Quick-Release Fork Bags: Pros and Cons Compared to Cargo Cage + Dry Bag

Lately I’ve been seeing more questions about quick-release fork bags, the kind that lift easily off a proprietary mount instead of strapping into a cargo cage. Are they worth the money? Better than old-fashioned dry bags, cargo cages, and Voile straps? Durable enough for off-pavement bikepacking?

Personally I’ve been a cargo cage and straps gal for many years. I like the versatility for different styles of riding, from long-distance touring to lightweight bikepack racing. But I see a lot of riders opting for the simplicity and convenience of quick-release bags lately, so I’ve been giving some thought to their pros and cons.

If you’re thinking about buying one of the fancy quick-release fork bags from Tailfin, Ortlieb, Old Man Mountain, or others, this post will give a sense of the tradeoffs. At the end of the day, all options are pretty darn good and these are just my opinions, so choose the gear that appeals most to you!

Related reading:

• Blackburn Outpost vs. Salsa Anything: Battle of the Cargo Cages
• Review: Wolf Tooth Morse Cargo Cage (slim and versatile)

Bikepackers: Join me on Patreon for my most current and personal writing, individualized trip prep help, and a community of likeminded supporters.

Join the community

The Options

At the moment, quick-release fork bags are a pretty small sub-category of the already small category of bikepacking fork bags. You can see all the options I know about here in the bolt-on mount category.

To summarize: The best-known offerings are from Ortlieb and Tailfin, with OMM’s Hemlock recently joining the fray. More budget-friendly versions from Rhinowalk and Topeak round out the options.

Anyone know of others? Please comment below and tell me.

Convenience

Winner: QR fork bags

The main selling point of quick-release fork bags is… you guessed it… the quick release. They easily lift off their mounts so you can take them to your tent or lunch spot or wherever with utmost ease. No straps to fiddle with, get tangled in your spokes, or fall off and get lost.

This convenience is definitely worth a few points. It’s like using a traditional hook-style pannier that just lifts off the rack — very nice for loading and unloading, especially when you’re doing it multiple times per day for many days.

That said, Voile straps are awesome and I don’t mind them that much. If the other advantages of dry bags and straps (read on) are meaningful to you then straps are a small price to pay.

Packing Style

Winner: depends

The way I pack a quick-release-style bag is slightly different from the way I pack a dry bag strapped into a cargo cage. Both work great for soft items like clothing, but have their pros and cons in other cases.

Most QR-style bags have their own shape and are easier to run almost empty, or stuffed with oddly shaped things. I like them better for food, or bulky electronics like power banks. They lack compression straps so they do need to be packed in a way that avoids rattling (stoves and pots are a common culprit) or shifting (eg soft water bottles without anything around them).

On the other hand, a dry bag strapped into a cargo cage needs to be stuffed until it’s a semi-rigid cylinder, otherwise the straps can slip and loosen. Mostly empty dry bags can be hard to keep in place, as can bags stuffed with bulky non-cylindrical objects. It takes a fair amount of cinching to keep the bag in the cargo cage, so it’s not great for crushables (from experience, potato chips and avocados). I like to pack clothes in my fork dry bags, or my cylindrical stove and pot set, or my rolled inflatable sleeping pad.

No big deal really, but you may find yourself packing things in different places on your bike depending on which style fork bag you use. Fortunately there are lots of good ways to pack for bikepacking and you’ll find the one that suits you soon enough.

Versatility

Winner: cage + bag + straps

As an enthusiast of many bike travel styles, I’m constantly fiddling with my setup. If I’m going to add gear to my collection, I like stuff that can be used in multiple ways.

In my opinion this is the biggest downside of QR fork bags: a single bag that’s always the same size and shape. A cargo cage and straps, on the other hand, can mix and match with various dry bags and bottles to suit almost any setup.

I’ve used the same set of my favorite cargo cages (Blackburn Outpost – my review here) at various times to hold rigid water bottles, 3 liter dry bags, 5 liter dry bags, and objects like my sleeping pad or solo tent.

A single set of quick release fork bags can’t meet all these needs. At very least I would need a couple different sizes and also some cargo cages for bottles (the exception being OMM’s Hemlock system which cleverly doubles as a standalone cargo cage).

Capacity

Winner: QR fork bags, if bigger is better

The best capacity is the one that fits your gear, but if more space is better QR bags have an edge. The available offerings are on the larger side, between 4 and 7 liters, while fork bags in general start around 2 liters.

