Osprey Radial II Cycling Backpack

Product Information

The large compartment of the Radial is larger than the Metron even when it’s not expanded, and when you open the expansion zipper, the size nearly doubles. If you’re a commuter, it can fit an entire week’s worth of t-shirts and pants, or you can fit a lot of groceries on your way home.

When it comes to value, however, you always get what you pay for. You need to search high and low to find anything that is tailor-made specifically for bike commuters as the Radial, and made with so much craftsmanship and care to detail. Osprey is well-known for making excellent quality bags, and the Radial and the Metron are no different. The Radial is made using a tough yet lightweight 210D nylon. This fabric weighs only a fraction of what traditional canvas bags used to, but offers similar abrasion resistance and durability. A durable water repellent coating adds further weather resistance. When you take the bag in your hands, every detail screams quality, and you know the premium price you paid for the product reflects premium quality. Comfortable and fully adjustable shoulder straps as well as sternum and waist straps for extra comfortWe’ve reviewed other bags from Osprey, such as the METRON and the Tropos, and these two really have the most striking resemblance to the Radial—so much so that we even made a comparison video about it. They’re not the most minimalistic designs out there—far from it, actually. The Radial fully embraces all of the frills that come with its feature-rich design. With lines and curves that run across the bag’s body, it’s not minimalist, but it’s still a clean design in our eyes. Osprey Radial | The logo is front and center for everyone to see. Lastly, the frame sheet is accessible through a zippered opening above the laptop sleeve, just in case it needs replacing. We think this is a nice bonus for those who like to tinker with their bags and who might want to do a bit of DIY-ing. For the most part, though, you probably won’t have to replace it anytime soon as ours has barely exhibited any permanent damage due to bending. Osprey Radial | The combo of a big false bottom and loop and hook tab keep your devices secure. The Osprey Radial can handle it. With organization, an expandable main compartment, great ventilation, a built-in rain cover, water-resistant zippers, zipper garages, and many other thoughtful features, this bag ensures that it is flexible, and most importantly, that it remains comfortable and out of the way the entire time. Just what you need.

An e-cargo bike, such as this RadWagon by Rad Power Bikes, might just be the ultimate in load-carrying bikes, but is possibly overkill if you just want to carry your laptop to work. Simon Bromley / Immediate Media Dirty bag: This is sort of standard fare for a bag that is going to be used to bring along extra clothes or shoes. It did the job. Note, if you wear boots and have big feet, you might struggle for room in this pouch. Other than that, not a lot to say. It is necessary, it serves its purpose, and it had no oddities to it. Here’s the conclusion I arrived at after having used it for several weeks commuting in 100 degrees Fahrenheit (nearly 40 degrees Celsius).

The Radial is probably the most versatile bag... ever! It can be used for your daily commute, walking, biking, travelling, the list goes on. You can even extend it from 26 litres to 34 litres in the blink of an eye. It's got more features than you can count on both hands, making it a brilliant all-rounder for those who want one bag to do it all. Is it the latest and greatest engineered fabric? No. But that’s the point, it doesn’t NEED to be that. It may sound cool, it may work great, but it isn’t necessary. Yes, this bag is flexible. It can adapt to MANY needs and manages to make most of those adjustments while staying out of the way. But it’s still committed to its core purpose and that core purpose limits its flexibility in a very specific way. This is NOT a bag that you should use to load up 60 lbs and hike with. It is not designed for physical abuse. It shouldn’t go into a boardroom with you. For those of you who are looking for the one-bag wonder that can do anything, this isn’t it. My biggest question before I tried the Radial was whether the Airspeed feature would be so good that I’d be willing to ditch my pannier for commuting. Combined with the rigid frame sheet, it allows the Radial to stand upright, even when it’s empty. It’s one of those features that hide behind the scenes, but we’re oh-so-happy to have. We can pretty much set the Radial to one side without having to worry that it might tip over or that we have to lean it against a wall or table leg. Standing bags are underrated in our books. Osprey Radial | Soft white liner fabric prevents scratches on your favorite pair of sunglasses.