Topeak Frontloader | Review and Experiences

[@fionaocallaghan5616]

So helpful with the tip on using the grey strap in a different way to avoid tyre contact - a go-to video each time you need to set-up for a bikepack. Worked a treat on my CX small frame. Thank you!

[@Velodicted]

You're welcome. I'm glad to hear that my experiences with the bag were useful to you. Have a good one adventures :) Cheers

[@fl0a226]

Very helpful. Thanks for addressing the issue of narrow dropbars

[@Mithadon]

Thanks, very informative reviews! And no fluff to have to skip through.

[@Velodicted]

thanks mate, personal tip... speed it up to 1,25 or 1,5 that's what I often do :D I'm so slow and lots of ehh's and ahhhm's :D. constantly try to reduce that :D cheers

[@dripdrop28]

Really happy I watched your review before buying as I have less distance between stem and wheel on my grail : On CF 8 Axs. Great video 👍

[@Velodicted]

Thanks for your comment. Great to see this video is still valuable for the one or another, despite it has some age :) Cheers VCC

[@paulsslightlyactivelife]

Nice, clear and honest review. I've had exactly the same experience as you describe, but at least there's a way to manage it with the strap. I wanted a mid-priced setup that would switch between my road and mountain bikes and I've always been impressed with Topeak's quality. I see that they've now updated the Frontloader (possibly as a result of customer feedback) so it would be interesting to see what's changed.

[@janh3042]

Ich glaube du hast den äußeren Teil falsch rum angebracht. Auf den Produktfotos sieht es immer so aus, als ob die offene Seite weg vom Lenker zeigt, bei dir zeigt sie zum Lenker. Würde sich dadurch etwas verbessern? Ich überlege mir die Tasche zu kaufen, da ich mit dem backloader gute Erfahrungen gemacht habe.

[@Velodicted]

Hallo Jan, deine Beobachtung ist richtig und gilt für die aktuelle Version des frontloaders. Ich hingegen habe Version 1 in der es tatsächlich (auch nach Manual) so wie ich es im Video zeige, richtig ist. Die Anmerkung gab es bereits durch einen Viewer, darauf hin habe ich das Manual hier (twitter.com/ChannelVcc/status/1394385188751384577) zur Verfügung gestellt (Achte auf das Schaubild in der linken unteren Ecke). Du kannst es noch mal abgleichen, wenn du magst :) Das Design wurde, denke ich, aus Gründen geändert. Ich vermute, dass es mit dem neuen Design, also dass der Harnisch nach vorne hin die Öffnung hat und mit den Verschlüssen geschlossen wird, besser ist. Der Nutzer kommt einfach viel besser heran. Neben den im Video genannten Einschränkungen kann ich den frontloader empfehlen. Gruß VCC

[@janh3042]

@@Velodicted hi, cool das du dir auch bei älteren Videos die Zeit nimmst so ausführlich zu antworten. Danke für die ganzen Infos!

Nice video! Thanks for helping with decision of buying this bag. Greetings from Munich!

[@Velodicted]

Thanks for your comment. I appreciate it. Cheers VCC

[@adamorriss7772]

Thank you for this, very useful as I wondered what all the straps were for! I only have one question, does the buckle at the bottom of webbing where Topeak logo is attached have a specific purpose?

[@Velodicted]

Hi, regarding the buckle at the bottom. I believe you can attach the grey step there in order to secure the load from wandering towards the front.

[@aceofspades3000]

Great video! Gave all the information I was looking for!

[@corbielinnrider]

Thanks for the video. I purchased one of these reciently. For your information and that of your viewers, you no longer get 'Strap A' included. I don't think you can buy uit seperately either

[@weka6533]

It’s still advertised as being able to carry another bag which I think is what strap A is for. It looks like there may be two models available but I’m struggling to get any information beyond a different colour.

[@christianhuber4054]

Very helpful, thanks!

[@christopherhanson5723]

Really useful video that is super clear and well detailed. Many thanks.

[@Velodicted]

Thank you, and I am glad it helped you. Cheers

[@ChrisPetrikoglou]

One question! Is it better or worse to install this nicely….if you also have aero bars on your bike??

[@Velodicted]

Hey, what do you mean by installing it nicely? Do you refer to the grey strap and the workaround I did at my particular setup? If your setup allows you to do it the "right" way then I would do so. Aero bars or not aerobars are no matter, it works for both. Cheers VCC

[@shyamsundar-tl4cr]

Nice review. I wish you had showed how to pack items for an overnight ride in the water proof bag. Also how does it compare with the topeak saddle bag for a road bike? I am on the cusp of buying one of these but am not sure which one is better in terms of packing convenience and impact on ride quality.

