Assos Apparel Pocket

The Assos Apparel Pocket fits nicely in your bottle cage, offering handy storage for those things you don't want in your pockets. It's waterproof, neat and easy to use – if neither the cheapest or most efficient way to go.

In the UK where it can rain at any given moment, it's often a good idea to carry an emergency layer with you. But if you're like me and aren't a fan of overloading your jersey pockets, then the Assos Apparel Pocket sounds quite appealing.

The old-school version of this would be putting tools and bits and bobs in an old water bottle, but then they can rattle around, plus there isn't room for clothing. The advantage of the Apparel Pocket is that it's longer – 27cm – so there's that extra bit of space for a rain jacket, gloves or arm warmers.

The case is semi-rigid, with enough give to fit easily into most cages without rattling. I fitted it in both standard alloy and carbon bottle cages, and it sat securely in both.

The zip is taped all the way around and I didn't have any issues with water getting in; it keeps your 'apparel' (think clothes, but expensive) dry.

The pocket opens clamshell style, which gives easy access. Inside you'll find one large compartment for things like a rain jacket, gilet or leg warmers, and on the other side two pockets for smaller accessories such as tyre levers, pumps or emergency snacks.

I managed to fit in a jacket, tyre levers and an inner tube, and they stayed secure and didn't rattle around. A particularly packable jacket/gilet would freed up space for other things too.

I like that it frees up space in my jersey pockets for shorter rides, though it does of course rely on you not wanting a second bottle. If that's not going to work for you on longer rides, a bar, frame or saddle bag will do the same job without using up that valuable space.

Value

An old water bottle would be fully waterproof (and practically free), but you'd struggle to fit any extra clothing into it!

At £35, this is in the same ballpark as many small strap-on packs, and there are similarly-constructed cage-mounted things at much the same price too. For instance the Lezyne Flow Tool Caddy Pro is a similar size and almost the same price at £29, though it's water resistant rather than properly waterproof.

You could go for what's little more than a plastic bottle, though, save cash and deal with any rattling as you see fit. The Vel Storage Can comes in a 700ml size for £7, is waterproof and gets the job done with a screw top – it's basically a bottle with no spout.

Cheaper still, the Decathlon Cycling 600ml Tool Box Bottle is the same sort of thing, waterproof and only £4.99. It's not massive but would take a packable jacket and few small bits.

Alternatively, something like the 2.2L Zefal Adventure Frame Bag will give you water-resistant storage space without reducing the number of bottles you can carry. It's £29.99.

Overall

This is fully waterproof for keeping spare clothes (and tools) dry, looks quite stylish on the bike and holds those extra bits and bobs securely. It's not the cheapest way of carrying stuff, but it's convenient and works well.

Verdict

Neat and stylish waterproof storage, but there are cheaper ways to achieve the same result