{"id":191767,"date":"2025-02-16T15:26:35","date_gmt":"2025-02-16T15:26:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cyclist.co.uk\/?p=191767"},"modified":"2025-02-20T15:23:50","modified_gmt":"2025-02-20T15:23:50","slug":"best-top-tube-bags","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cyclist.co.uk\/buying-guides\/best-top-tube-bags","title":{"rendered":"Best top tube bags 2025 for road and gravel cycling (and an aero boost)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

For a little extra carrying capacity when riding, a top tube bag can make a handy addition to your road bike or gravel bike. It’s also a useful component of a bikepacking bag set, adding a litre or so of easy-to-reach capacity, dependent on the bag you choose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Front end bags used to offend the purists, but the rise of gravel riding and bikepacking, along with their use by triathletes, has made top tube bags a useful adjunct. Even more than a bar bag<\/a>, a top tube bag provides easy access to food or a phone when riding. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Top tube bag bolting points are common on the best gravel bikes<\/a> and they’re increasingly a feature of endurance bikes<\/a> and all-road bikes<\/a>, although you can still mount a top tube bag with straps if you don’t have these. Many top tube bags offer both straps and bolt holes in their base, although some brands sell two variants, so you can have one or the other but not both.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As well as small top tube bags with around a litre of capacity, there are longer options which can extend the carrying capacity to as much as 2 litres, adding a significant amount of extra carrying room. In most cases, the bags are narrow, typically under 5cm in width, to avoid them getting in the way when riding. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So if you’re looking for a top tube bag to add to your bikepacking bag <\/a>set-up or supplement a saddle bag<\/a>, or just to carry a few extra energy gels<\/a> on your ride, here are our picks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our pick of the best top tube bags<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
    \n
  1. Alpkit Fuel Pod: RRP \u00a339.99 <\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Apidura Expedition: RRP \u00a344 <\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Blackburn Outpost: RRP \u00a355 <\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Brooks Scape: RRP \u00a349.99 <\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Evoc Top Tube Pack WP: RRP \u00a337.99 <\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. Lezyne Aero Energy Caddy: RRP \u00a336 <\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  7. Miss Grape Node: RRP \u20ac72<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  8. Ortlieb Toptube-Bag: RRP \u00a377<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  9. Topeak Fastfuel Bag Essential: RRP \u00a325 <\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  10. Restrap Race Top Tube Bag – Long: RRP \u00a374.99<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  11. Zefal Z Adventure T1: RRP \u00a326<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n\n\n

    Why trust Cyclist’s advice?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
    \"Girona
    Patrik Lundin \/ Cyclist<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    We’re not just fair weather roadies here at Cyclist<\/em>, we also head off on long gravel rides for our magazine features, often somewhere hot, dry and remote. That means carrying plenty of extra stuff, so a top tube bag is a great addition to carry an extra gel or two to help get us to the end of a tough ride. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    We’re not paid by sponsors and all the products we recommend are picked on their merits and based on our combined years of experience riding in all conditions, so you can trust us to be impartial.<\/p>\n\n\n

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    Best top tube bags 2025<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Alpkit Fuel Pod<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
    \"\"
    <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    \u00a339.99 | View offer<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    Alpkit makes a whole range of bikepacking bags, which are well priced and robust, including over ten top tube options. We like this UK-made Fuel Pod. It’s available in three sizes which extend progressively further along your top tube: 0.75 litre, 1 litre and 1.5 litre. There are also four colours on offer, as well as a 1.25 litre extra-long version and a rear top tube bag. Surprisingly, all three sizes of the standard Fuel Pod are the same price.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The design is straightforward and made of an organic cotton face fabric with a recycled polyester waterproof backing. It’s foam lined to protect valuables and there’s a waterproof YKK zipper with a large puller that’s easy to use, although the seams are non-taped. The front of the bag includes a cable port.<\/p>\n\n\n\n