Tailfin Bags – A Kit Upgrade Worth Making
In our previous blog, we shared some tips and tricks for carrying kit on your bike using a bit of ingenuity and minimal cost. While those DIY solutions are great to get started, there often comes a point when it’s worth investing in more durable, high-performance gear.
When it comes to packing our bikes, we like to add bags in this order, depending on the length and type of ride:
Top tube pack
Frame bag
Down tube pack
Rear pack
Bar bag
Fork bags
The thinking here is simple: start by loading near the centre of the bike to maintain balance and handling, and only move outward if you need the extra space. If you’re building your own bikepacking set-up, we recommend following the same principle!
Whether it’s for a casual Sunday ride or an all-out overnighter, our go-to bags are always Tailfin. We’ve been using their kit for years—after testing plenty of other brands—and they’ve never let us down. The versatility is a huge plus: we’ve had no issues fitting their bags across different bikes, regardless of whether they have the “right” mounting points. Thanks to the Tailfin V-Mount system and their custom thru-axle, you can securely fit an AeroPack on virtually any bike—commuter, gravel, or MTB.
Tailfin is a British design company with a passion for engineering top-quality bikepacking gear. They’re cyclists themselves, which is probably why their products strike that perfect balance between smart design and real-world performance. They truly understand the demands of long-distance riding and technical terrain, and their gear reflects that.
© Tailfin
© Tailfin
Introducing: The New AeroPack Cargo
Tailfin has just launched their latest product—the AeroPack Cargo—and we’re buzzing to try it. We’ve already put the standard AeroPack through its paces on our Tor Divide recces and long-distance events like the Atlas Mountain Race. It’s waterproof, easy to pack, and dead simple to access on the go.
The AeroPack Cargo builds on that rock-solid foundation with some exciting new features:
Expandable cargo pockets, adding up to 3L of extra space and giving the pack a whole new “dimension”
Single-buckle closure system, making it even quicker to get into your kit
Integrated compression strap within the mesh pockets, securing your gear while compressing the main pack
Centralised light loops, perfect for clipping on lights that stay visible and point straight back
Tried & Tested: The Rest of the Line-Up
We’re also big fans of the Tailfin Top Tube Bag, and recently upgraded to the Long Top Tube Bag—because, let’s face it, you can never have too many snacks! It pairs beautifully with the Tailfin Frame Bag, and has accompanied us everywhere—from snow in the Peak to the blazing Moroccan desert. The fit is rock solid, with zero movement even on technical, bumpy trails.
Since swapping our rigid fork for suspension, we’ve been using the Tailfin Suspension Fork Mounts (SFM) to carry extra water on the MTB—super handy when frame storage is tight. These mounts let you attach bottle or cargo cages securely without compromising fork movement.
And then there’s the Tailfin Bar Bag System—a genuinely clever solution for front-of-bike storage. We’ve had our fair share of frustration with traditional bar bags: rattling, cable clashes, awkward cradles… the usual faff. Tailfin’s system avoids all that. It clips on and off in seconds, has external storage, and provides extra mounting points for accessories. Game changer.
© Tailfin
Spotted: The Peak in Tailfin's Promo
Some of you eagle-eyed riders may have noticed a familiar backdrop in Tailfin’s recent Fork Pack promotional shots—yep, that’s the Peak District! It’s brilliant to see our local trails being showcased in their media content.
Looking forward to seeing many of you at Tor Divide, where you’ll get to ride some of those same stunning trails for yourself!
