I’m basically an indoor person. On my days off, rather than going for long rides, I’m usually at home reading books or watching movies, or if I do head out on my bike, it’s just to go to the local greengrocer or browse secondhand bookstores. Of course, I love climbing mountain passes or descending trails on my MTB, but I spend more time riding between city buildings than between trees in nature.
I’d like to introduce a bikepacking tool that fits my riding style—one where I occasionally go on long rides, but mostly use my bike for getting around town.
It gets a little technical, so it’s a bit of a long read, but I hope you’ll stick with me.
I never want to wear a backpack again!!
【OUTER SHELL ADVENTURE】
Pico Pannier
MATERIAL：Main Fabric, X-Pac or PU coated Cordura Nylon / Liner, Full X-Pac (Weatherproof all around)
SIZE：W,23cm x H,19~43cm x D,8cm
WEIGHT：1kg
PRICE：¥41,800- (tax included)
Handmade in California
Base plate and mounting bolts included; sold as a pair.
Every year, once it starts getting hot, I begin to worry about the "sweaty back" problem. While backpacks are stable and comfortable for cycling, my back is always drenched in sweat when I take them off. I end up getting chilled by the air conditioning, and honestly, I’d rather just give my backpack a break until autumn…
If I’m going to carry cargo somewhere other than my back—between racks, baskets, panniers, frame bags, etc.—I’ve chosen a slightly unique pannier: the OUTER SHELL ADVENTURE Pico Pannier.
Let’s head to town, let’s buy flowers.
For a while now, there’s been something I’ve wanted to try using these Pico Panniers for. It’s going to buy flowers by bike.
I love houseplants; I grow potted plants at home and occasionally buy cut flowers to decorate the room. Whether it's putting a single stem in an empty bottle or arranging a bouquet in a glass I don't use often, it's fun how it changes the scenery of the room. As Koji Miyamoto sings, I highly recommend flowers.
A pannier that can carry a bouquet
Whether I’m shopping, eating out, hitting the bookstore, or going to the movies, I almost always use my bike. But for some reason, I’ve always walked to the florist. The truth is, bouquets are really hard to carry on a bike. A backpack crushes the flowers, and racks or baskets that aren't tall enough can’t carry them securely. Lacking any other options, I’d park my bike and have no choice but to "take a walk" to the flower shop on foot.
This is the problem the Pico Pannier solved. It’s a minimalist roll-top pannier. Roll-top bags in general are perfect for adjusting to the size of your load or for opening up completely to carry long items. I realized, this might be perfect for bouquets! So, I geared up and headed to town.
Taking advantage of the roll-top’s ability to carry long items, I picked up a bottle of wine in addition to the flowers. The Pico Pannier’s roll-top can extend up to 43cm, so a tall wine bottle fits right in. For the flowers, I just left the top open and tucked them inside.
Because it’s deep, the flowers stay perfectly stable. The wine bottle has some weight to it, but by carrying it low on the bike, the center of gravity stays down, so there’s no wobbling when riding over bumps in the city. If anything, the low center of gravity made the ride feel even better.
Oh, and my back was nice and comfortable, too. Although it was a hot day, so I definitely still worked up a sweat.
Outside the main compartment, there is a pocket with a flap and gusset for keys, wallets, and other small items. If you’re touring or camping, it’s great for storing portable tools or snacks. I love that the pocket uses a buckle closure, making it easy to access your gear.
Let’s install the Pico Pannier!
If you’ve used panniers before, you might have noticed something a bit different. So, how exactly does this bag mount to the bike?
Here’s the answer.
I introduced it as “a bit unique” at the beginning, and the reason lies in how it’s mounted.
Standard panniers require a front or rear rack or a bag supporter. The Pico Pannier, however, mounts directly using the two- or three-bolt mounting points found on many modern gravel and touring bikes, so no rack is required.
It can be attached to either two- or three-bolt patterns, but the three-bolt pattern definitely offers more stability.
Once the base plate is installed, simply slide it into the slit on the back of the bag, secure the Velcro, and you’re good to go. There’s no need for major modifications like angle adjustments or cutting stays, so if you have a hex key, you can install it at home!
Excalibur, also known as Boss Bars
【OUTER SHELL ADVENTURE】
Boss Bars
MATERIAL：Aluminum
PRICE：¥8,800- (tax included)
Stainless steel bar clamps included; sold as a 2-piece set.
If you have a fork without mounting bosses, you can use these Boss Bars with the included clamps to instantly create a three-bolt mount! It’s basically a holy sword imbued with the magic to make the Pico Pannier attachable to any bike!
You can see the process from installation to the ride in the video below. *Be careful, as it might make you really want to go for a ride.
Even with a suspension fork that isn't designed to carry a rack, you can carry cargo by combining Boss Bars with the Pico Pannier.
Depending on the position of the braze-ons and the shape of the fork, you might need a little ingenuity to get them mounted. There are other ways to do it besides Boss Bars, so please feel free to ask our staff!
Packing tools that blend into everyday life
In line with the recent boom in bikepacking and gravel touring, the variety of tools and ideas for loading up your bike has expanded significantly. To the point where it’s actually hard to choose! But that "ability to choose" is part of what makes it fun—the time spent at the shop agonizing over types and colors, or the time the night before a ride spent laying out all your gear and figuring out how to pack it, is all part of the joy.
And if you combine multiple packing tools, it’s not hard to switch between daily use and holiday use on the same bike. Why not get a packing tool that fits not just your rides, but your everyday life?
Maybe on my next day off, I’ll pack a stove and a coffee kit and go for a picnic ride.
