Tailfin Bar Bag System: Business Up Front

My introduction to bikepacking began on an original Surly Krampus with an initial kit from Porcelain Rocket. Because I ride an XL frame, it was always easy to pack. I had a cavernous framebag, a 17-litre seat bag, and an adjustable handlebar bag that could easily carry a 15-litre drybag and my tent.

When my desire to bikepack began to overlap with my passion for gravel and road riding, I started favouring dropbar bicycles. The benefit, at least in my opinion, was greater speed and long-distance comfort for the type of terrain I favour. The consequence was limited space for bikepacking essentials. When I built up my dream gravel bike earlier this year, I decided on a Tailfin setup including a Tailfin Aeropack, half frame, and top tube pack. Because I'd opted for rather narrow 40cm handlebars, I often made due without a front roll or simply adding the smaller San Util Roly Poly up front.

The streamlined setup served me well on a recent Airbnb-to-Airbnb tour across the Classics Story, the Northern Way route in Belgium and France. I know it would also work well for ultra events when I am focused on optimizing a lightweight race setup. But for comfy overnight camping trips, I had to add Salsa Anything Cages and EXP Bags just to carry enough food for a solitary night out under the stars.

I began experimenting with my older Porcelain Rocket Harness, but it wasn't an ideal fit. It held the drybag close to my handlebars and limited my hand positions. Even though it sat firmly against my headtube, it was difficult to eliminate all movement when sending it down a rough gravel road.

It wasn't long until I realized I was searching for a unicorn. I wanted a front bag that would work with my narrow drop bars; sit far off the handlebars so it wouldn't impact shifting, braking, or hand position; and not bounce around terribly. Bonus points if it would eliminate the contact point on my headtube, which hinders steering performance and risks rubbing the paint off my bike.

When Tailfin announced its new Bar Bag System, I jumped at the chance to get one. Not only am I a sucker for the style of matching kit, but the success I enjoyed with my Tailfin Aeropack and frame bag left me optimistic that it might very well be my mythical unicorn.

About Tailfin

Tailfin is known for its premier bikepacking equipment, building upon its reputation earned by the longstanding Aeropack and Pannier Rack that work on nearly any bicycle. Over the past few years, they've expanded their catalogue to include various panniers, top tube, frame, fork bags, cages and accessories.

The brand prioritizes research and development, incorporating an unrivalled R&D team into its marketing initiatives. Their athletes own countless FKTs and high-profile rides, including Justinas Leveika and his FKT on the Tour Divide, Arizona Trail, and Triple Crown; Lachlan Morton's recent record ride around Australia; and Chris Burkard, all of whom routinely places the brand in front of his massive audience. Vedangi Kulkarni is already the youngest person to have cycled around the globe and she's almost finished her second lap with the help of her Tailfin bags.

The punchline is simple. Tailfin makes some of the best bikepacking gear on the market and it's used by race winners the world over. While it is more expensive than many competitor's products, they deliver excellent quality and high design standards informed by the best riders.

Sized to Fit (Almost) Every Bike

I was beyond excited to learn that not only had Tailfin designed its new Bar Bag System, but they had also created specific models for drop bar and flat bar mountain bikes.

For the drop bar model, the size chart is confusing. It recommended the small for 38+ cm and the large recommended for 40+ cm wide drop bars. Oddly, the image clearly shows the measurements as 38+ cm and 42+ cm, which left me uncertain when running my 40cm bars. I opted for the small bag and it seems like the right choice, but I fail to see why the larger bag wouldn't fit either. There is plenty of room for more girth, as it's the width that causes issues. For flat bar bikes, the decision is easy. They offer a 14.9L small and 18.9L large that will work on every bicycle. It is simply a matter of choosing which volume suits your needs. My recommendation is to always size up.

