Life In The Saddle

I am a sucker for bags, and a fanatic kit organiser. These two personality traits have led me on an ongoing search for the best bag for every pursuit, whether it is trans-continental bike tours, overseas travel, or a daily cycle commute. No one bag ticks all the boxes for every kind of trip, but having a multitude of bags does allow you to be super-organised and prepared for any kind of adventure… The Thule RoundTrip Bike Duffel Bag is designed to carry all your kit when you are heading to a bike race, training camp, or on a multi-day trip with your bike. Featuring dedicated storage pockets for your helmet, shoes, sunglasses, tools, and clothes; it has a place for everything, so everything can be kept in its place and easy to access. Thule bags have become my go-to luggage choice, they are faultlessly made and last for years. So, when I was looking for a bag to transport riding kit and accessories, they were the logical brand to turn to. The RoundTrip Bike Duffel is the perfect compan...

Bellroy make brilliant products. From their All Conditions Phone Pocket and Card Wallet that come with me on everyday adventures, to their Passport Wallet  and holdalls for travel further afield. The new Bellroy Laptop Caddy is a fantastic addition to the range, which is perfect for transporting your laptop from home to boardroom, whether in your bicycle pannier or rucksack. Neoprene laptop sleeves are easy and cheap to come by, but after a year of daily use and abuse they will look tatty and stained. The Bellroy Laptop Caddy uses a wipe clean fabric, with a water-resistant zip, to create a protective compartment for your electronics that keeps them safe from dust, moisture and dirt. It has stayed looking smart and presentable after intensive daily use. When unzipped, the front panel of the Bellroy Laptop Caddy hinges down to reveal a smart organisational compartment; with stretch mesh pockets designed to house your mouse, pens, charger cables and plug. This innovative design...

I give my electronics a tough life—my laptop, phone, cycle computer and headphones get thrown into bags and pockets on a daily basis; knocked around like skittles. A lot of that abuse can be countered with good protective cases, and Thule make some of the best electronics cases I have used.  The Thule Gauntlet MacBook Sleeve is the perfect protective case to keep your laptop safe when it is placed in a pannier or jumping around in your rucksack on a daily cycle commute. With a semi-rigid outer, structured protective corners and a cushioned interior, the Gauntlet case shields and cushions your laptop from knocks and bumps, as well supplying a degree of protection from spray or moisture. A 13-inch laptop will fit comfortably inside and is held securely by webbing straps in a clam-shell design; so you can actually use the laptop while it is still in the case. Smart, effective protection from Thule. >> Shop the Thule Gauntlet MacBook Sleeve 13 Disclaimer: Tim Wiggins is a Glob...

The best-selling Scicon Aerocomfort Bike Bag has received some significant design updates. With thru-axle compatibility, added protection, and an overall lighter weight—the Scicon Aerocomfort 3.0  is even more of a market-leader than before. Back in 2013, I reviewed the Scicon Aerocomfort 2.0 ( read the review here ). That bag has had some significant use: for transporting bikes on planes, trains, and even yachts. With many of my bikes  now having thru-axle designs though, the Aerocomfort 2.0 had required some questionable 'bodging' on my part to make it usable. I was therefore relieved when the new 3.0 was released—this new design is much improved. Thru-Axle Compatibility One of the biggest differences with the Scicon Aerocomfort 3.0 Bike Bag is that it will accommodate 12 mm thru axles on the front and rear of the patented suspension frame system. To fit thru-axles, you simply remove the QR inserts in the suspension frame, then use your bike's existing axles t...

