Hello, it’s Eri from the Circles Web Shop photography team! Last weekend, I took part in the OMM BIKE 2025 in Hakuba—an annual treat I look forward to—and returned to Nagoya completely sun-scorched, showing my age a little bit!
Participating in OMM BIKE, where you have mandatory gear to carry, is different from touring, and it’s not a time-attack race either. Wearing a backpack under that blazing sun isn’t the smartest move, so it was the perfect scenario for the king of Circles-style bicycle bags: OUTERSHELL.
OUTERSHELL bags might look simple, but they are packed with meticulous attention to detail and designed for true ease of use. Take the attachment straps, for instance. We’ve all dealt with straps that just slide through a loop, often slipping out while you’re trying to mount them, right? OUTERSHELL includes clever features to prevent them from slipping out of the loops, making installation a breeze. It’s those little touches that make a huge difference in usability.
So today, I’d like to take a look at four types of OUTERSHELL bags that I saw being used frequently at OMM, while verifying just how much they can actually hold.
Drawcord Handlebar Bag
I’d guess half the participants had one of these! It’s an essential bag for rides where you need frequent access to maps and gear.
Even with snacks (admittedly, I only had one banana, lol) and tools inside, there was still plenty of room. The system that uses a bungee cord hooked to the stem for opening and closing is truly revolutionary—the more you use it, the more you appreciate how good it is.
For a light one-day ride, this bag is all you need, provided you choose your gear carefully.
137 Basket Rack
When combined with an Obento Rack or a WALD basket, this is the kind of capacity you get from a front bag. On long rides with a camera, you’re constantly stopping to take shots and putting it back, so you really want that extra space. Add a camera insert, and you're set for anything.
With its perfect balance of stability, capacity, and functionality, this bag is the ideal companion for longer rides.
Half Frame Bag
I choose a frame bag when I want to carry small items I don’t need to reach often, or things with a bit of weight (keeping heavy items at the center of the bike makes it easier to control, right?).
However, my DOPPO is an XS size because I'm short, so the frame bag ends up being small too.
The S-size frame bag holds about this much. It’s perfect for narrow, thin, or pliable items. It’s also great for keeping items you want to keep dry and don’t need to access often.
When mounting on a frame with a small front triangle, getting your bottle in and out can be a bit tight, so I recommend using a 21oz bottle here! (The larger 21oz BIVO insulated bottle wouldn’t fit for me!)
For times like that, the KING CAGE Stainless Steel Side Loader comes in handy!
Stem Caddy
The OUTERSHELL classic, the Stem Caddy, is perfect for items you need to access constantly and want within reach—like bottles, snacks, maps, and camera lenses. It’s a masterpiece that makes you feel like you might never be able to ride without it once you’ve tried it.
They look deceptively small but hold so much! A 1.0L Nalgene bottle fits perfectly! Actually, it fits so snugly that I don't think you could fit much else in the side pockets.
The 26oz, 22oz, and BIVO 21oz bottles fit without any issues at all!
Among the experienced and fun-loving riders, the style of using two stem bags—one on each side—has become a standard.
The fact that wide handlebars are so well-supported by these "adventurous" riders likely stems from such practical reasons.
OUTERSHELL continues to create eco-friendly, long-lasting cycling gear with keen insight and sharp ideas. Kyle’s passion for constantly thinking of "the better way" and his flexibility in design continues to reach us here at Circles all the way from California, across the ocean.
We guarantee that OUTERSHELL will be a reliable companion for your adventures this summer!
