BUYER'S GUIDE

Best cycling backpacks

Best cycling backpacks 2025 — carry your stuff the simple way

Whether you're lugging your laptop to work or just need space for lunch, here's our round-up of the best cycling backpacks

by Emily Tillett

UPDATED Sun, Sep 29, 2024 13:18

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Cycling with a backpack is one of the simplest ways to get your stuff from A to B. Panniers that can be attached to a rack on the bike are certainly a classic way of carrying things, but backpacks are ideal for the office commute or running errands due to the simplicity. There are plenty of specifically designed backpacks for cycling now, and the best should be functional, durable and comfortable. Additionally, they should have features that keep your stuff dry as well as organised. In this article, we'll round up the best cycling backpacks you can buy right now.

Best cycling backpack overall: Oxford Aqua Evo 22L Backpack
- Buy now for £55.99 from Cycle Solutions
- Find out more
Best value cycling backpack: Apidura Packable Backpack (13L)
- Buy now for £46 from Apidura
- Find out more
Best reflective cycling backpack: Proviz Reflect360 Cycling Backpack
- Buy now for £69.99 from Proviz
- Find out more
Best waterproof cycling backpack: Craft Cadence Backpack
- Buy now for £99.99 from Craft Cadence
- Find out more
Best cycling backpack with lots of storage: Osprey Metron 24
- Buy now for £135 from Tredz
- Find out more
Best money-no-object cycling backpack: Chrome Industries Hawes 26L Pack
- Buy now for £117.99 from Amazon
- Find out more

The main advantage of a backpack is its convenience. Simply pack all your essentials, throw it on your shoulders, and you're ready to go without the hassle of dealing with pannier hooks or impacting your bike's handling. Additionally, the ease of carrying off the bike makes backpacks one of the most popular ways of transporting stuff on the bike.

There are lots of cycling backpacks to choose from, ranging from super organised with lots of internal compartments, or super simple, lightweight single-compartment bags. The right one for you will depend on your preferences.

It's also worth looking out for reflective detailing for night-time visibility, plus waterproofing to keep your laptop or lunch dry in an unexpected downpour.

How we review cycling backpacks

Our reviewers, with many years of riding experience between them, use products for at least a month before writing up their findings and delivering final verdicts.

Since road.cc towers is based in the centre of Bath, these cycling backpacks have undergone rigorous testing during our reviewers' daily commutes to work, enduring the varied weather conditions that the UK presents.

Cycling backpacks are assessed on their quality of construction, performance, durability, weight, comfort and value, with the overall score reflecting both the backpack's function and value compared to items of a similar spec, quality and price. With a huge review archive, we can keep it fair by comparing like-for-like.

Why you can trust us

All cycling backpacks featured in this buyer's guide have undergone thorough reviews by our team of reviewers. Since we've reviewed a lot of backpacks over the years, all of the ones featured have scored 8/10 or more to be considered for inclusion. No matter how big the brand is or sales figures, a product must meet our high standards to be featured in this guide.

And of course, the road.cc team members who put together these guides are seasoned cyclists themselves. Our first-hand experience ensures that the product selections are carefully curated.

Several of the items below have also earned recognition in road.cc Recommends, indicating they have received high scores in reviews, and have been selected for this buyer's guide by at least three different individual on the team. If you do want to see your on-bike carrying options, be sure to check out our guide to the best bike pannier bags and pannier racks too.

The best cycling backpacks: our top picks

Oxford Aqua Evo 22L Backpack

Best cycling backpack overall

Buy now for £55.99 from Cycle Solutions

Totally waterproof

Comfortable and secure

Handy (waterproof) zipped external pocket

Good internal storage

Padding is quite firm

The Oxford Aqua Evo 22L Backpack is a great pack that does exactly what it promises to do – carry your stuff comfortably, securely and dryly. If you're about town in all weathers, it's ideal.

