Tailfin Fork Pack Review

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

*****NOTE: The bags are sold individually, not as pairs. Sorry about the confusion, I misread this in the press release - Neil*****

[@pnw_adventures8413]

tailfin stuff is really good. the new fork mount bags are sweet - love 'em. mounted them up and will use them next week, but can already tell they're a big winner for me. it's good to see a company that is actually doing some innovation, as opposed to just dropping more cages and ski straps.

[@edwinharry1]

The main selling point to these isn't mentioned in this video, but the Tailfin website makes a big deal about it: when the bags aren't on the bike the holder doesn't look too bad on the forks. This makes them better than a traditional cage on the forks which looks bulky without the bag...and it edges them over the ortlieb fork pack that has a bulkier holder. If I need the luggage space - all good; if I don't I can leave the bags off without my bike looking or feeling bulky. They are expensive though!

[@jimmccorison]

I recently did an 8-day 300-mile on-road bike camping tour using the Tailfin 22l panniers and 20l Trunk Top Bag. The systems performed flawlessly and garnered many comments about the compact nature of the mounting system. On my forks, I had Salsa Anything Cages with 5l dry bags. I will probably swap over to the Tailfin solution instead as it is a lot more convenient than the strap mounts of the cages if you are only carrying a drybag.

[@robertlehman9411]

Great System & after I watched this, I just Kept the Weight of the cash it cost in my Own Wallet & just Created my own even more Lighter & toupher system. Thanks for all the help as I go into prodution at half the cost

[@yumyumhungry]

Tailfin is the king of over-engineered stuff in the bikepacking world right now. I'm a bit to married to using my fork mounts for extra water bottle storage though.

[@omare_biketonature]

That’s a $280 system for 10L capacity, compared to the $130 11.6L Ortlieb that I already own. It looks really secure and stable but too pricey.

[@vntcolder]

And the Ortlieb is so much more durable. More than 4000 km with Ortlieb with no problem, only 400km with tailfin before the first hole after the very first crash....

[@veganpotterthevegan]

A lot of people will buy this because it's more expensive😅

[@gsavage02]

I have been using tailfin aeropack and panniers for the last few years, every day. Their stuff is very well made and the cost difference if used every day is negligible.

[@ramoverde4133]

@@veganpotterthevegan 🤣😜

[@bigpimpinbig1]

Tailfin stuff seems really good. Already have the ortlieb version of this tho! Good video 👍

[@TheJani91]

I love that the adapters have a low Profil when the bags are not on the bike

[@gregh7387]

IMO the Ortlieb fork bags are amazing. The bags are well constructed and the attachment mechanism is bomber.

[@Jack_makes808]

the metal band broke on my ortlieb after 10 days of heavy use

[@gregh7387]

No bands - I use them w/ my carbon fork w/ (3) mounts per bag. You must be referring to the bands for adapting a fork w/o mounts?@@Jack_makes808

[@philtomlinson8220]

I've heard there can be some rattling with the Ortlieb system. Have you experienced any of this?

[@gregh7387]

Zero, other than my cook gear rattling around.@@philtomlinson8220

[@vntcolder]

Unfortunatly, Tailfin decide to use the "ultra light" material for this bags. For me, one crash, one hole is the bag... Where the Ortlieb had a lot more crashes and not any hole on it. I do not understand why they don't use the "ultra durable" layer for MTB oriented products. For the 22L panniers, you have this two options, but not for this 5 or 10L bags.

[@user-cx2bk6pm2f]

Tailfin are just awesome. Designed and made in the UK. Functionality and quality are top notch.

[@cyclistefroisse9267]

Source : TAILFIN TOP TUBE PACKS REVIEW ( 30 March 2023) by Cass Gilbert, Place of Manufacture reads : China. Confirmed by other sources, Tailfin bags aren’t Made in UK but in China.

[@13thdukeofwybourne69]

If you are in the market for UK designed and _manufactured_ bike packing gear, you won't go far wrong taking a gander at RESTRAP bikepacks, it's done in house at Leeds, in Yorkshire 👍

[@cyclistefroisse9267]

Sadly, I am no longer in the market for *anything* made in UK unless 🇬🇧 Exporter has set up a shop in 🇪🇺. Too many bad experiences with wrongly filled Customs Declaration forms and Rule of Origin compliance issues. ( Not as if Brits have had 7 years, since 23 June 2016 to l.e.a.r.n. how to deal with Customs red tape, inn’it).

[@13thdukeofwybourne69]

@@cyclistefroisse9267Luckily for you both Tailfin _and_ Restrap both have online EU, and indeed worldwide distribution networks. The sky _didn't_ fall in on the 23 June 2016 you know ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[@shaunphillips6468]

they look very well designed, I might venture some 5l ones to fit onto my Tumbleweed T rack

[@aaronedgeart]

Great review, what an awesome product!

