Wow... how mainstream are we? (Lidl Bikepacking Bags!)

[Richard G]

Lidl will offer three different bikepacking bags for £9.99 each in UK stores from Sunday 8 March, 2020.

Bearing the German discount supermarket’s in-house Crivit name for cycling kit, the frame pack, handlebar roll and saddle pack look to be the cheapest way to get into the more Instagram-friendly form of cycle touring this spring.

All three of the bags are claimed to be waterproof, with the handlebar harness shipping with a 10-litre roll-top dry bag. Other nice touches, such as loops to mount lights and reflective patches, are welcome and surprising additions on such cheap bags.

https://www.bikeradar.com/news/lidl-bikepacking-bags/

[Bearbonesnorm]

That bar bag looks oh so similar to the PlanetX one.

[Lazarus]

https://www.lidl.co.uk/en/p/cycling-acc ... ent/p30164

to get straight to the items
Very very reasonable prices and indeed the bag does look identical to the planet X one

[Richard G]

So do I need to give it all up now that it's not just for the cool kids?

[restlessshawn]

"Instagram-friendly form of cycle touring"

This is probably best definition of bikepacking I've read

[PaulB2]

A review....

https://www.cyclingabout.com/worlds-che ... king-bags/

[whitestone]

Cheap for a reason then ...

[Bearbonesnorm]

Trouble is ...... we live in a world where cost and price have become the overriding factors. People buy stuff because it's cheap and therefor appears to be a bargain. They use it and it doesn't meet their expectations (having now forgotton that it was cheap and was never likely to meet expectations). They then pronounce bikepacking luggage as a whole to be crap and the stuff promptly gets thrown away.

There are bargains to be had but not everything cheap is and anything that looks too good to be true usually is.

In my opion, stuff like this doesn't do anyone any good in the long run. It simply satisfies our need to consume.

Anyway, I'm rambling now so I'll stfu.

[gairym]

"Instagram-friendly form of cycle touring"

This is probably best definition of bikepacking I've read

+1

[mfezela]

Lidl and others of that ilk don't profess to produce high quality, durable items*. That's not their market. Their raison d'etre is high volume sales.

I like the idea of being able to buy cheaper items as an introduction to whatever it may be. If I'm not sure bikepacking, for example, is for me, then a set of cheap bags is a good idea. Use them, make a decision and either accept their shortfalls or purchase what I will then know is better. I've yet to buy anything from Lidl, etc. that failed to meet my expectations - given the cost. One electrical item did fail outright, however it was replaced immediately without any problems.

* There are exceptions of course, but more by chance than intent, I think.

P.S. I have no connection with any of the retailers mentioned herein ;-)