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rapha waterproof top tube pack and small seat pack
ultimately, the bicycle is a vehicle for adventure, or at least there is the potential for that to be the case. i'd imagine the majority of us experienced that revelation at whatever age we learned to ride a bicycle. in my case, i was a slow learner; though my parents had bought me a rather fetching blue bicycle with a single-speed freewheel in anticipation of my learning to ride it over a period of time measured in days rather than weeks or months, after hours of trepidation and incompetence (several of the velo club are convinced i have yet to learn properly), i realised that the only way this was going to happen was by way of a drastic compromise.
the latter consisted of borrowing a considerably smaller red bicycle from a friend of mine nearby, one who had already reached velocipedinal escape velocity. this cycle was small enough to allow yours truly hours of practice in the large(ish) back garden, where falling off was mitigated by the bike's closeness to the ground and the fact that the latter was covered with lush, soft grass. thus, with due diligence and hours of falling over, i finally learned to ride a bicycle at the grand old age of nine. it causes me no end of embarrassment that both my own children learned at a third of that age.
the red bicycle restored to its rightful owner and the blue bike retrieved from its garden shed repose, had i been more literary aware at the time, i'd no doubt have exclaimed "let the adventure begin."
i can only admit that as a nine year-old, i harboured a natural reticence to head off along the road less familiar. initial forays mostly consisted of the field at the end of the road and once or twice as far as the local library, though carrying home more than two books at a time was a tad more awkward than it had seemed when the librarian stamped the inside cover.
having reached an age considerably in advance of nine, i confess that my sense of adventure is every bit as conservative as 'twas in the days of innocence. yes, i still love riding my bicycle, but mostly i'm content to ride the highways and byways of my island home, with only the occasional flurry elsewhere, as long as it is organised to the last detail and there's someone there to point me in the right direction and tuck me in at night. thus my on-bike cargo requirements are just the right side of minimal. yes, there was a brief period in the hebrides when i had panniers, but those days were short-lived.
if i might confine myself to discussions surrounding the sunday morning ride and those island round-and-abouts, there is need for little more than a spare inner tube, a multi-tool and at least a sole tyre-lever. there was a time when i also carried a pound coin in a zipped pocket, in case i had need of accessing a public phone (remember those?). i now realise that the recent introduction of a new pound coin has left me with tarnished currency that's no longer current. c'est la vie.
i prefer, however, that the above mentioned paraphernalia be carried in a single pack, something that, unfortunately, a small-size rapha seatpack was incapable of achieving. strapping to the underside of a sadddle by way of a single, adjustable, velcro strap, the small-size pack can hold a tyre-lever within an elasticated internal pocket, accompanied by a park tools, multi-tool. though there was still a soupcon of space remaining, it was insufficient to contain an inner tube, even when removed from its packaging.
willing and wishing to be seen as self-reliant, i placed that coiled tube within a similarly fabricated, yet more spacious top tube pack. this straps to the front of the top tube by means of two adjustable velcro straps and a third strap that fits neatly around the head tube. along with the inner tube, the latter pack was able also to swallow my digital camera whole. in the grand scheme of things, i doubt there's anything too onerous in carrying items across two incredibly waterproof items of luggage, but there were other considerations to be considered.
the seat pack, though a smidgeon on the compact and bijou side, is all but perfectly formed; had the choice been mine, i'd probably have opted for the medium-size, but in principle, scaling up has its attractions. i was a bit less impressed with the top tube pack. yes, its waterproofing is impeccable, keeping the camera perfectly dry, even when i forgot it was there and i left it outside in the pouring rain. however, it's possible that the camera's weight was very much not in its favour.
the two velcro straps tightening around the top tube fit through slots in the base of the pack, meaning that, no matter how tight you manage to pull them, it's still possible for the pack to slide laterally. which is precisely what it did everytime i hit a bump on the avonvogie forestry track. incessantly nudging it with my right kneecap eventually became a bit tiresome. there are two further slots on the base for alternative positioning; an extra couple of straps would have been a welcome addition. try as i might, i was unable to pull the head tube strap as tight as it probably needed to be, though that might say more about me than it does about the fastening process.
sizewise, the latter is capable of accommodating a rapha goose down thermal jacket, when scrunched within its carry sack. this seemed like the ideal placement for such a garment, given its intended use and there's no denying that the pack slid about far less when bereft of that (heavier) digital camera. as the saying goes, you pays your money, you takes your choice.
rapha's range of bikepacking luggage comprises a bar bag and framepack, along with the two items described above, but i'm afraid i'm without the necessary inquistive spirit of adventure to provide any of them with the hard time that would verify their undoubted suitability for round the world trips. however, there's no doubting their versatility or comprehensive waterproofing, though i'd advise taking time to consider just which item you'd need to help you on your long and winding road, when related to the amount of stuff you intend to carry.
thursday 13 december 2018
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