Acepac is a newer brand of bike packing gear from Czech Republic with a solid collection of frame bags and this ultra simple tent shell that uses you and your mate’s bikes to create structure. Prefer higher ground? They make a hammock, too. Check out the collection along with a lot more killer pieces of gear below…
Ace pac’s bags are made of Cordura EcoMade, a polyester made of recycled PET (bottles, etc.). Their handlebar roll bag adjusts in size and holds a smaller (optional) roll top bar dry bag on top. Multiple top tube bags add small parts storage for quick access.
The saddle bag uses a Hypalon fabric at the front and saddle mount straps for durability and a tarp material on the bottom so it’s easier to clean. It, too, has an integrated (and removable) dry bag. They come in blue, green, black, gray and camo.
Check them out at Acepac.bike and download the catalog to see the full collection.
The Osprey Talon gets a new back panel that saves about 40% material waste compared to the more solid design in the past that had to have sections cut out of it.
For commuters, the Radial has a rigid internal kickstand design that lets it stand up on its own even when weighted down with a laptop and full load. A hidden rain cover keeps it all dry.
The new Speedsleev Ranger ($40) bumps up the capacity of their Smuggler ($35), making room for two road tubes, two CO2 cartridges, two tire levers and a mini tool.
The built in cover wraps around the back and bottom, keeping everything snugly in place. The wide Velcro straps wrap around it, running through the seat rails to keep it cinched tight and securely on the bottom of your saddle when riding (pic on right). When you need access, simply open the straps and connect them on top of your seat to hold the pack in place while you fish out the contents.
Bikglov is an Aussie company that makes fitted bicycle covers to keep your ride clean during transport. Four versions are offered, the Regular (above) that fits over an entire bike with all wheels attached, the FRK for fitting over the bike with front wheel removed (like on a fork-mount rack), and the…
…R Slim and F Slim (above), for covering just the bar and saddle, with or without the front wheel attached. Retail from AU$66-130.
All Mountain Style’s peel ‘n’ stick frame protection now comes in animal prints (outta control!).
The semi-rigid PVC material is transparent, letting you see the frame’s color and graphics underneath. It’s honeycomb structure protects the tubes from abrasion and impacts without adding much weight to the bike.
Protecting your reputation and trail access comes in a different form. Bells help alert hikers and other (perhaps slower) users in a friendly manner, but traditional bike bells can be quite noisy when you’re ripping down the trail.
The Timber Mountain Bike Bell makes things quiet by changing the way you make it ring. Switch the lever down to let it ring from the normal vibrations of riding. Flip it up and it silences the bell by locking down the dinger. Fits 22-35mm handlebars. They make this bolt-on model and a quick release model, both $20.