[@Velodicted]

I pack it as it would only have one entry hole. I roll up the one side so it's closed and then I'm going to close the open side whilst the air release valve is open. It's a bit of trial and error to get to the point left and right openings are almost rolled up evenly, but for releasing the air I found that the best approach. I do have the biggest volume saddle bag so that's the most obvious difference that the bag (15L) can carry way more load compared to the handlebar roll (8L). In terms of packing convenience, both of them have their quirks. The roll as I described with the two entries and even them out. The saddlebag with the inner bag and its conical shape. You really have to pack heavy stuff closer to the saddle. In general, the saddlebag is considered to carry voluminous light items whereas the front roll is rather for heavier smaller items. Objectively ride quality gets more influenced by the saddlebag. It suffers from effect out of the saddle. But you easily can minimize this by tightening the bag with its straps. The frontload doesn't affect steering but freehand riding gets a bit unpredictable. I hope I could answer some of your questions. Cheers VCC

[@patientswim6888]

This was a perfect review mate. It had the information that was really important. I run 40cm bars and have been struggling to know if different handlebar bags will actually fit. I will probably buy this one. Cheers

[@theonlyianwood]

Great review. Best I have seen.

[@Velodicted]

thanks mate :)

[@StevenLenos]

Nice, illustratieve video. Thanks

[@Velodicted]

Thank you. For me it's a continuous process by doing videos to make better videos in the future.

[@magnusarvidsson322]

Very good!

[@Big2Planker]

Great review mate, thank you very much.

[@philmoore437]

Good video. Very thorough and fair on the product.

[@Velodicted]

Thank you. Hope it was a little useful. Cheers Velodicted

[@viktorcechacek7264]

perfect review

[@docfloc]

I wish you would explain in detail how you attach in detail the harness to the handlebars. Otherwise a great review.

[@radiohead4222]

Great and honest review in details. Thanks for the details!

[@khanhphan8382]

Great reviewing in details. Thanks!

[@Velodicted]

Thank you :) I hope it was useful

[@mattshaw3382]

hi. what size / make model of handlebars do you have? mine are EASTON EA70 SIZE 40. So not sure if this bag will be too wide. thanks

[@Velodicted]

Mine is 42cm wide and its basically too narrow. Effectively I can use 38 cm in between the bars. You really can not take full advantage. That's a shame.

[@MrMarcipans]

You attached the harness upside down lol :)

[@Velodicted]

can't confirm your statement, I suspect you have seen the newest iteration of the where indeed the harness got its open side towards the front other than the old arrangement with the opening towards the stem. And I understand why they have changed it because the 2 buckles are not so much accessible. For a sec u got me but the user's guide tells my story :) I put the manual up on Twitter so you can look your own eyes twitter.com/ChannelVcc/status/1394385188751384577/photo/1 cheers mate

[@MrMarcipans]

@@Velodicted You are right, my apologies :)

[@alutious]

what is the height of your load and what distance do you have from under the top of your bar to the top of your tire. Just wondering how much vertical space it takes. I am also curious how stable it vertically sits. Does it move up and down, or can you get it to not move. I expect it will move a bit. So the clearance is probably at least 1" that is needed? thx.

[@Velodicted]

the center of the load on this bike and current configuration is somewhat around ~80/81 cm. The available space from under the top of bars to tire was ~17,5 cm. Stability is highly dependent on weight I suspect. But there's the gray strap for preventing exactly those back and forth movements. Consider the whole thing is made from flexible fabric. There will always be movement and fit varies on how nice you'll pack the roll and how many of those foamy spacers you use. There are many variables in the equation. The more clearance the better I would say. I had contact in the beginning but readjusting fixed that problem. In general, I can say that this bike/handlebar bag combination does not work as straight forward as it does on a let's say flat handlebar mountain bike. But with some practice and patience you can dial in the combination quite good although my road bike is quite small and very aggressive in the front.

[@filipw8386]

Hi, how narrow your handlebars are? Im considering to use the system on my road bike with 40cm wide handlebars.

[@Velodicted]

it has been 42cm. 40cm consequently limits you a little bit more.

[@7xndx]

Nice video bro! Regards from Lithuania

[@Velodicted]

Thanks mate!

[@tvd9015]

can you reccommend a brand that would score better for bikes with drop bars?

