Load ’em up

What’s the smartest way to maximise your carrying capacity? RIDE’S luggage Olympic reveals all…

“Because it’s not a competition… only it definitely is”

SOMETIMES TRAVELLING LIGHT just isn’t an option. And when that day comes, when you need to carry several kitchen sinks, knowing a few tricks about how you can best pack the maximum amount of kit on a bike – while doing it safely, securely and without breaking the bank – will come in handy.

For starters, there’s a dizzying amount of choice when it comes to luggage. Topbox, tail-pack or tank-bag? Hard or soft panniers? Model-specific kit or universal fit? Just where do you begin?

Everyone has their own ideas, techniques and priorities, and a few riders even take a fierce amount of pride in their particular, proven system. So this month, the RIDE team has come together to demonstrate seven different systems fitted to the respective test bikes, and compare notes / argue about who should win. Because it’s not a competition… only it definitely is.

Providing a consistent comparison of capacity is our vast battalion of water bottles – a mix of cumbersome 2-litre and smaller 500ml bottles. Each rider crams as many as they can into their luggage, then afterwards the total volume can be easily established. Bottles may be an awkward shape, but they’re equally awkward for everyone…

And because RIDE commends canny thinking, we’re also scoring value for money, by dividing the cost of each bike’s luggage by the total volume of water it carries, giving a cost-per-litre. So who can carry the most while spending the least?