With bike road trip season rapidly approaching, we take a look at the Thule RoundTrip Bike Duffel. The RoundTrip is a purpose-built bike gear travel bag. It’s designed to keep your gear organized and easy to find whether you’re headed for your local trailhead or on a multi-day road trip.
Get Organized with the RoundTrip Bike Duffel
Like most people, I’ve traveled near and far with a standard duffel bag like the Patagonia Black Hole. And like most people, I’ve spent my fair share of time sorting through the jumble of gear inside the main body of my duffel in search of a glove, a sock or other small items. Between the jumble of clothes, a dark interior and less-than-ideal lighting, the things you want have a way of disappearing inside a large duffel.
It’s time to say goodbye to the search for gear swallowed up by your duffel. The Thule RoundTrip Bike travel bag solves the age-old disappearing gear problem with an internal organizer that really works. In addition to offering a dedicated shoe compartment and space for a helmet, the bag features an internal organizer that creates 20 individual packing zones. While the organizer is removable, doing so kind of defeats the purpose of the bag.
Thule Bike Duffel Details
Overall, the duffel offers 55 liters of storage, which is a good size for multi-day trips. Thule specs it as enough space for three to five days. The internal organizer creates 20 individual packing zones of varying sizes. Add dedicated helmet space, a shoe pocket on one end, a lid pocket and a versatile front pocket, and you have a very complete packing system for a multi-day bike trip. The shoe and top lid pockets are lined to handle wet, muddy gear, complete with venting.
The front pocket features multiple pockets and elastic hold-down straps. I found it ideal for tools, lube, snacks, etc. A final small zip pocket on the outside of the front pocket is just right for a bike computer, charging cords, etc.
Beyond offering thoughtful bike-specific pockets and storage, the Thule RoundTrip duffel is well-built. Its durable, pro-grade construction is designed to last with burly seams, heavy-duty Cordura, and an all-around bomber feel. Another nice touch is its light-colored interior. The inside color may sound inconsequential, but it really helps make your stuff easy to see. The light color is a welcome change to the classic blackhole-like interior of most duffels.
Here’s a packing list of what I fit in the Thule bike travel bag without pushing its capacity at all:
Main Body
Helmet – fits an MTB or road helmet and most full-face helmets
Liner shorts x2
Riding shirts x3
Socks x3
Beanie
Bike gloves
Buff
MTB shorts
MTB pants
Rain Jacket
Gore Shake Dry Jacket
Down vest
Sunglasses – the sunglasses storage features semi-rigid walls and soft material to protect your eyewear
OR Deviator jacket
Front Pocket
Tool assortment – Allen wrenches, multi-tool, chain tool, tire levers, plugs, pressure gauge, small ratchet
Tubeless sealant (3oz)
Chain Lube (4oz)
Micro Fiber cloth 2x
Battery pack for charging stuff
Garmin bike computer + charging cable
Fig bars / snacks
Bottle opener
Shoe Pocket
MTB shoes
What’s the Big Deal?
Who cares about organization, you ask? Well, I’m not necessarily a huge organizer by habit, and I found the system incredibly useful for keeping my bike-specific gear easy to find and separate from the other stuff you need to pack for a weekend of riding. Basically, using the Thule RoundTrip Bike Duffel sets you up for a two-duffel system: One general duffel for regular clothes and the Thule bike duffel for all of your bike clothes and gear. The combination makes for easy access to everything you need, eliminating the need to unpack and repack your duffel every time you need one thing. I’m a convert.
How Does the Thule Bike Duffel Work for Regular Travel?
While I haven’t used the RoundTrip bike travel bag for non-bike travel yet, I think it would be useful for regular travel days, too. I could even see using it for day trips to the ski hill or traveling for a hut trip. The divider system would keep socks, base layers, gloves and such easy to locate. The helmet area could double for a ski helmet, and the shoe pocket can easily accommodate wet gloves, socks etc.
Hit the Road Organized and Ready to Ride
Bottomline, the Thule RoundTrip Bike Duffel makes for easy trailhead organization and smooth road trip packing. While it’s too big to use as an airline carry-on bag, it makes an excellent gear locker for car use, weekend camping and multi-day road trips.
The divider system makes for easy gear organization. The dedicated shoe, laundry and accessory pockets mean you get quick access to what you are looking for. Paired with a traditional duffel for an extended road trip, you get all the storage and organization you need for bike gear and smooth transitions from camping to riding and back to relaxation mode.
Check prices and availability for the Thule RoundTrip Bike Gear Duffel – $159
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