Arkel Tail Rider

This trunk pannier bag from Arkel is possibly made by rugged men in checked shirts who used to fell wood by day and fight bears in their spare time but are now putting all their efforts into constructing super tough bicycle luggage from a log cabin somewhere in Canada. Possibly (would such men call it a Tail Rider? - ed… hmm possibly I suppose).

What I am trying to say is that the Canadian outfit Arkel make bags that are in no way wimpy and I'm not talking hamburgers here, I mean what you get is something tough and durable. Built using super strong materials like Cordura nylon which is so tough they supply a sample with a cut already in it and challenge you to tear it further and needless to say it is near impossible for mere mortals, this bag isn’t designed for an easy ride, it is designed to take the punishment of persistent bad weather and work a full day, everyday. This is probably why the Edinburgh Bike Co. are the people bringing this brand to the UK, to survive the Scottish weather!

The padded, insulated trunk unzips so the whole lid can be opened up making it very easy to pack in your effects. A padded separator is provided that can be velcro’d in place to stop loose items jossling about. The trunk bellows out to give you an 11 litres capacity which is enough to stuff a change of clothes in or your lunch or you camera, it can even swallow up a helmet, with it expanded it is about the size of a small backpack. Two compression straps keep the contents snug in the trunk and help minimize the overall size, this really help when travelling over uneven rad surfaces and keep the trunk well behaved. Zippered side pockets on each side are handy for small accessible items such as keys and loose change and are big enough too. All the zips on this bag are sealed, which help keep this product weatherproof but for those times that the skies relentlessly cascade a torrent of water down onto you their is a bright yellow waterproof cover that you can un-stuff from its little pocket in the rear and further protect the trunk from the elements, a bit like a shower cap protecting an 80s corkscrew perm.

The trunk is secured to your rack with four reflective velcro straps, although this has held the bag securely to my Topeak rack, I would prefer to see some sort of buckle fastener for extra security. After repeated use over many months, the hook and loop system will no doubt get a bit tired and won't grip too well. The hoop and loop fastening system continues to grip well over the months the bag has been tested but this trunk should last years and I have reservations about the velcro working that long. My worry is that as the months turn in to years, the hook and loop system will get a bit tired and won't grip so well

The bag can be carried around by a very comfortable padded handle when off the bike or you can clip on a shoulder strap and have it swinging around your neck for that American tourist look.

Verdict

A well made all weather bike boot about the size of a small backpack. Ideal for carrying a change of clothes for work or you lunch or your camera and other bits.