Jersey pockets work fine. That is until you realize mid-way during a long ride that you didn’t pack enough snacks to last you the entire time.
This is where having a bento box, otherwise known as a top tube bag comes in.
By far, the best top tube bag is the ROCKBROS Top Tube Bike Bag. This is due to its ideal combination of wear-resistant design, cavernous space, and lightweight. This is on top of a reasonable price point.
Surely enough, it’s not the only cycling top tube bag worth consideration.
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Below is a list of the best top tube bags that you can find on the market that will help you carry all the essentials and make your cycling life more manageable.
Best Top Tube Bag
1. ROCKBROS Top Tube Bike Bag
Best Overall
Aerodynamic, easy to install, lightweight, and huge a surprisingly large capacity, what more could you ask for?
That’s exactly what the ROCKBROS Top Tube Bike Bag gives you.
Mind you, this is on top of the wear-, abrasion-, and water-resistant ripstop fabric with a non-slip fabric bottom. This all makes the bag cling tightly to the bike, even at high speeds. More than that, these qualities also make the bag easy to clean.
Weighing only at 90 grams, this top tube bike bag will have minimal effect on the ride quality. In fact, it will make your rides safer. The bag has a reflective logo and rope. This serves as an added safety measure for night rides. At the same time, the design looks good and makes the top tube bag stand out from the competition.
This is all rounded out by an attractive price point that drives up the value of the bike frame bag.
Pros:
- Spacious main compartment
- High-quality fabric
- Lightweight
- Easy to install
Cons:
- Zipper quality leaves a lot to be desired
2. Topeak Fuel Tank with Charging Cable Hole
Best for Material & Functional Design
Topping the Topeak Fuel Tank with Charging Cable Hole in terms of functionality is going to be difficult.
Built using a combination of materials including 420D nylon and PVC, the Fuel Tank has a fairly rugged build. It can withstand its fair share of abuse and store plenty of items.
It has enough room for anything from tools and snacks. More importantly, the internal mesh pouch helps keep everything organized.
As for installation, the velcro straps guarantee that the top bag stays in its place regardless of the terrain.
Speaking of terrain, you won’t have to worry about getting lost with the Fuel Tank. This is because of the protected wire port over on the left side. There, you can stash something like a power bank that helps make sure that your phone or GPS device remains fully charged at all times.
As a bonus, the Fuel Tank is available in medium and large sizes. This gives you more options as far as storage space goes. Besides top tube bag, TopPeak also produces one of the best bike seat bags.
Pros:
- Charging cable hole
- Waterproof
- Minimalist design
- Internal mesh pouch organizer
Cons:
- A bit more expensive compared to the competition
- Heavy
3. Rhinowalk Bike Bag
Best for Sturdiness
For something so affordable, the Rhinowalk Bike Bag is very durable.
It’s made out of a lightweight and sturdy 600D TPU Nylon material. It’s 2mm thick and shockproof yet soft and elastic at the same time. It also uses a waterproof zipper with waterproof zip covers. Meanwhile, the double zipper design connects to a high-quality nylon cable that makes access to your items convenient and easy.
As for fit and hold, the adjustable rail systems help keep the bag firmly in its place. You can adjust the long straps for a snug and tight fit, regardless of your bike’s size. Because of the non-slip soft leather construction, there’s minimal friction between the bike bag and the bike tube when you ride.
The body of the top bar bike bag is then shaped to fit most bike frames without touching your legs while you’re pedaling.
If you care more about durability and less about space, the Rhinonwalk Bike Bag is an excellent choice.
Pros:
- Plenty more space than expected
- Convenient
- High-quality waterproof materials
- Stays firmly in place
Cons:
- Can’t hold a lot
4. Revelate Designs Gas Tank Top Tube Bag
Best for Convenient Access
The Revelate Designs Gas Tank Top Tube Bag is the best top tube bag for those willing to pay for the price of convenience.
Thanks to its single book opening style zippered compartment, opening the top tube bag is easy. It also comes with a movable divider inside. This allows you to organize your snacks and other stuff better for even easier access.
