Our fifth and finale Blog in Our Year In Review Series

Saddle Bags

Saddle bags: Fit nicely under your saddle and come in a variety of sizes. The most popular use for these are for fix a flat kits. Your spare tube, tire levers, inflation device, patch kit, tire boot, multi tool.

If you use a saddle bag have you checked the contents to make sure they are ready if you need them? Is everything there? Is the glue in your patch kit dried out? Are your tire levers worn out? Do you have a spare tube in good shape and CO2 cartridges if needed?

Enough space to carry your stuff?

Having places to stash your stuff is key. When you need something you need it. Of course having too much just weighs you down.

The good news is there are lots of ways and bags to carry your gear. Cell phone bags are very popular, perfect to carry your phone on your handlebars and a few credit cards.

Top tube bags are also super handy. They mount on the top tube of the bike right behind the handlebar. An ideal place to stash nutrition. Which is what the bags were originally designed for. Often referred to as Bento boxes by triathletes to keep enough fuel on hand during their event.

While they work great for food they are also well suited for tissues, lip balm and just about anything else you can imagine.

Have larger items to bring along? A rack trunk is an ideal bag and after the saddle bag is our most popular bag. This sits behind your saddle and on top of a rear rack. Rack trunks come in all

Rear Rack Trunk Bag

different shapes and sizes with different pocket options. Pockets make it nice to keep stuff sorted and easy for you to find. Many of these have straps on the outside to stash items of clothing under it. With a shoulder strap option you can easily take the bag along for your explorations.

Rack trunks can also offer expandable pockets when you just need more space. Top expanders are popular or even a side pocket that opens to a side pannier.

Many of the bags like this are soft padded making safe areas to store a camera or slide in an ice pack or two for a picnic lunch along your adventure.

Handlebar bags

One of the best features of a handlebar bag is the access it offers you while riding. Many of the designers were thoughtful and have the bag zipper open in the direction of the rider. These bags generally have a clear plastic area on the top for your cue sheet or anything else you need to see while riding.

Most will come with a shoulder strap so you can bring it along with you off the bike. A basic handlebar bag may only have a single area to store stuff, where others may have side pockets, front pocket and an extra top pocket. Often they have mesh pockets on the side to stash your trash.

One of my favorite bags is the Topeak TourGuide….

Car Rack – Does what you want, easy to carry your bike?

Making your bike easy to transport means you’ll be more likely to want to take your bike different places to ride. A car rack is the best way to transport your bike. It protects your car and your bike.

Dragging your bike in and out of your car can not only damage your car’s interior but also your bike. We’ve seen damage to rear derailleurs that leads to shifting issues and damage to other areas of the bike.

A good car rack with protect both your car and your bicycle. Making it easy to get your bike on and off your rack and to all the great areas there are to ride in the area.

With today’s cars it is more important than ever to make sure the rack you are using is a recommended fit for your car. With all of the plastic on today’s cars it is super important to make sure your rack and bike are securely fastened to your car.