I really hate saddle bags.
They’re almost always too big, too clunky and look amateurish. Somehow they make a sleek racing bicycle look like a fully laden piece of farm equipment and really the only thing that looks good under the saddle of a road bike is a spare tubular held in place with a toe strap.
I also hate tools rattling around in a gear bag, trunk or luggage. While this is intended to be used on a road bike (or cyclocross bike if slick tires offend you) it’s also at home in a hydration pack or behind the driver’s seat of your Tacoma. At the risk of sounding cliche it’s a functional piece that has aesthetic appeal and it can go under the saddle rails or sit in a bottle cage. If you have to ask which of those options is more pro then you need to do more cyclo geekery.
On Saturday’s ride my rear derailleur stopped working, and after a few minutes of fumbling around I figured out that the return spring had snapped. I had a few chances to roll up my tools, put them away only to pull them back out again and this setup was much easier to use than my previous setup.
Generally I’m a fan of unique, high quality, American made cycling products and this is no different; after using it for a couple weeks I’m very happy with the EH Works tool roll. The only complaint I have about the design is that it could benefit from a small belt loop stitched onto the back. That would make the under saddle mount more secure and add peace of mind that your tools will stay in place over rough roads.
