Tailfin Alloy AeroPack Cargo

The Tailfin Alloy AeroPack Cargo is very well thought out, incredibly well made, and extremely functional. Like the standard non-Cargo AeroPack, it’s available in both alloy and carbon versions, but the Cargo comes with mesh side pockets for easy access to items, adding three litres of storage space to the 18-litre main compartment.

> Buy now: Tailfin Alloy AeroPack Cargo for £356 from Tailfin

Tailfin has long been known for its bikepacking gear, and its rack system is very clever and well thought out. We’ve reviewed alloy versions and the carbon AeroPack, and been impressed.

I won’t go into too much detail about it here, as Dave covered most of it in his review of the non-Cargo AeroPack, but the rack ‘arch’ attaches to your thru-axle (or even quick release), and the front of the system secures around your seatpost. This has the bonus of all the load going through the axle, and therefore through the wheel into the floor, and not through the frame at all. This means you can use it with carbon frames with no concern.

To fit the AeroPack you swap your thru-axle with a proprietary axle from Tailfin, which sticks out both sides of your frame with the mounting section for the rack. The AeroPack then comes in a few pieces in the box, depending on the options you’ve chosen. A little construction is required, which Tailfin covers excellently in its YouTube video, and I had no struggle whatsoever working out what to do.

Unlike most bags and panniers, the AeroPack Cargo bag is designed to be structural, making up part of the rack. A metal frame runs around the bottom of the bag and attaches to the rack arch, taking the place of the top stay on Tailfin’s standard rack.

This does mean you can’t detach just the bag on its own, but the system as a whole can be attached or detached in about 10 seconds. All you have to do is unclip the seatpost strap, pop out a pin on either side of the axle, and away you go.

Because of the way the thru-axle needs to protrude on either side of the frame, a frame that has blind thru-axle mounts – like the newest Canyon Aeroad, shown below – can’t accommodate the AeroPack.

Also, as Mike noted with the alloy rack, if you have flared dropouts then there’s a chance you won’t be able to fit it to your bike with the thru-axle method.

Bag of beyond

As for the main updated bit here, the AeroPack Cargo bag, Tailfin has listened to feedback from customers and come up with something that works really well.

Both the Cargo and standard bags have an 18-litre waterproof main compartment (the original AeroPack bag was 20 litres), but the Cargo has a further 1.5 litres of mesh cargo pockets either side, giving you a total of 21 litres.

Filling the bag up is super easy. It has a roll top, with a carbon fibre strip running the entire length along the top edge, so you’re always going to have a straight and sturdy roll.

You then clip it together like a drybag, before wrapping the large adjustable strap around and cinching the entire bag down nice and snug.

The main compartment also has a one-way air valve to make life easier when rolling the top down, allowing air to squeeze out as you roll, so it’s as compact as possible. Close the air valve once you’re done and it’s fully waterproof again.

The cargo pockets are great for items you want easy access for, with me I’ve found keeping energy bars, gels and even things like my work ID card handy in them. Thinner items work better, so things like lunch boxes wouldn’t be a good choice, but you can even put things like arm warmers or overshoes in them, keeping the inside of the bag clean but allowing you to get access quickly and easily. 

Putting stuff in the mesh cargo pockets is easiest to do once you’ve rolled the main compartment shut but before you cinch the whole thing down. The cargo pockets are elasticated at the top and so naturally stay shut, even without the strap done up tight, but everything is even more secure once it is. Tailfin gives a maximum load on top of the rack of 9kg.

Clearance issue

The way it’s mounted does mean it’s about as aero as you can get for a bag of this kind, but if you ride a smaller frame you might struggle a bit with filling the bag up, as you might not have clearance underneath your saddle. I have a saddle height of around 73cm from the bottom bracket, and can just about get the maximum load in the bag. 

Tailfin recommends using its extended seatpost connector on small frames, which allows the AeroPack to sit further back, meaning better access to the bag and volume-carrying capability, but I’ve been using one from day one and still struggle ever so slightly for room. Something to be aware of if you ride a small frame.

A sweet little design touch is the bottle cage mounts on the underside of the bag; as they’re on the structural frame part of the bag, there’s no flex or risk of damaging the bag material. This is great for bikepacking, enabling you to take another bottle without it needing to fit somewhere else on your frame.

Mix it up

Another nice touch with the Tailfin lineup is the ability to chop and change different bits depending on what you’re looking for, so you can combine this bag with two side panniers if you choose the AeroPack with mounts (as shown here), to offer a massive amount of storage, or you can be minimal with no extra mounts and just a small amount inside the bag, rolled down nice and snug.

I’ve found this size bag is excellent for my daily commute. I’m able to put my breakfast, lunch, spares, mini-pump and some clothes and kit in comfortably without having to perform any crazy Jenga to make things fit.

On the bike, it’s an impressively solid experience. Unlike some bikepacking saddlebags, there’s no swaying around at all – it’s a super sturdy solution. There’s none of that feeling like it’s throwing you around when you get out of the saddle to pedal, or if you sway a bit when you’re riding. It’s also rated for off-road use, so great for gravel riding or singletrack bikepacking.

> Easy and effective ways to carry stuff on your bike — from bar bags to cargo bikes

One thing to note is that the centre of gravity is quite high, with the bag mounted above the rear wheel, and can lead to a bit of an odd sensation when you get out of the saddle. It’s not a terrible feeling by any means, more something that could catch you slightly off guard on your first ride before you get used to it. It takes a little more effort to swing the bike from side to side.

Value

How does this compare on price with rivals? Well, that’s a tricky one, as there’s nothing else quite like this rack system on the market. And almost every other vaguely similar option isn’t suitable for carbon frames. The SKS Infinity Universal MIK rack, for example, which I reviewed a little while ago, is excellent, but while it doesn’t require rack mounts, it can’t be run on carbon frames.

Pinning down the price is slightly tricky too, as there are a number of options available: if you already have a Tailfin AeroPack, the Cargo bag alone comes in at £150. If you don’t have any Tailfin parts, you’re looking at £326 for the alloy AeroPack Cargo without pannier mounts, or £356 with mounts; for the carbon AeroPack Cargo it’s £376 for no pannier mounts, and £436 with them. And if you can do without the extra side pockets, the regular AeroPack prices are £30 less than the Cargo options.

It’s certainly not a small number, whichever way you look at it, and there are many cheaper ways of carrying luggage, if your bike can support them. The SKS rack mentioned above, for example, comes in at £120, while the Elops Seat Post Pannier Rack 500, which impressed Simon a lot, is £24.99. But if the Tailfin is the kind of product you’re after, I think it’s worth it – and I’m someone who’s pretty tight with their money! The thought that seems to have been given to every single choice made in the design and manufacture process, the excellent quality of construction, and the ease of use to live with, mean it’s just the best bikepacking item I’ve ever used, by a mile. I’ve spent plenty of time with extended saddlebags on large rides and bikepacking adventures, and this rack system blows them all out of the water with ease.

Conclusion

All in all, I’ve been incredibly impressed with the AeroPack Cargo from Tailfin. It’s an excellent product, it’s so easy to live with, and performs amazingly when you want to take stuff on the bike. It’s expensive, but if it suits your needs, well worth the cost.

> Buy now: Tailfin Alloy AeroPack Cargo for £356 from Tailfin

Verdict

Excellent piece of engineering, well-thought-out functionality and a superb product

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