UK-based bike bag specialist Tailfin just launched its new Cage Pack System, designed to replace the current widespread use of dry bags and fork cages that don’t necessarily go together.
With its growing range delivering some of the best bikepacking bags, Tailfin specializes in creating technical bikepacking equipment that provides solutions to common issues riders experience with existing bikepacking kit. Its new Cage Pack System targets the common dry bag and ‘anything’ cage setup that is a go-to for many but can prove to be fiddly and haphazard at times.
While strapping a dry bag to your bike or rack is certainly one of the most straightforward ways to get more kit on your bike, it’s a method that does come with several drawbacks, like the hassle of reattaching every time you need to retrieve some of the bag’s contents, or the instability and potential for the bag to rattle loose on rough terrain.
Tailfin Cage Pack System
According to Tailfin, the Cage Pack System is intended to work seamlessly with the brand’s existing Cargo Cages, which come in two size options. By designing both elements to work together, the brand is presenting a complete system that allows riders to securely attach the dry bag to the cage via a strap and hook system that holds everything firmly in place, and allows you to open the bag and retrieve its contents while it stays attached to the bike. While in many cases you need more than two hands to do this, Tailfin believes that it has eliminated this issue.
The Cage Pack System comprises the brand’s existing cargo cages, bikepacking-specific Tailfin TPU Cargo Straps (think Voile straps but with a new hook shape specifically for securing luggage to bikes, rather than skiing equipment), and a brand new set of completely waterproof dry bags that come in three sizes — 1.7, 3 and 5L — complete with what it calls its Speed Hook loading system.
Tailfin says these two hooks are constructed from a flexible yet strong TPU and individually welded to the pack, creating the lowest possible profile and guaranteeing waterproofing (as opposed to sewing or screwing them into place). They clamp onto the strap, to replace the usual ‘daisy chain’ loop systems, and according to the brand their unique shape — with a slight lip at the bottom — ensures that they not only slide into place easily, but they grip the strap firmly and stay put.
What this means in terms of use, is that once the strap is affixed to the cage and the bag is hooked onto the strap, even when compression is released and you’re rummaging through your luggage, the bag remains attached to the bike, making the process of retrieving contents much more efficient.
The bags themselves are constructed with 420D fabric on all high-wear areas, and while the three sizes can be mixed and matched depending on the rider’s specific setup needs, each size has a recommended usage. The smallest 1.7L bag is designed for placement inside the frame or under the downtube on road or gravel bikes, the 3L bag is designed for the same placement on mountain bikes, as well as fork and rack mounting, and the largest 5L bag is for fork and rack mounting only.
The brand offers a five-year ‘no quibble’ warranty period, as well as a crash replacement service. It also provides the option of buying the whole system together in a bundle, or the individual parts separately. This is because while all the components are designed to work together, Tailfin says that it’s compatible with any strap arrangement found on riders’ existing cargo cages.
Pricing and availability
- Cage Pack (without straps): 1.7L - £30 / €40 / $40, 3L - £35 / €45 / $45, 5L - £45 / €60 / $60
- Cage Pack (with two straps): 1.7L - £40 / €50 / $50, 3L - £45 / €55 / $55, 5L - £55 / €70 / $70
