As a cyclist and a commuter one of the downsides of living in Manchester is the rain and to be fair I sometimes like the rain. But waking on a Monday morning at 7 am to get ready for my morning commute and I notice the rain pounding down all I want to do is go back to bed. This presents me with a unique challenge, how do I get to work on my bike without arriving soaked to the skin with a rucksack that is not water proof and has ruined my office attire for the day.
There is an answer to this problem and this is what has prompted my Ortlieb Velocity Review. The Ortlieb Velocity is a hard wearing and waterproof rucksack that was made for the cycle commuter in Manchester. The bag is made from waterproof material and at 20 litres it holds enough for my morning commute and it is waterproof enough to make sure everything is bone dry when I reach my destination. When conducting my Ortlieb Velocity review I looked at three areas.
Look
For those fashion concious commuters the look of the Ortlieb Velocity is good and stylish, it comes in a range of colours so it is easy to colour code with the rest of your attire. I decided to buy a bright yellow one so that I can be seen while cycling up Wilmslow Road and Oxford Road in Manchester. This has proven to be one of the most dangerous cycle commute routes in the country which is another story all together. She My Cycle Commute for more information on the near misses and things i observe on my twice daily commute in Manchester. Anyway back to the Ortlieb Velocity Review, it looks good and you wont look out of place.
Feel
My Ortlieb Velocity review has come up with one outcome, the waterproof rucksack feels good on my back and it does the job I bought it for. I get to work and my kit is protected from the elements! The padding on the back of the rucksack offers air vents to keep you cool and allow air to venilate your back. The only downside is the long straps that flap around in the wind!
Practicality
At 20 litres the Ortlieb Velicity has enough space in its single compartment to carry all of my kit for a day at the office, it also comes with a handy detachable pocket. This is enough to carry my valuables.
In all this is one of the best commuter rucksacks around, its waterproof, practical and will not let you down in the Manchester weather.
My Ortlieb Velocity review comes in at a 8.5 out of 10 in the must have kit for commuters! I have been using this rucksack for over a year and it is still going strong! I am very happy with it and would recommend it to anyone!
Ortlieb Velocity after 4 Years Use
The bag is still going strong! 100% water tight and it has been used every day on my cycle commute for 4 years! Putting that in to perspective, I cycle every 8 miles every working day throughout the year with maybe 1 day out of 100 where I may get the bus! The only slight issue is that the velcro is not as good as it was but this is expected! This is a quality bag and a must for any commuter!
Ortlieb Velocity 10 Year Review
I am now in a position to review my Ortlieb Velocity Rucksack after using it for over 10 years. This rucksack has been with me on every commute for over 10 years. That is at least 4 days a week for 10 years cycling from Didsbury to Manchester City Centre.
I have to say that in terms of value for money, the Ortlieb Velocity is amazing. It is still waterproof, it has no rips or damage and despite it being dirty it still works perfectly. It has stood the test of time and will continue to do so for many tears to come.
In my opinion, the Ortlieb Velocity is the best waterproof cycling rucksack that money can buy. Buy cheap and buy again! Not with an Ortlieb!