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This is a gear evaluate concerning the Best Top Tube Bags for Bikepacking and Bicycle Touring 2023.
Bikepacking Top Tube Bags are typically referred to as Top Tube Packs, Cockpit Bags, or Gas Tanks. Whatever you select to name them they make for a really accessible bag on the highest tube of the bicycle. They are good for snacks, electronics, sunscreen, or instruments. Anything you need fast entry to when biking.
With so many prime tub baggage available on the market, I’ve narrowed down the selection and put collectively a shortlist of the very best fuel tank baggage, and added additional information in a purchaser’s information that will enable you select which one is finest for you.
Best Top Tube Bags 2023
The Best Top Tube Bags in 2023 are:
Best Top Tube Bag – Overall
Revelate Designs Gas Tank Top Tube Bag
Pros:
> Nice, tapered aesthetic
> Waterproof material & zippers
> Foam padding on the within to guard issues like your cellphone
Cons:
> Weatherproof, not waterproof
The Revelate Design Gas Tank Top Tube Bag is likely one of the iconic baggage from Revelate Designs.
It incorporates a hook and loop fastening system for each the highest tube and the entrance tube, so you may relaxation assured that the bag will stay firmly safe to the bike. The entrance attachment has a daisy chain design, which signifies that you get a selection of three positions from which to connect it to the bike, to make room for spacers.
The material is waterproof and so is the high-quality wrap-around zipper. In heavy rain water could discover its method inside however total it’s pretty waterproof. It does a greater job at conserving the climate out than the opposite Revelate Designs prime tube baggage.
It’s light-weight at simply 3.5oz / 100g, but gives substantial storage capability at 1-liter capability, measuring 9 x 4.5 x2.5 inches / 23 x 11 x 6cm.
Overall, this is likely one of the finest prime tube baggage or fuel tanks as they prefer to name it. The Gas tank has confirmed not solely fashionable however purposeful throughout the Bikepacking group. Highly advisable.
Best Waterproof Top Tube Bag
Ortlieb Cockpit Pack
Pros:
> Choice of attachment choices
> Spacious inner capability
> High visibility orange zip pull
Cons:
> Care is required when unzipping a full bag as issues could fall out.
The one factor concerning the Ortlieb Cockpit Pack is the truth that it’s waterproof. Unlike a lot of the others on this evaluate, you may depart your electronics on this prime tube bag throughout rain and relaxation assured that they’ll keep dry. If you need waterproof, that is the bag.
It has a barely smaller inner capability compared to the opposite baggage on this evaluate as it is just 0.8L. It measures 9 x 5 by 4.5 inches / 23 x 13 x 11, and it weighs a mere 4 oz / 118 g. And it’s properly made and sturdy.
Overall, that is the very best waterproof prime tube bag available on the market.
Best Bolt on Top Tube Bag
Oveja Negra Bolt-On Snack Pack
Pros:
> Securely bolted onto the bike
> One-handed opening
> 5 nice shade choices
Cons:
> Requires a bolt-on prepared bike body
There are a number of producers which have bolt-on prime tube baggage for the manufacturers of bicycles which have bolts on the highest tubes. The Oveja Negra Bolt on Snack pack will work properly for a majority of these bikes.
The wonderful thing about this pack is that you simply don’t have to fret about it sliding down the highest tube bag, and there aren’t any prime tube straps to must fiddle round with.
Instead, there are screws that undergo the within of the bag and thru the highest tube. It couldn’t be held on extra securely.
It has an excellent capability – it measures 8.5 x 4 x 3 inches / 21 x 10 x 7 cm and weighs a mere 3.6 oz / 102 g.
It’s made with rip-stop material and might be opened one-handed.
It’s obtainable in a selection of 5 completely different shade choices. These embody black, Multicam black, Multicam tropic, fluorescent orange, and coyote.
It is tough to decide on which Revelate Designs Top Tube bag is finest.
The Revelate Designs Mag Tank has good straps to safe the bag to the body and doesn’t slide round a lot when in use.
