OrtliebSaddle Bag(Return to Product Page)

this is a second for me for another bike. i bought one years ago and am still using it. it is lightweight, completely waterproof, does not need any sort of rack (making it even more light weight), and expands and collapses. wonderful

I am satisfied with my purchase of the Ortlieb saddle bag. I bought the large size because I wanted to have the option of carrying a lot of items on longer rides. There was some initial difficulty and confusion getting it installed - the release mechanism was not something I was familiar with. It is study and well made. The fact that it is waterproof was a major selling point to me. I have gotten caught out in the rain on a ride previously and wanted to be sure my belongings would be dry if that happened again! I carry the following items on a typical ride and still have plenty of extra space for more phone, keys, $, ID, iPod, power bar, shot blocks, tube, tire levers, patch kit. The only issue I have is that there are no compartments inside. I have to just throw everything in and fish around for the item I want to get out. I'm considering getting a zippered pouch or two to group like items inside. Overall, very satisfied with my purchase.

OK, so the bag is huge, bigger than you might need most of the time. However for long rides in nasty weather, the extra space is nice for those multiple layers you need to take on and off, plus some room for food. Since it's Ortlieb, it's absolutely waterproof.

I bought two of these bags, a medium and large, not knowing which would be big enough. The given dimensions (both here and on the Ortlieb site) are misleading in that the bags are much bigger. I suspect the difference lies in the roll up closure as well as the flexibility of the material.

The roll up design is new to me, so it seems like a pain at first but I like it better for big loads. I used to strain the zipper with a tight load on my previous bags.

There's no obvious place for a light. You can clip it to the fold, but I'm not sure how secure that will be. There are two straps mounted under the bag that a light adapter could be rigged to.

The materials is appropriately heavy. I haven't tried it out in wet conditions but it appears waterproof. Also, there aren't any seams, the usual place for water leakage.

The mounting mechanism is secure and easily installed. The bags comes on and off easily although the velcro strap needs to be undone.

Inside the bag is just that, a bag. No fancy storage sleeves or hooks. The opening is very big. This helps to see into the bag as it black and dark.