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review

Abus Lyria Silene bag

8
£59.99

VERDICT:

8
10
Versatile and useful bar bag for touring and recreational riders but a tad pricy
Weight: 
724g
Contact: 
www.zyro.co.uk

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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The Silene bar bag from Abus is a bit different from the norm, turning away from the common box type shape of many bar bags, where the lid can often be used for maps, towards a more ‘handbag’ like shape, complete with compartments, padding and even a shoulder strap. It’s the kind of bar bag that could be used on day rides just as happily as long tours requiring maps and GPS, and wouldn’t look out of place slung over your shoulder at the supermarket.

Weighing 724g for 4 litre capacity, it’s not the lightest, weighing as much as many bags of a bigger volume. Much of this weight however, is down to the serious padding used in the Silene. Every compartment is padded to a greater or lesser degree, with the front pocket sporting a serious amount of cushioning. This does mean it’s a good choice for cameras and other more fragile items, although it’s only water resistant rather than waterproof, so you’d still want to use a dry-bag for further protection. The 450D and 630D nylon fabrics are nigh-on bombproof and it’ll withstand a lot of abuse for many years to come. The bag also has a vinyl splash resistant base.

The four pockets all fasten with sturdy zips, the optional shoulder strap is well padded and comfortable, fastening easily to the sides when needed, or there’s a handle on top if you don’t want to bother. Reflective piping enhances visibility and there’s a pretty floral design that will appeal to the ladies, or men who like flowers (it IS a fairly low key tonal design and blends well with the dark brown colouring of the bag).

The mount is a standard high quality KLICKfix affair, making it easy to swap and change bags if you have several different ones for the same touring bike, without having to dismantle the fixtures. It fastens quickly and easily to the mount with no fuss.

In essence, this is a good option to consider if you’re not likely to have too much to put into a handlebar bag, but want an easily detached way of carrying your valuables with you at rest stops. It’s also more protective than many, for gadgets and gizmos.

Verdict

A versatile and useful bar bag, perfect for touring and for recreational rides where you're on and off the bike a lot. Great for keeping valuables close at hand, but just a little bit pricy itself.

road.cc test report

Make and model: Abus Lyria Silene bag

Size tested: n/a

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
9/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
9/10
Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
 
6/10
Rate the product for value:
 
7/10

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes.

Would you consider buying the product? Probably.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Probably.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 37  Height: 1.65m  Weight: 67kg

I usually ride:   My best bike is:

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, touring, general fitness riding, mtb,

Lara has been riding bikes for longer than she'd care to admit, and writing about them nearly as long. Since 2009 she has been working as part of the road.cc review team whilst championing women's cycling on the side, most notably via two years as editor of the, sadly now defunct, UK's first and only women's cycling mag, erm, Women's Cycling. 

Believing fervently that cycling will save the world, she wishes that more people would just ride a bike and be pleasant to each other. 

She will ride anything with two wheels, occasionally likes to go fast, definitely likes to go far and is always up for a bit of exploring somewhere new and exciting. 

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