Silca, a model with a heritage courting again to 1917 Italy however now headquartered in Indiana, USA, is an intriguing firm.
Its product line runs the gamut, as Silca appears to take varied on a regular basis biking merchandise and goals to enhance them. From its iconic pumps to titanium bottle cages, instruments, chain wax techniques, tubeless sealant, and even aero socks, there is no telling what product Silca will launch subsequent.
“Silca merchandise develop out of how we experience, what we need to experience, and the place we are able to make enhancements or resolve present issues throughout the biking panorama,” says Richard Pool, Silca’s Advertising Director. “Our mission is to enhance the biking expertise, on and off the bike, with merchandise that stand the check of time.”
Immediately, Silca launched its Grinta Baggage, an on-the-bike storage answer consisting of a handlebar bag and a roll-top seat pack for a fast overnighter or an extended day within the saddle.
Outfitted with a BOA mounting system and weatherproof welded seams, Silca goals to unravel frequent issues just like the saddle bag tail-wag, slipping straps and damp contents.
We obtained a set of the luggage for some pre-launch testing, which came about on a fast lodge overnighter in some fairly terrible circumstances. I conquered 150 miles of sleet, hail, rain and a excessive of 34°F (1°C) all within the title of testing. Here is how the luggage fared.
Introducing: Silca Grinta Baggage
(Picture credit score: Anne-Marije Rook)
Staying clear from the ‘bikepacking’ bag class, Silca calls the Grinta Baggage “fast-packing” baggage as a substitute. Assume credit-card tenting, flash-packing, or ultra-endurance gravel races—the Grinta Baggage are purposely restricted in capability, supposed for “carrying simply what you want whereas not overpacking and weighing you down.”
“It has been just a little over ten years since we moved the model to Indianapolis, and so much can change in ten years. The core of the crew is a bit older, wiser, and most now have children, whereas the multi-day lengthy excursions and XL bike packing journeys are behind us (only for now),” says Pool.
“We nonetheless have to get out, discover, and do the issues that make us who we’re as cyclists and open air individuals. We’ve entered our S24O (sub twenty-four hour in a single day) and ultra-endurance fast-packing part. Lengthy weekend gravel occasions or fast burst into the woods, with a hammock, a beer (or possibly two), and a quilt. An evening of solitude, recharging in nature, beneath the celebs. When the solar rises it’s a race house to reach simply in time to make breakfast for the household.”
The Grinta assortment consists of a two-liter handlebar bag and a roll-top seat bag with a two- to five-liter capability. Whereas glossy in design, the luggage sport some considerate options. Each are constructed of weatherproof material and have welded seams.
(Picture credit score: Anne-Marije Rook)
The spherical bar bag includes a detachable insert that offers the bag its rigidity, a full-length YKK zipper, and two anti-slip coated straps with magnetic slide closures. An non-compulsory third strap is included for a 3rd securing choice across the stem or the headtube. On the surface, the bar bag sports activities attachment factors and reflective components.
(Picture credit score: Anne-Marije Rook)
The seat pack includes a roll-top closure for simple packing, an adjustable BOA mounting system connected to the saddle rails and seatpost, and an air launch valve for simple packing.
The Product pecs
The Grinta Handlebar Bag sports activities TPU-coated straps and a magnetic buckle
(Picture credit score: Anne-Marije Rook)
Grinta Handlebar Bag:
- Supplies: BLACK 100% CYCLEPET 600D w/ Kiss Coating
- YKK Aquaguard zipper and welded seams for weatherpoofing
- Three-point attachment: two handlebar straps, a 3rd strap for stem or headtube
- Weight: 160g
- Dimensions: 23cm x 11cm x 11cm
- Capability: 2L
- Inflexible inside construction to carry form
- Worth: $95 USD / €115
Silca’s Grinta Roll-High Bag includes a BOA mounting system
(Picture credit score: Anne-Marije Rook)
Grinta Roll-High Bag:
- Roll-top closure for simple packing
- Two-point attachment: seat rails and seatpost
- Weight: 208g
- Dimensions: 30cm x 15cm x 15cm (rolled to high of PE)
- Supplies: BLACK 100% CYCLEPET 600D w/ Kiss Coating
- Additionally Hypalon strap & BOA® closure system
- Worth: $160 USD / €195
Silca Grinta baggage in use:
(Picture credit score: Billy Sinkford)
Heading out on my fast in a single day journey, I am going to confess I had a contact of apprehension. The climate forecast was dismal, with a excessive chance of putting up with a bone-chilling downpour for all the 150-mile journey, probably even encountering snow,, it felt like a dangerous transfer to depend on these unfamiliar merchandise. Many objects in the marketplace declare to be ‘weatherproof,’ however usually buckle beneath the relentless rain of the Pacific NorthWET. The considered arriving on the lodge soaked to the bone was daunting sufficient; the very last thing I wanted was for my backup gear to be simply as waterlogged.
What’s extra, Silca has employed a BOA mounting system to its smaller seatpacks, the Mattone and the Asymmetrico, with various success. Considered one of our reviewers disliked the Asymmetrico seat roll a lot that he gave it a uncommon one-star evaluate and questioned using BOA reels for something however sneakers.
