Revelate Testing

With the purchase of a new seat bag, the bikepacking set-up is rounding out a bit so I thought I'd load everything up and take it for a spin around the park. Fully loaded, I was somewhat surprised at how it handled.

I think I had convinced myself that these rackless bags would make the weight completely disappear. I'm not sure why. I, perhaps, assumed that I would feel heavy but that my handling would be fine. That was not the case. Did it handle better than a mountain bike with racks and panniers? Abso-stinking-lutely. I've done two bikepacking trips with panniers and I don't think I'd ever want to do that again. Things are just tough to negotiate. These bags, however, keep the weight evenly distributed and more centered to the bike. But I could still get squirrelly at times.

I'm not complaining in any way. They were so much better than a conventional set-up. I'm just stating that my optimism overshot reality. If you're in the market I would totally recommend them. They make Surly frame bags without any customization. But any bike would work with a few measurements and email exchanges.

All in all, I'm excited to try something new and explore an unconventional way to carry gear!

Get out there.