Camping plus bikes, what’s not to like? It seems like more people than ever are getting into bikepacking which means we’re also witnessing the evolution of the gear used to carry all your equipment into the backcountry and back home again. Salsa Cycles is no stranger to adventure by bike, but they’ve just released some updates to their EXP Anything Cradle and Cage systems that will make it easier than ever to ride with your camp kit.
Salsa EXP Anything Cradle
The EXP Anything cradle was already a great way to carry bags on your bars, and it’s one that I’ve personally used on a number of trips with great success. The cradle mounts to your handlebars with offset mounting posts which keeps the dry bag off your cables and frame and fully supports it when bouncing down the trail. New to the cradle is a redesigned arms that are now compatible with 35mm bars, though they also include shims to use with 31.8mm bars as well. The cradle alone will sell for $119.99 with the new arms, or you can purchase the 35mm arms for an existing Cradle for $59.99.
Salsa has added new longer versions of their EXP Series rubber straps to use with the cradle to cinch down the dry bags or whatever else you want to carry. The straps are offered in 30″ lengths for the cradle and are $17.99.
One of the biggest changes to the EXP Cradle system is the introduction of a top mount dry bag. That’s important since it offers a narrower profile which will work better with drop bars.
On mountain bikes with super wide bars and without dropbar shifters to get in the way, the side-load bag still works great and has been updated as well. Both dry bags have an air valve to make it easier to pack it down as small as possible, and both will sell for $59.99.
For more cargo carrying abilities, there is a redesigned EXP Series Front Pouch which includes more compartments and easier one-handed operation of the zippers. Plenty of slots on the rear allow for mounting options, and the daisy chain on the front gives you plenty of opportunities to dangle. The Front Pouch will run $69.99.
The entire EXP Series Anything Cradle kit can also be purchased in top-load or side-load for $219.99.
Salsa EXP Anything Cage HD
Another popular Salsa product is their EXP Anything Cage HD. Perfect for mounting to the side of your fork legs, the cage now includes new EXP Series Rubber straps instead of the previous nylon straps. These are the 22″ straps which are also available separately for $16.99. If you buy the Anything Cage HD, they’re included for $34.99.
To go along with the Anything Cage HD, there is a new Anything Cage Bag which has been redesigned for easier loading. The bag now features a rigid lower cap that is perfectly round and meant to integrate perfectly with the cage. It also keeps the bag upright and open for easy loading. You also get an additional daisy chain strap on the outside where the previous version only had one. The roll top bag is available individually for $34.99, or you can buy the whole Anything Cage HD kit for $64.99 with the cage, straps, and bag.
