Pro Discover Team Seat Bag

The Pro Discover Team Seat Bag has got a lot going for it: it fits onto the bike quickly and is easily adjustable, the capacity is ideal, and it's impressively waterproof. But that price of £150 is hard to swallow.

At first I thought it might be a typo, but no, it really is £150. Which is a shame, because otherwise it's a really good option that I'd thoroughly recommend.

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Quite often when I'm testing something, I won't look at the price beforehand so it doesn't cloud my judgement. That was the case with the Pro, and loading it up and heading out on various gravel rides, I was properly chuffed with its performance.

It attaches easily to the saddle rails and seatpost via Velcro straps. Just sticking a knee between bag and tyre is enough to get it into position and then pull the straps.

Any Velcro is hidden by the strap so there is no chance of your shorts rubbing on it, and there is also a neat little flap that sits between your seatpost and strap to stop any wear and tear.

It barely sways on the bike, even when loaded up.

Ten litres is a decent amount of carrying capability. For longish rides over Salisbury Plain I tend to pack a fair amount of stuff purely because the terrain can be quite technical in places, and if you do come a cropper it could be a few hours before you see another soul.

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In the Discover I could stuff a lightweight rain jacket, stove, gas, mug, first aid kit, emergency blanket and a few other bits and pieces like an inner tube, tools and so on, depending on the weather or terrain.

Closure is easy, by way of just rolling the end of the bag over a couple of times to make it waterproof and then clipping the straps to the bag. Adjustment of the straps is also easy should you need to realign the bag.

On top of the bag you get a few extras such as a bungee cord to keep hold of items you might need frequently, and reflective tabs.

Pro's website mentions a mounting point for lights, but nothing on the bag shouts out that this is its job. It's a shame really, as a light loop on the rear of the bag would help if your seatpost is completely covered. Some reflective detailing here would be good too.

Value

So, all good in terms of performance, but then there's that price. Let's just put that into context.

I've invested in a lot of bikepacking bags over the winter, ready for some excursions this summer, including the 8-litre Saddle Bag from Restrap. It's a cradle/drybag setup rather than a one-piece design like the Pro, but it's handmade in the UK and comes with a lifetime warranty. It fits to the bike perfectly and it's never let any water in. It costs £104.99. (Mike tested it back in 2017 and was very impressed.)

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The Zefal Z Adventure R17 saddle bag is a one-piece design like the Pro. I tested that back in April and was really impressed with its waterproofing, easy set-up and massive 17-litre capacity. It costs a mere £69.99.

Alpkit makes the Koala, which has jumped in price since I bought it earlier in the year (and since Matt tested it last year), but it's still only £84.99 in both the 7-litre and 13-litre sizes.

Conclusion

So, there you have it. If the price was right, I'd be recommending the Discover bag wholeheartedly. In operation I really can't fault it, and because of this it's the bag I'm using most as it is so easy to swap between all the gravel bikes I'm testing at the moment. But that price is a major deterrent. If you can get it at a big discount, then go for it.

Verdict

Performance-wise it's on the ball, but it's overpriced