As a cyclist, the search for newer and better gear is constant — there's always something else out there. Premes, Picks, Promos will highlight both the next big thing and the sleeper deal.
Let's get this out there right away: going to races is a pain.
Think of all of the crap that comes with you in the car (or truck/van/whatever). Bike, helmet, shoes, kit, change of clothes, food, bottles, trainer (maybe), toolbox (recommended), spare wheels ... yikes.
No matter how well I pack to get to a race, my car is a complete disaster by the time I get back. Stuff is strewn all over, and it takes forever to get it into the house. Most of this problem was a product of not having a bag big enough to carry everything.
The Bontrager duffel bag may have solved that. Seen at the right and selling for $110, this thing is huge. And, yes, while I work in a Trek shop, this thing has easily passed the test of "would you still buy it if you didn't get the discount?" Even for heading out of town on a non-cycling trip, it's awesome.
The main features are the various pockets and pouches. There's a vented shoe pocket on the end, a padded, fleece-lined, zippered pocket on the inside (for computers, phones and such) and two much larger zipper pockets opposite that. Also, there's a half-pouch thing that appears to be for a helmet isn't really deep enough. (The bag is so huge, you could probably just toss your helmet in and be fine.)
My two favorite features, though, are the wet bag and the toiletry kit. The bag is big (three race-day kits, easy), rubber-lined and has a drawstring top. It clips into one end of the duffel bag and folds out of sight when not in use. The toiletry kit is a pretty simple thing, really, but it has a hanging hook, a mirror and makes it a lot easier to find your stuff when you're working out of a trunk.
Go back to that list at the top now. You still need to bring all of that stuff, but this bag can swallow up the helmet, shoes, kit, change of clothes, food and bottles. And that has to make things easier.
Other options:
Specialized has a number of race-day options worth checking out as well. It starts with the backpack for $100, and continues with a pair of duffel bags at $85 and $65. Like the Bontrager site, the Specialized website doesn't have a ton of information on any of them, so it's a good idea to get a look at each of them at your local Big S dealer.
If you're not into those, Craft's Training Bag is a solid choice at $60. Information is, again, slightly lacking, but a big main compartment with a couple of small pouches is a formula that's hard to beat.
My only problem with the Craft bag is the water bottle holder on the outside of the bag. Maybe it's meant for riders who travel a lot, who are wandering through airports and need to keep a drink with them. Maybe. But It seems like that space could have better been used as internal storage capacity.
In addition to being GamJams Tech Editor, Bryan Redemske manages the Trek Bicycle Store of Omaha, is a professional writer and a Cat 3 racer. He drinks a lot of coffee.
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performance sells a bag similar to this for about half the price. just saying for a cheaper alternative in these hard economic times.
Posted by: Zippo | January 28, 2010 at 04:01 PM