In theory there’s no reason a QR fork bag couldn’t be smaller. I’m guessing manufacturers err on the large side because you can always run it partly empty but can’t swap in a larger bag if it’s too small.

Also, a robust quick-release mounting system may be better than straps at keeping a large bag stable and secure. A 5 liter dry bag is my max with cargo cages because anything larger is unwieldy.

Simplicity

Winner: QR fork bags

The bikepacking gear puzzle can be a bit overwhelming. If you’re a new bikepacker trying to build your setup, choosing one thing (a set of QR fork bags) is easier than choosing three things (cargo cages plus fork bags plus straps) and wondering if the bag will fit well in the cage and the straps are the right length for the bag, etc.

If you do want the versatility of a mix and match system, I’m here to reassure you that it’s not hard. Choose a cargo cage big enough to support the largest bag you want to use (dimensions of popular models can be found here) and err on the side of longer Voile straps (I like 25″) because the tails can always be tucked in.

Weight

Winner: depends

Are quick-release fork bag systems heavier than a cargo cage and dry bag combo? Depends on which bag and combo you’re comparing. You can go lighter with a carefully chosen bag and cage combo, but all else being equal they are comparable.

QR bags may look heavier than non-QR bags according to specs, but don’t forget to include the weight of a cargo cage and straps too!

For example, these two popular setups are very close in weight:

• 4 liter Ortlieb QR Fork Pack: 10.2 oz
• 4 liter Revelate Polecat fork bag (3.4 oz) + Blackburn Outpost Cargo Cage (4.4 oz) + two Voile straps (roughly 1.1 oz each) = 10.0 oz

If you want to go ultralight, you can shave a few ounces by designing your own non-QR combo. For example: 2.5 liter MLD fork bag (1.3 oz) + King Cage Manything (1.8 oz) + two Voile straps (roughly 1 oz each) = 5.1 oz.

Very light! But only 2.5 liters of capacity, much smaller than any QR fork bag system on the market.

Reliability

Winner: cage + bag + straps

It’s smart to think about reliability and durability when bikepacking, especially on rugged remote terrain. If an attachment system breaks and isn’t field repairable, you might be up a creek!

I believe the QR mount systems of major brands (I’m thinking Ortlieb, Tailfin, and Old Man Mountain) are robust enough to trust on rugged routes. I’d be less confident in budget offerings (Rhinowalk etc) but I don’t have any evidence for that, just “get what you pay for” intuition.

The thing about QR bags in general is that IF part of the mount breaks and the bag no longer attaches securely, your options are limited. Hopefully you’re carrying some extra Voile straps somewhere else and can make do.

With cargo cages, if a bolt rattles loose you can replace it (you’re carrying spares right?). If one strap breaks you can hopefully scavenge a different one from elsewhere in your setup. In my opinion this system gives you more options.

That said, a broken QR mount is extremely rare! I wouldn’t be too concerned about this unless I was planning a long and very rough ride.

Price

Winner: depends, but QR bags do better than expected

Are quick release fork bags more expensive? Not really. Once you factor in the cost of a cargo cage and straps along with a dry bag, QR bags may actually save you money.

Example:

• 4 liter Ortlieb QR Fork Pack: $65
• 4 liter Revelate Polecat fork bag ($45) + Blackburn Outpost Cargo Cage ($35) + two Voile straps ($8 each) = $96

The non-QR combo is more expensive, but it’s also more versatile, so in my opinion the price is fair. The cage and straps can hold other things beyond the dry bag, so in that sense you’re buying more gear (see Versatility section above).

That said, if you’re bikepacking on a tight budget you can go even cheaper with a cage and bag combo than with a QR mounted bag. A no-name dry bag from Amazon and an inexpensive cargo cage with included straps could cost as little as $50.

So which should you choose?

Quick-release style fork bags are simple, convenient, and generally a bit easier to pack. In my opinion they work especially well for folks who stick to a similar gear list and packing style on all their trips, either because it’s their preference or they haven’t yet discovered other styles they enjoy. QR bags are an excellent entry-level choice for beginners, or a smart bet for experienced riders who know what they want.

Cargo cage and bag combos, on the other hand, are a classic and more flexible choice. Options are plentiful, so you can build a custom combo that’s super light, super cheap, or super versatile. If you like to dabble in different riding styles and are always changing up your gear list, they’re a more versatile option that will probably save you money in the long run.

Bikepacking friends, did I miss anything? Let me know your choice and why you like it in the comments below!