Preparing to road bike means more than just deciding where to go and planning your route. As important as these things are, it’s always possible for things to go awry, which means that you’ll always need to be prepared with some items in a road side saddle bag for your bike.
However, shopping for a good saddle bag can be tricky—after all, there are so many items on the market that it can feel impossible to know what the best road side saddle bag is.
But we’ve done extensive research on a few different choices to cut through the noise, and this list we’ve compiled will help you determine the best road side saddle bag based on different needs. Read on to find out more.
Best Road Side Saddle Bags
Here, we’ll break down the best road side saddle bags based on four criteria: value, style, convenience, and capacity.
Blackburn Grid Mountain Bike Seat Bag – Best for Value
The Blackburn Grid Mountain Bike Seat Bag offers one of the essential benefits you’ll be looking for in a quality road side saddle bag: space.
With a 0.45 liter volume, the Blackburn model comes with more storage space than many of its competitors, which is perfect for taking all of your essential items with you when you hit the road.
This spacious bag is also quite durable and has a velcro strap that will securely attach the bag to your bike seat. The zipper is also resistant to water, so your belongings will stay safe and dry.
Overall, this lightweight and compact road side saddle bag—typically priced at under 20 dollars—is a great deal if you are looking for a durable and convenient bag that won’t break the bank.
Tourbon Vintage Handlebar Bag – Best for Style
If you’re looking for a road side saddle bag with an aesthetic appeal, the Tourbon Vintage Handlebar Bag could be a good option. This vintage-inspired bag is made of high-quality canvas leather and comes in six different colors.
This bag will be quite the fashionable addition to your bicycle by fitting over your handlebars with two attractive leather straps.
Furthermore, the Tourbon Vintage Handlebar Bag has plenty of practical benefits, including moisture protection and plenty of extra storage space for a toolkit, snacks, and any other necessities.
Alternative: Lead Out! Mini Handlebar Bag
Scicon Phantom 230 Roller 2.1 – Most Convenient Saddle Bag
Many people don’t just stick with one bike; they switch between bikes depending on road conditions and to test out different features. However, this can introduce a problem for using road side saddle bags, which can sometimes be challenging to attach and detach to other bikes.
The Scicon Phantom 230’s roller technology, however, solves this problem. The Phantom 230 is mounted on a bracket on your saddle rails, making it easy to quickly swap it between bikes as you prepare for a ride. With the bag clipped on securely, it won’t get dislodged during your ride.
The bag is made mostly of nylon, and while it doesn’t have a huge amount of space or any pockets inside, it does have a zipper that runs most of the way around. This makes the bag even more convenient when you’re on the go, helping you access essential items without needing to dig through a messy bundle of supplies.
All in all, this makes the Scicon Phantom 230 an excellent option if convenience is the most critical factor for you.
Arundel Dual Seat Bag – Best for Capacity
Of course, capacity is ultimately the name of the game when it comes to a road side saddle bag. If your most pressing need is to have plenty of space for all your daily supplies and emergency equipment, then the Arundel Dual Seat Bag will be best for you.
The bag’s name, Dual, comes from the fact that it can carry two tubes, but there’s also space for other essentials, including all the tools you might need to fix a flat. In terms of raw volume, it can carry .4L more than many other bags.
This one also attaches securely to your saddle rails via a single strap, which means it doesn’t need to be specially anchored to your seat post. While this isn’t the more secure system, it does make the bag rather convenient to use and ensures that it won’t fly off your bike.
Although this feature means that the Arundel Dual Seat Bag isn’t the most secure road side saddle bag on this list, it’s nevertheless a stellar option if you’re looking to maximize the amount of space in your saddle bag.
FAQs
Even after reading our picks for the best road side saddle bags, you might still have some questions. If that’s the case, read on to find some answers to frequently asked questions!
Do I need a saddle bag?
While it might seem like an investment that might not pay off, the truth is that every bike will get a flat at some point, and most likely, this won’t happen at a convenient time.
This means that it’s essential to invest in a saddle bag so that you can always have the tools necessary to repair a flat and to deal with any other emergency safely and quickly.
What should I carry while I’m cycling?
There are a wide variety of emergency supplies you may want to carry with you while you’re biking. These include, of course, tools for repairing a flat, but also your ID, cards and cash, a phone, a multitool, and tires.
Also, be sure to keep on hand any medications or unique necessities to stay safe on the road.
Conclusion
While there are many road side saddle bags out there, it becomes much easier to parse through them once you know the essential features.
Before buying, consider your situation to determine the biggest priority for you: cost-effectiveness, capacity, size, or some other factor. Once you do, you can use this list to pick the best bag for you and know how to pack all the necessary supplies you might need on your biking trip.
After that, you can get back to the whole point of road biking: riding your bike!
