Topeak Aero Wedge Pack Small Quick Click Review
Yous might think nosotros predicted that integration would be big in 2014 and sure enough, hither's some from Topeak. Saving you literally seconds when you're on the way out, they've combined a rear calorie-free and saddle bag into 1 - the Aerowedge iGlow. Best not mention the fact that you could buy a considerably better light and a perfectly good saddle bag with a loop to fix the low-cal to for less money, then.
Based on the very popular Aero Wedge saddle pack, this new iGlow version from Topeak adds congenital-in illumination. I've got a standard Aero Wedge in medium, the version that uses straps and buckles to fix to the saddle. Information technology does the job, merely isn't that weather resistant and I've constitute the stitching that holds the straps in identify is merely not strong plenty. In fairness, information technology was the cobbles of Flanders which did the most damage, but I've had to pop-rivet the straps in place where the stitching has failed.
No such issues here, as this version uses the QuickClick bracket and a velcro strap around the seat post. You leave the QuickClick bracket fastened to the saddle rails and can easily go spare brackets if you demand to transfer betwixt bikes. It works well as long as you don't have your seat equally far frontwards every bit information technology'll become, in which case it won't fit at all. Happily that wasn't the instance on the cycle I was testing when using this bag.
Like near saddlebags, the iGlow opens with a zip effectually the rear. My favourite particular in the whole product is the little patch of Velcro underneath, to concord the zilch pull when the bag is closed, and forestall it from rattling around. Obviously you lot might discover that the contents of the bag rattle louder than the zip anyway, unless you pack information technology advisedly to avoid this. Even so, a nice piece of particular blueprint from some rattle-obsessive at Topeak - I like information technology.
The zip is weather condition-resistant, and the bag as a whole does a pretty chore of keeping the elements out. Certainly there were no issues with the waterproofing of the light, which survived some pretty wet days in the saddle. If you lot're riding through countless puddles without mudguards, the water will observe its manner through in the end, so best not keep annihilation too delicate in in that location if yous're going out in the wet.
I generally used it to carry the Lezyne Caddy Sack that I'm too testing, which is pretty water resistant, and so there were no problems with h2o getting in and dissolving the CO2 inflator or the tyre levers; happy days. While the purse-inside-a-handbag approach might exist overkill, it did preclude any untoward rattling or clinking, and then I was free to savour the silence from the Aerowedge's zip.
The capacity of this bag is given equally 0.8 litres. This is miles off. I packed it with rice to measure the capacity, which I plant was no more 0.four litres. It's enough for the Caddy Sack but you won't get a tube in there likewise. You can only about fit a tube, levers, small-scale patch kit and small inflator, so it's plenty for the essentials.
As a pocketbook, so, information technology's reasonably effective, if simply about half the advertised size. You lot can obviously buy a similar-sized bag for considerably less so the reason why you'd buy this is because yous desire a calorie-free in your bag. The iGlow adds what Topeak depict every bit a "Super Bright 0.5W Red LED", plus a couple of rather pretty fibre optic strips effectually the back of the pocketbook, as you lot can see in the pictures. There are two modes - constant and flashing - and bombardment life (from 2 CR2032 cells) is given every bit 50 and 100 hours depending on which mode y'all use.
Is it any good every bit a light, then? In short: no, it'southward rubbish. It looks lovely from a few yards away, simply it's basically invisible in a streetlit urban surround from more fifty yards or so. During the day if it's murky out, forget information technology. On an unlit country road at night, I'd be pretty unhappy riding with only this on my bike; during testing I ever had it paired up with a Cateye Rapid X, and I think it'south the Cateye that takes all the credit for the fact that no-one smashed into me and I'k here to write this. The fibre optic strips look clever, but here once more, they're nowhere near as center-communicable from the rear or the side as a proficient lite, which you can easily buy for about a tenner, permit's not forget. There's a reflective strip across the back - car headlights on this this are more likely to get you seen than the light, I doubtable. That cleverly stowable zip pull has reflectives on it too, although with information technology stowed on its Velcro, ain't nobody gonna meet them.
From the beginning I was sceptical virtually the half watt LED claims. These are the ones used in some seriously retina-searing lights - Shaun reckoned that this i was visible at not much short of a kilometre. Hither, it'south certainly a less efficient installation in terms of optics - the main lite is located under the Topeak logo which also serves as the button to switch it on. This logo is generally black, with the light simply escaping around the black bits, and it doesn't appear that there is any kind of reflector behind it to improve the efficiency.
If you exercise some bones calculations starting with the typical chapters of ii CR2032 batteries, it'south clear that the total lighting power cannot exist anywhere near 0.5W, otherwise the batteries would exist dead in under three hours, rather than the quoted l.
Integration is all very well but sometimes it's only not necessary and doesn't improve a affair. Remember when you could purchase only near everything with an integrated FM radio? Well about of the time y'all didn't actually demand one. Something appears to have gone incorrect at Topeak - this bag is near half the advertised size and information technology definitely doesn't have a "Super Bright 0.5W Carmine LED" in information technology. For the cost you could purchase an every bit proficient saddle bag and a hugely better rear lite. Do that, don't buy this.
Verdict
Needless integration that's much less good than the sum of its parts; buy separately for less
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road.cc test report
Make and model: Topeak AeroWedge iGlow
Size tested: 0.eight litres
Tell us what the product is for, and who information technology's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your ain feelings about information technology?
Aerodynamic, lightweight under seat bag with Integral Glow (iGlow) technology for safety at night and low visibility conditions.
Tell u.s.a. some more about the technical aspects of the product?
Material k Denier Nylon
Chapters 0.8 50 / 49 ci
Lamp 1 Super Bright 0.5W Red LED and 2 Red LEDs
Battery CR2032 x 2 (included)
Command 2 Modes. Constant / Blinking
Burn Time (approx) l hrs / 100 hrs
Bag Attachment QuickClick™ (F25) with Seatpost Strap
Seatpost Diameter Fits ø25.iv - ø31.8 mm
Size (L x W x H) fifteen ten v.5 x 15 cm
5.9' ten 2.2 x five.nine'
Weight 107 g / 3.77 oz (with batteries)
Rate the product for quality of construction:
8/x
Solid construction, light seems unbothered past spray, so no detail concerns.
Rate the product for performance:
2/10
Very poor. It has half the advertised chapters and the light is nowhere about bright enough to utilise on its own.
Rate the product for immovability:
7/10
Nothing to give me a particular concern. I won't exist using this for much longer though, so I probably won't observe out.
Rate the production for weight, if applicable:
7/10
Not overly heavy.
Rate the production for value:
2/10
Yous tin can buy a much improve low-cal and a basic but constructive saddle bag for around half the price of this.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
Generally unsatisfactory.
Tell us what you particularly liked well-nigh the product
The Velcro zilch stowage.
Tell u.s.a. what you specially disliked virtually the product
The disparity between what Topeak say and what you actually get.
Did you savour using the product? No.
Would you consider buying the production? Definitely not.
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Definitely not.
Age: 36Height: 190cmWeight: 78kg
I usually ride: Boardman CX team for the daily commuteMy all-time bicycle is: Rose Xeon CRS
I've been riding for: Over 20 yearsI ride: Most daysI would class myself as: Practiced
I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, time trialling, cyclo cross, commuting, touring, guild rides, sportives, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed, mtb,
Source: https://road.cc/content/review/139473-topeak-aero-wedge-iglow
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