First review: Apidura City Backpack – Stylish and functional companion for urban cyclists?
On the bike to work, in the office and for leisure – for this the Apidura City Backpack should be the perfect companion. To achieve this, Apidura throw the cumulative experience from the bikepacking scene into the pot and combine it with minimalist design. How the backpack performs in practice, you can read here.
Apidura have become a fixture on the bikepacking scene over the last ten years. The bikepacking bags of the Brits should above all be light, durable and waterproof. Thus, they support cyclists on the most diverse adventures – from relaxed weekend trips to ultra-gravel races. Now Apidura have used its bikepacking experience to develop technical bags for urban environments: the Apidura City Series.
Under the motto “Precision Crafted – Adventure Proven”, it is intended to transport the technical capabilities of Apidura’s materials developed for bikepacking use into the urban environment. There, Apidura want to focus on the demands of daily commuting – with a clean and minimalist design that doesn’t immediately reveal that you’ve arrived by bike. It is also important to use resistant and waterproof materials for this. However, clever solutions for transporting laptop and co. are far more important here than the last ounce of outdoor performance.
The details of the Apidura City Backpack
The Apidura City Backpack is the second product of the Apidura City Series after the City Messenger. Like the City Messenger, it aims to be a modern and stylish companion on your daily way through the city. It should score with high comfort and cut a good figure on the bike as well as in all other environments – from the office to meeting friends. The design Apidura borrow from its roots in the bikepacking sector, but attach importance to the fact that the backpack also feels comfortable without a bike. To increase your safety on the way through the street canyons, Apidura have come up with valuable details. There are reflective strips on the bottom of the backpack that will draw attention to you even when you’re leaning far forward in your drop bars. In the same place you can also attach a tail light.
The Apidura City Backpack has a large main compartment. In it there is a compartment for your laptop as well as practical storage options for your office and bike essentials. This main compartment is closed with a flap, which is held by a hook and two Velcro closures. On the side is an outer pocket where you can store the most important things handy. Your key can be attached to the practical strap there. The chest strap can be adjusted in height or – like the hip belt – simply be removed when you don’t need it. The Apidura City Backpack weighs 760 g, costs € 181 and is available now.
How the Apidura City Backpack performs in the test
We have already tested the Apidura City Backpack extensively before its launch and here you can find our impressions. The design of the backpack is minimalistic and the material and workmanship make a very good impression. Due to the low weight of 760 g and the good back padding, the backpack sits comfortably on the back even when sitting low on the road bike. The interior layout offers a clever mix of organization for small items and space for large things. Pens, spare tubes, e-bike charging cable and change of clothes – all this finds its place in the Apidura City Backpack. And the laptop always disappears well protected in its storage compartment. You should load the outer pocket before the main compartment is stuffed full, otherwise you won’t get much in here.
We liked the possibility of removing the waist belt and chest strap. Especially when you are on the road without a bike, the backpack then makes an even cleaner impression. A small shortcoming of the backpack is the closure flap, which tends not to close the interior completely as soon as you do not guide it cleanly with both hands over the outer walls. However, if you pay attention to a good closure, then the backpack keeps your stuff reliably dry and clean. Only when riding off-road with a lot of water and dirt from below does the closure concept reach its limits and cannot keep up with a roll-up. The field of application of the backpack is just clearly in the city. In daily use, we only fastened the lid with the two Velcro straps. Only when fully loaded with some tension on the closing flap does it make sense to use the closure hook for added security.
Our conclusion about the Apidura City Backpack
The Apidura City Backpack is a stylish companion for every day. Whether on the bike or without a bike, it offers the functionality and comfort to bring both you and your luggage comfortably and dry to the destination. But if you’re looking for a technical backpack for tough out-of-town use and don’t care so much about style, look elsewhere.
Tops
- well thought-out storage concept
- detachable hip and chest strap
- simple design and good material appearance
Flops
- closing needs special attention to be properly flush
- optimal range of use ends at the borders of the city
For further info head to apidura.com
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Words: Photos: Apidura
