My goal with seat packs is to carry just the absolute minimum and make it as invisible as possible.
I had the same desire. You might want to look at the racelite wrap mentioned above if you want a new bag someday? When carrying this amount of gear it compresses to almost nothing under the seat. But because it is a wrap it can expand if needed.
I just added this chain breaker to my wishlist on Ali yesterday. Seeing the mini KMC tool had me curious what was available for Shimano chains. It really checks all of the boxes for weight, size, and price. Like all things with Ali, quality may be questionable but it seems like a worthwhile chance to take.
Funny how preferences can vary as my experience has been the complete opposite. The current version looks to have an updated strap, but I had the previous version of the Orucase Saddle Bag HC and I hated the Voile strap from day one. It was stiff, incredibly difficult to route through narrow saddle rails and I typically forgot which direction the buckle needed to face, and rather ugly as it doesn’t cinch down flush against the bag once tightened. The strap failed mid-ride after two years, just broke in half at the tension point.
I recently bought a 24-pack of velcro straps from Amazon for a whopping $10 and have never been happier. Removing the bag from the saddle takes about 3.5 seconds and looks so much cleaner as well. I’ve always loved the bag itself so I’m glad I was able to salvage it with a better strap solution. We’ll see what kind of longevity I get from the velcro straps, but at 42 cents each, I’m not not too concerned about it.
I’ll let you know how it is when it arrives.
I lost the Fizik bag a few times on a ride, maybe why they discontinued it. I either have a tool caddy in a cage or if I need a 2nd bottle , my mini tool (pro-bike tool I think) is one of the smallest with a chain tool, the pump (also pro-bike tool) and the DynaPlug is small. A spare link and some Park patches go in my phone case/wallet.
Recently bought a Lezyne Road Caddy. Looked quite good in pictures and the supposed 400ml capacity sounded spot on.
Got it last week and I’m a bit disappointed. First I’m having a very hard time believing that it’s actually 400ml. Some bacon strips, some slim Schwalbe tire levers, a small CB multitool and a road Aerothan tube and it’s almost exploding.
Second, I wanted to strap the mini pump to the outside with the strap. Thing is, the strap is barely long enough to engage the velcro just with the bag contents… So no chance of strapping anything there.
Anyone else had the same experience ?
Could the Topeak Elemento be any better ?
I run the Road Caddy with:
Bontrager superlight tube
16g co2 and head
Silca tire lever
Daysaver multi tool w/ chain links
Park boot
Park sticky patch kit
Presta / Schroeder adapter
I swap out the road tube and co2 for an mtb tubolito and 20g for the trails.
Have you received the Ali ZTTO chain breaker yet? I’m thinking I may order it soon along with some other things I’ve thrown on the wishlist over the last month or so.
I’ve been liking the Topeak Elementa. Simple small bag, but the straps are designed so that if you open the main strap the bag still hangs from the bike rather than falling off. I find this handy as it makes it far easier to actually access the bag e.g. if you need to grab a tool. It also has just a bit of padding on the top of the bag to keep CO2s from rattling against the saddle/rails. All in all simple but well designed. Small is smaller than a Mattone but easily fits a TPU tube, 2x CO2, tool, plugs.
@Drew I bought one of these for a recent MTB race. I reckon it’s a great little bag and lighter than advertised. In fact, it could be the answer to this thread. Unfortunately, the strap snapped on mine, so I bought the Rockbros copy to replace it.
I got the XS (0.3), which still fitted 1 x TPU, 2x CO2 and chuck, 2x Levers, 1x Spare Quicklink, 1x Multitool and 1x Boot. With a MTB (TPU) tube or if I wanted to take 2x Road TPU tubes, I have to put the CO2s on the outside, but that’s fine as I’d only take CO2 on the MTB in a race so they need to be on the outside anyway.
The only downside is that it’s a zip, which has a shelf life. It’s also not waterproof, as I found out on a rainy race. For this reason, I still fancy trying the Gobik Pouch Compact saddle bag, Brown | Bikeinn.
BTW, the CO2 sleeves are meant to be on the bottom, so you can get them out quickly and plug a CO2. Because of this it’s absolutely an amateur racer’s perfect bag - otherwise you’re getting into electrical taping co2 to your bike in places.
@TrailMix Got it. It fits onto 11 and 12 chains, but I haven’t used it in anger. The only drama is that whilst the chain tension itself can be used to prevent one bit rotating whilst you screw in the pin, if the chain is not on the bike you are going to struggle to prevent it overrotating. It has a thin hole for a brace, but that would mean carrying something else with you other than the allen key you use to turn the breaker.
I have a new carbon saddle with a cross bar connecting the rails. On my older saddle, I was using a Lezyne Micro Caddy where the straps weave through the rails, but it won’t work on the carbon saddle with that cross bar in the way.
Any tips on which other small saddle bags may work?
I’ve had one for 5 or 6 years now.
Does the bar have the FIZIK logo? On their other saddles its removable and their own (Fizik) saddle bag clips into the hole left behind.
Edit I should read the whole thing, it’d help if this train would stay stable, but you know and it doesn’t.
I use the small Castelli mini one on my Venge, (summer) TPU type materials, quality zip and Velcro strap that keeps it tight on the rails.
In it I have a small zipped DCF pouch from a UK cottage maker, with 3 x long valve Tubilito TPU tubes in it, I also carry a Topeak mini 20 tool, 2 x Co2 with a Topeak Chuck, 2 x Zefal flat tyre levers, 1 x Silca gear wipe, TPU patch kit, tyre boot, KMC quick link, pair or latex gloves and 2 x CR2032 batteries (PM)
It’s a very slim, compact package, has everything I need in summer. I also carry a Silca pocket Impero pump in jersey.
In the winter I switch to a Silca Mattone (small) in it I have the Topeak mini 20, DCF pouch with 3 x short valve Tubilito TPU tubes, 2 x Co2, chuck, Wolftooth chain pliers with links, TPU patch kit, 2 x tyre levers, 2 x Silca gear wipes, latex gloves, 2 x tyre boots, valve core and 4 x mini zip ties. Jacket pocket will either have the Silca pump or a Fumpa Nano I’ve just acquired.
It looks like they have changed it since I last used the Lezyne one but I doubt its any good to you as those rails don’t look round
Maybe something with narrower straps further back in the bag might work, like:
Thanks! Might have to see if I can find one in person.
Isn’t that a Trek saddle? They make saddlebags that screw in to those two holes. Google Trek Blendr Saddlebag.
