What's the ultimate small saddle bag?

Equipment
1

For those of us that train outdoors, you need to carry a few tools and spares. Ignoring those nerds with storage containers built into their bike (my precious frameset weight), and people who put it in a bidon (you don’t ride enough), or their back pockets (you’ve never crashed).

At the least, it needs to carry; 1-2 TPU tubes, 1-2 CO2’s and a chuck (or a battery inflater), two levers, spare tubeless plugs, a chainlink and a tool, and you need it to not be the end of your day if you need something from it in, for example, a Gran Fondo (aka no fighting with a tool roll to get it squished down whilst the group disappears up the road).

I’ve been using the Silca Assymetrico for a while. It’s great, but it is not quick to take on and off and it is not even beginning to be water resistant. It’s also 85g which is positively a boat anchor.

What’s the lightest, most secure, tucked behind saddle solution? What would Dylan Johnson use? (not a saddle bag obv, he uses a top tube bag).

Racelite Zip Saddle Bag – Lead Out Gear at 82g?

Mattone Seat Pack – SILCA at 87g?

Road cycling & gravel saddle bag - waterproof - Fizik at 62g?

Lezyne Road Caddy | Compact Bicycle Saddle Bag at 72g

FWIW I’m in Europe, so US-only affairs are harder to get.

The best I can seem to find is:

ELEMENTA SEATBAG | Topeak at 45g?

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Which is water resistant, half the weight of the competition, you can open it and get stuff out without removing it from the bike AND it holds the CO2’s externally so you can grab them as fast as if you taped them to your bike. It’s also well cheap.

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Disregarding the weight/aero/U.S. only (I’m not sure if these ship globally or not) in case others are interested.

I use this one for typical daily use, and this one for longer rides or seasonal use when I don’t have a frame bag in place

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I use the Lezyne Road Caddy on both road bikes. Plenty of room for flat essentials. Mounts tight and secure to saddle. Squishes down as flat as you can make it with the wide velcro strap. 100% satisified.

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I have the Topeak aero wedge which is equally cheap, attaches securely, a bit heavier but stores everything inside. I don’t particularly like the look of having CO2 on the outside, or trust that it’s not going to fly off when I hit a pothole!

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Things that wrap around the seatpost are ugly.

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Imagine that monstrosity on your pride and joy?

I’d rather risk permanent paralysis below L4 from carrying the stuff in my pocket

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I like Speedsleev products for the light weight and the quick and easy on and off, and the way they don’t wrap around the seatpost. They have lots of sizes, including a big one that holds lots of stuff like you mentioned.

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I’ve been a big fan of these [Possm – Outvi](Outvi Mtb Possm). 78 grams.

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This looks like the only other option than the Topeak that both protects the contents from spray AND enables you to get stuff out rapidly.

Variable arguments about weight tho - some sayin 85g, some 54g.

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I used the lezyne for years. It is small, but a bit inflexible so it is hard to stuff everything into. Also, it eventually started to wear holes from stuffing tire levers in there.

I switched to the Orucase HC and it is superb. Easier to get everything into and just as slim.

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Google says 105g?

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I have the silca Mattone in large on my diverge and just ordered a small one for my Mosaic being built. To me, it’s perfect. I rarely have to get in there, and it’s fastened to the seat super tight. Zero wiggling.

I also use a top tube bag but mostly for my phone/nutrition. Saddle bag is just tools and occasionally my car keys.

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According to this review, it’s 45. SpeedSleev Ranger: A Minimalist Saddle Bag That Holds Everything You Need

I’m not near a scale, but it’s VERY light and goes on and off really quickly too.

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I think you need to look into solutions for not getting flats like fast but puncture resistant tyres, good sealant, liners that way you want have to carry that much… (btw even if you can’t run tubeless you can put sealant in inner tubes)

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Everything the OP brings is pretty sensible, particularly for someone that does a lot of long solo rides. Other than maybe only bringing 1 tube vs 2, what tools do you feel are unnecessary? I run tubeless and went through 3 plugs and 2 co2’s getting a sidewalk tear in a race. I had a tube if I would’ve needed it.

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With a liner you don’t need inners and there is no way to remove the tyre on the road anyway so levers and inners are useless A liner will get you home though not fast but if you are on a race and have to change tyres you probably won’t win either. That said I have had very few (or really no) issues on the road with my setup

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The list of items that an OP wants to carry sounds sensible, however the devil is in the details. I do understand and appreciate the simplicity of a saddle bag myself (just put everything in there once, and forget). But I also don’t like bulky bags hanging around my frame. So, I go with a hybrid setup (and that is something you can keep optimizing and rethinking endlessly, which is fun, right?):

  1. Specialized stormproof seatbag that has a multitool (Lezyne Super V with integrated chaintool and magnets for a chainlink), dart, CO2, chuck. Two Silca levers will fit if I want to (they’re so tiny that they will fit anywhere, tbh). This is always on my gravel bike, so I don’t have to even think about it regardless of where and for how long I’m riding.
  2. Pump - usually either in a pocket, or in a hydration pack, or I don’t even carry one. Sometimes on a frame, but that means I have to overcome my laziness to put a mount on. Pumps are a great way to optimize the setup even further. Think Wolf Tooth EnCase pump or OneUp EDC.
  3. Tubes - strap it to the frame. Is it better than having it inside a bag? No. But usually I don’t carry one at all.
  4. If it’s a race - I’ll also have DynaPlug Race with me. But it will be in a zipped backpocket.
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I was in a very similar situation a couple of months ago, had a careful think about what I really need to carry, and tried to find the best small saddle bag solution. Like you, I also wanted something small and tidy.

I went for a Bontrager Micro Elite bag. I think you’re in the UK, right? You can get them for £15-20 incl postage. I’ve used one my road bike for a few years and have been happy with it. I didn’t weigh it before stuffing everything inside, but I found a review which said it’s 53g.

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In mine I carry a TPU tube, 2x CO2 canisters, inflator head, Leyzne SV10 multi tool, quick link, bacon strips, MT Zoom mech hanger/tool, 2x tyre levers, tyre boot.

I’ve used a couple of homemade clips which attach to the saddle rails and keep the bag’s strap towards the very back of the rails. It looks neater and also, when the post gets dropped, it clears my Varia whenever I’ve got that mounted.

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I also use the Lezyne… but the zipper stopped working last time I had to pull it out, and I have to take it off the bike to get stuff in and out comfortably.

Following along for ideas. I was thinking I’d try the Ornot bag next.

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This is a really weird take.

That’s not a lot of stuff; that’s the bare minimum to not need external support.

You can take inserts out on the go (I have).

All of my bikes are already tubeless and the rear tyres have inserts.

I’ve no interest in riding less supple and slower tyres; having the equipment to solve a flat is a better solution. If you don’t race, then I’m sure you can happily ride gatorskins.

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I’d be interested in a small bag with a roll closure; winter riding in the PNW, especially on gravel, coats the seatbag with road grit that eventually infiltrates and destroys zippers. I’ve been running a Mattone which is OK, but it’s my second; first died due to grit.