Life In The Saddle

Keep it simple. That would be a good strapline for the BTR Waterproof Bicycle Handlebar Bag. This compact handlebar bag is designed to be a completely waterproof capsule that easily attaches to the handlebars of any road or mountain bike — to safely house your valuables and ride essentials. For bikepacking trips, gravel adventures, and long road rides a small waterproof handlebar bag is a great idea — read my post ' What Is in Your Gravel Adventure Handlebar Bag? ' to see what comes in mine. The BTR Waterproof Handlebar Bag is as simple, but as effective as they come; with an exceptionally fair price tag too. The design is straightforward. The bag is 20 centimetres wide and made from durable waterproof fabric, with a classic roll-top closure to ensure that even the worst weather conditions cannot infiltrate the interior. The bag attaches to the handlebars with three hook-and-loop (Velcro style) straps; two over the handlebars, and an extra strap that can go around the headtube...

Vaude make superb apparel and equipment; they have been my choice for clothing, tents, and bags on many past bikepacking adventures . The new range of bikepacking bags from the eco-conscious German brand caught my eye because of their simple and smart designs. The Aqua Box Light is the new ultralightweight handlebar bag in the range, offering four litres of storage in a tiny 170-gram package. Here is my review… Handlebar bags have evolved a lot since the traditional 'box' design that sat prominently in front of the handlebars of a touring bike. With the growth of bikepacking , riders have demanded lighter handlebar bags that will house their valuables safely within their gaze but will not obscure the bike's front wheel for those technical off-road sections. The Vaude Aqua Box Light Handlebar Bag is a further evolution of the minimalist tendency seen in handlebar bag design. It is in essence a shaped roll-top waterproof bag that attaches to your handlebars with two robust ...

A waterproof rack-top bag does not need to be complicated—it needs to function faultlessly and keep your kit secure and dry. The BTR Roll-Top Waterproof Rack-Top Duffel Trunk Bag is a great example of a simple product, executed well.  Made from a fully waterproof material with taped seams, there is no need for an additional waterproof cover with a bag like this. The classic roll-top closure design, as found on most expedition waterproof duffel bags, means there is a seal tight closure without zips that could jam or seize. The bag attaches to the rack with a simple two strap system, which passes underneath the rack's top plate. The design offers a fast fitment, and a universal fit for most sizes of pannier rack. Reflective details and a light loop feature on the rear end of the bag to aid with low light visibility, and the bag also comes with a shoulder strap to make it easier to carry off-the-bike.  Supplying 20 litres of waterproof storage for your bicycle touring or bike com...

A rack-top waterproof trunk bag is the ideal place to stash ride essentials when bicycle touring or on a cycle commute. The Altura Dryline 2 Rackpack 7L is a superb example and offers a safe and watertight carry. Whether you a commuting, brevet event riding, or on a trans-continental bike tour; a rack top trunk bag is a great luggage solution.  Hopefully, you have read my post ' What Is in Your Gravel Adventure Bar Bag? '—well, on my touring bike that has a pannier rack permanently fitted, I opt to carry the same selection of products (plus a lightweight windproof jacket), but in the Altura Dryline Rackpack instead of a handlebar bag. The Altura Dryline 2.0 Rackpack is designed to be a simple but sturdy, and highly functional rack-top pannier pack. Mounting the Altura Dryline Rackpack is easy. A base plate attaches to the pannier rack using two strong Velcro straps. The rack bag then attaches to a base plate using Velcro strips and three quick-release buckles; to allow f...

I must admit that I was a little sceptical that a rack-top pannier trunk bag from an unknown brand could be 'Deluxe' when it retails for less than £25. However, the BTR Deluxe Waterproof Rack Pannier Bike Bag is a well designed piece of kit, and offers impressive value as a piece of luggage for cycle tourers, bicycle commuters, and bikepacking enthusiasts. Here is my review... Most rack-top 'trunk bags' retail for at least £40, from major players such as Topeak. So, with the BTR Sports Deluxe bag coming in at £25, I was not sure it would be up to the rigours of everyday use and abuse. Yet, it has shown itself to be a strong performer. The thing that particularly stands out with the BTR bag is the design consideration. Tiny things make a significant difference with luggage that you use every day, and this bag has some notable features that make it a smart choice for a cycling trunk bag. First, the bag attaches to the rack using a universally compatible set of hea...

The Restrap Rando Bag is designed to be a go-anywhere do-anything front rack pannier bag; with a semi-rigid construction to make it easy to load, and extra stable. I have used Restrap's panniers, handlebar bag, and frame bags for numerous long distance tours, and they are faultless. While I have not taken the new Restrap Rando Bag on any global adventures, yet; it has been fitted to my run-around Quella Varsity single-speed bike, and it is performing very well. The concept behind the Rando bag is that it would be ideal for a long distance randonneur (a.k.a. Audax'er) with a front rack, equally though it is superb as a daily run-around. It connects to the rack using two magnetic fasteners on the bottom front of the bag, and a tie-back strap on the rear of the bag; securely holding it in place but making it easy to remove. [N.B: you do need to use the magnetic buckle tie-back strap if you do not want to see your milk go flying down the road on the next downhill!] The Rando ...

New bikepacking seat packs are hitting the market place every minute, but the Arkel Rollpacker 15 seat pack takes design and function to the next level. This could well be the best designed bikepacking seat pack to date. Last year, I reviewed the Arkel Seatpacker 9 bikepacking seat pack , and praised it for its compact frame that adds significant stability to the design, making it perfect for off-road riding and rough-stuff touring. The Arkel Rollpacker 15 adopts a similar lightweight metal frame design, but it has a fundamentally different luggage set-up. Bucking the trend of having the seat pack dry bag pointing inline with the bike, the Rollpacker sits it perpendicular to the bike's centreline. This has a number of advantages: first, it moves the weight closer to the bottom bracket, rather than having it sticking out over the rear wheel; second, it almost eliminates the annoying swaying of most seat packs; third, it allows for a larger load to be carried, because there is ...

A rack top trunk bag is the ideal solution to carrying light and small loads. Better than a rucksack as it doesn't leave you with a sweaty back; also better than a single pannier in terms of balance; it is my preferred option for a daily commute. The new Craft Cadence Tempo Trunk Bag is a good value and well-built execution of the concept. Made from PVC coated nylon, and with a roll-top closure, the bag is waterproof and durable. A rigid insert helps the main section of the bag to keep its shape, whilst two small zippered pockets on the outside are ideal for things like a phone and keys. The bag attaches to the pannier rack using two large Velcro straps on the underside. A third strap on the front of the bag can provide extra security, to stop the bag shifting back on the rack frame. The mounting system feels secure, and even with some off-road riding it has shown itself to be a stable design. Neat additions include a light clip on the back of the bag, which is useful if yo...

Why use a bikepacking seatpack for bike touring? Why not use panniers and a rack? The two principle reasons are lower weight, and when you have an inability to mount a rack to your frame (it might not have rack bolt bosses, or it might have suspension). A bikepacking seatpack adds significant carrying capacity to your mountain bike or road bike, and does so without the need for a pannier rack. Bikepacking seatpacks aren't without their issues though; the most common being thigh rub, and 'bag swing' - both pretty self-explanatory. However, this new Seatpacker from Canadian brand Arkel bags promises to overcome both these downfalls. I was keen to test it out... Quality kit First of all, I want to mention the exceptional build quality of Arkel luggage, because I have yet to test anything that compares to it. I use an Arkel TailRider Trunkbag and Randonneur Rack on my cyclocross bike for my daily commute. I used the Arkel Orca 25 Front Panniers and Arkel Handlebar B...