Merida Travel Saddle Bag

The Merida Travel Saddle Bag is a lightweight bikepacking design that will hold a fair amount of kit. The ability to whip it on and off the bike easily is a definite plus, especially if you want one that will earn its keep on a weekday commute, but there are some compromises that might be deal breakers.

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Materials/specification

Detailing in some respects is pretty much what I'd expect from bikepacking luggage, with a few nice twists. It's a roll top design with a pretty huge maximum capacity of 21.25 litres; if that's not sufficient, there's elasticated webbing running along the top so you can capture any overspill.

A zipper along the right-hand side is designed for quick access and the long zipper tag continues this convenient theme.

Given bikepacking saddle bags also double as a rear mudguard, a genuinely waterproof fabric makes a whole heap of sense, and the glossy surface of the 210 denier Ripstop TPU used here is easy to wipe clean or even wash down with the bike. Large retro-reflective logos emblazoned along the sides bode well for nocturnal presence, and there's the usual series of clips for mounting an LED.

Some designs attach to the seatpost via two medium width Velcro straps. Merida has gone for a broad, padded design, which looks simple, sleek and sturdy, but does seem to create issues with sway. The Fidlock magnetic clips on the saddle rail straps are secure while still permitting easy release.

Capacity

Compared with the largest bags from other well known bikepacking brands, the Merida's 21-litre capacity is big. I've been pleasantly surprised by what I could cram inside, though careful and considered loading – not bunging it all in – is the way forward. I'd suggest you follow the rule of putting the heavier stuff lower down but also consider what you'll need most frequently.

Using the Merida as my only bag, I've been inclined to put things like a multi-tool, tyre levers, CO2 inflator and so on inside a pencil case, then add clothing and other lightweight, bulky stuff on top before rolling the closure tight and clicking in place.

On the one hand the single compartment means you're not governed by someone else's idea of good organisation, and the lack of external pockets helps with waterproofing, but I found the side zipper less convenient than external/side pockets.

Waterproofing/durability

I was pleasantly surprised by the Travel Bag's ability to withstand water. Admittedly, we've been through a very dry period, but I've been caught in thundery downpours, and even subjected to a close-range, two-minute blast from my garden hose there was no hint of ingress. That said, Matt, testing the same bag over on off.road.cc, did find some signs of water finding its way into his. Putting any items that could potentially be damaged by water in a separate dry bag is always a good idea.

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Though my Univega wears full-length mudguards, I switched the Merida to my fixed gear/winter/trainer, where the bag's long profile and material offered surprisingly good protection from wet roads and spray. The resultant cocktail of gritty spatter was easily dismissed using a blast or two of bike wash and a medium stiff brush.

In my experience, Velcro and similar strapping can also collect a fair bit of gritty stuff, the sort that can mark seatposts over time, especially if you're carrying moderate amounts of weight. Hence, I toss wedge packs in with the kit wash every few months. The Merida responded well to machine washing, so it's an option if you want a deep clean and/or can't be bothered with a brush and bucket.

The relatively long and narrow profile also means it's shielded from thorns and branches if you head off the beaten track. No obvious vulnerabilities have presented to date.

Laden stability

A capacity of 21.25 litres is a fair bit of kit to support, so I wasn't surprised by some very apparent sway, and I was only hauling 3kg, which is well within the cited maximum of 5kg. Admittedly, this is mitigated by packing carefully. As I said above: heavier items, such as tooling, at the bottom, lighter towards the top. Still, though, the wide Velcro seatpost strap offered less support than I was expecting.

In practical terms, this meant the bag moved and brushed against my thighs, especially over rougher surfaces. It came as quite a surprise – Carradice SQR luggage is my default, which is much heavier, even when unladen, but refreshingly rigid when laden to the gills and tackling similar terrain.

Post diameter does play a part. The most pronounced sway was on my rough stuff tourer, which runs a very slim 26.6mm diameter post, but I also ported the bag to 27.0 and 27.2mm rigid and suspension models. A DIY shim from old inner tube improved matters but didn't eradicate the problem. In my experience, two-strap designs are vastly superior in this respect.

Value

It might not be pocket money, but £65 is competitive. Topeak's Backloader Saddlebag Large will swallow 15 litres and costs £10 more. It, too, comes with a single wide seatpost strap; Emma tested the 10 litre version a few years ago, which costs the same as the Merida, and she also experienced some sway, even with a 30.9mm seatpost, though to her it was a 'small cost' (and it didn't actually brush against her thighs).

Passport Cycles' Seat Pack Large costs the same as the Merida, though it only holds 9.8 litres; it's also water-resistant rather than waterproof, with some external pockets, and also has a long, narrow profile, but it has double seatpost straps. In my experience, getting things in and out of the bag is still tricky, though the fluoro insert makes stuff easier to spot, but the lack of sway and ability to park wallet, chocolate, keys and multi-tool within easy reach are big pluses in my opinion.

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Madison's Caribou Bikepacking Seatpack is more expensive than the Merida at £79.99 rrp for the large size (12 litres). It's cited as water-resistant not waterproof, but does feature double post straps.

Summary

There are some nice features here, and if you want the carrying capacity it might be worth putting up with the sway. Personally, I'd probably compromise on the waterproofing and the size, and plump for the Passport Cycles option.

Verdict

Some really nice touches, waterproof and huge, but it does suffer from sway