Can a riding pack be e-bike specific? Ben tests the EVOC FR Trail e-Ride pack to find out if there’s more to it than marketing.
With a price tag that matches the quantity of storage available, Ben looks to find out if there’s more to the EVOC FR Trail e-Ride pack than meets the eye.
Photos by Dave Price.
Key features:
- Liteshield integrated back protector.
- Spare battery compartment.
- Hydration bladder compatible.
- Loads of pockets.
- 20 litre storage
- £195.00 RRP
- Evocsports.com
Can a pack be E-Bike specific or is it just marketing hype? Ben has been buzzing about on various e-bikes this year and putting the new FR Trail E-Ride pack through its paces to find out.
EVOC are arguable the kings of protector backpacks. Featuring integrated back armour their packs give peace of mind whilst transporting spares and kit around the hills in comfort. The E-Ride pack does this whilst securely housing a spare E-Bike battery as well as about a million other features that make this an expensive but very functional pack for the long range e-biker.
The first thing you notice is that this is a big bag, in particular it is pretty long, giving your spine a lot of protection and coverage which is a good thing. Having said that it does feel bulky compared to the more minimal packs that I would normally ride with. I am just under 5’10” and found the pack pretty long. For people under about 5’8” I would suggest it may be too long to ride technical trails comfortably.
There are about a hundred different pockets, compartments and little features that mean you can be super-organised with your kit. If you are forgetful you can also temporarily lose things as you forget which pocket you put your phone or multi-tool. It is all finished to the highest standards and still looks brand new after several months of use.
Obviously a large pack like this is going to be hot and sweaty. It is just a fact of life, but on the plus side it is very adjustable, stable and comfortable on your back even with a battery on board and the normal spares and kit you might carry. The back protector is removable which makes the pack more compliant to your spine however I would not want to ride with a spare battery and no back-protector between it and my spine.
Long rides with a spare battery in the bag are as comfortable as you can get with the E-Ride. The potential range that 2 batteries give you is pretty staggering and opens up a lot of all day adventure options that would be out of reach pedalling or with only 1 battery. Over tech terrain the EVOC is glued to your back and never came up and hit the back of my helmet on steep stuff or jumps.
What do we think?
£195 is a load of money to spend on a pack, but it is a very good product and I can’t think of a better way to transport a spare e-bike battery on a long ride. With battery capacity increasing across a wide range of 2020 E-Bikes I don’t know for how long a pack like this will be relevant. For now it is well worth considering though and can of course be used for your non electric back country riding adventures as well.
We Love:
- Integrated back protector
- Secure and safe battery storage
Could Do Better
- £195…
- Length may not work with shorter riders.