It has a beneficiant 1-liter capability, in a position to accommodate all method of substances. It weighs simply 4.5 ounces and measures 8.5 by 5 by 2.5 inches. There are 3 shade choices.
The material is climate resistant however the massive closure flap can permit water in throughout heavy rain. The closure flap makes accessing your gear rapidly is simple, due to the magnetic closure on the right-hand facet of the bag. Of all the baggage on this gear evaluate, this one is the simplest to entry one-handed whereas biking.
Overall, the Revelate Designs Mag Tank is likely one of the finest Top Tube Bags available on the market and worthy of its popularity as the most effective within the Bikepacking area of interest.
I used one of many earlier variations of the Topeak Fuel Tank with Charging Cable Hole and felt let down by poor-quality stitching and zip that failed after little or no use. It was this early failure that induced me to surrender on all prime tube baggage for a really very long time. But issues have improved with Topeak and each different producer.
This very sensible and sleek-looking prime tube bag has proved extremely popular with prospects because of the finances worth.
It has two attachment factors to the highest tube and one with the central tube holding the handlebar, so you may be in no worry of the bag getting free and coming off. It’s simple to connect with Velcro straps.
It’s made with high quality, thick 420 Denier nylon, and PVC, and is waterproof. While the fabric could also be waterproof it should nonetheless let water into the bag in heavy rain showers so like most different prime tube baggage it’s waterproof, not waterproof.
The good function of Topeak Fuel Tank is that it incorporates a charging cable exit. This signifies that for riders who prefer to mount their smartphone or GPS unit onto the handlebar of the bike in order that they’ll view it as they experience, they’ll cost it up with an influence financial institution within the prime tube bag on the similar time. Or run a cable from a dynamo on the entrance wheel to the facility financial institution.
And if you’ll want to seize one thing from the bag rapidly, there’s a useful loop on the zipper that you would be able to pull down one-handed to entry your gear instantly.
It is available in two completely different sizes. The medium one has 0.5L capability, weighs simply 4.2 oz / 120 g and measures 7 x 3 x 4 inches / 18 x 7 x 10 cm.
Then there’s the bigger mannequin. It has a 0.75L capability, weighs 5.3 oz / 150 g and measures 9 x 3 x 4 inches / 23 x 7 x 10 cm.
Overall, the Topeak Fuel Tank with Charging Cable Hole is a worthy prime tube bag for Bikepacking and Cycle Touring and properly price contemplating.
REI Co-op Junction Top Tube Bag
Pros:
> Provides 1.3 liters of house
> Has a water-repellent coating
> There are two connection straps
Cons:
> Not very climate resistant
If you might be searching for a spacious prime tube bag then this one could be an excellent possibility. It gives a whopping 1.3 liter house for all of your gear. In addition to your necessities, you can discover room for a great deal of snacks. But it isn’t very climate resistant and I might restrict utilizing it for electronics except the climate was superb.
It has a big 1.3L capability and is light-weight at 5.9 ounces. There’s a twin zipper on the highest of the bag to offer you on the spot one-handed entry to your gear. And there’s a mesh pocket inside to maintain smaller gadgets in like keys. I just like the low worth and selection of two colours.
Overall, this can be a good prime Bikepacking Budget tube bag for biking.
Blackburn Outpost Top Tube Bag
Pros:
> Handy mesh pocket on prime
> Enables one-handed opening
> Pocket for small gadgets on the facet
Cons:
> Only obtainable in black
Now, the Blackburn Outpost Top Tube Bag is a superb bag for conserving your gadgets organized and for conserving your most essential gadgets in view.
This is as a result of, along with the big principal compartment, there’s additionally a small zippered pocket on one facet which is nice for stashing keys or free change, and there’s additionally a mesh pocket on prime which is the proper measurement for a smartphone or GPS unit.
There are two zippers for the primary compartment, and it may be opened one-handed.
