Life In The Saddle

The BTR All-Weather Waterproof Wedge Style Bicycle Saddlebag can certainly go the distance—it came with me on last year's #CelticCrossTrail bikepacking adventure —a 1875-kilometre ride that featured some of the worst riding conditions I have ever experienced. The compact waterproof saddlebag kept its contents dry and secure throughout that journey and has remained on the bike to this day. As with the earlier reviewed BTR Waterproof Handlebar Bag, this waterproof wedge saddlebag is as simple but as effective as they come. Made from 100 percent waterproof fabric with a large easy opening roll-down closure—it seals out the elements in all conditions. The saddlebag has a universal fit design, with three hook-and-loop fastening straps attaching it to the saddle rails and seat post. It should fit any bike, and it has great adjustability while remaining securely in place. Note: I recommend knotting the saddle rail straps when you have set them to the right length, as they can slip in the ...

When Restrap launched their new Saddle Pack it was to test the possibility of designing and producing a product in the space of 24 hours. The key lay in simplicity, tried and tested fabrics, and a great knowledge of bikepacking and bicycle touring. The Restrap Saddlepack is larger than most. It is designed to hold a lot more than just a spare tube and tools; but rather to have the capacity to hold clothing and supplies that might be required for an audax or long distance ride. It has a 4-litre volume, which is about four times that of most saddlebags. It places it somewhere in between a seat pack (like the Restrap 14 litre Bikepacking Seat Pack ), and a small saddle caddy like the Lezyne Large Caddy Saddlebag . The size is perfect for gravel adventures. It is big enough for two 29er tubes, tools and spares, and a jacket and emergency food supplies; the kind of things that become essentials on the road less travelled. The pack mounts up without any tools or fiddly buckles. There...

With tyre sizes getting larger, and distances getting longer, there is an increasing demand to carry kit and spares with you when you ride. Strapping kit to the frame is an easy and simple way to safely carry it. The Louri straps allow you to securely transport anything from spare tubes to water bottles, with a robust and durable Velcro wrap. During the #7Countries7Passes tour I used a strap similar to this to hold a spare tyre underneath the pannier rack. On endurance mountain bike rides, I have used a strap to carry a second inner tube and/or tubeless repair canister. You can even use these straps for carrying things like a packable waterproof jacket or food supplies. The Louri strap is a well made (British made), and fun example of a frame strapping system. Available in multiple colours, and in two different sizes, there should be one that will fit your bike's colour scheme, and your carry demands. I have tested the Louri strap with a spare bottle, as well as with an in...

There are a few cycling accessories that I would classify as essentials: a pump, a saddlebag to house your spare tube, a water bottle and cage, and a mudguard (especially in winter). The Vel Accessories Bundle delivers all of those, in a high quality and colour-coordinated package. I took a Vel water bottle with me on my #7Countries7Passes tour last year, because it was a stylish large volume bottle, without any offensive branding (perfect for those 'Bike Against A Wall' shots). The bottle included in this accessories pack is similarly subtle, well made, and easy to clean thanks to its large opening. The bottle mounts up in a sturdy and smart composite bottle cage. This gloss black cage is lightweight, easy to use, and will securely hold most brands of bike bottle. Under the bottle cage you can mount the mini-pump. This is the highlight of this cycling accessories pack, in my opinion. The black anodised finish of the metal barrel of the pump signals the high build qual...

Thule bags are always superbly made in my experience: from the Thule Crossover Carry-On Bag , to the Thule Shield Panniers . With that reputation of quality and durability in mind, I selected the new Thule Shield Saddlebag as my 'adventure bike saddlebag' of choice. The aero wedge shaped waterproof saddlebag is not an overly complicated or intricate design from Thule, but it is faultlessly made, and built to last. The bag attaches to the saddle rails and seat-post using strong Velcro straps, with reflective trims for added safety. The opening and closing mechanism on the bag is a simple roll-top design, which coupled with the strong welded waterproof nylon gives the bag an impressive IP54 waterproof rating. Unlike with many larger saddlebags, I have experience no swaying or thigh rub from the Thule Shield Saddlebag. It seems to attach firmly to the saddle rails, and keeps its contents safe and secure. The quick release buckles are strong and very good quality; and the...

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 ...

Classic saddles like a Brooks England Swift , deserve a classic saddlebag to complement them. The leather saddlebag from Turkish brand Galen Leather, is hand-crafted and beautifully finished. I featured the exquisite Galen Leather Traveller's Notebook in my 'Stocking Fillers for Cyclists' post, earlier this month. The leather saddlebag is a similarly bespoke product, with a great quality presentation. Made from vegetable-tanned leather, and stitched by hand using waxed thread; it has a classic look and feel. The leather is proofed with a weatherproof coating of natural oils and beeswax. Belt straps secure the bag to the saddle loops, on any heritage saddle, like a Brooks. You could also use this as a top-tube bag on any narrow tubed road bike. A beautifully made and hand-finished product. Much like a leather saddle, it will grow in character and style with age. A timeless classic. View the Leather Bicycle Saddle Bag at Galenleather.com here

Many people seem to underestimate the importance of first aid. Coming from a family and friend network of doctors though, I have been made aware on many occasions of the importance of first response. SJ Works is a Danish brand, who are looking to bring First Aid to the cycling market in a smart and convenient way; with saddle bags, frame bags and top tube bags that contain all the essentials you need for the first treatment of cuts, falls and bleeding. The bags themselves are good quality: To test their durability, I removed the lightweight First Aid products from the saddlebag; then filled it with tools and used it as a normal saddlebag for a few weeks; it held up to the challenge admirably. The reflective material that covers the bag is a great added visibility aid too. The First Aid products inside the bag are well thought through, and contain everything that I would normally put in a lightweight expedition first aid kit. There is also a neat booklet with First Aid advice, a...

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...

My ' Coasts and Cols Tour ' is approaching fast, and with that comes the need to finalise my luggage and kit choices for the trip. The Restrap Seat Pack and Frame Bag fast ascended to the top of my bikepacking luggage wish-list; the bespoke design of the handmade holster and frame bag is stunning, and promises to be the ultimate bikepacking luggage. About Restrap Restrap is a small Yorkshire based brand, who started life producing high quality camera straps. Since those early days, they've expanded their product range dramatically; and because the staff were keen bike riders, a range of bikepacking kit was a logical diversification. Quality and superb function remain the two principle virtues of Restrap's bags, holsters and straps. All of the products are extensively prototyped, tested, and then produced by hand in the Yorkshire based warehouse. It is kit made to be so reliable, and so durable, that you really can #carryeverything with confidence. The Restrap...