Collective Reward #185: Ortlieb Toptube Frame-Packs

When it comes to truly waterproof bike bags, no one has been doing it longer than Ortlieb. Since 1982, to be exact. I’ve been using their bags since my early days of touring on a wobbly bike with four overstuffed panniers, and they’ve never failed to keep my precious cargo dry. It’s been fun watching the company’s evolution throughtout the years, and I even had a chance to visit their sprawling production facility while I was living in Germany a couple of years back (find that post linked in the Further Reading grid below).

Ortlieb debuted a line of bikepacking bags in 2016, and they’ve regularly refined the range in subtle and not-so-subtle ways during that time. One of the latest updates that caught our eye was the addition of a long-awaited color alternative to black, and we think they nailed it with the new Dark Sand color, which was launched earlier this year. Today, we’re excited to share that we’ll be giving away a couple of Ortlieb Toptube Frame-Packs to randomly selected members of the Bikepacking Collective, up to a $170 value for our lucky winners, who can choose between Black or Dark Sand and 3L and 4L sizes.

If you missed Neil’s recent Toptube Frame-Pack review (also linked below), he found it to be a practical and hardwearing partial frame bag that offered a surprising amount of space inside and had a stable and secure fit. More broadly, he was impressed that someone managed to make a bag with a zip that’s actually waterproof thanks to its 3D-welded construction and burly TiZip zipper. The 4L version he tested measured 19.7 x 5.1 x 2.4″ (50 x 13 x 6cm) and weighed in at around 190 grams. Inside, he fit layers, a repair kit, a stove, his kitchen/dopp kit, a pump, a tube, and 1.5 liters of water, concluding that it’s an ideal option for bikepackers seeking a “simple, durable, waterproof partial frame bag with attention to detail and plenty of usable space.” You can find full details over at Ortlieb.

Member support makes all the content on BIKEPACKING.com possible, including our original routes, in-depth reviews, and up-to-the-minute news and coverage. If you enjoy reading the site, please consider joining the Bikepacking Collective. Membership is open to anyone, anywhere in the world, and members are automatically entered to win bi-monthly Collective Rewards (including one of these Frame-Packs), receive two issues of The Bikepacking Journal in the mail each year, have access to exclusive industry discounts, and more. Collective Reward winners are responsible for taxes. Read the terms here.

Further Reading

Make sure to dig into these related articles for more info...

4

Dispatch

Collective Reward #184: Wolf Tooth Components Ripsaw Pedals

23

Field Trips

A Look Inside ORTLIEB: Made in Germany Since 1982

10

Dispatch

Spring 2024 Collective Reward Winners

3

Bikepacking Bags

Ortlieb Toptube Frame-Pack Review: Waterproof with a Zip

26

Culture

10 Highlights from Bespoked 2023 in Dresden

27

Accessories

Ortlieb Commuter-Daypack Urban Review

Please keep the conversation civil, constructive, and inclusive, or your comment will be removed.