Topeak Fast Fuel Tribag

Fuel tank top tube bags have been knocking about in triathlon circles for years. Designed to carry gels, bars and other useful bits and pieces it would be handy to reach while riding, they're incredibly useful for sportives and training rides, not just triathlons. The Topeak Fast Fuel Tri Bag might be one of the most expensive I've come across, but it outclasses most of the competition in terms of size, stability and build quality.

The build quality is obvious as soon as you take it out of the packaging. In my experience, many fuel tank bags can be flimsy and designed purely for low weight rather than long duration, usability and performance.

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There are two popular designs – short in length but higher, or longer in length and contoured to slope down from the head tube. This Topeak follows the latter pattern and has a capacious stated volume of 0.6l, a genuinely roomy storage area.

The bag fastens to the head tube and top tube via three Velcro straps, the rear one having a rubberised underside to help grip the tube. The base of the bag is also slightly rubberised. For tri bikes with appropriate bottle bosses on the top tube, the bag can fasten directly to those.

A single zip at the top allows access to the storage compartment, and features a garage to tuck the zip pull into when closed, or a Velcro tag to stick it to if you want to keep it open.

Inside the bag, there's a small mesh pocket at the side and also a removable stiffened divider for those who like to micro-organise their space.

It certainly was very easy to fit to the bike, and the most impressive feature for me was that, despite its relatively large size by fuel tank standards, it didn't intrude on my riding at all, even when up out of the saddle. Past experiences with this sort of thing have usually resulted in me growling as I have to adjust my climbing style to avoid the bag. Partly instrumental in that is the bag's stability: it doesn't shift at all during rides, staying secure and non-floppy thanks largely to the rubberised base and strap, as well as the shape.

> Need to carry more? Check out our guide to racks and panniers

There was plenty of space for an iPhone 5, some money, gels, a couple of bars and even a packet of tissues, meaning for long events it's an ideal repository for in-ride essentials. The closure isn't waterproof, but a simple plastic bag would safeguard vulnerable electronics. I didn't feel the need for the optional divider and took it out to give more versatile space, but if you're more organised than I am you might want to leave it in.

All in all, despite the fact that it's one of the most expensive of its ilk that I've come across, it is genuinely spacious, well constructed, well designed and offers a really useful alternative to stuffing rear jersey pockets full of small bits and pieces and risking a soggy, sweaty phone.

Verdict

Pricey, but worth it for a durable and versatile way of carrying phone, gels and snacks during events and long rides