Bikepacking in a rush: test ride with the Ortlieb Seat-Pack QR

N+1 is generally understood to be the law of nature that it always needs another, new bike. Be that as it may – if you own several bikes, you are certainly happy about an easy and quick way to carry your bags from bike to bike.

Or if Bikepacking also depends on speed or is simply about ease of use, simple solutions for bag attachment are very welcome.

Ortlieb has now introduced another product with QR = Quick Release with the Seat-Pack QR. Last year there was already the Handlebar QR, a few days ago the Quick Rack luggage carriers were introduced (I’m testing these and will report) and now there is also a new saddle bag.

A few months ago Ortlieb sent me a prototype of this bag, which I could test. At the heart of the QR attachment are two plastic hooks that hook onto the saddle rail and then are secured by a strap tie-down. Ortlieb calls this the Seat-Lock. The hooks enclose the saddle brace, clicking in audibly and noticeably. They are then tensioned by lateral straps and thus secured to the saddle.

These hooks sit on a sliding plastic carrier. This allows the bag to be adapted to different saddles. For installation, the four Allen screws of the plastic plate are loosened, then the bag is clicked on the saddle and aligned with the seat post.

As a guide serves a plastic trough, which is applied to the seatpost. If everything is correct, the bag can be removed and the screws of the plastic plate tightened. In addition, the seat pack is fixed to the seat tube with a strap.

Now, however, there are a few things to consider:

• The Seat-Pack QR is not suitable for all saddle rails. The plastic hooks grip only with a tube diameter of 7mm. There are saddles that have wider linkages or non-round. These are currently not suitable for the Seat Pack. Likewise saddles with carbon frame. In addition, saddles with far pulled down side cheeks / frame are also not necessarily suitable, because these prevent the steeper alignment of the bag. However, Ortlieb says that it is already working on a solution hook.

• When attaching the Seat-Pack is a minimum space of about 3.5 cm on the saddle rail recommended. So to the rear, behind the seatpost. This ensures the proper fit of the bag and its alignment. Ideally, the bag is then mounted slightly tilted upwards. I had them installed on my Bombtrack and Böttcher Evolution test bike. There, due to the saddle position and the frame length of the saddle, the mounting was only slightly tilted upwards and rather horizontal possible.

• It is important that the minimum distance between bag and tire is 5cm. So look for the rail length. My current saddle on the Salsa Fargo has a fairly short frame and no more clearance to the rear. My new saddle, however, has a longer rack and will therefore better accommodate the Seat-Pack.

• Depending on how the “lever plate” is mounted on the saddle, there are different weight limits. This maximum load is 3-5kg, depending on the position of the plate. If this is close to the seatpost, it is only 3kg (because it is then very horizontal). If it is positioned further away from the seatpost, the maximum load is 5kg.

• The good thing about the Seat-Post is the small space requirement at the seatpost. For this it needs only just under 5cm, which is quite little and is therefore interesting for riders who have for whatever reason quite little seatpost.

• Dropper Post? No problem! The Seat Pack is also suitable for adjustable seatposts. For this purpose, adapters are supplied, which can be easily adjusted to the respective seatpost thickness and then take the strap on the seat tube.

• The Seat-Post is not approved for carbon seatposts.

Ortlieb-typically, the Seat-Pack is of course waterproof, consisting of PVC-free PS21R and PS33 material. This is a PU-coated nylon fabric, from which the entire Bikepacking line of Ortlieb consists. Details on the materials can be found here.

The bag is stiffened on the inside in the area to the seatpost and thus more dimensionally stable. At the bottom is a plastic plate attached, which protects against dirt, gives further stability and is more resistant to abrasion. It is closed with a roll closure and daisy chain, a strap that is attached to the top of the bag with a hook.

On top of the seat pack is then still a drawstring to fix things on the go. And of course, the QR also has a valve for better compression.

Conclusion

The Ortlieb Seat-Pack QR is not the new saddle bag, which should replace the old. But it is an addition to the Bikepacking range of an even easier and faster to assemble bag.

With the mountain bike off on the trails, with the road bike chase up the alpine pass or rather ride a round with the gravel bike off the paved roads? With the waterproof Seat-Pack QR everything is possible without any problems. The innovative Seat-Lock mounting system helps to quickly mount, no matter with which bike the next tour should be started.

And it can thus be easily taken from bike to bike. Yes, I know, the previous saddle bag can also be mounted well and quite quickly. The Seat-Pack QR but now makes it even easier.

(…) The quick assembly and disassembly are a plus point of the bag, it can be removed from the bike in seconds via the levers on the fastening system and the equipment contained therein, for example, can be brought dry into the tent.

I’ve already ridden the Seat-Pack QR a few hundred kilometers and appreciate it as a quick and easy solution. And I’m considering riding it at the Bohemian Border Bash, where I don’t necessarily need the 16L of my Revelate or Ortlieb saddle bag.

Note: If you’re off-roading a lot, the hooks may get clogged with sand, dirt and dust and then be a little more difficult to move. Simply wash off with water and remove the dirt from time to time. Normally, the mechanism is protected by the bag itself, but who is traveling in wind and weather in the woods and meadows and the wheel also times put aside, who must expect it.

The Seat-Lock solution but has a weight disadvantage: The Seat-Pack QR is with 625g at a capacity of 13L already significantly heavier than the normal Seat-Pack, which calls up at a capacity of 11L only 345g weight. And since everyone must consider for themselves whether the function in the personal use scenarios justifies the extra weight.

What I find good is the compatibility with dropper posts and the fact that it does not take much seatpost for this bag. Unfortunately, the Seat-Pack QR is not approved for carbon seatposts ( but the normal Seat-Pack is). And it takes some knowledge of your saddle and the space available on the saddle frame before you can decide on the Seat-Pack QR.

As an absolute supporter of diversity, however, I am happy about the QR solutions from Ortlieb. Like, for example, Revelate Designs with their Spinelock solution, there are now alternative mounting systems that meet the yet very diverse requirements of Bikepackers.

And we do not need to talk about the usual high quality workmanship and absolute Bikepacking suitability, here indeed more.

The dimensions for the Seat-Pack QR are 28cm x 48cm x 22cm (HxWxD). The price is 160 euros.