Roswheel Offroad handlebar bag review

Roswheel might be a brand you've never heard of but is responsible for producing some really high quality touring and bike packing luggage to suit every need. I recently had the privilege of testing its full spread of packs during a recent couple of trips and this handlebar pack ended up being a highlight of the range. It might be marketed under its Offroad collection but don't let that put you off. All it means is it utilises a more robust construction and larger capacity than the equivalent pack in the Road range.

Bike packing everything you need to know to get started

It uses a properly durable 600D TPU/PU coated main fabric that has proven to shrug off rain and has experienced very little wear despite constant use in some very bad conditions. The construction is of the classic double opening dry bag design, allowing you to pack from both ends and to access frequently used items without disturbing other kit.

It has a capacity of up to fifteen litres of storage and probably one of the neatest features is an air release valve. This allows you to really compress the pack down even when fully loaded, keeping its footprint as small as possible on the bars. There is also a small zippered pocket at the front of the pack but I found that when the pack was loaded its capacity really is too small to carry much at all.

I recently chose it as my handlebar bag for a fast but fully laden LEJOG ride that just so happen to coincide with the wettest week of the year! and it passed the test with flying colours. I chose it over the road version due to the larger capacity and the more substantial attachment method it utilises. The double roll closure allowed me to keep it as small as possible to fit within my 44cm handlebars. It's ability to swallow kit was the key feature and amazingly I was able to carry all of the following without issue: sleeping bag, sleeping mat, bivvy bag, tarp, down jacket and waterproof jacket.

The bag uses what Roswheel calls its M.O.L.L.E. strap system. This uses several panels featuring a series of loops that can then be used to customise the fit and also allow you to attach more kit such as a tent to the pack if you so wish. Combined with the long attachment straps it's relatively simple to get the pack mounted and sitting solidly in place. One thing to note is to make sure the air release valve is put in position where it can't rub the frame.

After six days of constant rain I can also attest to the weatherproofing of the bag. After my kit dried out after the first night of rain the pack steadfastly refused to let any water in and I had complete confidence that my kit would stay dry, negating the need for separate dry bags inside.

Buy now: Roswheel Offroad handlebar bag from Roswheel for £85.00

There was only one issue I could fault the bags for and that is the quick release buckles used to secure each end. These had the tendency to misalign when trying to secure them, meaning you needed to be a little more fastidious to make sure they locked completely. Otherwise they had a tendency to pop undone when trying to secure the pack.