Assos Spider Bag G2

The Assos Spider Bag G2 is a comfortable way to carry light loads on longer rides, and it's very breathable, but its use really is limited and the price is high.

The Spider G2 is specifically designed for light loads, when you need extra storage capacity but don't want a full-sized rucksack. Assos has essentially stripped out everything unecessary you'd get with regular backpacks.

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This means a few things, but key amongst them is that its use really is limited to its intended purpose – it's unlikely it would take the place of a commuter bag, you wouldn't be able to carry your laptop around in it comfortably, and you certainly couldn't use it for a proper shopping trip... But for carrying smaller, lighter items on longer rides, it's great.

I mostly used it for carrying water and food on longer rides on hot days. During the pandemic my usual methods of water top-ups were impossible – pubs I might have stopped at previously weren't open, and even public water fountains were turned off. Before testing the Spider G2 I would stick an extra bidon in a jersey pocket, which was annoying as it stopped me from taking other things, and it was irritating on the small of my back, and it stretched my jersey pockets.

The idea of taking a rucksack had occurred to me, but the reality of doing a four-hour slog with a backpack on is about as appealing to me as doing a four-hour slog on Tony Martin's sandpaper saddle. And this is where this bag becomes incredibly useful.

Rather than having thick padded straps, the G2's are thin and lightweight – like you would find on a pair of bib shorts. To stop them twisting Assos has included two thin tabs that sit across the straps, a simple solution that works well. I didn't have any noticeable twisting throughout the review period. This does mean you can't use the bag for anything particularly heavy – I found that three full 800ml bottles was about the limit on what I would consider.

The straps have no adjustability beyond the natural stretch in the fabric. The bag sits between your shoulder blades where it is least likely to cause irritation when riding, and leaves the rest of your back clear for hot air to escape. It also means it has almost no impact on your aerodynamics as it sits about as wide as your head and out of the wind.

The main body of the bag is made from the same Schloss Tex and NEOS Mild fabrics that Assos uses on its waterproof jackets, so the contents are going to stay relatively dry regardless of the conditions. I say relatively because despite the material itself being waterproof, the zip isn't.

For the rear of the bag, which sits against the back, Assos has used a 3D Net panel – essentially a highly breathable padded mesh. If you hold it up and unzip the front of the bag you can see through it. It can also be folded up and stuck in a jersey pocket when not needed.

The combination of breathable jacket fabrics and a mesh panel means this is a great bag to carry in warm weather; you don't get the same kind of heat buildup that you would with a regular backpack. It's more like wearing a section of jacket than carrying a bag.

The fact that it only holds three litres and isn't designed for any significant weight obviously means you can't ram it full of stuff, it's essentially a larger version of a jersey pocket.

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It has a simple closure system of just a full-length zip running top to bottom, with a piece of material over the bottom third of the zip on the inside to stop anything falling out.

Aside from that, there are two compartments inside, separated by a light mesh, and a small clip for keys.

The reflective strips either side of the zip are very visible and light up well, and one of the tabs on the straps is also made from a reflective material, though it is quite small.

Value

With an RRP of £115, this is very pricey for a 3L bag – you can pick up similar size bags for a fraction of that – but the Spider G2's hyper-focus on a single use and the lack of anything else like it in the market mean it's hard to compare.

For small loads on long rides it works exceptionally well. Assos seems to have really thought about the challenges that come with carrying even a small bag for extra bits, and come up with a really effective solution.

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It's not cheap, but it is great for long days in the saddle, or just when you want to take a casual ride somewhere without your phone, wallet, and keys in your pockets.

Verdict

Very impressive for its very narrow use case, but it is expensive