We humans have made quite a mess of our home. With garbage now littering every corner of the planet, we should be falling hook, line and sinker for any ideas that turn unwanted waste into new products. Plastic in our oceans is one of the biggest problems, so Axiom came up with a way to put some of that pollution to use.
Axiom Cycling Gear has decided to create ‘a wave of positive change’ (in their clever words) with a new line of cycling bags made from a material called Oceanweave, which is produced by recycling abandoned fishing nets. Dive below the break to see the eco-friendly Seymour Oceanweave panniers, trunk bags, handlebar and seat bags…
Axiom’s Oceanweave fabric is made from abandoned fishing nets found on the ocean floor. The nets are broken down into individual components and all heavy metals, VOC’s and dyes are removed. The clean plastic then gets recycled into a polyester yarn that performs just like the first-gen product would, creating a durable and light weight fabric.
Panniers:
The Seymour panniers (and all other bags in this line) are constructed from Oceanweave 600D fabric, which has a polyurethane waterproof coating. All bags in the Seymour series are lined with red interior fabric to help you see deep inside.
Construction features on the panniers include drawstring top closures, zippered rear pockets, front and side pockets, daisy-chain webbing loops, plus reflective Axiom logos and a blinker light clip. Axiom’s panniers use Rixen and Kaul’s mounting system.
The ‘plus’ model panniers come in a range of sizes from 55L to 22L, and are largely the same except the side pockets go from fabric, to mesh, to non-existent as the bags get smaller. The P55+ pannier retails for $112 USD, the P35+ sells for $94 and the 22+ costs $92 (all prices converted from CDN).
The P25 Twin panniers are a one-piece unit with a carrying handle so your stuff can easily come with you after you park your bike. They quickly attach and detach from the rack with Velcro straps and a bungee hook. The P25 Twin bears a simple design with a zippered top cover, no webbing loops, and no rear pockets. You still get zippered side pockets, reflective logos and rear blinker loops. The P25 Twin sells for $41.
Axiom’s Seymour Oceanweave EXP15+ trunk bag features a thermal-lined main compartment with a washable interior, ideal for carrying your lunch or keeping your beer cold. In addition to the reflective logos, carry handle, mini pump straps and zippered rear pocket, the side pockets can be expanded to act as mini-panniers. With the side pockets folded out, the EXP15+ offers 15.3L of storage. Compacted, the bag still provides about 10L of space. The EXP15+ attaches to the top of any rear rack with a few simple Velcro straps, and it sells for $56.
The smaller P9 trunk bag also has an insulated main compartment with a 9L capacity. It loses the larger model’s expandable side pockets in favor of slimmer mesh pockets, but keeps the zippered rear pocket, hi-vis logos and top handle. The P9 costs $41.
Handlebar bags:
If you like to keep things close at hand, the P7 and P4 handlebar bags might reel you in. The P7 offers a main compartment that conveniently opens towards the rider. It also has a zippered internal pouch and external pocket for separating cargo, and comes with a shoulder strap. The P7 uses a strap and buckle system to attach itself to your bars.
The P4 is almost identical except it provides 3.8L of storage and drops the P7’s zippered external pocket for a mesh pouch. MSRP is $34 for the P7 and $26 for the P4.
Seat Bags:
Axiom has under-the-seat storage well covered with a wide line of Seymour Oceanweave seat bags, ranging from 2.8L down to 0.5L in capacity. There are two styles to choose from- The Wedge H20 models include water bottle pockets, an internal credit card/ID pocket, rear blinker loops and the 2.8L model has low-profile zippered side pockets as well. The Wedge 2.8 and 1.3 H20 sell for $45 and $34.
The Wedge seat bags forgo the water bottle and side pockets, but their vertical strap gives them the ability to cinch up tightly to keep your stuff from jingling around. They still offer blinker loops, reflective logos and an inside pocket for payment cards or ID. The Wedge 1.3/0.8/0.5L bags cost $26/23/19.
Axiom’s Seymour Oceanweave bags are guaranteed against manufacturing defects for life (to the original purchaser). Check out their website to see the full line.
