Outeredge Rack Bag Medium

The prosaically named Outeredge Rack Bag Medium is your typical loaf-sized piece of rack-top luggage. The price bump over cheaper options like the Axiom Charlevoix LX that I reviewed last year is justified by the inclusion of a rain cover and luggage elastic, but if you're prepared to spend more there are better bags available from Axiom, Carradice and Topeak.

This Outeredge bag is made from showerproof 600 and 420 denier polyester, so the raincover is a welcome addition. Capacity is about 6 litres all told. It's not expandable like the Carradice CarraDura Rack Bag (£38), whose top lifts up like a campervan's to go from 10 litres to 11.5. And the side pockets don't turn into mini panniers like Axiom's Paddywagon Exp 19 (which is £55, admittedly) and various Topeak bags. You can at least stash a jacket on the top using the luggage elastic.

There's a small rear pocket, big enough for a spare tube and tools, and two very slim side pockets, only really big enough for things like energy bars and gels. Inside there's one main compartment, with a padded based, and a mesh pocket under the lid. That's handy for items you don't want banging around in the bag, such as a banana or a mobile phone. The rear pocket has a loop for an LED light, and there are reflective details on the sides and back. A removable shoulder strap is included.

Like lots of other rack bags, this one attaches with a velcro strap at each corner. It's simple and works well, though it's not a bag you want to be taking on and off too often, when making multiple stops around town, for example. Removal is quick. Reattaching the bag isn't as easy as sliding a more expensive Topeak bag onto a Topeak QuickTrack rack, or sticking an Altura bag on its velcro 'landing strip'. You have to feed the straps carefully through the rack rails, ideally doing both sides at the same time so that the bag is centred on the rack.

The rack itself needs to be reasonably wide; I used one 12cm across. The base of the bag is about 16cm wide, so there's some overhang. The bigger the difference between bag width and rack width, the less velcro you'll have in contact. While I didn't have any problems with the bag coming loose, I'd have liked longer straps for more security.

It's a decent enough bag for the money. For only £4 more, however, I reckon the Carradice Carradura Rack Bag represents a better buy. And once you spend about £40 up, there are loads to choose from, some of them waterproof.

Verdict

Simple day bag with the essential features and a sensible price