With the launch of the Sequoia bike, they now have bags to go with it.
http://www.bikepacking.com/gear/special ... king-bags/

The pizza bag looks interesting

Is it me or do they seem pretty heavy?

They do seem very heavy-duty when you look at the pictures

Without touching them it's hard to tell, but I don't usually like the way PU nylon feels, the inside coating feels less slick than silnylon, or the VX21 used for many bikepacking bags

I also can't see how the bar harness attaches to the stem, there must be some form of mount otherwise there would be too much torque on the handlebar clamps. At least it's a different design, which makes life more interesting and provides more market variation

I can't help think that with the addition of metal hoops an' stuff were slowly reverting back towards racks and ultimately panniers

Pizza and beer bag... SOLD

One for pizza and one for beer - simple.

Lightweight too.

They have made possibly the wanky-ist video ever to go with them.

This is hilarious (not even a spoof!!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9XA8xNcgZg

T'wus out before the bags to be fair.

By all accounts he is actually like that too.

Matt wrote:They have made possibly the wanky-ist video ever to go with them.

This is hilarious (not even a spoof!!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9XA8xNcgZg

Is that Ed Oxleys stateside cousin?

I'm normally first in line to sneer at wanky hipsters, but I think this guy seems alright, sure calling oneself Ultra Romance is not to be encouraged, but he doesn't seem to take himself too seriously and for the most part sounds pretty genuine, in the voiceover at least. The hair sniff is hilarious.

As far as corporate marketing videos go, I've seem much worse!

They have made possibly the wanky-ist video ever to go with them.

You clearly haven't seen the Crikey, how much/Apidura video...

And while that Specialized video does seem a bit pretentious, the other ones in the Adventure Dispatch series have been very good.

Matt wrote:They have made possibly the wanky-ist video ever to go with them.

This is hilarious (not even a spoof!!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9XA8xNcgZg

DIRTY F*CK*NG HIPPY.

Disappointingly (and surprisingly given their extensive R&D department) they all look very similar (some might go as far to say complete rip-offs?) of existing products from some well known small US manufacturers... Hope this doesn't have a negative knock on effect for those smaller companies.

Poor copies of what is available to be fair. I'd be more tempted by the Blackburn kit than these offerings. Also, the subtle gimp black shine of the bags does nothing for me.

Of course they're going to look similar to other company's efforts - there's only so many ways to design a seat or frame pack after all. Also I don't see how people can make comments on quality without actually using the products (I go to STW for that sort of thing ). My experience of Specialized products has pretty good, can't see why these would be any different?

Looking similar is fine. Improving on an idea is fine. This is just sub standard.

One man company starts making a new product: https://www.instagram.com/p/BBB8psaP80O/

Big company orders one: https://www.instagram.com/p/BD1A0LzP8_R ... n_kingcage

3 months later...

Phenomenal weight
Phenomenally heavy that is.

Bearbonesnorm wrote:I can't help think that with the addition of metal hoops an' stuff were slowly reverting back towards racks and ultimately panniers

+1

atk wrote:Looking similar is fine. Improving on an idea is fine. This is just sub standard.

One man company starts making a new product: https://www.instagram.com/p/BBB8psaP80O/

Big company orders one: https://www.instagram.com/p/BD1A0LzP8_R ... n_kingcage

3 months later...

Wow, that's pretty goddamn poor.

Saddle pack "inspiration"...

I don't think adding metal parts will have us reverting back to racks and panniers. What I do think is that it is an easy way of avoiding proper R&D to make stuff that works without it. Definitely bandwagon scenario if you ask me.

Massive bike company puts out a range of items to make itself more money. What with half the riding internet asking "what bike for bikepacking" (FFS ) it's hardly a surprise.

What bothers me more is the irritating writing in that website's product review. But maybe that's just me

[quote="Cheeky Monkey"What bothers me more is the irritating writing in that website's product review. But maybe that's just me [/quote]

Irritating writing is unfortunately widespread amongst "journalists", little or no copy proofing or editing because of cost/time. Three errors in the part sentence below!

"Prior to launch, we had a chance use and abuse several of the Burra Burra packs for a few days, then take them out on a bikepacking trip in our own proving ground"

whitestone wrote:
Irritating writing is unfortunately widespread amongst SOME "journalists", little or no copy proofing or editing because of cost/time.

[patheticrant]

FTFY.

Please don't lump us all in the same heap. We're not all created equally.

[/patheticrant]

Sorry Greg - slightly ironic given what I was writing about