Adventure awaits: Fjällräven x Specialised bikepacking bags in the test
Sandra Schuberth
· 23.09.2023
A bikepacking tour during my summer holiday was the perfect opportunity to test the bags intensively. It wasn't particularly inviting, but just right for the test: the first few days there was a lot of rain. We started near Munich and cycled to Milan first. From there we cycled to the Aosta Valley, then over the Col du Grand Saint-Bernard into Switzerland and back home. In total, it was a good 1,200 kilometres with 16,000 metres of elevation gain, on which the bikepacking bags from Specialized and Fjällräven had to prove themselves.
The individual bags in the test
The "arse rocket"
The saddle bag from Specialized and Fjällräven is in two parts and consists of a holder - Seatbag Harness - and a waterproof pack sack. Our test bag was the 16 litre version. There is also a smaller drybag with a volume of 10 litres. The harness and drybag are only available separately.
The harness, i.e. the construction that holds the drybag, consists of an aluminium frame and textile (Vinylon and polyamide). The harness is attached to the bike with a screw and a clamp on the saddle frame and with a Velcro strap that is placed around the seat post. There are three compression straps on each side, which secure the drybag - or whatever you put in the harness. A seventh strap at the back additionally holds the load in the harness. A screw valve on the drybag helps air to escape. This allows the contents to be well compressed.
The most important data on the harness and drybag
- Weight: 625 g (harness) plus 132 g drybag (16 litres) or 118 g (10 litres)
- Price Harness: 139,95 €
- Price Drybag: 59.95 € (16 litres), 49.95 € (10 litres)
And how does the saddlebag combination perform in practice?
The tour is not without its challenges, the bikepacking bags have to put up with a lot. Constant rain, splashing water and very bumpy descents provide ideal conditions for our bag test.
Right at the start we realise that we've packed it wrong. The drybag is packed too wide at the bottom, leaving little space between the tyre and the bag. The compression straps on the harness are lashed down, but the saddlebag combination keeps touching the tyre. We stop and repack. Now the pannier is less bulky at the bottom. That has worked. Now the two-part construction of harness and drybag is holding.
Back at the hotel in the evening, we realise that the drybag has not withstood hours of rain and splashing water.
At the end of the tour, it's time to summarise. If the drybag is well packed, nothing rubs against the tyre. There is no time saving when mounting and dismounting the drybag compared to conventional bikepacking bags. Each time, up to seven straps have to be loosened or tightened and their ends stowed away. What is missing are elasticated straps on the top to which a wet rain jacket or freshly washed cycling shorts can be attached to dry on the outside of the bag. But the look remains tidy.
Solid combination of harness and drybag, but not designed to withstand constant rain.
- Advantage: The harness keeps the drybag stable and vibration-free
- Disadvantage: Contrary to the manufacturer's instructions, the drybag is not waterproof
Handlebar bag: a combination of pannier rack and roll-top bag
Specialised and Fjällräven seem to like combination packs. Harness and drybag are combined in the saddle bag, while a roll-top bag is packed on a pannier rack further forward on the bike.
The S/F Handlebar Rolltop is made from recycled 210D ripstop nylon and is also labelled as waterproof. It can hold luggage with a volume of up to 13 litres. The highlight: the bag can also be used as a shoulder bag. As with the saddle bag, the bag and pannier rack are only available separately.
On the Aluminium luggage carrier can be used to transport anything. Parcel, tent, pizza, cake - or even the Handlebar Rolltop bag. The carrier is attached directly to the handlebars and stabilised on the stem with a tensioning cable. According to the manufacturer, it is suitable for all types of bikes - as long as the bike has aluminium handlebars with a diameter of 31.8 mm. Downhill is also excluded, probably because of the load.
Attention! The handlebar rack has only been tested and approved for use with aluminium handlebars.
Handlebar bag details
- Price Handlebar Rack: 99,95 €
- Price Drybag: 119,95 €
- Weight: 331 g Handlebar Rack plus 395 g Handlebar Rolltop
How the handlebar combo from Specialized and Fjällräven performs
DO NOT MIMIC: We mount the handlebar rack on a carbon handlebar. There is neither time nor new handlebar tape to swap the handlebar for an aluminium model before the tour.
We study the assembly instructions and follow them step by step. Four screws and a tensioning cable hold the transport aid to the handlebars. In addition to two times two screws, one for the clamp on the handlebars and one for the clamp on the pannier rack, the rack is held in place by a thin tensioning cable. This serves to stabilise the rack and reminds us of the Ortlieb Handlebar Bag QR. With Ortlieb, the tensioning cable is clamped in place, while Specialised x Fjällräven use knots.
