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Cyclists with a backpack: Some models offer additional protection for the back
Photo: Justin Keena
Luggage rack bags are still the first choice for cycling trips and when transporting a lot of weight. Backpacks have their advantages when cycling, especially in cities: you can quickly switch between the bike and the bus without having to reload your luggage. And for commuters and students: a notebook is transported more safely and gently on your back than in a shaking bicycle bag on the luggage rack.
There are slightly different requirements for the carrying system for cycling backpacks than for hiking backpacks: While you (should) carry the weight on the hip belt when hiking, this may be helpful for stability on the bike, but it hardly has to hold any weight itself. This is especially true if you are driving while bent over. A chest strap should be adjustable in height.
However, many cyclists do not need a hip or chest strap. Either because the backpack is stable enough or to save time: If you often travel short distances, you don't want to have to constantly fasten two straps so that they don't flap around in the wind. The straps of some cycling backpacks can be removed; two models in the test do not have a hip belt at all.
All of the backpacks in the test were more or less padded and ventilated on the back. This is especially helpful on warm days, otherwise you'll quickly sweat on your back. The same applies to the straps. Only with the Aevor model does it become fiddly for larger laptops, but otherwise there were no problems storing a notebook in our test.
This is how we tested
We completed typical commuter trips with all backpacks, including a notebook, A4 pad and some accessories (power adapter, smartphone, rain pants). The bike was ridden both on a touring bike in an upright position and on a gravel bike, on which you sit in a similar way to a racing bike. We tried out the laptop compartment with an older 15-inch notebook and with a small 14-inch notebook from Apple. In addition, all backpacks were loaded with purchases.
Chrome Urban EX 2.0 Rolltop 20L Backpack
The Urban Ex Backpack is intended to be a backpack for the city. It does this job well: Chrome uses a sturdy, waterproof nylon fabric that has just the right mix of stiffness and flexibility. The backpack stays upright when filled, but can also be easily rolled up at the top. The closure is supported by magnets that hold the closure in the correct position before rolling. There are two adjustable buckles on the left and right, so the backpack becomes larger or smaller depending on the fill level. Chrome states the capacity as 20 to 25 liters.
The laptop compartment is well padded. Inside there is a larger and a smaller padded pocket for the smartphone or charging cable as well as insertion options for pens. There is another small pocket on the outside that can hold flat items. It has a sealed zipper but is not padded.
On the outside of the backpack there are six tabs made of reflective material. This makes the backpack more visible at night. But the tabs can also hold a bicycle lock - U-bolts fit on them as well as thin chain or wire locks.
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Many straps on the Urban EX 2.0 cannot be secured: they can hit your kidneys when driving fast.
Photo: Markus Linden
The Urban Ex Backpack does not have a hip belt, but does have an adjustable chest strap. Its buckle is delicate, but easy to close and open with a little practice. The main straps are padded with a mesh fabric. The backpack weighs 828 grams.
While cycling, the backpack sits securely despite the lack of a hip belt and can be easily carried even on a racing bike when bent over. However: Chrome forgot to fix the loose ends. Both the roll closure straps and the main straps cannot be fastened and flutter in the wind. When riding fast, they literally hit the tester in the kidneys in a racing bike position. Ouch.
What I like:
The backpack is easy to fill and just as easy to open and close. He sits well.
The less:
The lack of fastening of the loose ends is annoying when you are hunched over on a racing bike or gravel bike.
Who the Chrome Urban EX 2.0 is suitable for:
For urban commuters in everyday work and student life, as long as they mostly sit upright on the bike.
Evoc Commute Pro 22
The Commute Pro 22 is excellently equipped. No other backpack in the test has as many compartments and padding as the Evoc backpack. The notebook compartment can be opened from the side with a zipper, the main compartment is more than enough for A4 documents, but not particularly high. There you will find three smaller pockets.
The notebook compartment is heavily padded. In the lid there is another pocket on the inside and two on the outside, the top one is additionally divided. The bottom pocket is intended for Evoc U-locks, but it can also be used for other flat items. There is space for drinking bottles both outside and in the main compartment. Last but not least, there is a compartment for smartphones, which does not harmonize well with the outer bottle holder. But there is a place for the phone, all compartments are softly padded. Even the hip belt has a pocket that can fit an iPhone 15 Pro Max. You can get to them without having to take off your backpack.
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The Commute Pro's back plate protects the spine in the event of a fall.
