicycle Touring Board Game!? appeared first on CYCLINGABOUT.

Ortlieb are renowned first and foremost for their durability. I’ve got some Backroller panniers with over a decade’s wear and tear including 2+ years around the world. Although they’re not looking super sharp today, I’ve managed to keep them alive with only a handful of spare parts.

The Ortlieb bikepacking set includes a 15-litre handlebar pack, a 6-litre frame pack, a 3.5-litre accessory pack and the seat pack on review here. All models are made using a PU-coated nylon fabric that is lightweight, waterproof, PVC-free (no petroleum used) and rather abrasion resistant. It seems that Ortlieb have cut no corners with regards to materials, parts and fittings – they’re all A1 quality across the board.

I’ve been thrashing the Ortlieb Seat Pack for five months now, including two solid weeks on the Munda Biddi Trail. I’m now confident that this saddle bag is the real deal.

Head HERE to read my review of the Ortlieb Handlebar Pack.

The Ortlieb Seat Pack In Numbers

8-16.5L / 488-1007 cu.in
430g / 15.2 oz
64cm / 25″ long
US $160

The Design Details

The Ortlieb Seat Pack offers an aggressively tapered shape in order to maximise the bag’s volume. The 16+ litre seat pack widens after the saddle to balloon to 25cm by the bag’s end. But this doesn’t mean it will have a noticeable presence between your legs. The Seat Pack is surprisingly narrow under the saddle for such a large bag. The bag’s profile in combination with an internal structure does the trick at eliminating leg rub.

The seatpost straps are easy to wrap around an array of post diameters. But while the straps have been rubberized to increase grip and minimise rub, I’ve still found that they scuff your seatpost over time. I’d recommend applying a little tape to your post before using any kind of saddle bag.

The Ortlieb bikepacking gear is all 100% waterproof, buying you a peace of mind that you may not get with other bags. A particularly good thing about waterproof bags is that you don’t need individual stuff sacks for items like sleeping bags or tents. Just shove them all in and off you go!

Due to the waterproof nature of the Ortlieb Seat Pack, a ‘purge valve’ has been installed on the left-hand side to move air out of the bag while you’re compressing it. It’s a really cool feature in theory, but I only found the purge valve to be useful half the time. The other half it was obscured by the objects I was packing into my bag.

The Ortlieb Seat Pack is impressively large – it’s definitely the biggest saddle bag I’ve ever played with. Despite its 64cm total length, the roll-style closure allows you to dictate the bag’s volume. But large bags like this do come with drawbacks. In order to get enough strap compression, the Ortlieb Seat Pack needs to be filled tight to about 2/3 of its overall length (about 8-10 litres). If the bag isn’t packed well or strapped appropriately, it will ‘wag’ about (more below).

Installing the Ortlieb Seat Pack

The Ortlieb Seat Pack is one of the easier saddle bags to install onto your bike. This can be put down to the ultra-pliable seat strap material which is easily directed up and over the seat rails. In comparison, other manufacturers use rather rigid straps that make installation a bit more tedious – especially while wearing gloves.

I’ve found that the best way to install a saddle bag is to stand behind the bike and grab the rear wheel with your knees. You can then wedge the saddle bag between your chest and the seatpost while you connect the seat rail clips and seatpost straps. The forward pressure is normally enough to make sure the bag stays still.

As the seatpost straps are really long and versatile, the only thing to consider is if you have enough seatpost real estate. This bag requires about ~17cm (7 in) of seatpost to get a good fit. Like many of Ortlieb products, spares are of course available for this bag. The seat rail straps will take a beating and it’s nice to know that they’re replaceable in the long-term.

Very Little ‘Tail Wag’

The Ortlieb Seat Pack features a high-density plastic ‘stiffener panel’ to create an internal skeleton of sorts. At the seatpost straps, the bag is bolstered further with two metal brackets that prevent bulging. This simple plastic and metal structure results in one of the most laterally stable bikepacking saddle bags I’ve had the pleasure of using. That is providing you fill it with enough stuff (~8 litres).

But the bag won’t do all the work for you; it will still need to be packed well. By loading tight, form-fitting gear into the bag first (eg. clothing or a sleeping bag), the section nearest the seatpost will be as rigid as possible. It’s best not to load heavy objects at the very rear of the bag for obvious reasons.

Conclusion and How It Could Be Improved

The Ortlieb Seat Pack is very well made product. It’s waterproof, easy to fit and durable. The ‘stiffener’ panel and metal brackets do a great job of stabilising the bag provided you’ve packed it well and put enough tension through the straps. The fact that some of the bag’s components are replaceable ensures you’re making a good investment here.

My criticisms are mostly around the fact that it’s only available in one size. A smaller size would sure be welcomed as not everybody wants their gear high and towards the rear of the bike. (UPDATE: The size-M 11-litre Ortlieb seatpack is now available). The other thing I’d love to see is a different colour option.

Disclosure: The Ortlieb Seat-Pack was provided for this review.

The post Ortlieb Seat Pack Review: Long Term Bikepacking Bags Test appeared first on CYCLINGABOUT.