[@Velodicted]

Ortlieb recently launched a new product (ORTLIEB HANDLEBAR PACK QR) with a different approach. Basically, all bags with a non sausage roll principle are maybe the item you are looking for. In the given example you enter the compartment from the top and close it with the typical "three times roll" -watertight closure mechanism. It's pricy but also offers 11L space. If you browse the web you will very likely find some good alternatives to the Ortlieb. I hope my hint was a little bit helpful. Best Regards VCC

[@tvd9015]

@@Velodicted thank you

[@mrllvnvn4384]

Hi, I use a Topeak beam rack on my road bike and am really happy with it. Now looking to add a little bit more space for tent and sleeping gear on the front. Would walk into the same problems you had with this bag. What kind of alternative would you recommend that avoids the issues for a compact drop bar with shifters.

[@Velodicted]

It depends, you could try out a different shaped handlebar bag, this one right here is clearly elongated but there are others, more cube-shaped which could work to your advantage. I'm thinking of the Altura Vortex take a look. The space between handlebars is a great place for medium light compressible stuff, I wouldn't ditch the idea of a handlebar bag just keep on searching after a differently shaped one. Additionally, you can buy a frame bag, at least for the tent poles the other stuff I guess is too bulky to stick it in there. Other than that, if you want to stick with the lightweight setup that's the options I guess. Or you go the other route and buy yourself rags front and/or rear and add panniers but that's a whole new dimension. Cheers

[@robymaulana2122]

the gap between the bottom of my handlebar to the tire is only 17cm, can it be attached ?

[@Velodicted]

that's very much the same space I have on my setup. And the answer to your question isn't that straight forward. It can work but not exactly the way it is supposed to. Per default, the front roll likes to hang underneath the handlebar and either swings free or lean against the steerer tube or the shift and brake cables (if there are some). With 17 cm space, it gets a bit tricky. the roll will NOT fit the supposed way. It would definitely touch the wheel. But what you can do is, as I also did, to wrap the greyish strap around the roll and so force the roll up and to the front. By doing that you gain clearance and the roll will fit. Use the hooks of the strap and use the loops on the harness to lift the . Cheers VCC

[@chrischan9028]

Hi there, How many cm clearance did you have between bottom of bag and tire? Thanks

[@Velodicted]

without botching the bag interferes with the tire. Only by bringing up the roll via the grey strap, I was able to get clearance. After that, I had maybe 2cm space.

[@margotan7]

Thanks for the details!

[@petervick4775]

A very useful video, thanks. Just one question/suggestion. Couldn't you mount this on TOP of your handlebars, rather than hanging below? Then the width wouldn't be an issue, nor the space between frontloader and wheel. I'm thinking of getting one to hang on the back of my recumbent trike seat.

[@Velodicted]

hey there and thanks for your comment. Yes, I think it would work out like that. I tried it but the issue is gravity again and also rideability, I wouldn't be able to easily reach to my levers to shift and brake, but if there's a way for you to fix it in that position, I don't see any problem doing it that way. Good luck with your setup :) Cheers Velodicted

[@krzysztofce]

Thank you

[@Jacky-uv9tl]

Hallo ich wollte mir auch das rose pro sl 105 holen, nur wäre hier meine Frage ob mann später auch 28mm Reifen draufpacken kann? Ich hab leider nichts im Internet gefunden.

[@Velodicted]

Hallo Jackyy, wenn sich am Rahmen nix geändert hat und so sieht es meines Erachtens aus, dann sollte es besonders bei der Gabel/ Vorderrad Probleme geben 28mm Reifen draufzuziehen. Es ist aber so, dass die meisten Reifen aufgezogen breiter sind als die z.B. angegebenen 25mm etwa. Ich habe das bei den Conti GP S4000 II so erlebt und auch bei einem Vittoria Corsa. Ich fahre deklarierte 25mm und beide genannten Modelle sind deutlich weiter auf den Aksium Felgen. Besonders der Conti, kam auf ~27,5mm. Entsprechend würden 28mm Reifen vermutlich auf 30mm gehen. Das passt definitiv nicht mehr. Also auch mit 25ern kannst du an ein echtes 28mm Maß gelangen, sei es das was du möchtest. Wenn du einen 28mm Mantel findest, der auch echt 28mm ist dann würde es vielleicht technisch klappen. Ich spreche dafür aber keine Empfehlung aus, da dann nahezu keine "clearence" mehr zwischen Gabel und Laufrad besteht. Ich hoffe das war ein wenig hilfreich. Cheers Velodicted

[@Jacky-uv9tl]

@@Velodicted danke für die schnelle ausführliche Antwort, ich glaube aber das man mit 25mm auch gut fahren kann oder? Hatte halt noch kein Rennrad.