The handlebar mount is the same for all configurations and it's designed to fit standard 31.8 mm handlebar diameters. Installation should be easy, securing two clamps on either side of the stem that extend out to a flat bar where the drybag connects. It's a great system that allows plenty of flexibility. The bag can be raised or lowered, as all parts rotate independently. For a small bike, it can be run flat to keep the bag off the wheel. For a larger bike, like mine, I can run the bag much lower, which increases space for shifting and hand positions.

Unfortunately, the installation is where things grew interesting. It wouldn't fit my bike.

Requesting a Custom Mount

I use the Chapter 2 Mana Gravel integrated carbon stem and handlebar. The stem flares slightly at the handlebar, making it slightly wider than a standard stem. It's also curved and the only flat mounting surface is designed for bolt-on aerobars. It was impossible to mount the Bar Bag system as designed. If I moved the clamps wide enough to fit the mounting points on my handlebars, the dry bag could no longer attach. I could make it work if I offset the bag, but it was awkward and meant that the bag - and my load - could never be centred.

I reached out to Tailfin to ask for solutions. It was obvious that I needed the straight bar that attaches to the handlebar and drybag clamps to be wider and they didn't waste time. They jumped straight into a custom project. A month later, the custom piece arrived giving me the extra 1.5 cm I required.

It's impossible to separate the impressive customer service from the fact I am writing a review of their product; however, I truly believe they would extend this level of care to anyone. Earlier this summer, I erroneously ordered the wrong frame bag for my wife's bike and they made the exchange as easy as possible.

Design & Construction

I was impatiently refreshing my tracking to watch the package travel from the UK to Vancouver Island. It's always fun unpacking new gear, but because I received this pre-release, it arrived without any of Tailfin's traditional packaging and install instructions.

My first look moved from stoke to skeptical. It's a bar bag system—as advertised—but I was still surprised by how many pieces I had to put together. The bar mount alone is three individual pieces; the bag requires two additional metal pieces to be bolted on; and a handful of accessories add head unit and light mounts. The initial installation took time to figure out. However, once the mount is was completely assembled, it's just two Torx T25 bolts to install or remove it from the bar.

The quality is exactly what I expect from Tailfin, which is exceptional. The mounting system is robust, it's made entirely of aluminum and uses T25 bolts. The dry bag is a tough ripstop/hypalon material that's similar to the Aeropack and trunk bags. From experience, it will survive nearly any abuse. It incorporates a brilliant small valve to let air out when rolling it shut that should be standard on every rolltop bag. The closure system is unique. For the drop bar model, a series of hooks are installed on the bag to pull the rolled sides away from the brake levers.

While many front rolls use an accessory bag that attaches externally to the front roll, Tailfin utilizes four stash pockets that add non-waterproof storage up front. The main pocket zips shut, while three stash pockets are secured with a single voile strap sewn into the design. I have yet to find an efficient use for the additional stash pocket that sits underneath the clamp on the rear side of the bag. The optional accessory attachments, which add mounts for a head unit and front light or GoPro, are installed on the handlebar mount and remain in place even when the bag is removed.

The focal point of any bikepacking bag is how it physically attaches to the bike. It's rare for a bag to be both stable and quick to pull on and off the bike, but that's exactly what Tailfin delivered with their time & tested mount design. The bag slides onto a metal clamp and hook that is installed on the bike. A single lever clamps down and locks the bag into place. Once secured, it does not move. At all. Ever. Period.

The smaller-sized drop bar bag is only 9.1L, and despite prioritizing a lightweight design, all the parts add up. It's more than double the weight of my San Util Bag, but it does offer more storage space. It's also heavier than the Porcelain Rocket harness and drybag combo that offers more versatility. It's an acceptable tradeoff because of the unrivalled stability, but it's something to consider.

Usage & Performance

Truthfully, I have used this bag less than intended. The trifecta of requiring the custom-made part, dealing with the soggy winter season on Vancouver Island, and nagging injuries have meant that it's only been used in tests rather than a real bikepacking adventure. In the short time I've been using it, I feel like I have uncovered its benefits and a few of its quirks.

