For those that follow The Rules, you know #29. For those that do not:
“Rule #29 – No European Posterior Man-Satchel. Saddle bags have no place on a road bike, and are only acceptable on mountain bikes in extreme cases.”
Eleven Velo and Waterfield Designs joined forces and come to the rescue with their new Ride Pouch. This beautiful leather case is designed to hold all of your goodies and fit nicely in a jersey pocket, freeing your bike of that eye sore that is the saddle bag.
Join us on the other side for the details.
The folks at Eleven Velo are great at making cycling kits from merino wool. Leather isn’t exactly their forte however. So, when it came time to produce the Ride Pouch, they wisely teamed up with premium case designer and maker Waterfield Designs. Together, the two have produced a great solution that eliminates the need for your saddle bag.
The Ride Pouch exterior is made from a premium American leather. Inside it’s lined with neoprene. It has room to hold a spare tube, patch kit, two tire levers, CO2 cartridge, mini pump, multitool, cash, ID/Credit card, your cell phone, and I can even squeeze my keys in there. The Ride Pouch is assembled by Waterfield Designs at their San Francisco workshop.
Between the leather, neoprene, and the see-through plastic cover, the Ride Pouch is weather resistant. On a dry day, the leather may pick up some moisture when in your pocket, but it dries fast and it will only help the distressed leather look even better over time.
The phone pocket is a great addition. It separates the phone from your other tools with a layer of neoprene. Smartphone touch screens are totally accessible via a clear plastic front cover. It fits the iPhone 5, Samsung Galaxy phones, and my personal Nexus 5 fits great. The side buttons for volume are harder to access, but it is doable. Rear camera use does require the removal of the phone.
The beauty of the Ride Pouch is that it slips into your jersey pocket and just seems to disappear. It only makes itself known when you hit a jarring bump, or really throw down an all out effort out of the saddle. Eleven Velo and Waterfield Designs have come up with a winner here. Toss one in your jersey pocket for $70 USD.
