Written by:
Quick Review
Alpkit Fuel Pod (Medium)
£28.00
Alpkit Fuel Pod Medium
Bike luggage. The longer the ride, the more likely it is you are going to need some form of bike luggage, if only to carry extra food supplies.
The Alpkit Fuel Pod looks well made, the zips are reassuringly chunky, they open and close easily and there is plenty of velcro to attach the bag to your bike. The storage compartment is definitely roomy and provides plenty of storage for gels, food, phone etc. What could possibly go wrong?
About 10 miles into a 60 mile jaunt around the Yorkshire Moors, the bag started to shift about and every pedal stroke meant my right knee would rub against its’ flanks. After another ten miles, the inside of my knee was raw… Don’t worry, there’s only another 40 to go.
Whatever I did, however I tried to secure the bag, it flopped over to rub against my knee. By the time we finished, I wanted to hurl the rotten thing as far away as I could. Of course, I didn’t throw it away, I brought it home and tucked it in a drawer. It hasn’t come out again and I very much doubt whether it will see the light of day again.
It didn’t work for me. It may work for you. It works for most people I ride with!
View Alpkit’s website for more info.
Edit: Maybe the Fuel Pod had little chance of succeeding. It appears I have a wonky pedaling action. My right knee tends to brush the top tube, particularly when climbing. As the Fuel Pod sits a little proud of the top tube anyway, it is right in the firing line.
If you read James’ comment below, the stem is slammed on the Bokeh. This will inevitably lead to the instability he predicted. I have revised my recommendation accordingly.
Last modified: 21st March 2018
I’ve not had any experience of the Alpkit Fuel Pod, but have an almost identical bag from Apidura. There’s not a lot to them other than a bag with two straps, so I’d guess that the only significant difference is the logo on the side.
What I have noticed is that these bags become more unstable the lower the steerer tube strap is positioned. So if you have your bars slammed, you’re going to have a very wobbly top tube bag!
Alpkit make some very cool kit and it’s well respected in the bikepacking community, so I doubt they’d have pulled such a clanger on this one.
I had the same experience with the Alpkit one, esp when loaded. It is a well made an lightweight design, but does flop about. For the sake of a few extra grams, I use a Topeak Fuel pod. the stem strap is really low and it has 2 bold top tube straps, pus the sides are quite rigid (hence the extra weight) but it doesn’t flop around.
I find that the supplied velcro straps do not allow for a firm attachment to the top tube. I have made 3 straps with a cam buckle to really strap down the bag on the top tube and this works really well even with a slammed stem.
Further this is a really good top tube bag for the money.
Any chance of any pictures?
I’m working on a blogpost that I will share once it’s online.