Setting out to make hike-a-bikes easier, the Outentic bike backpack offers a solution to portage your mountain bike higher into the mountain in search of new trails. But the Outentic pack isn’t limited to only hauling bikes. Its modular frame and Fidlock magnetic attachment points make it possible to swap in a conventional backpack, or add them all up for longer enduro & all-mountain adventure riding…
Outentic modular Hike-a-Bike portaging backpack system
Developed in Munich by mountain bikers looking to get higher up into the Alps with their bikes, the Outentic bike backpack is one of the most niche bags we’ve ever seen. With three key elements you can mix & match pack setups for short rides, short hike-a-bike trips, or longer adventure rides high into the backcountry.
Outentic Basepack 8L
The Outentic pack has three core elements. The 196€ Basepack (above, right) is the base backpack frame that provides the shoulder straps & waist belt that serve as the carrying mechanism for all further add-ons. Four magnetic Fidlock posts serve as the attachment points where any of the other modules (above, left for example) can snap securely into place.
The Basepack weighs 1180g and includes up to 8L of its own internal storage with loops for a 2L hydration reservoir, a removable SAS-TEC back protector, plus an external helmet carrying net & bungee for lashing extra gear, and attachments for more pouched and accessories.
Outentic Bike Module
The next core element is the 100€ Bike Module, designed to haul your bike. At 450g, the rectangular tubular aluminum frame installs quickly onto the Basepack and includes two fold down Pick Up hooks designed to securely support your bike frame. The Pick Ups are made of reinforced plastic with grippy rubber coatings, and can be adjusted in position to best support a range of different mountain bike frame styles.
The Bike Module isn’t simply snapped on with the Fidlock magnets, but threads directly to the same 4-point attachments of the Basepack for a more secure fit to carry a bike – in a super fast tool-free process if you won’t add on the last pack.
On top of the Bike Module frame itself, the 4-point mount can be used to add on another module. To do so takes a couple of minutes to install the quick-lock/release Fidlock magnetic posts.
Outentic Casual Module 15L
The final core element is then the 85€ Causal Module backpack. It uses the 4-point Fidlock magnets to attach directly to the already installed Bike Module (above, left) or directly to the Basepack (above, right). The 675g pack is a simple 15L rolltop backpack also includes a simple shoulder strap with Fidlock attachments to use it separately as a sling pack without the full Basepack backpack.
Portaging with the Outentic Bike Backpack
If you are taking the full Outentic setup out on a longer trip, when it is time to portage your bike, you can use the straps of the Causal Module backpack to attach the bag to your frame.
Then, with the Pick Up hooks of the Bike Module adjusted for your bike & folded out, hold the Outentic bag in one hand & support the bike with the other…
Then, hook the two Pick Up hooks under the frame to securely grab ahold of the bike. Most likely one hook will go under the middle of the downtube and the other will sit on the seattube just above the bottom bracket…
Then, simply lift the Outentic pack up by the shoulder straps as you pull it onto your back. It is a surprisingly easy process to manage, and the weight of a regular high-end mountain bike ~15kg/33lb felt totally reasonable on your back.
The design of the Outentic bike backpack cradles your bike rather securely in the two Pick Ups. The pack offsets the base of the Bike Module further away at the base of the bag (where an internal support distributes weight to the waist belt of the Basepack), which does a good job of balancing the weight of the bike evenly over your back even while standing mostly upright. It also keeps the closest pedal from hitting you in the back.
Details, pricing & availability
The Outentic is rated to haul up to 25kg, so it can carry most all trail & enduro bikes, plus some extra riding gear. The packs & modules are all designed and finally assembled in Munich, with the bags sewn from water resistant Cordura just across the Bavarian border in the Czech Republic.
Beyond buying one piece at a time, there are several preconfigured kits all available now that also add in some extra modular pouches. The 314€ Hike and Bike Light kit gets the Basepack & Bike Module, plus a raincover & two add on pouches that can be looped onto the hip belt, shoulder strap or sides. The full 434€ Hike and Bike Pro kit gets all of the Light kit, plus the Casual Module pack for bigger trips and an extra modular phone pouch & Fidlock water bottle.