The benefits are easy. The bag is wildly secure. Once clamped onto the bike, it just doesn't move whether I was sending it down a gravel road or trialling it on my rigid mountain bike on some local singletrack while I waited for the custom part to arrive. When paired with the Aeropack, I have 27.1L of 100% waterproof storage with absolutely zero wiggle, bounce, or movement.

It also looks fantastic. By incorporating the stash pockets into the drybag design, they eliminated the straps and buckles front accessory pockets often required. The result is a streamlined setup that pairs perfectly with everything in Tailfin's catalogue. While the front pockets aren't waterproof, they are water-resistant and drain well. I found it to be the perfect place to stash my rainjacket and gloves if it was the type of day where I'd be pulling it on and off between squalls. I also kept a few extras that I need throughout the day—my multitool and tire levers (I've been flatting an embarrassing amount this year)— sunscreen, chamois butter, and lip balm. When the drybag is stuffed full, fitting larger objects into these pockets can be a bit of a challenge.

The setup forced me to rethink how I carry valuables, as typically my front accessory pack is where I stow my wallet, camera, and electronics so I can quickly disconnect and carry inside when leaving the bike unattended.

Because of my narrow handlebars, I have to keep the bag at its narrowest. I can still carry a full-size Thermarest NeoAir sleeping pad and a -7C Big Agnes down sleeping bag with a bit of stuffing and packing magic. It's the largest sleep system I would ever need to carry, so I cannot complain about its capacity. Unfortunately, this still pointed me towards the quirks.

The bag closes with a clever ladder hook design that pulls the end of the bag away from the hoods to promote good shifting performance and hand positioning. As I mentioned, I ordered the small drop bar bag that's advertised to hold 9.1L and fit 38cm handlebars. Although I run a 40cm bar, even with the bag at its absolute smallest size it's tight when shifting my Shimano GRX810 setup. I cannot imagine it working on a narrower bar or with a 2x system many people still use on gravel bikes. Reflecting on my earlier point, a bag with more girth paired with a narrower closure system would increase the carrying capacity on narrower bars. As it is, it would have also been easy to extend the ladder hook system by an additional step to make it fit better.

The second quirk is my own bike. Because I required the custom part, I learned the original bag is designed with very small tolerances. If you aren't running a very standard stem and handlebar, it might be worth investigating. It did work flawlessly on my wife's Trek Checkpoint, with the stock Bontrager Stem and Roval Terra carbon handlebars.

To end on a positive note, the bag did pass the “look mom, no hands test” with ease. The closure system and clamp make it easy to centre the weight, so the bike stays well-balanced and running true. While it's possible with any setup, it's far easier with the Tailfin system than it is when trying to centre a drybag in a harness.

Conclusion

I've used a variety of front rolls and I've never been happy with their performance. My standard complaints stem from their general instability and proximity to my hands.

Tailfin claims this is “an entire front storage system created to be the most stable and user-friendly bar-mounted storage system out there”' and I guess it's a matter of perspective. Initially, I found the drop bar size chart confusing and immediately encountered an issue with my integrated stem and handlebar. Overlooking those initial concerns, once installed, it was immediately obvious that Tailfin had solidly delivered on its promise.

It isn't perfect, but it's dang close. I wish there was more overlap between the drop bar and flat bar systems because it's a bit cost-prohibitive to own two. Prices range from $395 to $425 USD depending on the bag/bar configuration. If you bounce back and forth between two bikes, then opt for the drop bar model. It worked great when I tested it on my mountain bike. From what I can see in the images, it appears the flat bar-specific model might interfere with the drop bar shifting because the bag uses a traditional rolltop design.

Overall, the positives outweigh the negatives immensely. I have no issue saying this is the best bar bag system I have ever used. Once it's installed, the bag is incredibly secure and stable.