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Lotus SH-6702 M Commuter Saddle Bag - Medium Lotus SH-6702 M Commuter Saddle Bag - Medium Lotus SH-6702 M Commuter Saddle Bag - Medium
Lotus SH-6702 M Commuter Saddle Bag - Medium

Lotus SH-6702 M Commuter Saddle Bag - Medium

8
by Lara Dunn
UPDATED Sun, Jul 31, 2016 19:45

First Published Jul 31, 2016

1
£9.99

VERDICT:

8
10
Excellent value, well featured and rugged, with space for all the essentials
Weight: 
120g
Contact: 
www.bob-elliot.co.uk
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There's a huge choice of saddle packs available, some with clever quick release fastenings, others huge enough to carry a sleeping bag. The catchily named Lotus SH-6702 M Commuter Saddle Bag is a straightforward and well featured pouch capable of carrying all the essentials at a really good price.

Looks-wise, the Lotus is very similar to the Topeak Aero Wedge Saddle bag (and a very similar price too), sharing a pretty functional yet not ugly aesthetic. It's made from a mix of tough fabrics, with water and road grot-repellent areas at top and bottom. There are lots of reflective accents to help visibility after dark, and there's a rear light tab too.

> Find your nearest dealer here

> Buy this online here

The bag itself fastens with a zip, while it attaches to the bike with a pair of straps, one Velcro for the seatpost and a buckle strap for the saddle rails that wraps around the bag itself. Inside, there's a small mesh pouch in the lid and a hook on which to attach keys.

Lotus SH-6702 M Commuter Saddle Bag - side.jpg

Size-wise, there was plenty of space for a good selection of tools and spares, snacks and even a compact windproof shell. Only a CO2 pump would fit, rather than a standard small pump. The mesh pocket and key clip meant there weren't small things like patches rattling around in the body of the bag too.

Lotus SH-6702 M Commuter Saddle Bag - detail.jpg

It was extremely easy to mount to the bike and sat snug and secure when riding, with no rattling, and didn't cause any interference with legs or pedalling. The Velcro seatpost strap was a bit long and difficult to trim because of a small hook area in comparison with the loop, leaving that a bit untidy and at risk of catching unwary shorts. However, a spot of gaffer tape sorted it.

> Beginner's guide to carrying stuff on your bike

For £9.99 I reckon it's a bargain for a good sized, well-featured if basic seat pouch with all the room you need for ride essentials, even bearing in mind the slightly overlong seatpost strap. Well worth the money.

Verdict

Excellent value, well featured and rugged, with space for all the essentials

road.cc test report

Make and model: Lotus SH-6702 M Commuter Saddle Bag - Medium

Size tested: Medium - 0.7 Litres, Black/Grey

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

Straightforward tough and inexpensive seat pack aimed at all riders.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

650ml capacity

Polyester and Nylon Cordura fabric

Velcro seat post fastening

Webbing and clip saddle rail fastening

3M reflective trim

Lighting tab

Zip fastening

Small internal mesh pouch

Internal key clip

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10

Very rugged and nicely finished.

Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10

Spot-on for everyday tools and essentials transport.

Rate the product for durability:
 
9/10

This will probably last a very long time indeed.

Rate the product for weight (if applicable)
 
7/10

Not the lightest but it's built for low cost, long life so not a problem. It's still pretty light anyway.

Rate the product for comfort (if applicable)
 
7/10
Rate the product for value:
 
9/10

Excellent value.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Very well.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Price, ease of fitting, capacity, reflective trims...

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Slightly overlong and hard to trim Velcro seatpost strap.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Probably

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Definitely

Use this box to explain your score

Aside from the Velcro seatpost strap issues, this is a well made and extremely useful saddle bag at an excellent price. It's ideal for anyone looking for a handy rugged place to store tools and essentials for a very long time to come without spending a fortune on clever attachment mechanisms and low-weight fabrics.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 43  Height: 1.65m  Weight: 73kg

I usually ride: Boardman Hybrid Fi  My best bike is: Specialized Ruby Elite

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, sportives, general fitness riding, mountain biking

Lotus SH-6702 M Commuter Saddle Bag - Medium 2016
Lotus SH-6702 M Commuter Saddle Bag - Medium
Lotus 2016
Lotus
Lara Dunn

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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1 comments

Avatar
tritecommentbot | 8 years ago
1 like

Noooo. Nearly went a whole week without a saddle bag. Sneaked it in there right at the end. Devastating.

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