[@Velodicted]

Jackyy Gerne. Also es ist schon eine Umgewöhnung von einem herkömmlichen Fahrrad aufs Rennrad (geht aber schnell). Es liegt nicht nur an der schmaleren Bereifung, sondern auch an der Geometrie und deshalb auch die sportlichere Sitzhaltung. Ja, man kann sehr gut auf 25mm fahren und ist im Grunde der Standard bei modernen Rennrädern. Will man mehr Komfort oder ins Gelände (Stichwort Gravel) so ist ein 28mm schon besser, was aber nicht heißt das du nicht mit einem 25mm Komfort haben könntest und oder ein bisschen off road fahren könntest. Ich persönlich mag Geschwindigkeit und fahre somit immer sehr hart aufgepumpt (8,5 bar). Du kannst den Reifen aber auch mit 5,5 oder 6 bar fahren (kommt auch immer aufs eigene Körpergewicht an) und erlangst somit einen guten Komfort. Aber ja 25mm lässt sich sehr gut fahren!

[@conan_der_barbar]

I have a small Size 51 roadbike, I guess it probably won't fit or only very tightly. But I can't fit everything in the saddlebag either... Especially the large volume stuff like a sleeping bag and mat.. Maybe I should switch from the medium to the large saddle bag, but that's gonna be huge on my small bike.. (if it fits at all)

[@Velodicted]

as long as you have enough Seatpost it should work. :)

[@ileanagabrielacardenas2882]

Thanks, very useful

[@iamahometoday]

I also bought the same bag)) great video

[@Velodicted]

thanks for your comment. Regards, Velodicted

[@jeffreyrule8143]

Thank you.

[@maticvojsk1097]

Would be good to comment also on the dimensions of the gear to be stored in the loader. Grat video, otherwise.

[@Velodicted]

You should predominantly put in soft deformable things e.g. clothes. Speaking of dimensions, the diameter of the optimal circle shaped "roll" is around 17cm, so if you have something not deformable it shouldn't be longer than that. In terms of lateral dimension, it really depends on your handlebar situation as I mentioned. The bag flat laying on the ground and not closed has a lateral extend of 76 cm. Topeak recommends rolling the side closures at least three times to ensure water tightness. If done so, the maximum lateral extend is around 60cm. But that are all numbers based on the plane sheet of the bag. It shortens a little if you put in stuff and the bag gets "3D". I hope it was a little bit useful and not too confusing.

[@dindia2]

Good video, but the background music is very intrusive and unbearable. Happy to see you no longer use it in new videos.

[@dsego84]

It can tend to lean more to one side and start slipping out.

[@Velodicted]

Sure you are right. Did you experience that? In my case, the drop bars prevent the bag from falling out left or right. Cheers

[@dsego84]

@@Velodicted I've only used the bag on one short 2-day tour and I had maybe too much weight in it, my shoes and some clothes. But yeah, after a while it would tend to lean on one side so I'd had to stop and adjust it which was super annoying. Maybe I didn't pack it tightly enough though.

[@Velodicted]

@@dsego84 interesting, well in my case I didn't really put the bag to its limits in terms of max load neither weight nor volume-wise due to my narrow bars. My load sat super tight and snug in place but I really can imagine what you are talking about. Some brands have velcro inside the harness and the bag as well, preventing slippage. the drawback is that you are only able to insert the bag in one particular way and not randomly if you want to take advantage of that feature. As always, its a compromise :D

[@jamesmckenna5993]

A dont think a got my extra straps in mine

[@ЮрийРоманенко-ы8р]

Консоль цей хлопець підвісив навпаки.

[@Velodicted]

@@ЮрийРоманенко-ы8р thats not true.

[@ZzulfadliNasir]

U so handsome

[@StarxPlayz7]

and you so gay

[@ZzulfadliNasir]

@@StarxPlayz7 whats wrong?

[@renegade5798]

Topeak👎👎👎. Ortlieb👍👍👍

[@chris_noswe]

I feel as this video mainly consisted of you being troubled by the fact that you tried to put a bikepacking bag on a road bike. The more you know huh?

[@Velodicted]

I deal with the items I have, in this case, road bike configurations and the wish to ride endurance road trips, so that's the situation I have to face. And in the end, it's bike packing with a road bike, nothing really exotic in my opinion. And I believe loads of people face this situation, and many people consider this kind of traveling as well. Cheers Velodicted

[@PensiveCashew]

Same, I have a road bike and I am looking for a handlebar bag. This video is very helpful

[@teraotr]

I have a gravel bike with drop bars and I'm looking for a handlebar bag. Plus I have a small frame. So this was exactly the kind of review I was hoping to find. A very informative video and I really appreciate that he took the time to respond to questions about the specific clearance needed. Very helpful. Well done!

[@Smoke4070]

nice english😂😂😂 alter..... ist das mies