There are three attachment factors to safe the bag to the bike, together with 2 very vast straps for the highest tube and one for the tube on the entrance.
The material is made out of 4 mm thick, 70 denier rip cease nylon that gained’t tear. And it has been handled in order that rain merely drips from it slightly than getting absorbed.
The Blackburn Top Tube Bag is kind of heavy at 8.3 oz / 235 g and measures 9 by 3 by 4 inches / 23 x 8 x 11 cm.
Buyers Guide
As promised, right here’s your shopping for information. It highlights among the key issues to consider before you purchase, and makes for a useful guidelines.
Aesthetic
This is the least essential consideration in shopping for a Top Tube Bag however we are able to all get choosy in terms of colours and kinds. Most prime tube baggage have a tendency to return in both black or slate grey, designed to seem like a part of the bike itself.
Sometimes you may get different shade choices as properly. Where this is applicable, I’ve talked about that in our critiques.
Attachment
It is essential that the bag stays securely hooked up to the bike as you experience. Top tube baggage which have 3 attachment factors have a tendency to remain mounted to the bike higher than these with solely 2 attachment factors on prime tube and stem or head tube.
Similarly, the highest tube packs which have adjustable factors of attachment on the entrance are higher. Generally, having it mounted on the entrance greater is healthier than decrease however this isn’t at all times attainable.
Capacity
The prime tube is a superb place to retailer electronics, keys, snacks, sunscreen, lip balm, pockets and keys. All the actually important stuff that you could be must pay money for rapidly. But they don’t seem to be designed to hold an excessive amount of stuff. They are merely not stable sufficient for that function.
Some prime tube baggage might be notably small, so you should definitely verify the scale first, so you understand you’ll safely be capable to embody all of your important gadgets. One liter is the typical measurement for these baggage with something larger tending to lose its agency match.
Easy Opening
Unlike with a pannier bag, with a prime tube bag, ideally, you shouldn’t must fiddle round adjusting straps to get to your gear.
The finest prime tube bag is the one with handy closures that you would be able to open and shut one-handed, so that you could maintain no less than one hand on the handlebar always.
Value for Money
Top Tube baggage can actually differ in worth. You can get some for as little as $15, whereas others can value greater than $70.
I don’t embody costs on our website as they’ll change, so if you wish to know the worth of an merchandise, you’ll want to click on on “Check price” to see the present costs.
Conclusion
Overall, any prime tube bag on this evaluate will work properly and might be thought of. Sometimes it should come down to what’s cheaper, or what is on the market in no matter nation you reside in.
The prime picks for 2023 are each the Gas Tanks from Revelate Designs:
For superior waterproof talents the Ortlieb is my Waterproof Top Tube Bag of selection in 2023.
Frequently Asked Questions
They are good for snacks, electronics, sunscreen, lip balm, keys, wallets, or instruments. Anything you need fast entry to when biking. Want fast entry to an motion digicam or snacks whereas biking then a Top Tube Bag is ideal.
Yes, they’re price it to have an accessible bag that can be utilized to retailer a digicam or snacks that may open and closed simply and rapidly.
BikeHikeSafari Gear Review Process
The creator, Brad McCartney from BikeHikeSafari is a small unbiased adventurer and out of doors gear tester who owns and runs BikeHikeSafari.com.
BikeHikeSafari isn’t half of a big weblog community and is proudly unbiased. All critiques on this website are unbiased and sincere gear critiques of outside merchandise by the creator.
The creator, Brad McCartney is a really skilled triple crown thru-hiker, adventurer, and bike tourer having spent 1000s of nights sleeping in a tent and sleeping bag (Read extra). He was a supervisor of an outside retail retailer and could be very skilled in what’s essential when utilizing and testing gear for critiques like this.
BikeHikeSafari won’t ever obtain any cash for critiques and they don’t settle for sponsored critiques on this web site. All the feedback concerning the gear critiques are from the creator based mostly on his years of expertise. Hope this unbiased evaluate was useful for you.