[@Mike-vd2qt]

Hmmm... why not use a light rear rack and Revelate's new Nano Panniers that Velcro onto the rack? Nothing to break. Arkel also makes small panniers with a metal clamp at top, and old school bungee hook attachment that is quiet and stable. I put over 1,000 miles off road and 7,000 miles on roads with Arkels and Tubus racks.

[@stevendunbar8345]

I have existing Manything Cages but they do get in the way on wave racks, and on bus racks with swing arms - I actually had to rush remove a cage once to get it on the bus rack. So I can see where the Ortlieb and Tailfin low profiles come in handy. It seems like the Ortlieb durability is better (as pointed out here, the Tailfin uses their "lightweight" material, but I think front bags are a lot more likely to get beat up) and the Ortlieb system is cheaper, at the cost of some aesthetics (the larger and plastic mounting system).

[@kasperpaisa4245]

Ortlieb offers the same quality as Tailfin but almost half the price. Always thought Ortlieb was expensive.

[@rottieshepcalibre9156]

Two 5L bags on my Scott Spark 😊 yes please

[@bradfa]

Tailfin’s website faq says they are sold individually. The video says they’re sold as a pair?

[@brettfoster6786]

I want them. I will have to make something up to keep the price down on my budget being retired from the race. 🚴🏼‍♂️

[@ellerybice3787]

Salsa's anything racks have those fork leg spots on my ride, water, water, water bottles sit in those locations. Low center of gravity and heavy. Salsa's cradles have no "fragile" proprietary parts to snap, crackle or crunch. 🥴 🚴🏼🚴🏼🚴🏼

[@stuartdilts2729]

How do you think these narrower bags will work on Surly forks with the backwards pointing mounts?

[@MrRay645]

all those parts and screws make me nervous, I can buy a brake lever, shifter, rear mech, cables at a bike shop shelf but a Tailfin clamp is not going to be in stock anywhere and is going take a long while (safe to assume a lot longer than it took them to get the parts to you guys) I do want the larger sets for mounting on a rear Elkhorn but really feel it will only get used for street/dirt road trips and not rougher stuff and single track. For the woods I will probably stick to dry bags and straps.

[@larrywhite8590]

I have a hard time with this concept in general. Personally I would only mount this on a WREN or similar inverted fork, because unsprung mass is simply not good.

[@lepsielogo2733]

Has anybody ever tried one of these with a Lefty? If so, how did it feel? I'd assume only the smaller ones would work and still add some wobble at lower speed, but at riding pace it should be fine?! Any thoughts?

[@cyrusf.4039]

Hope you're going to do a review of the weird looking bike.

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

You know it.

[@marnig9185]

Hi,what is this bikeframe?❤

[@fastmtnbiker]

That's an Esker Hayduke LVS Ti! Hearing Neil's take on this ride was interesting. As an owner of a Xtra-cycle add-on, I'm sort of a fan, but I like to send it and having a rear wheel back that far can be problematic....as Neil stated when he suddenly decided to stop, thinking he got a flat, while I was zoned out staring at the surrounding cliffs.

[@marnig9185]

@@fastmtnbiker thank u:)

[@tony-kiernan]

“Cross-compatibility”?!? If you could attach your mini-panniers, maybe. Or even buy the different locks to swap out. This looks like they’ve done all they can to make sure there’s no compatibility without another major purchase

[@CycleXplorer]

How do you find the stability compared to a bar mounted bag?

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

Generally speaking as far as movement, it’s really non-existent with the Tailfin system. I think there is an argument for mounting hardwear creating a more stable ride vs soft bags, that’s why the miss grape Ilcoso is also so stable but also creates a few more moving parts that might be a turn off to some.

[@JRmntain]

Reassuring it damaged the rack and not the frame 👍

[@peterlindsay8235]

Bought Ortleb last week as Tailfin did not offer a comparable alternative. I even asked the question and am disappointed I wasn’t given a heads-up. Suffice to say my preference was a full Tailfin bike packing set up! So annoying but too late now.

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

It launched on Thursday, sorry.

[@tomas7403]

Luckily I am well served with my lightweight bags and don't needing that expensive and complex system is reassuring 😮

[@GeekonaBike]

Don't skimp on fork mounts. I had a bungee cord go into my wheel resulting in broken bones in my hand & a day 2 DNF in a AZTR.

[@felixdebrook2728]

i think it's cher en esti!

[@hoser7706]

Could you not just buy some SKS cage mounts and strap them onto forks for these bags?