Ally Capellino Wiggo Rucksack

Named for the winner of the Tour de France and an Olympic gold medal prior to his staggering 2012 achievements, this British designed and made (by Carradice of Nelson) rucksack is a bag our Brad could be proud to use.

The Wiggo is conceived to be a versatile, casually styled rucksack - part of Ally Caellino's Bags for Bikes range, made with high quality materials (as you'd hope from the price) and a whole host of cycling friendly features. It's also intended to be a bag you'd be just as happy wandering around town with, no matter how fashionable an individual, and not just a commuter backpack.

Made from super tough oiled canvas, the Wiggo also uses sturdy leather straps and reflective trim, as well as featuring a rugged coated canvas base to protect it and its contents when you set it down.

The adjustable rucksack straps are webbing, with broad oiled canvas pads that slide up and down for extra comfort. There's a zipped pocket inside, as well as a padded laptop sleeve big enough to accommodate a compact 14" laptop (although description claims 13" Macbook), while outside there's another zipped pocket at the front, hidden discreetly by a flap with leather strap fastening and reflective trim. The main body of the bag is a decent size too. There's also a waterproof cover supplied for when conditions get too soggy for the shower resistant canvas and the waterproof nylon lining.

Off the bike, this looks like a laid back, country-comes-to-the-city type of bag, but on the bike it's pretty capable too. Sitting securely and comfortably on the shoulders, it didn't slide about, even when worn over slippery technical fabrics. There isn't a chest or waist strap, but it sat still anyway, although the width of the bag mean it's slightly better suited to male frames than female ones, but only marginally.

A laptop fitted securely in the pocket, with what felt like reassuring levels of padding, and the leather grab handle at the top was useful for, well, grabbing the bag. Capacity was spot on for daytime office requirements and a change of clothes etc. It's not light, but it IS very tough.

At £160 this isn't a cheap bag, but it is an extremely high quality bag, with a British pedigree, that's as useful as a casual rucksack as it is a bike bag. It's the sort of bag you'd be happy to find nestled under the Christmas tree, or splurge on payday for, and it'll last you a very, very long time indeed.

Verdict

A rugged and good looking rucksack as useful off the bike as on, but genuinely handy for both.