The price you pay isn’t just for the convenience too. The waterproof fabric is built to withstand the elements. It’ll shed water like it’s nothing. Meanwhile, the closed-cell foam padding can be found on both sides and at the bottom of the bag itself. Not to mention, it has a water-resistant YKK zipper.
Thanks to its tapered design, it sits fairly secure on your bike frame. But, for added security, the bag comes with an adjustable hook and loop straps as well.
Pros:
- Generous amounts of padding
- Separate internal compartments
- Water-resistant YKK zippers
- Plenty of storage space
Cons:
- Expensive
5. SLS3 Top Tube AERO Bag Small | Bicycle Fuel Bags
Best for Small-Sized Bag
The SLS3 Top Tube AERO Bag Small won’t fit much, but that’s not the point. This bag is designed, not to fit as much as you can, but to hold only essential items. This includes a phone and a couple of gels.
What this top tube bag lacks in space, it makes up for with stability and aerodynamics. The two micro-adjust rail systems have customizable and secure straps that you can cut to fit your frame better. Meanwhile, the 15-degree angle is designed to minimize drag as much as possible so as if you don’t have a top tube bag installed on your bag.
This top tube bag might not be something you’ll use every day. However, as a race-day staple, this works perfectly.
Pros:
- Minimal drag
- Customizable frame fit
- Tough construction material
Cons:
- Minimal space
Top Tube Bag with Phone Holder
6. Opamoo Bike Phone Front Frame Bag
Best Overall
The Opamoo Bike Phone Front Frame Bag is your best bet if you want a top tube bag with a phone holder.
Many consider this the best top tube bag, not because of its price. In fact, it’s more expensive than the competition. Instead, people like it because you get what you pay for.
This includes the high sensitivity TPU film window. Also, it comes with neatly hidden earphone holes. This feature lets you plug in your earphones on your bike without them getting in the way.
There’s also a sun visor on top of the bag itself. This makes it easy to see what’s the phone even on especially sunny days. Then, at night, the bag has reflective tapes on both sides for safety.
Moving on, the material of the bag itself is also waterproof. On top of that, it comes with waterproof double zippers. This adds layers of protection to the bag against the elements, especially water.
Because the bag has a separate compartment for phones, you’ll have enough space inside for other important stuff. You can carry your essentials with you like bike repair tools and still have enough space left for a power bank.
To keep your items safe, the top tube bag is shake-proof and won’t deform even when it’s empty.
Pros:
- Easy to install and universal fit
- Spacious
- Sun visor
Cons:
- Not much in the way of anti-theft security
7. RockBros Bike Phone Front Frame Bag Bicycle Bag Waterproof Bike
Runner-Up
The RockBros Bike Phone Front Frame Bag Bicycle Bag Waterproof Bike is a great alternative if you find our top choices too expensive.
This top tube bag costs less but is nearly just as good. It’s got plenty of space to fit larger phones and bike repair tools. Meanwhile, the film window is made out of sensitive TPU material as well. It even comes with the same hidden earphone hole and dual zippers for convenience, as well as reflective tapes on both sides for safety.
Perhaps the biggest difference here is that this top tube bag is made out of slightly heavier material.
On their own, the weight difference isn’t much. However, once filled, you’ll notice how much heavier this top tube bag is compared to other lighter top tube bags. But, if you’re looking to cut costs and don’t mind the added drag, it’s a small compromise to make.
Pros:
- Attractive price point
- Hygienic carbon fiber material
- Compatible with larger phones
Cons:
- Heavy
8. Cheftick Bike Phone Front Frame Bag
Best for Convenience
At first glance, the Cheftick Bike Phone Front Frame Bag doesn’t stand out much.
You’d think that this is just like any other top tube bag, except that it’s cheaper. After all, it has the same waterproof carbon grain and EVA material with waterproof double zippers as others.
However, even though the design is mostly the same, there are subtle differences. This includes the conveniently located mesh pockets for smaller items on both sides.