Inside, the backpack features a laptop sleeve, a couple of smaller fabric pockets and a zipped mesh one, and outside there's an 18cm-deep pocket with a waterproof zip (17cm opening), which is pretty handy if you don't want to unroll the whole thing.

The shoulder straps are well padded (and mesh-backed for ventilation), and you get webbing chest and waist straps which are easily adjustable for a comfy, secure fit, as are the buckles for securing the opening.

Read our review of the Oxford Aqua Evo 22L Backpack

Apidura Packable Backpack (13L)

Best value cycling backpack

Buy now for £46 from Apidura

Packs very, very small

Attaches to your bike

Roll-top fits and squashes around odd shapes

Very light

Fits well

Reflective

External pockets

Waterproof, tear-resistant material

Apidura's Packable 13L backpack is an excellent cycle-specific backpack that squashes down to almost nothing when not in use. It's made from a tough, waterproof rip-stop polyester that measures 7 x 8 x 9cm in its packed form.

There are a surprising number of technical features too, such as adjustable straps, elasticated mesh pockets capable of carrying water bottles, reflective dots to add visibility on the bike, and most impressive is the fact that all the seams are tape-sealed for waterproofing – a real feat at this size, weight and price.

Also, it's worth noting that Apidura offers a lifetime materials and workmanship warranty, and will help with repairs where needed.

Read our review of the Apidura Packable Backpack (13L)

Proviz Reflect360 Cycling Backpack

Best reflective cycling backpack

Buy now for £69.99 from Proviz

Loads of reflectivity for riding in the dark

Lots of compartments

Good waterpoofing

Riding hard can cause sweat build-up on your back

The Proviz Reflect 360 Backpack is a stunning way of boosting your visibility when riding at night. During the day the backpack is a subtle grey, but when a car's headlights fall on it, the entire bag reflects back the light.

As a backpack, the Reflect 360 fulfils its task well. It's spacious with a 30 litre capacity which is more than enough for a change of clothes, sandwiches and any other stuff you need to transport. There's a laptop sleeve too and the fabric has good waterproofing keeping your belongings dry in all but the very heaviest of downpours.

Read our review of the Proviz Reflect360 Cycling Backpack

Craft Cadence Backpack

Best waterproof cycling backpack

Buy now for £99.99 from Craft Cadence

Very well built

Waterproof

Comfortable

Waist straps could be better

The Craft Cadence backpack is designed for commuting cyclists to carry pretty much everything they need in a stylish and comfortable manner. It's great quality and is waterproof.

There are three storage areas to the bag: the 21-litre compartment, and two zipped pockets on the outside. Inside the main compartment are two Velcro straps holding an eight-pocket organiser sleeve. This includes a pocket for a 15in laptop plus a large, zipped pocket. There's also an A4-sized pocket and some smaller ones, plus two pen holders with a key strap.

Read our review of the Craft Cadence Backpack

Osprey Metron 24

Best cycling backpack with lots of storage

Buy now for £135 from Tredz

External helmet storage

Rain cover

Waterproof shoe compartment

Airflow-optimised back

Excess straps can flap around

The Osprey Metron 24 is a great pack for commuters with a 24L total capacity and a grand total of 14 storage compartments and pockets, plus two compartments that hold covers.

Osprey makes the Metron using nylon from recycled sources, and it's said to be abrasion-resistant in case of a spill. The Metron 24 is about as feature-rich as they come, one of the great features being the helmet holder, and it offers brilliant practicality in a neat design.

You can get a smaller 18L messenger or 22L roll-top version if you know you'll need less capacity, but the 24L tested here might turn out to be the sweetspot for most.

Read our review of the Osprey Metron 24

Chrome Industries Hawes 26L Pack

Best money-no-object cycling backpack

Buy now for £117.99 from Amazon

Stylish

Highly adjustable

Lots of compartments

Excellent quality

Expensive

The Chrome Industries Hawes 26L Pack is super stylish and is backed up with great quality, too. We found the fabric to be extremely water resistant, so you can feel confident about keeping valuables in there in the rain.

