Roswheel Race Series Bike Under-Top Tube Bag, 0.4 Liter Capacity – Review

Roswheel Under Seat Bag

I have to admit that this review, for the Roswheel Race Series Under-Top Tube bag, is one that I have neglected to finish and has been sitting in my draft folder for a few years.  My bad.

I didn’t finish and publish this review because there was anything wrong with the bag, just the opposite in fact.  But I guess I didn’t get to publish this review because the bag just plain does its job and does it well, and is there when needed and I don’t have a lot of extra to say about it.

But that’s kind of why I should have finished this review, so others who have the need can give this bag a try.

Back in 2019 I got this bag at the same time as the Roswheel Attack Series 3-10 liter Seat Pack bag. You’ll see that in that review I really liked that bag, and I also really like this one just as well. They are similar in material and construction even though they have a radically different design and purpose. They both fit a niche I have; when I have an occasional need for each respective bag.

So on to the review. 

I don’t like to bring a lot of extra stuff and think that one seat bag should really be sufficient for anything up to maybe a 40 or 50-mile ride or a bit more on a regular ride.

Roswheel Under Seat Bag

But every once in a while I need a little extra room, and while the Roswheel Attack Series 3-10 liter Seat Pack bag is great for when I need more than just a ‘little’ extra room – the Roswheel Race Series Under-Top Tube bag is perfect for when I need a bit of extra space.  

It’s a good fill-in bag I guess you’d say.

And it does this job well and looks great doing it.  Like all of the Roswheel stuff bags that I’ve gotten, it’s manufactured extremely well.

It’s made up of some sort of waterproof material and has a bit of padding with a bluish waterproof coating on the inside, the company claims the material is very tear-resistant but lighter.  The zippers are even YKK water-resistant zippers, kind of hard to go wrong with quality like that. The rear strap has a bit of a wider additional section and the part that goes under the strap and comes together allows you to pull the strap closed to hold it in place on that bar.

Roswheel Under Seat Bag

There’s a mesh pocket in the back of four cards ID or money or whatever.  Like most of Roswheel’s bags, the sewing seems to be really good quality.

The underside has a textured rubbery material which I assume is even more weather resistant than the overall bag, and double helps prevent water from soaking in that might come up from the road from beneath I suppose.

And if you are concerned about it – it is kind of aero. Weight is 99 grams or around .22 pounds and the company claims .6 liter (.26 gallon) capacity.  Of course, it depends on the shape up what you are trying to fit into it.  It is around 14 inches long with the zipper length being around 10+ inches and barely wider than a top tube – about 4.1 cm (1 5/8 inches), so you don’t have to worry about your legs or legs hitting it – whether sitting or standing.

It’s fairly small and unobtrusive, and it goes on the bike quickly and it can be taken off just as quickly using the three straps and matching velcro. Two straps fit around the top tube and one goes around the seat post. You could stick it on top of the top tube, I think, but it’s really made to go underneath. There is enough extra strap length to fit around a mountain bike tube also. Really, less than a minute taking it off or putting it on. And the straps are cutable if you think they are sticking out too much.

And really it looks nice, and the Roswheel logo and striping is reflective too.

It’s not quite large enough for my phone unless I really stuff it in but I usually put my phone in my seat bag or my jersey. But for extra gels, protein bars, large car remote keys, maybe some lunch items (but not a sandwich), even an apple sliced up in Ziplock bags, a battery pack charger, extra Co2 cartridges – all those extras fit just fine when you don’t want to stuff anything in your regular seat bag or your jersey pockets. Personally, I don’t like a bunch of stuff in my jersey pockets, and things like protein bars may start to melt if you are cycling hard.

If I’m going on a longer trip and I just need a couple gels or a granola, or the day is looking intermittently cloudy and I might want to take off my sunglasses and store them somewhere easily accessible and scratch/crush-free it’s good for that, or maybe I want to carry something small with me like an extra tube or an extra tool or tube. I also may want to carry something in there that I can easily carry elsewhere but the bag gives me the freedom to stick it in there instead, more easily and accessible. Maybe like some money or a credit card or gift card because I’m stopping somewhere, it’s really easy to get open and get stuff out versus sticking something in the seat bag with my tools and phone.

The only negative I suppose – and this is not the fault of the bag; is that with a fairly compact frame a high water bottle it may come pretty close to the bottom of the bag. No way around this I suppose, without using a tube top bag instead or even using this on the top of the top bar instead.

So, I believe that the Roswheel Race Series Under-Top Tube bag is a great little convenient extra thing that can be thrown on easily. At least for me, for others they might stick an extra tube in there or some tools and maybe even use it as their primary bag. But it is fairly small, smaller than a seat bag normally is but for those who go the very minimalist route or carry most of their stuff in their jersey, this might be a good additional bag for them also. 

I mean, the thing looks and feels substantial, it’s hard to go wrong with the price and quality of the bag.  Even if you only use it once in a while.  It really looks more expensive than it is.


Roswheel Under Seat Bag

Marc M

I am a web developer and fitness geek, but I have a heck of a lot of differing interests.  Biking, the Internet, technology, movies, fitness, running and walking and hiking, science fiction, photography, graphics, WordPress, flying and aircrafts, pets and animals, history, and much more.  I like to stay very fit but I don’t mind sitting at my computer for work and play either.  I live in upstate New York (that’s far from New York City) in a rural area, yet close to a small city, with my beautiful awesome wife, a bunch of beloved cats and dogs and chickens in a very old multi-century house.

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