In addition to this, the transparent TPU touch screen is made out of the latest TPU antifreeze material. This helps make the material more comfortable, as well as convenient, to use and touch with higher sensitivity.
Pros:
- Affordable
- Mesh side pockets
- Easily fits larger phones
Cons:
- Plain design
- Wobbly fit
9. Rockbros Bike Phone Bag Mount
Best for Fingerprint and Face ID
The Rockbros Bike Phone Bag Mount is the best top tube bag for those who want to retain use of the Fingerprint ID and Face ID features of their phones.
The upgraded TPU touch screen means that you won’t have to open your bag anymore to use your phone if it’s locked. This makes it extremely convenient.
Another improvement that the top tube bag makes is the addition of one more velcro strap. This helps improve the stability of the bag mount, especially on rockier terrain.
The best part is that this top tube bag does all of this while also retaining a high degree of waterproofing. Your items are kept safe even further using the free rain cover, and with rubber double zippers, the bag mount is as waterproof as reasonably can be.
As a bonus, the top tube bag looks stylish and beautiful.
Pros:
- Supports Fingerprint ID and Face ID
- Stable
- Convenient to use
Cons:
- Bulky
- Not aerodynamic
10. Vanwalk Bike Front Storage Bag Cycling
Best for Budget
The Vanwalk Bike Front Storage Bag Cycling does well despite its relatively modest price point.
Costing a few dollars less than other offerings, this top tube bag is best for budget-oriented cyclists. Mind you, it doesn’t make too many compromises.
The material is fairly solid and it fits on almost all bikes securely via the velcro strap and handlebar stem. It’s even got roughly the same amount of capacity as other more expensive top tube bags.
So long as you’re not expecting more than the standard set of features, this budget-oriented offering should be more than enough.
Pros:
- Inexpensive
- Spacious
Cons:
- Rain cover doesn’t fit
Top Tube Bag Buying Guide
Choosing the best top tube buying bag means knowing what factors to consider.
Here are a couple of things to take note of when you’re shopping for a top tube bag so you can make the right choice.
Size and Weight
Unlike with other bike bags, space is not as significant of a factor. Most usually only come with 1L of space due to space constraints.
However, what is a huge factor is how much size it takes up on your bike and how much it weighs.
You’ll want a lightweight bag that doesn’t take up much space on your bike. This way, it won’t hit your knees when you’re pedaling.
More importantly, you’ll want it light. Because, if it’s bulky and heavy, it can and will affect how your bike handles.
Access
This all boils down to personal preference and comfort.
In general, there are three access types when it comes to top tube bags. There’s the velcro system, zippers, and book or flap style.
All three work just fine. It all depends on which kind of closure system you feel most comfortable using.
Waterproof vs Water-Resistant vs Weatherproof
A waterproof top tube bag isn’t always necessary, although some degree of water-resistance is.
What we’re saying is, if it’s raining hard, you shouldn’t be cycling in the first place. Instead, you’re much safer off pulling aside and waiting things out.
In these cases, water-resistant or weatherproof bags are more than okay. However, if you carry valuable and sensitive gadgets like phones and cameras, a waterproof top tube bag is a must.
Conclusion
Triathletes have used long top tube bags, and there’s a good reason for this. They’re extremely handy.
They have far more space for valuables than you realize and they’re fairly stable too. They can make sure that you can always keep going while cycling without adding too much bulk to your ride.
With that said, if you want the best top tube bag, we highly recommend either the ROCKBROS Top Tube Bike Bag andOpamoo Bike Phone Front Frame Bag.
Both come with pretty much everything you can expect from a top tube bag and are made out of high-quality materials. They’re also both fairly affordable.
However, if you have a bit more money to throw around, the Revelate Designs Gas Tank Top Tube Bag is an excellent choice for a top tube bag.
For the price, you get a high-quality top tube bag with convenient access and generous amounts of padding all over.
The other top tube bags we recommended are also worth considering, as they cater to various tastes and preferences.
Hopefully, using our list and our tips, you’ll find the best top tube bag for your needs.