It's got plenty of compartments to keep your items separated, as well as a dedicated laptop sleeve and D-lock compartment.

Read our review of the Chrome Industries Hawes 26L Pack

More highly rated cycling backpacks

Altura Heritage 12L Backpack

Buy now for £35.49 from Cycle Store

Tough

Protective

Attractive

Fiddly fastenings

Altura's Heritage 12L Backpack is part of their traditionally styled Heritage range and this canvas bag certainly looks the part. It's made from a 97% cotton, 3% polyester 12oz canvas, with a water-repellent wax finish that can (mostly) handle pretty heavy rain.

Inside is a padded sleeve designed for up to 15in laptops, plus a couple of mesh pockets, a zipped organiser pocket, and a keyring. The padded straps are adjustable, and the chest strap is removable too. The 12-litre main body closes with a zip and then rolls up for protection from rain.

Tester Lara said, "I found this size spot on for a day's commute – it takes a compact change of clothes, shoes, a laptop and the inevitable bits and bobs, though doesn't leave much space for shopping on the way home. The quite narrow shaping and thick fabric keep the contents all safe and secure, too."

Read our review of the Altura Heritage 12L Backpack

Sundried Triathlon Backpack

Buy now for £61 from Sundried

Lots of bottle pockets (four!)

Excellent separate shoe and helmet compartments

Wipe-down surface

Huge – not a modular design

Detachable pouch not easily detachable

Laptop sleeve only accessible from interior

The Sundried 50L Triathlon Backpack is a huge event weekender bag with so many useful pockets including four bottle holders, plus handy shoe and helmet compartments which standard rucksacks don't cater for very well. The Sundried helpfully separates these essentials for safe and easy-access storage.

Sundried's backpack measures 75 x 45 x 26cm with – as you might have guessed from the name – a capacity of 50 litres. That's a lot. With a bag so spacious that you can pack a serious amount of weight into it, it's great that it has a padded back and supportive straps that can be adjusted easily for a secure and comfortable fit.

While not strictly designed for commuting, reflective piping extends across all sides for visibility, so you could use the backpack for early morning or evening commutes, and 15-inch laptop sleeve made of mesh is also included.

Read our review of the Sundried Triathlon Backpack

Elops Cycling Backpack Speed 520

Buy now for £69.99 from Decathlon

Waterproof and durable material

Handy side zip for quick access

Back padding helps prevent sweaty journeys

Good price

Just the two colour options

The Elops Cycling Backpack Speed 520 is a waterproof pack from Decathlon and it's a thoroughly practical and versatile bit of kit that's ideal for commuting and more. The design is simple but not basic, with attention to detail in its zips, reflective strips and internal pockets, and despite its 25L size, it folds down quite compactly.

It's also comfy to wear thanks to chunky padding and supportive side straps that really hug as you move.

Read our review of the Elops Cycling Backpack Speed 520

Apidura City Backpack

Buy now for £130 from Condor Cycles

Lightweight, simple design

No rolltop closure

Padded laptop sleeve

Reflective details

Comfortable shoulder straps

Expensive

The material shows scuffs

Not the most breathable on the back

The Apidura City Backpack is a lightweight and fully waterproof backpack designed for urban riding and daily commuting. The City's simplicity is one of its most appealing features. The bag features a welded waterproof construction to keep your belongings dry in any weather and its features are minimalist, with only the essential pockets. The 20-litre capacity of this bag proved to be more than enough for carrying office essentials and even some extra for a weekend-long trip.

Inside, there's a suspended laptop sleeve for secure storage and the sleeve has one zipped pocket for storing pens or other small items you don't want to fish from the bottom of the bag. On the side, there's an easy-access zipped pocket for keys and the like. Otherwise, the bag is one single rectangular pouch with flap closure that's 50cm in height, which can be extended to 56cm, and 30cm wide.

Read our review of the Apidura City Backpack

Best cycling backpacks: how to choose and what you need to know

What size backpack is best for cycling?