The Felvarrom brand – meaning "I will stitch it up" – was set up in 2008; collecting used bicycle parts and materials to be cleaned-up and re-used into some great fashion accessories. I have been testing out a signature Felvarrom PUNCTURED Recycled Inner-tube Belt, and their INTUBAG Reclaimed Inner Tube Bag. The Felvarrom brand is all about the environment—making changes to re-use and reconsider what we might label as waste. All the materials are sustainably sourced and cleaned using environmentally friendly methods; the products are then formed from the useful components and the remaining residue is recycled. The Felvarrom products subtly brand you as a cyclist, and an eco-conscious individual. Felvarrom 'Punctured' Inner Tube Belt Review The Felvarrom 'Punctured' Inner Tube Belt is their signature product. Coming in 14 varied colour combinations and arriving in its own recycled inner tube pouch—the belt is made from hand-sewn bicycle inner tubes an...

Intercity travel should not mean heavy rigid cases that swallow up your belongings like the kitchen sink. The Modal collection from Chrome Industries is a range of versatile and durable bags that will allow you to stay organised and flexible on your travels—both on and off the bike. The Chrome Summoner Backpack is the mid-sized 32 litre rucksack from the brand, and it has proven to be a superbly designed travel bag. Chrome Industries were the pioneers behind the original sling bike messenger bag. More than 20 years ago in the city of Boulder–Colorado the brand created the now famous bag out of seatbelt buckles and straps, five bar webbing, and double-lined bombproof interiors. Their strapline now reads 'Building Indestructible Gear Since 1995'—a claim that they reliably hold true to. Chrome Industries bags are not just built to last in the urban jungle though, they are also designed to be practical, lightweight, and stylish. The Modal collection is all about fulfilling th...

Transporting kit for any kind of outdoor sports pursuit can be a headache; you have so many component pieces, many of which can be valuable and fragile. A waterproof and robust luggage solution can take a lot of unnecessary stress out of travelling; the Overboard Bags Pro-Sports 60 Litre Waterproof Duffel Bag is a great option. The Pro-Sports design from Overboard Bags has become my preferred choice of waterproof roll-top duffel bag, because of its plethora of features and cleverly thought out design. The holdall is made from tough and hardwearing waterproof PVC — the fully welded seams and a roll/fold-top closure system then mean it attains a 100% waterproof certificate — ranked IP66 on waterproofing tests (which means it is submersible). Having a bag that is fully waterproof is a great comfort; you can rest easy knowing that even if it is thrown in the back of a pick-up truck, or left out in the rain on the runway of an airport, then the contents will be kept safe and dry. Un...

There is no doubt that the Swedish brand Thule are innovators: whether it be their bike carriers , travel bags ,  rucksacks , panniers , or this semi-rigid bike bag; their products push the boundaries in terms of functionality and design. The quality level is also impeccably high, and the Scandinavian influence is clear in their attitude and implementation. The Thule RoundTrip Pro XT Bike Case/Bag is a great piece of kit... I have tested a lot of bike bags and boxes , from many well known manufacturers; many of them have excelled, and done the job of transporting my rides to far-flung destinations. Many of them have had faults or niggling downsides though... anything from wheels that have fallen off, to being unable to take recent 'Gravel' bike axles and wheel sizes. The new Thule RoundTrip Pro XT Bike Case / Bag, is a semi-rigid option, which seems to tick many of the boxes, without a lot of the downfalls of its competitors. Hard case protection with soft case packabil...

KitBrix bags have accompanied me on numerous adventures. Their bombproof and organised design makes them ideal as race-day kit bags or equipment carriers. The CityBrix Backpack is a new release from the South Coast based brand; an everyday rucksack for the ultimate organisation in both work and play. I travel a lot these days; sometimes out of choice, sometimes out of necessity. After a while you become less stressed by the hassles and deadlines of international and daily travel, and you learn certain tricks to make things run more smoothly. One of those tricks is luggage… having the correct bag makes a significant difference to how organised and efficient you are when travelling. The CityBrix Backpack takes the hard bottom base, rugged water-resistant exterior, and compartmentalised design of the original KitBrix bags, and morphs it into a comfortable and practical everyday backpack. It is a clever and effective design. Let's take a deeper look… Compartmentalised Stor...