User submitted reviews
Review by ThomI
I bought the medium Grid bag. It is a very sturdy and well constructed bag, but slimmer than I expected. Also, if you plan to hang a Garmin Varia off the back light strap, it will sag and aim pretty much down. You really need to be creative to fit much into the bag. I had to get a TPU tube and a smaller multi-tool, rearrange stuff a bit, but now have enough room for 700c TPU tube, multitool(with tubeless plugger), CO2 inflator, tire lever and Tyre Glider tool, and thin rubber gloves and paper towel . Anything more would require the large bag. It really locks into place under the seat. Varia needs to mount on the bike seat tube though, instead of the back of the bag.
Review by Anonymous
Well made and good quality material. Just the right size for me. It has a loop in the back for a rear light. All bags should have this!
Review by Naomi
I chose this because it's big enough to hold a minipump (as well as spare tube, tubeless repair kit, tyre levers and a few snack bars), adds visibility at night (it's reflective) and has a clip for a light.
On all-day rides I put all the repair type stuff in the seatpack and then use a bar bag for convenience items - snacks, wallet, light layers. On shorter rides I skip the barbag, the seat bag is big enough.
The zipper can be a little stiff, and I didn't find the interior separator useful, it's easy to remove (just velcro).
I bought a 2nd seat bag for my 650b bike so that I don't have to switch out the spare tube when swapping it to/from my 700c bike. I've had the first bag for 2 years, it has travelled thousands of miles and it's still in good shape.
Review by jtang2
Just big enough to hold emergency items on a ride.
Review by Behnbot
Saddle bags seem to be a dime a dozen these days, with options coming from every corner of the world at an array of prices. This bag however, is the 5th I have purchased, and the best of any I have tried.
Highlights:
Straps are excellent, very strong, easy to take on and off, and effectively compresses the bag down if it is not filled to capacity.
The material is strong, and the "reflective" aspect of the black sides is present, though placed above my flashing taillight I'm not entirely sure how much it matters. Either way, its a cool bonus feature.
It is waterproof, as much as I can tell. I got caught in a torrential downpour, and everything in the bag was dry as a bone afterwards.
Review by Jack C Born
I have several of these seat bags on my different bikes ( mountain and road) and they fit everything I need in a neat and well-made product. Usually that means: a spare tube, tire levers, 2-CO2 cartridges, a patch kit and an inflater-head . They hold their shape well and stay put on the seat bars.
Never had any problem with Blackburn bags, well worth the couple extra $$.
Review by VTbiker
There aren't very many choices for a 1 1/2 liter pack and I like this one better than the only other one I was able to find (which was too long and skinny). The large size doesn't look or feel large on the bike but holds a lot. It holds a phone very nicely on the internal shelf (keeping it away from everything else in the bag). It's hard to find a bag that's the right size and shape to hold a phone but this one does. It doesn't have a key clip so I added my own. If you have a problem with the velcro rubbing on your shorts, it's probably because you have the grippy side out. All you need to do is reverse it so the fuzzy side is out.
Review by Mike in Richland
This is my second Grid Seat Bag, the first becoming unusable after the zipper did not track anymore. That being said, I got 8 years of service out of my first bag, so expecting the same here. The bag is ideal for most of my rides (I use a bar bag on long rides, however). Solid construction. One thing I do is to pack the bag and then cinch it down.
Review by Chris
I selected for a minimal size bag and fit a road tube, repair kit, air canister, tools and a bag with napkins, wipes, band aids and duck tape. There is still room for a wallet or cable lock. Bag is light and is water resistant with sealed zipper.
Review by OR45938
Works fine, very basic. Medium too small for cell phone in protective case. But holds patch kit, tire irons, basic tool kit, snack bar and keys and fits very well beneath the seat. Haven't ridden in rain yet, but looks like it will keep things dry for awhile.
Review by Long Rider
Size Med , but I ride tubeless tires, so no inner-tubes in my seatbag, so I could get by with a Small. Also, no tire irons or patch kit.
I have room for CO2 cart & chuck, 1st Aid Kit, micro Leatherman, Visine bottle of anti-bacterial soap, Topeak micro tool, chain Quick-Link, GU, CC-sized gate key, and 3,000mAh USB charger, although that might have to stay behind if I were using the small size. Lately I've been carrying a medicine bottle filled with GatorAid laid sideways across the top in back.
Love the reflective sides, they show up well at night, and in photographs using flash. Like the wrap-around main strap, and dust/waterproof zipper.
CAVEAT: The Velcro loop around the seatpost has a rough coating on it that will chew up the legs of your shorts. Replace it ASAP with something softer and non-abrasive. I remember distinctly writing Blackburn a nasty-gram 10yrs ago about this same issue. I used a Velcro strap with the soft, fuzzy side out. Works great.
Review by Mark
Just what I was looking for - secure/quick mounting, holds a 29er tube and multi tool, narrow so doesn't rub on legs, good construction/fabric/ zippers.
Review by Anonymous
Needed a larger saddle bag to carry my new larger smartphone. It has two separate compartments separated by a soft liner to protect the phone from being scratched from tubeCO2 cartridge. I would have preferred Topeak type clips instead of a large velcro strap.
Review by LoRider
The size is okay. Very small. Fits, small tool kit, co2, bacon strips and holder, no tube. Hard to attach to my selle saddle. Might be good on other saddles. I still like it. Just don't love it, which is okay.
Review by CentralTexasCasualBiker
Ordered the small bag and was disappointed to see that it is actually smaller than it appears on the pictures, and also smaller than the one I intended to replace. Also, the zipper seems a bit hard to move. So, unless BTD.com takes it back for a full refund I feel that I somehow wasted my money on this.
Review by wjbowz70
Medium fits a tube, tire levers, couple CO2 cartridges and few hex wrenches with a little bit of room to spare. Not going to fit a smart phone in this. Would not want to go any smaller.
Review by Anonymous
Blackberne products are always high-quality. This bag is well-made and had a great price point.
Review by wanderso11740
This bag is a little bigger than standard but great to hold an oversize phone, tools and a spare tube/co2 cartridge. made of smooth nylon so it doesn't rub
Review by DavidAllan
...love it, fits nicely with my Brooks Seat
Review by Zebra
The large is a bit of a weird size. It is just a bit too small to fit a jacket, some tools, and a couple of bars. I would buy something 20% larger.
Quality is high, Zipper quality is high. It definitely keeps the contents dry during some moderate rain.