The PNW Components Satellite Saddle Bag is a minimalist storage solution designed to hold only the essentials. It effectively fits all the basic spares and a little extra inside the well-made zipped body, making it one of the best saddle bags on the market.
PNW Components Satellite Saddle Bag - Technical details
The PNW Components Satellite Saddle Bag is made of recycled and DWR-treated sailcloth and is durable and water-resistant. Although the materials easily take the harder hits off-road, the bag can double up for use on road bikes, too.
The bag has one YKK zipper that holds together the main, and only, compartment of the small-sized pouch. The bag attaches to the saddle with a velcro strap that wraps around it and loops through the rails. It’s further secured to the seatpost with a removable, dropper-friendly bungee.
The bag comes in two sizes that match the brand’s Rover Hip Pack but there is only one colour available - black.
PNW Components Satellite Saddle Bag - On test
The PNW Components Satellite Saddle Bag has become a staple on my bikes and an item I swap between all of them. It’s proved to be the perfect size for storing my essential spares; a tube, tyre levers, multitool and a tubeless repair kit in one neat package.
The bag itself has a quality feel about it - the sailcloth fabric feels very robust and has no tears or scuffs after the testing period - and stayed dry even after rather long and soaking rides. The velcro strap that secures the bag onto the saddle also works perfectly, and really makes swapping the bag from one bike to another a breeze - making it a great fit for nearly all bikes.
After a few rides, I removed the bungee cord as the velcro strap did a great job keeping it secure. It’s great that the bag does not wrap around the seatpost with a velcro strap, as this has the potential to rub or even ruin your bib shorts. So I really appreciated that this detail had been thought through. The thoughtfulness is also visible in the overall shape of the bag - it's shaped to really fit under the saddle and traces the seatpost.
In order to access the contents of the bag, you need to undo the velcro strap and, although you don’t need to fully take it off the saddle, this design might not be to everyone’s liking. But the few times I needed to fix a puncture (once even during a race) I didn’t find the bag slowing me down, as it really is very simple in design and easy to re-attach.
In terms of volume, this bag is not going to fit the kitchen sink but, as I mentioned before, I think it hits the sweet spot for a bag that is unnoticeably small but houses everything (except for a pump) you might need to fix a puncture. I easily fitted in a 38-45mm inner tube, alongside a multitool, patches, a tubeless repair kit and tyre levers. I could just about fit two very lightweight (Schwalbe Aerothan) tubes at a squeeze, but if your tubes are very wide (beyond 2in), you might struggle to fit in much else than the tube.
PNW Components Satellite Saddle Bag - Verdict
At £35, the PNW Satellite Saddle Bag is not the cheapest saddle bag out there. PRO Discover Saddle Bag that Jim reviewed features the velcro strap, but also a more fiddly roll top closure - and it costs £40.
That said, it is not so hard to find a saddle bag with a similar design for about £20 pounds, for example, the Vel Small Waterproof Saddle Bag.
But what makes the PNW Components Satellite Saddle Bag great is its rugged construction and simplicity - both qualities I appreciate in a saddle bag. It’s a lightweight bag that fits the essentials perfectly and takes seconds to fit and take off - and what else would you really want from a saddle bag? Maybe dropper post compatibility, but this one has that, too.
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