Blackburn Wayside Collection Review

Blackburn has been around for a long time, always reinventing themselves and remaining relevant. Their drive to innovate and reinvent themselves has led to the Wayside Collection; A collection of bags aimed at versatility and style for the commuter, urban cyclist, or anyone who wants their bags to be as stylish as they are useful.

The collection of bags is made up of the Wayside Tool Roll, Wayside Backpack & Pannier and the Wayside HB Musette. The bags utilize a stylish waxed canvas material that is water resistant and easy on the eyes. They are lined with a smooth silky material featuring a topographical map print, giving them style inside and out. The musette and backpack offer the additional feature of becoming a handlebar bag or pannier respectively.

Wayside Tool Roll

The Blackburn Wayside Tool Roll is a classy and minimalist way to carry tools, tubes, and whatever else you might need in your emergency kit while out riding. In recent years the tool roll has been making a comeback compared to the more modern designed saddle bags. The Blackburn version features a zipper pocket for more valuable items such as keys or ID and mesh organizers for tools, tube, CO2 cartridge and whatever else you can fit. It's all held together by a leather toe strap wrapped around the outside allowing it to be mounted just about anywhere you have room. It is a classic design that is simple and effective. This makes a classy upgrade to your stock saddlebag and makes you look way cooler than your friends.

Wayside HB Musette

A musette is used in racing when a team needs to hand off food to their riders. It is typically a small sling bag just large enough to carry the necessities to get you through to the end of the race. The Wayside HB Musette holds true to its convenient roots but that's where the similarities stop. The HB stands for Handlebar, meaning this bag is also a handlebar bag. Use it as a small messenger bag to carry your tablet, book, keys, wallet, etc. into the coffee shop and strap it on as a handlebar bag for the ride home. The shoulder strap detaches from the side of the bag and tucks out of the way into a hidden pouch for use as a handlebar bag. When it’s time for use as a musette simply clip it back on. The size is great for small trips around town or to meet friends but the handlebar attachment isn’t suitable for a lot of weight or rough rides. The fold down flap and organizer pockets allow you to secure your valuables and not worry about them bouncing out. The top flap is simple and effective but you wouldn’t want to ride through a downpour with this bag.

Wayside Backpack and Panier

This is the largest bag of the collection and probably the most versatile. The Wayside Backpack and Pannier is at home on your bike rack or on your back. The shoulder straps clip off and tuck away into a secret pouch just as the Musette bag and then utilizes Velcro straps to secure onto your rack. The bag has two outside pockets with mesh organizers in each, two side mesh pockets for water bottles or thermos, and one main compartment that includes a padded laptop sleeve and roll down top.

Overall the bag is fairly comfortable on your back, the only downside was that the chest strap sits very high up on your chest, even after moving it down as far as it would go. The attachment to the rack is surprisingly secure for Velcro and easily held 3 large books without fear of it falling off. The smooth silky lining is great for the laptop sleeve and there is no fear of your laptop shifting around or becoming damaged by other things you may be carrying.

The roll top closure allows you to fill the bag to the brim and beyond or roll it up tight to keep out any moisture. The waxed canvas gives you some water resistance but the zippers are not taped and riding through a monsoon would not be wise.

Overall this line is very versatile and classy. These bags would dress up just about any bike. Use them for a quick ride to the local watering hole or for a daylong excursion. The possibilities are wide open with these bags.

Reviewer: Lead Tech - Steve Mehne

Steve was our first employee here at our shop in Milwaukee and is a member of our service and sales team. He has been an avid cyclist his entire life and took up an interest in mechanics in high school while working for a small locally owned bike shop. It wasn't until 2012 that he became a full time mechanic and has been turning wrenches ever since. His interests other than bikes include coffee, camping, and the occasional fermented beverage.