Photo: Markus Linden
The Commute Pro 22 is equipped with a back protector. Mountain bikers, motorcyclists or skiers may be familiar with this: There is a sturdy plate built into the backpack that absorbs and distributes some of the energy in the event of a fall on your back - and can thus protect against injuries to the spine. For this to work, the backpack must fit correctly and the chest and hip straps must be closed. In the booklet that comes with the backpack, Evoc gives tips on how to correctly adjust the straps. In daily practice this means: You should not drive with your hip belt unfastened. But that's no fun anyway because it's very long and wide.
The backpack fits well and comfortably even with a lot of weight. The slight pressure on the back is caused by the protector, not by the laptop. Some cyclists might find this annoying, but we managed it well. However, the protector, the features and the very good padding also have a disadvantage: the Evoc weighs 1392 grams, it is the heaviest backpack in the test.
Our test model (22 liters) was the larger of two sizes - the back length must approximately fit the protector. People under 1.80 meters tall could choose the “S/M” model, which is a little lighter at around 1200 grams, but also a little smaller. The backpack is only water-repellent. If you want it to be properly waterproof, the appropriate cover must be purchased separately.
What I like:
The backpack has many pockets, a back protector and looks very well made.
The less:
It is heavy and a bit stiff. It is only truly waterproof with a paid cover. And you always have to fasten the chest and hip belts.
Who the Commute Pro 22 from Evoc is suitable for:
For all urban cyclists who care about safety. And everyone who wants such comprehensive equipment.
Deuter Amager 25+5
The name suggests it: The Amager 25+5 is one of the large backpacks and can hold up to 30 liters of luggage or shopping. However, the roll closure can only be rolled up once. If you roll several times, you get 25 liters. The thin material of the backpack is held together at the top with magnets and folds itself into place on the left and right. Roll, close the top buckle - done.
The strap for the buckle is extended downwards and splits into two ends. It can be opened with another buckle. The construction serves as a helmet holder or can hold a rain jacket. However, the holder wasn't really convincing in the test: the pressure on the helmet reduces the size of the compartment inside, and without pressure a helmet can slip out. It works, but the solution is not perfect.
The Amager has a chest strap and a hip strap. The straps are very well ventilated and you won't sweat underneath them. If you want to ride without a hip belt, you can hide it in compartments. It cannot be completely removed.
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The Deuter Amager has a very good back cushion. The hip belt can be stored between the backpack and the padding.
Photo: Markus Linden
The lined inner compartment is different: it is fastened with a zipper and can be removed. In addition to the notebook compartment, there is another padded compartment, for example for tablets. There is another small pocket with a sealed zipper on the outside. Deuter envisages this for a smartphone. That's fine - but this bag is not padded and the thin waterproof material of the Amager offers little protection against shocks. We would rather store the smartphone inside. There are no other compartments or pockets.
A bicycle lock can be attached to two loops on the outside. Chain locks fit here, as do many U-locks. However, the soft material of the Amager deforms if the backpack is not sufficiently filled. The lock shouldn’t be too heavy.
In practice, the backpack sits very well on the back with and without a notebook. This is also because there is an integrated flexible back plate. On the one hand, it adapts to the back, but also ensures that neither a notebook nor other objects press into the back.
What I like:
The backpack is large but still wears very well. Given its capacity, it's not too heavy either, weighing under one kilogram.
The less:
The attachment for a helmet is not really convincing.
Who the Amager 25+5 is suitable for:
For everyone who packs a lot and still doesn't want to miss out on comfort and a good fit.
Ortlieb Commuter Daypack High-Vis
The Commuter Daypack is a typical Ortlieb product: material quality and the ability to repair are the focus. The two main straps are attached with screws and can be changed yourself if necessary, but Ortlieb also repairs products that have been sent in.
The backpack is characterized by a certain sobriety: the two main straps are sufficiently wide, but not padded and not ventilated. The chest and hip belts are also unpadded. The loose ends can be fixed to all straps so that they do not flutter even when driving quickly. The hip belt can be completely removed. We wouldn't want to ride without the chest strap, but that can also be removed and adjusted in height.
The Commuter Daypack is a rolling backpack. There is no support with magnets, but the material rolls up very easily. A buckle fixes the rolled-up lid and can be adjusted variably. No backpack in the test opens and closes faster.
The laptop compartment is fixed on the inside with Velcro. It is complemented by another large compartment with a zipper, which is not padded and into which DIN A4 documents fit. It also contains two other small compartments for smartphones or accessories. With a little fiddling, all compartments can be removed. The backpack has another compartment on the outside that closes with a sealed zipper. Ortlieb states that it is not waterproof. It's not padded.