Knotology
First a knot is made in the tensioning cable, then the cable is threaded through a hole. From here, the cable runs over the handlebars, under the stem, back over the handlebars and... Now, yes only now, it gets complicated. Because now a second knot has to be made in the tensioning cable and the cable has to be brought into the corresponding groove. From the front, the whole thing looks something like this, except that the tensioning cable is hanging in the air here and the carrier is not attached to the handlebars. It's about the left-hand knot in the picture, which took a lot of nerve.
Surely a knot can't be that complicated? Yes, it can, if this very knot determines the position of the handlebar rack - the knot itself was not complicated.
If the knot is too far away from the handlebars, the rack tilts downwards; if the knot is too close to the handlebars, the bag gets in the way of the Garmin in our setup. 10 knots later, we have fixed the rack in the right position on the handlebars. Will it hold?
... the knot in practice
Not only does the saddlebag need to be repacked after the first few kilometres, the front also needs to be readjusted. The front part of the bag repeatedly touches the tyre on gravel paths. This should not be a problem on larger bikes. The problem can also be solved on small bikes. Repacked and lashed down, the problem is history.
On the fifth day of our tour, it happened: the second knot, which had taken us so many attempts, slipped out of its groove. It is too thin. And what happens now? Exactly, the rack tilts downwards and the bag rubs against the tyre. We have a quick solution: we pull a strap around the bag and the stem to stabilise everything. Once we arrive at today's accommodation, we tackle the whole thing again. The strap was not a permanent solution and was needed on another bike. We knot it again and place a second knot directly on top of the first. Now it holds - no matter how bumpy the descents are.
And how does the roll-top bag perform?
Fitting the roll-top bag to the handlebar rack is simple. Two loops, which are on the bag, are placed over the upper corners of the rack and then securely fastened to the platform with two buckles. This construction proves to be extremely stable and reliable. The bag itself is fastened with two side buckles and two compression straps, which ensures that the contents of the bag sit securely and virtually wobble-free. One small disadvantage, however, is that a total of four buckles have to be opened and closed if you want to access the contents of the bag. This can be annoying, so it is all the more important to think about what is packed where.
The first day of our tour is characterised by constant changes between rain and sun. This goes hand in hand with constantly putting on and taking off the rain jacket, which in turn involves packing and unpacking. Opening and closing four buckles each time. The next day, the rain gear goes into the frame bag, which is practical for two reasons. Firstly, access is quicker and secondly, the wet clothing stays underneath.
Conclusion from the practical test: Better safe than sorry ...
... this applies to knots in the tensioning cable of the handlebar rack as well as to packing luggage. Unfortunately, the bag didn't stand up to the constant rain of the first few days. It wasn't soaking wet inside, but it was clearly recognisable that water had penetrated. How good that we had double-packed everything that really shouldn't get wet anyway. So the change of clothes stayed dry. It is a little awkward that four buckles have to be opened first if you need something from the bag. One plus point: the roll-top fastening makes it easy to keep an eye on the contents of the bag.
The casual randonneur look that the front rack and bag give the setup invites you to enjoy relaxed tours with long breaks. That suited our mode. We had coffee, cooker and Aeropress with us and took coffee breaks in the most beautiful places. It would be nice if the front bag had a valve for releasing air, as is the case with the Drybag. It is not easy to mount lights on the handlebars. On large bikes, a headlight can be mounted from below on the pannier rack, but on small bikes there is not enough space. The light has to be positioned higher so that it can shine over the pannier. And the sat nav must also be adjusted either over the stem or at a slightly higher angle so that it does not collide with the pannier.
Conclusion
The front rack and bag hold securely and stably - provided the knot in the stabilising rope is positioned correctly and is thick enough. You can quickly find what you are looking for in the bag. Practical for relaxed tours.
- Advantages: Also fits between narrow dropbar handlebars, other items can also be transported on the rack. We're thinking of pizza.
- Disadvantages: Does not withstand constant rain; the platform could be slightly larger, especially for small bikes, so that the bag does not hang over the front; mounting the sat nav and lights on the handlebars can be difficult.
