Once I first noticed that Fierce Hazel was releasing their first line of on-the-bike luggage, I regarded up the corporate to study extra. It seems that Frankie Holt, the founding father of Fierce Hazel, has an actual ardour for the whole lot she does whether or not it’s her artwork, sculpting, or biking. Her ardour extends to the surroundings and sustainability, which is among the causes, her new True Grit bike luggage are sustainably made with repurposed material.
After studying her superb story, and in addition discovering out that she actually dislikes kale, I used to be impressed. I additionally actually preferred the aesthetics of the Olefin material she was utilizing, however extra on that somewhat later.
The Fierce Hazel HQ Tour
Fierce Hazel is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. That’s solely a few 40-minute drive for me, so I believed I’d pop over there and pay her a go to and get the inside track on how she operates. Up on the eighth ground of an previous, early Twenties constructing on an eclectic block within the coronary heart of downtown Los Angeles’s Garment District is the place I met Frankie. She knowledgeable me that she had simply moved (early in March) to this new house. It was neat and arranged.
The artsy, loft-style house is surrounded by home windows, wanting kinda acquainted, like one thing you’d see in a film.
Upon strolling in, the house she shares together with her photographer husband feels immediately welcoming whereas having a really palpable feeling of creativity to it.
Frankie appeared at residence in an area like this, being an artist herself. Fierce Hazel runs its day-to-day operations out of this HQ, but it surely’s additionally the house the place she designs and creates all the Fierce Hazel items.
Frankie began Fierce Hazel by making the “lightest, most practical biking pockets attainable”, which then advanced into totally different pouches, specialty wallets, and luggage of every kind.
The luggage have been intelligent of their design and sustainable of their building.
The City Explorer Bag is my favourite of the “off-the-bike” sort luggage that she makes. You recognize I’m a giant fan of versatility, and this bag is simply that, as it may be worn as a backpack, sling, across-the-body, flight sack, or a “relaxed backpack”. Test it out for those who get an opportunity.
The City Explorer Bag makes use of the identical Olefin material because the True Grit Bike bag line. She tells me that, after taking a very long time on the lookout for an abroad producer for the True Grit line, she selected a store in Vietnam that solely offers in remnants (together with the Olefin), or scraps which are left over from different producers/manufacturers.
Vietnam is less complicated for her to go to and do high quality management check-ups, so she selected them to fabricate her True Grit line.
So, on to the True Grit bike luggage.
As I discussed earlier, I had already acquired the Saddlebag and Handlebar bag and had been testing the Deal with Bar bag for a couple of weeks. So I will likely be giving some perception on that bag. I can’t contact on long-term sturdiness, however will contact on all the options in my assessment beneath.
However first, let me let you know a bit concerning the True Grit Saddle Bag.
Fierce Hazel True Grit Saddle Bag
The Fierce Hazel Saddle Bag is a good-sized, albeit compact saddle bag that tucks in properly beneath your saddle. I didn’t get an opportunity to really assessment this bag, though I did mount it as much as see the way it regarded.
I mounted it on my Brooks B17 and on my spouse’s ol’ WTB saddle for comparability. Fierce hazel says it’s sufficiently big to carry as much as two tubes, in addition to instruments, and a few snacks. In my spouse’s case, it holds one 26″x 2.25″ tube, a Co2 cartridge, an inflator, tire levers, and an previous (massive) Topeak Alien Device, nonetheless leaving room for a Gu packet or two…plus the house within the flap pocket.
It has a helpful key clip and a pocket on the handy, downward-opening flap that would maintain an ID and/or some bank cards. On the within of the saddle bag, on the facet wall, there’s a well-thought-out elastic strap to carry a tube, tire levers, or instruments up out of the best way, whereas maintaining them from getting buried within the saddle bag inflicting a near-full unload to get to one thing you want.
The Saddle Bag is created from eco-friendly Olefin. Olefin is a particularly sturdy artificial fiber, and it’s stain resistant. The True Grit Bike Bag assortment is a really good-looking and distinctive set of luggage… stylish wanting.