There's a huge range of options in rucksacks for cycling, from bike-specific packs with lots of pockets and hidey-holes to help keep your stuff organised, to walking daypacks that can be used on the bike, to ultralight bags for minimalists.

You don't want to carry too much on your back, so our recommendation is around 20-30 litres, though we have listed a couple of bigger bags for those who absolutely must take along the kitchen sink.

Are cycling backpacks waterproof?

Yes, many of the cycling backpacks listed are at least water resistant with some of them being fully waterproof. Backpacks vary in how well they keep out the wet. Roll-top bags made from seam-welded waterproof materials will generally keep out almost everything. More conventionally-constructed bags need liners to keep clothes and electronics dry; some have built-in rain covers that help.

Is it hard to ride with a backpack?

Factors such as the weight of the backpack, its design and how well it fits will impact how easy or hard it is to ride with it. We would suggest buying an adjustable backpack so you can distribute the weight evenly on your back making it more comfortable and easier to ride with. Look for backpacks with adjustable straps, padding on the shoulders and back, and a ventilated design to further enhance comfort during rides.

The more you're going to carry, the thicker the padding on the shoulders and back needs to be. The downside of this is that a thickly-padded bag is more likely to make your back sweaty in hot weather, so look for cooling channels and vents in the padding to keep that under control.

As we've already mentioned, if you'd like to keep your back free of any extra weight and carry your luggage on the bike instead, consider pannier bags and pannier racks instead. Just be aware that these will affect the total weight of your bike and the handling of it too, and it's important to make sure the weight is evenly distributed on each side of the bike.

What should I look for in a cycling backpack?

When choosing a cycling backpack, you should consider water-resistance, number of storage compartments, padding and reflective details.

In terms of the number of storage compartments, it's horses for course. Some love to have a place for everything, others prefer to rummage in one compartment. Tip for rummagers: get a bag with a light-coloured interior.

If you're using your backpack for commuting during the darker months it's important to consider reflective detailing. A backpack will cover a large part of your jacket in winter, so a bit of extra visibility is a good idea to compensate for the patches of reflective material that will be hidden. Proviz takes this to its logical conclusion with its Reflect 360 pack, which is entirely made from reflective fabric. If your pack doesn't have enough reflective patches, Proviz and others make reflective covers to boost your visibility.

Can I use a cycling backpack for other activities?

Yes, definitely. Cycling backpacks are often designed with many versatile features meaning you can use them for commuting, hiking, travelling to races and also for everyday use.

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8 comments

IanGlasgow | 3 months ago

I recently replaced my Ortlieb Vario (it cost me £120, the latest iteration is £180) which has failed repeatedly (luckily it came with a 5 year warranty and was repaired and replaced repeatedly) with a Craft Cadence that cost a mere £50. It seems good so far, time will tell how robust it is.

CrankPump replied to IanGlasgow | 3 months ago

My Ortleib Velocity backpack is 17 years old and still going strong. Simple and supremely strong.

quiff replied to CrankPump | 3 months ago

I love my Velocity (apart from the fact that when cycling the roll top can bump the back of my helmet and obscures my view when looking over the shoulder) and my Ortlieb backroller panniers - all simple and strong. I wonder if the issues Ian has had with the Vario are because it tries to be both a backpack and a pannier?

bensynnock replied to IanGlasgow | 2 months ago

That was a reduced price to clear stock. They're no longer selling them in the UK.

quiff | 3 months ago

This might just be a function of the live affiliate price links, but the "best money no object bag" isn't the most expensive on the list...

alexuk | 3 months ago

Decathlon all the way ...their bag range is very good these days.

Woah, my comment was duplicated for some reason? I can't delete it, but I can edit it, so here's a joke: A lady stormed off when I asked about her hand bag. Maybe the question was to pursonal.

brooksby replied to alexuk | 3 months ago

"A hand bag??!!"

Best cycling backpacks 2025 — carry your stuff the simple way

How we review cycling backpacks

Why you can trust us