The Road Runner Bags Drafter Saddle Bag was one of my first ever bike purchases for my shiny, new gravel bike. I’d read somewhere that I needed to carry tools to fix a flat and things. I discovered Road Runner Bags when I was putting together my list of Asian-Founded Outdoor Brands to Support and made a mental note to pick things up if I had a worthy bike. The Drafter Saddle Bag looked like a good fit for me.
Road Runner Bags Drafter Saddle Bag Specifications
With a volume of .75L, Road Runner Bags Drafter Saddle Bag is designed to hold everything you need for quick bike repairs while on the go. It’s quite spacious and holds one or two gravel tubes, tire levers, multi-tool, bandaids, Dynaplug Racer Pro, and more.
| Dimensions | Min Height: 5.5″ Max Height: 7” Width: 3″ Depth: 2.5” Weight: 3.5oz Volume: .75L |
| Weight | 3.5oz / 98.7g |
| Materials | Exterior: 1000D Cordura, 3M Reflective Interior: 400D Grey Nylon Liner Notions: Mil-Spec Nylon Webbing, YKK Hardware, Double-Sided “Velcro” Brand headtube strap |
| Price | $60 from Road Runner Bags and other various bike retailers |
What I Loved
The colors. No boring bikes! I like pops of color on my bike and Road Runner Bags has a plethora of fun and not fun colors to choose from! I love colors.
The reflector. More visibility for traffic is something I will never say no to. Having this on there is just additional peace of mind and is a nice touch.
Asian-owned. This speaks for itself. In an industry that is so saturated with white founders, it’s refreshing to see a company started by POC. I actually discovered Road Runner Bags before I was ever a cyclist when I was compiling my list of Asian-Founded Outdoor Brands to Support, and made a mental note to grab something from them if I ever needed bike things.
Where it’s made. Road Runner Bags are all handmade in Los Angeles, CA and delivered to the post office by cargo bike.
What I Didn’t Like
The size. The Road Runner Bags Drafter Saddle Bag is great because it can hold a lot of stuff, but the roll top makes it easy to overpack. It gets bulky really quick.
The attachment. Drafter Saddle Bag attaches around the saddle rails. It also has velcro straps that go around the seat post. The saddle rail strap and buckle cannot be moved. This makes it really sag onto the seat post. For cyclists on the shorter/smaller side, the Drafter Saddle Bag takes up nearly the length of the whole seat post instead of being tucked away under the seat. This makes it hard to attach lights in a visible manner. One of the reviews on Road Runner’s site said they cut off the attachment strap and buckle, replacing with a Voile strap instead. Based on the reviewer’s photos, this modification would solve my grievances.
The Verdict
The Road Runner Bags Drafter Saddle Bag was a good saddle bag to start with, but didn’t quite fit my needs. It’s not quite suitable for short folks with smaller bikes with limited seat post room. If you’re a taller person with a larger frame, this will probably work better for you. It did the job until I started fiddling around with other tool carrying options. The Drafter Saddle Bag is now carries all my bike tools (aka just a tube) on my backup gravel bike. My primary bikes now utilize the Mission Saddle Bag which tucks away nicely under my saddle. It, however, does not hold quite as much as the Drafter Saddle Bag does.
Buy the Road Runner Bags Drafter Saddle Bag for $60.
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Last updated on January 16, 2025.
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