Recently – while voicing his support for a move within road cycling away from tastes being governed by The Rules – Cyclist editor Pete Muir briefly described a eureka moment of transferring his ride essentials from jersey pockets to a bikepacking bag fixed on his bike. It might seem like such a small change, but I’ve come to realise it has big benefits.
I switched my gubbins – tubeless plugs, snacks, phone and keys – from my back to my bike a while ago, and it’s one of the best adjustments to my riding life I’ve ever made. That may sound over the top but, in the incremental world of cycling developments, making such a stark change to how I feel on the bike is pretty unusual.
My jersey no longer sags during rides or rotates over time if I’ve made the mistake of stuffing the pockets unevenly. I feel much nimbler when pedalling standing up, and my lower back feels both more comfortable and far better ventilated.
Exhibit A: Me, stood up and indeed, feeling nimble, with a comfortable and well-ventilated lower back (admittedly without any on-bike luggage though). Image credit: Mike Massaro.
My reflection in shop windows confirms I look sleeker too, and given that Lycra isn’t the most forgiving attire even on the best of days, I’ll take all the help I cen get. With no storage requirement for my apparel I’m free to wear a technical T-shirt or, should I be feeling particularly spicy that day, even a regular cotton one. Hold on to your hats.
And what about pocketless jerseys? Without pockets your jersey could be lighter, more breathable and simpler to produce – and hence cheaper. And if classic skinsuits are anything to go by, a jersey sans pockets could even be faster. There are so many ways to win in this scenario. However, it brings with it with a consideration: if it’s not in your jersey, where is it?
Bag to the future
I’m not going to dress this up (no, I won’t excuse the pun) as a groundbreaking idea, especially given the explosion in bikepacking gear, but I think many people have yet to consider eschewing jersey pockets for the simple reason that it has only recently become viable. While the three-pocket jersey layout has remained largely the same for decades, on-bike storage has become unrecognisable in recent years.
Heavy, rattly panniers are no longer the only option. Bags these days are lightweight, robust and waterproof. Ridley and bike pack maestros Apidura have even developed a set of bags that they claim increases the aero efficiency of Ridley’s Kanzo Fast gravel bike by 16 watts at 40kmh.
To me, there isn’t anything not to like about moving your gear from pockets to bags, so I want to present my hot take on the latest alternatives. Take note though, while all bike bags are created equal and any should be favoured over jersey storage, some bags are more equal than others.
Battle of the bags
First off, there’s the bar bag. Going on modern trends this is the über-cool, influencer-approved option. While I am indeed über-cool – no sniggering at the back – this design isn’t my first choice. It can clutter up my bars, doesn’t fit securely enough and if packed with bulky items can even affect handling.
Next is the frame bag, which nestles inside a bike’s front triangle. It has the potential to offer truly cavernous storage, but most impinge on a bike’s looks too much. Velcro attachment points can play havoc with a frame’s paint job over time, plus bigger bags can essentially act as sails. Beware the gap in the hedge on windy days.
Then there’s the humble saddlebag, whose design has come on in leaps and bounds. No longer is it an ungainly sack of leaky nylon that dangles loosely between a rider’s legs. Instead it has become a small, sleek pack that slots almost unnoticed under a saddle.
But as great as a saddlebag is, I see it as a supplement to my main pick, the bag connoisseur’s choice, the bag of bags: the top tube bag. Most good designs fix easily onto any road or gravel bike frames, which now often come with dedicated mounts for improved security and an unfussy attachment.
A top tube bag is neat yet spacious, easy to safely reach into mid-ride, and while this is conjecture I bet a top tube bag probably works as a drag-reducing fairing behind the steerer – one was used as part of Ridley and Apidura’s setup to similar effect, and non-UCI-compliant triathlon bikes often feature such addendums.
I don’t really see a disadvantage to the top tube bag, so if you want to make the pocket-to-bag change, that is where I’d start.
As tech editor, Sam eats, sleeps and dreams cycling kit, and is in charge of selecting which bikes and what gear gets featured in Cyclist. As such, he has some distinct opinions on what a product should offer the modern rider.