Options
- Rugged, weatherproof building
- Visibility options for added security
- Upcycled Olefin shell, with a water-resistant nylon inside
- Inside key fob, elastic strap, and pocket
- Sustainably produced
Dimension: 7″ x 4.5″ x 4″
Weight: 3.8oz
Quantity: 0.9 liters
Retail: $79
Fierce Hazel True Grit Handlebar Bag Overview
I’ve been utilizing the Fierce Hazel True Grit handlebar bag for a couple of weeks, grabbing rides between the rain that we’ve been getting right here. I’ve had it lengthy sufficient to get an concept of the standard and whether or not it’s for me or not. Proper off the bat, I’ll let you know that the bag is extraordinarily well-made. It’s a high-quality bag, with a top-notch match and end across the edges and seams.
At first, the bag appeared somewhat on the small-ish measurement, however after mounting it up, I discovered it tucked into the handlebars properly.
Out of curiosity, considering that my Roadrunner Burrito Supreme Bag was rather a lot greater, I put the 2 facet by facet and the True Grit bag was the identical width however solely somewhat bit smaller in diameter, a distinction of .6 liters in quantity. That was stunning as a result of the Burrito Bag appears to be like a lot bulkier.
It has a helpful, though very tight exterior, mesh pocket that appears onerous to place a lot in apart from possibly a Gu pack or two. Additionally on the skin of the True Grit bike luggage are exterior gentle mounts and a big efficient strip throughout the bag, which is a pleasant contact.
When mounting the bag to the bars, I observed some little protecting pads which are completely sewn beneath the buckles. These served two functions in my expertise with the bag, 1) as a form of grip to maintain the bag from slipping, in case you don’t need to use the extra velcro headtube attachment, or 2) they’re merely there as a safety pad on your bars.
Talking of the velcro attachment strap, the “fuzzy” a part of the velcro stops a couple of inches away from the place it begins. Which means in case you have it tightened as a lot as I did (like within the above photograph) it leaves an untidy quantity of strap danglin’. However, I really feel that this was purely consumer error, as I didn’t have to tighten it as a lot as I did. In the event you don’t tighten it as I did, you’re left with a clear utility of that strap. Plus, it’s detachable, so that you don’t want to make use of it for those who don’t need to.
The helpful key fob tether got here in nicely, helpful. A fast pull of the tether (that’s conveniently sewn proper on the opening of the bag) makes for a fast seize of your automobile or home key when the bag is stuffed full.
The handlebar bag was in a position to maintain fairly a bit after I began loading it up for a trip. I loaded the bag with a banana, my bandana, my keys, and Wolf Tooth multitool (it goes in every single place with me), my driver’s license, and financial institution card (tucked into the Fierce Hazel Tremendous Uselful Card Holder), sun shades, my Paul bottle opener (for beer), and my favourite fig bar.
Not proven within the image are the Giro D&D gloves that I ended up taking off throughout my trip and shoving in there… leaving loads of room to spare.
Options
- Rugged, weatherproof building
- Visibility options for added security
- Upcycled Olefin shell, with a water-resistant nylon inside
- Inside key fob, elastic strap, and pocket
- Sustainably produced
Dimension: 8″ x 4.5″
Weight: 6.4oz
Quantity: 2 liters
Retail: $89
In Conclusion
As I discussed earlier, I can’t attest to the long-term sturdiness but, however I can’t see any obtrusive points that will lead me to consider that the bag wouldn’t final a really very long time.
The True Grit Handlebar bag did, nevertheless, dwell as much as its good-looking exterior and carried out in addition to it appears to be like. It mounts shortly and simply, making it straightforward to take away from the bike. This makes it good for somebody (like me) that does a variety of shorter rides through the week the place a handlebar bag isn’t actually wanted. That being mentioned, it appears to be like small and tidy and can be a bag that I might simply go away on the bike 24/7.
Fierce Hazel is a female-owned, small operation, that runs ethically, and eco-consciously. Their merchandise are all designed in California and are nicely thought out, intelligent merchandise that match many wants all through the entire line.
The True Grit on-the-bike bag line is a welcome addition to the alternatives we’ve got for a majority of these luggage. They’re very fairly priced for the standard of the bag you’re receiving. I might suggest them.
Take a look at all the Fierce Hazel Goodies by hitting the hyperlink beneath.