Top tube bag: Toptube Bag
We really like the top tube bag from Specialized and Fjällräven. It is narrow and can be opened from the front and back thanks to a two-way zip. It is attached to the top tube with Velcro straps or screws. The bag is made from hard-wearing Vinylon with a recycled nylon lining and foam-padded sides. The material is relatively strong and the base is reinforced. Inside the bag there are mesh pockets in which smaller items can be stowed. The seams are not sealed, but the lining material is waterproof.
The Toptube Bag from Specialised and Fjällräven in detail
- Height: 10 cm
- Length: 26 cm
- Width: 6 cm
- Volume: 0,8 l
- Weight: 139 g
- Price: 54,95 €
The top tube bag on our test tour
With a length of 26 cm, the top tube bag is longer than many other top tube bags. Ideal for a selfie stick for an Insta360, for example. Or for lots of snacks. The width of the bag is comfortable, especially for people who tend to hit the inside of their thighs or knees against the bag.
They say the bag is not waterproof, but it defied the constant rain and stayed dry in the bag. Very good! The mesh pockets for small items such as keys are also practical.
Conclusion top tube bag
Good bag that also fits longer items.
- Advantage: Can also be screwed to the top tube; two-way zip; no water has penetrated despite constant rain.
- Disadvantage: May be too long for very small bikes with a classic frame shape.
Frame bag
Like the top tube bag, the frame bag is equipped with a two-way zip. This can be opened along the entire length of the bag. This makes it easy to access everything in the bag without having to unpack a lot. A total of seven Velcro straps are provided to attach the bag to the frame - but less is also possible. The bag is made from the same material as the top tube bag and the sides are foam-padded. Inside the bag there are mesh pockets for smaller items. Although the seams of the bag are not sealed, the lining is waterproof.
The frame bag in size S
- Height: 10 cm
- Length: 40 cm
- Width: 6 cm
- Volume: 2,3 l
- Weight: 244 g
- Price: 79,95 €
The frame bag in size M
- Height: 11 cm
- Length: 47 cm
- Width: 6 cm
- Volume: 3 l
- Weight: 297 g
- Price: 89,95 € (size M)
The frame bag in size L
- Height: 14 cm
- Length: 53 cm
- Width: 6 cm
- Volume: 5 l
- Weight: 376 g
- Price: 99,95 €
Specialises x Fjällräven frame bag in practical test
It wasn't with us on our bikepacking tour, as we needed more storage space and chose a customised frame bag that fills the entire frame triangle. Instead, the bag in size M was allowed to Dreifels Gravel Camp prove it. We wouldn't have believed it ourselves, but it fitted the test bike perfectly.
The first - and only - hurdle when assembling the bag: threading the Velcro straps into the bag. The straps have Velcro hooks on one side and the fluffy counterpart on the other. The hook, i.e. the Velcro side, slips better through the flap when it is facing the pocket. However, the Velcro side is then on the outside and it is not uncommon for the bike shorts to catch on the straps and damage the shorts. The Velcro straps are difficult to thread the other way round, but the hooks are orientated towards the frame tubes. We use a spanner to help us. We are not worried about the hooks on the Velcro fastener scratching the frame, because it was masked off beforehand.
What we only noticed while riding: the frame pocket is asymmetrical. It is slightly wider on the zip side. One tester kept getting the inside of her thigh into the bag on this side. Other testers did not. But this is not the first bag where this has happened. This is also shown by the skin on which various frame bags have already left marks. The sturdy material from which the bag is made ensures that it retains its shape. Good for the knee or the skin on the inside of the lower thigh, the long zip is practical for easy access to everything in the bag. The mesh pockets on the inside provide additional organisation, especially when small items such as keys, cards, medication or other items need to be quickly accessible.
Conclusion on the frame bag
The large zip is particularly good and the material is dimensionally stable. As the bag is available in different sizes, it fits many bikes. Despite constant rain and splashing water, no water has penetrated.
Advantage: Large zip opening for a good overview, sturdy material
Disadvantage: Asymmetrical in width; if the inside of your knees often touches frame pockets, you will also touch the pocket on the left side.
Who are the Specialised x Fjällräven bikepacking bags suitable for?
The bags have a casual look and are stable when attached to the bike. A good choice for all those who are more interested in leisurely bikepacking tours in good weather than in kilometres. The bikepacking bags stand out visually from those of other manufacturers, especially the frame bag and the top tube bag. The front bag, for example, has room for everything you need for a long coffee break or snack - and much more besides. However, if you're looking for really waterproof bags, you've come to the wrong place.
>> More bikepacking bags can be found here.
Sandra Schuberth
Editor
