Freitag has released the F141 BERYL, a cycling-specific crossbody bag that doubles up as a frame bag for your commute.
The Swiss company, founded in 1993, up-cycles truck tarp and seatbelts with this latest model said to be made from 82% reused material.
While it may not replace your bikepacking bags, the F141 BERYL features an extended opening flap that enables you to strap it to your crossbar for unrestricted riding.
There is also an added velcro strap for securing the bag to your downtube or seatube, should you wish to be more adventurous with your routes.
While on the fringes of the cycle industry, the brand was set up by two brothers, Daniel and Markus Freitag, looking for waterproof bags for cycle commuting.
Their first messenger bag was made using old truck tarps, discarded bicycle inner tubes and car safety belts.
The material used in Freitag's bags shows some signs of its previous life, with no two bags being the same, as each is uniquely cut from the truck tarp.
Freitag says that trucks are tough, and logically concludes that all its bags are just as tough.
On the outside of the bag, there is a wide water-repellent zip pocket that also doubles as storage for the strap when fitted to the bike.
The strap itself is adjustable and made from seatbelt material, and there’s a sliding piece of truck reflector so you can be seen when wearing the bag across your body.
Inside the flap, there’s a large cavity with a carrying capacity of 2.5L, which should swallow most of your daily or riding needs.
There’s also a discreet pocket on the inside to keep your valuables safe and separate from the main compartment.
The bag is part of the brand’s Easy Rider collection, which features handlebar and saddle bags that double up as bodybags. They are available in a variety of colour options, though as mentioned, all are individual and you're essentially selecting which tarp is used.
This F141 BERYL model is priced at £170 / $240 / €190, which goes to show there’s money in old tarp.