Nevertheless, Silca continues to consider within the system, promising a safe, wiggle-free maintain but adjustable match.
Happily, I needn’t have fearful. Sure, the climate was each bit as unhealthy as feared, however the baggage delivered on their guarantees: they stayed on, and my dry garments and toiletries had been unhurt by the journey.
(Picture credit score: Anne-Marije Rook)
The Grinta Roll High Bag in use:
BOA mounting system apart, the seat bag sports activities a well-recognized design akin to many roll-top seat packs out there in the marketplace – maybe just a bit smaller. It is constructed of a glossy four-panel dry bag with some reinforcement to assist keep the form up and away from the rear tire. A roll-top closure ensures each ease of entry and weatherproofing. Adjusting the two to five liter capability of the bag is a matter of the variety of rolls you give the closure earlier than closing the buckles. On condition that I took the bag on a really wintery outing, I wanted to deliver extra heat layers and voluminous package than one usually would keep it up a spring or summer time overnighter. As such, the max 5L capability was moderately restrictive, resulting in me including additional storage choices to my setup.
Attaching the bag to my bike utilizing the BOA mounting system was intuitive sufficient, although a two-handed operation.. The bag sports activities three broad straps with plastic hooks. One goes across the seatpost and one round every of the saddle rails. You then merely loop the BOA cables across the corresponding hooks, push down on the BOA dial and rotate clockwise till the bag sits snugly towards the saddle and seatpost. Pop the BOA reel as much as loosen the system. Regardless of the comparatively fragile look of the BOA cables, the system provides an impressively safe maintain. Throughout the pavement and gravel, I by no means observed any swaying or suggestions from the bag, which is quite common in bikepacking seat baggage.
My solely fear concerning the BOA system is that after off-road adventures, grit tends to enter the BOA reels, inflicting them to hitch or get caught. I’ve had my fair proportion of struggles with BOA closures on gravel sneakers, so it is positively one thing to keep watch over.
(Picture credit score: Anne-Marije Rook)
The Grinta Handlebar Bag in use:
Measurement-wise, the Grinta Handlebar Bag slides between Topeaks’ spacious Tubular Barbag and Lead Out!’s mini handlebar bag. A flexible bag choice, I might see this bag getting used as somebody’s day by day driver in addition to a useful companion on an ultra-endurance occasion just like the Unbound XL. Nevertheless, as Silca made clear from the beginning, it isn’t sufficiently big for bikepacking.
With its two-liter capability, I managed to cram in a pump and fix-a-flat requirements, snacks, an Ottolock, a skinny jacket and gloves. The necessities and nothing extra – precisely as marketed.
As with the seatpack, the handlebar bag seems glossy and minimalist. It includes a single giant compartment accessed through a full-length YKK zipper on high. The detachable inflexible insert is a pleasant contact, because it provides the bag its form, permitting you to make use of its full carrying capability and making on-the-bike entry simple.
One other good contact is the TPU-coated handlebar straps, which stop slippage and roughing up your bike’s paint. It took a couple of minutes to measurement the straps to my handlebars, however as soon as adjusted, the magnetic buckles made for simple attachment and elimination. The weatherproof material and welded seams are essential right here within the wet Northwest –nobody likes rusted instruments and a soggy bar!– and to date, haven’t dissatisfied.
Conclusion & Worth
(Picture credit score: Anne-Marije Rook)
The class for mid-size handlebar baggage is not all that large. You are extra more likely to discover a bag that is considerably bigger (for bikepacking) or smaller (for on a regular basis use). I might place the Grinta handlebar bag in the identical class because the Brooks Scape Handlebar Pouch (3L, $80 USD), the Restrap Canister (1.5L, $67.49), Apidura Racing Handlebar Mini (2.5L, $99) and CamelChops Blimp ( 2.5L, $72). With a pricetag of $95 USD / €115, the Grinta bag does fall within the higher-end of that spectrum, which isn’t stunning for a premium model.
The class for medium-sized saddle baggage is even smaller with the one comparable baggage coming to thoughts being the Apidura Racing Saddle Bag (5L, $149), Restrap Saddle Pack (4.5L, $89), Ortlieb Saddle-Bag (4.1L, $70) and Velo Orange Daytripper (3.5L, $105). Once more, Silca’s 2-5L Grinta Roll High Bag falls on the higher-end of the spectrum. In fact, not one of the aforementioned baggage make use the light-weight, hassle-free BOA mounting system.
Sure, Silca’s fast-packing setup are an funding and maybe they could seem minimalist, even easy. However as with so a lot of Silca’s merchandise, it’s executed rather well. On outings if you’re solely carrying the necessities, the Silca Grinta baggage provide a secure, light-weight package deal with the benefit of thoughts that your cargo is well-protected from the weather.
My solely critique is that I would like just a bit bit more room, and I’d like to see Silca increase on the gathering with a body bag or, maybe, a bigger, roll-top handlebar bag for extra carrying choices.
