Castelli Undersaddle Mini

Castelli's Undersaddle Mini is a sleek saddle bag that's big enough to hold the essentials. The water-resistant material is strong and shuts out water very effectively. I found it to be secure and easy to access when needed.

• Pros: Small, secure, holds the essentials
• Cons: No fixing for your pump

The Undersaddle Mini has proven to be perfect for my riding needs. It lives on my road bike and on the rare occasion that I need something from inside, I can get at it easily, making roadside repairs that bit quicker.

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I don't tend to carry much on the bike – a couple of tubes, a CO2 canister, tyre boot, quick link and multi-tool with chain tool will get me out of most mechanicals. Anything worse than that and I'll be seeking refuge in the nearest cafe and ringing for a lift! The Undersaddle Mini is easy to pack with these items and I even had space for a rag to wipe oily hands. If you wrap the inner tubes tightly you can also get a tyre lever in there, though this isn't required for my clincher tyres.

The inside is a simple single space with a small mesh pocket for your multi-tool. This is the only thing I'd change about the design. The Allen keys snag on the mesh material, making it fiddly to get out. A minor gripe which I solved by putting the mini-tool in a small plastic bag.

Outside, the bag is 'water resistant' though I've soaked it with the hosepipe during washing and there's no sign of any water getting through. The zip has also been made water resistant. This doesn't affect its smoothness. It's still really easy to open up and get at your stuff, though you do have to remove it from the bike. Personally, I don't see that as an issue.

When on the bike, I really like the way that this looks. There are no straps flapping around and it's held securely to the saddle rails with no movement. The subtle branding and small silhouette mean it's barely noticeable. Add to this good stitching and I can't see this needing to be replaced for many years.

Thigh rub is something that can cause a lot of pain but, try as I might, I couldn't make contact with the Undersaddle Mini. The strap is easy to trim if you need to take a bit of length off. This should keep it from catching your shorts if you've got wider thighs. The zip sits in its own 'cave' to keep it out of harm's way.

One feature that I wish had been carried over from the XL version is the external pump sleeve. Putting my pump in a jersey pocket isn't the worst, but it's harder to forget if it remains strapped to the bike.

In terms of value, you're paying quite a bit more for this than the very good Fabric Contain Small saddle bag at £21.99, but nowhere near the eye-wateringly expensive Silca Seat Roll Premio at £48. I reckon it's a price worth paying: you're getting a very well made, stylish and compact saddle bag that sits very securely on the rails and holds a lot for its small silhouette. I'd call that very good value. That said, for a fiver extra you can have the XL version with the pump holder.

> Beginner's guide to carrying stuff on your bike 

Overall, this is a fabulous saddle bag that sits quietly under the saddle without movement and allows easy access to spares when needed. It's well made, looks great and I can see it lasting a fair few years between my summer and winter bikes.

Verdict

Small, neat and well made – a great saddle bag