Saddle bags

From tool storage to serious carrying capacity

This category brings together two items with nothing in common but their location. The small 0.4 to 2.5 L saddle bag tucks under the saddle and holds only an emergency repair kit — inner tube, tyre levers and multi-tool. The 4 to 18 L bikepacking saddle bag is a complete carrying solution that can replace a rear rack on its own. The price, weight and fitting requirements are entirely different.

What to pack in it — and what to leave out

This is the point most often overlooked. A saddle bag is cantilevered behind the wheel axle, and it’s the highest storage position on the bike: any weight placed there has an amplified effect. So pack it with bulky but lightweight items — sleeping bag, down jacket, spare clothes — and leave heavy items for the frame bag. Load it the other way round and the bike will feel like a boat as soon as you accelerate.

Sway, and three ways to control it

• Models with a rigid harness with a removable waterproof bag : the harness stays strapped to the saddle, while the bag comes out in one piece at the end of the day. It’s the most stable and practical setup for touring.
• The stabilisers that brace against the saddle rails hold the bag in place and eliminate most of the sway. They are sold separately.
• The compression straps, which need retightening after a few kilometres: a tightly packed bag moves much less than a half-full one.

Two measurements to check before ordering

First, the clearance between the bottom of the bag and the tyre, especially if you have a dropper seatpost : when extended, it brings the bag closer to the tyre and completely changes the available clearance. Then check the length of exposed saddle rails behind the saddle, which determines how securely the clamp holds. If you have carbon rails, check with the saddle manufacturer that they allow a strap to be tightened around them — not all do.

To find out more: How to plan your cycling route

See also: Bikepacking bags · Frame bags · Fork bags