Madison Roam Waterproof 25L Rack Top Bag

The Madison Roam Waterproof 25L Rack Top Bag is a simple roll-top bag that attaches to a separate Velcro pad, which is then strapped to the top of a traditional rear rack. It’s a simple design that lacks the finesse or tech-forward thinking of modern bikepacking – but then it’s totally waterproof, will fit pretty much any rack and only costs £50.

The constant stream of premium products crossing a journalist’s workbench can risk numbing you to the majority use case. Occasionally I’m out in the Perthshire Highlands on a modern titanium gravel bike, testing high-end bikepacking kit that comes close to a monthly mortgage or rent payment for most when I meet someone on a 1990s mountain bike, bearing a simple alloy rack overloaded with decades-old drybags packed with gear – and often coal – for a stay in a bothy. Sleeping bag in a bin liner strapped to the bars with numerous faded bungy cords – that sort of thing.

Call it old school, call it retro-grouching – whatever. For many people, this approach is of financial necessity the only way they are getting out there. And bloody well done to them. We need far more people exploring and enjoying our wild places, invested in their protection, and voting for policies that put the environment and access thereto higher on political agendas. Which brings me to Madison’s Roam Waterproof 25L Rack Top Bag. (Nope, I didn’t see that coming either, but bear with me.)

The Roam bag is a simple idea. It’s basically a rolltop drybag that velcros onto your rack via a large square pad. There’s also a strap to hold it in place if you’re worried the Velcro needs help.

It is viable for 100 per cent of bikes that have rear racks, and if you don’t have a rear rack, you can buy one starting from around £10. (Or just ask any keen cyclist – they may well have a spare one kicking around.)

2025-madison-roam-waterproof-25l-rack-top-bag-open-scaled.jpg (Image Credit: Farrelly Atkinson)

What this means is 25L of 100 per cent waterproof, tool-free, quickly-removable, secure bike storage for £50 (or a bit more if you need to buy the rack). If you want 25L of waterproof rear storage from most high-end brands, you’re looking at a minimum £200.

The base pad measures 28 x 12cm. One side is the ‘hook and loop’ material (not technically ‘Velcro’, but I’ll crack on using the term for simplicity). The other side – the one that faces down and attaches to the carrier – has two long fixed Velcro straps that wrap under and around your rack’s sides, and then two more that wrap from the front and back. All of them stick to the top pad and, because they’re double-sided, they don’t reduce the area of upwards-facing hook material for the bag bottom to stick to.

So you strap the base to your bike, then plop the bag on top. There are then two further straps in the middle of the base with plastic buckles and an adjustable side and these clip around the top of your bag. For ultimate security they can be threaded through welded patches on each side of the bag, meaning there is no way that bag is coming off even if the buckle comes undone and the Velcro completely detaches.

It’s taken me longer to type all of this than it does to fit or remove the base. You can definitely swap between bikes with minimal faff. One use case could be on rental or city hire bikes. The Madison bag could easily be carried in luggage (or as luggage) and quickly fitted and removed for cycling.

The roll top of the bag is stiffened, and the two ends attach to each other with plastic buckles to stop ingress from above. The act of pulling the buckles toward the middle means the bag is best used for multiple smaller items instead of one long one. For example, a long tent might fit inside, but it’s possible the ends of the bag couldn’t then be pulled closed.

Inside the bag is a decently-sized zipped pocket for smaller items. You also get a shoulder strap that attaches to each end of the bag for carrying it off the bike. The bag material is fully waterproof and tough polyester, with welded seams to ensure zero leakage. The feel is very similar to products from premium brands that cost several times the price. With a limited lifetime warranty, you’re good for many adventures.

My go-to stress test for luggage is to attach it to my full-suspension eMTB and ride my local red and black trails just as I would sans luggage. I strapped the Madison Roam bag down to an Aeroe Spider rack using their universal pannier adaptor plate to simulate a standard rear rack. With about eight kilos of tent, cook kit, water and other bits and pieces crammed in, the bag didn’t budge – impressive for such a low-cost solution. Another bonus is that with no fixings to rattle or come loose, the ride was 100 per cent silent.

With a heavier load, you’ll definitely want to be using the strap – more for peace of mind than anything else. If you are using it for shopping in town you probably don’t need to worry as the Velcro contact force is plenty.

Being able to throw the bag onto any rack-equipped bike in a minute or so and remove it just as quickly, and have it keep its contents dry and secure along the way is quite a trick.

Value

Madison seems to have come up with a novel concept here – a drybag that attaches to any rack without tools, which offers quick and easy access and is totally waterproof.

> Best bike pannier bags and pannier racks — our ultimate guide to all your cycling luggage possibilities

Other options include a plethora of hard-sided zip-top bags, which attach using either clips or sliding plates, a la the Topeak MTX. These are never waterproof, relying instead on pull-over ponchos for weather protection; they generally weigh close to a kilogram or more; and cost at least as much, if not considerably more. They all definitely have a place in the broad church of cycling luggage, but so too now does the Roam 25L bag.

I must confess I didn’t foresee ending up at this score and conclusion, but having used the bag in extreme riding and thought through what the Madison Roam Waterproof 25L Rack Top Bag is capable of doing for different people in different scenarios, it’s easy to recommend.