The material of the Commuter Daypack is waterproof and contains woven reflective strips that glow in headlights. However, the effect should not be overestimated. For more visibility in bright light, there is a variant of the backpack in neon yellow.
We rode the Commuter Daypack with a chest and hip belt. The air-filled back padding provides good cushioning and also provides ventilation on the back. The fit of the backpack is also good. The lack of padding on the main straps is only noticeable when sitting upright and with a lot of weight in the backpack.
What you like:
The backpack appears robust, durable and well thought out. It is also light at 863 grams.
The less:
It would be more comfortable with padding on the main straps. And 21 liter capacity could occasionally be tight.
Who the Commuter Daypack High-Vis is suitable for:
For everyone who values a waterproof and robust backpack that can withstand tougher tours into nature and extreme weather.
Vaude Cycle 22
The Cycle 22 from Vaude is the lightest model in the test at 780 grams. The manufacturer Vaude only saved on the chest and hip straps: both are quite thin, without padding and have small buckles. This would be annoying when hiking, but it's completely okay for a cycling backpack: they stabilize the backpack sufficiently. If you prefer to ride without a hip or chest belt, you can remove it.
However, the backpack is not waterproof, just water-repellent. Vaude includes a rain cover with an elastic band that can be stored in a compartment in the backpack. When driving in the rain without a cover, it becomes clear that the interior only gets a little damp in continuous rain; the notebook compartment even stays dry in our test. In practice you will probably rarely need the rain cover.
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Vaude relies on simple, but padded and ventilated straps.
Photo: Markus Linden
Vaude didn't skimp on the equipment: the notebook compartment is accessible from the top via its own zipper and is well padded. In the separate main compartment there is space for DIN A 4 documents and five small pockets in different sizes. One can be closed with a zipper. Large smartphones also fit into another, and one is intended for USB sticks. There are also two slots for pens and a loop with Velcro fastener for the key ring. There is a mesh compartment on the outside of the lid and another is secured with a zipper. A bicycle helmet can be attached to straps on the outside.
The padding on the back is not as elaborate as Deuter or Evoc, but (like the two main straps) is made of breathable mesh material. The padding is designed to allow air to reach the back. In practice, the Cycle 22 sits well on the back. A heavy, large notebook is noticeable, smaller ones hardly. The manufacturer states that the Cycle 22 is climate neutral and made from recycled material.
What you like:
The backpack is light and, above all, very flexible. The separation between the main and notebook compartments makes access easier. And it sits well.
The less:
It is only waterproof with a cover. And the 22 liter capacity could sometimes be a bit small.
Who the Cycle 22 is suitable for:
The backpack is perfect for commuters, even for sporty riders who like to ride while leaning forward.
Aevor Roll Pack
Aevor's Roll Pack is intended to be sold to a young and urban audience. This is clear from the large selection of colors. No matter which color you choose: According to the manufacturer, the outer material is made from recycled PET bottles. Aevor does not provide any information about the material of the interior.
The Roll Pack – as the name suggests – is rolled up to close it. The main compartment is held together with Velcro, which makes it easy to roll. A small buckle secures the lid. The opening is narrow: Although a larger 15-inch notebook fits into the padded laptop compartment, that can be fiddly. The side opening of the laptop compartment is even narrower. Only the 14-inch notebook fits through. Basically, the two openings in the notebook compartment are a good idea.
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Aevor does without the hip belt. The two main straps are padded.
Photo: Markus Linden
There are also three smaller pockets in the main compartment. There are two further compartments on the outside, both of which fit a half-liter bottle. There is also a zippered pocket on the outside of the back that can accommodate a smartphone. A special feature is the large, adjustable outside pocket on the front lid. A bicycle helmet fits in here. This bag is not waterproof, nor does it have to be for a helmet.
The Roll Pack does not have a hip belt. The elastic chest strap can be adjusted in height and pulled tighter; the strap is held in place by a clip and does not flutter. However, this does not apply to the two main straps: the excess strap cannot be fixed and flutters when driving quickly.
The main straps and back padding are padded with mesh fabric and are well ventilated. The wearing comfort is good even with a notebook. However, the backpack does not fit as securely as other models that have a hip belt. With a weight of 812 grams, it is one of the lighter models.
What you like:
The double-access laptop compartment and the helmet compartment are useful features. The roll closure is easy to open and close.
The less:
There is no hip belt and the ends of the main belts flutter in the wind. The opening at the top is a bit narrow.
Who the Roll Pack is suitable for:
It is ideal for students and commuters who switch from bicycles to public transport while on the move.
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