Moots Tailgator
By James Sharp

In every industry, there are manufacturers that are set apart. Their attention to detail are one step above the rest, they are innovators, they take the customer seriously and, usually, they are expensive. In the cycling world, this step is usually occupied by the small builder, working in steel or Ti. They are true craftsmen -- people that take pride in their work, their art. Moots is one such company. Moots works in Titanium and their bikes are true works of understated art. They were among the first, if not the first company out there with a soft-tail frame -- the venerable YBB. On my first visit to Interbike, 4 years ago, we met with Moots and were walked through their lineup. I was in heaven. Near the end of our little tour, we were shown the components that Moots also makes. The usual suspects were there -- stems, handlebars, seatposts -- all in Ti. They also had a little seatpost rack and bag system called the Tailgator. It too was Titanium -- the rack, not the bag -- and was very clean in design and appearance. Fast forward 4 years... I've been riding longer and longer, I'm not one for seatbags and I don't like using a hydration pack on the road. I was looking at seatpost racks, when I recalled seeing Tailgator. One quick email later, and it was winging it's way to my bike.

The 150g Tailgator rack consists of a single loop of Titanium attached to the clamp. There is no shelf so you won't be laying a jacket there. It's really designed as a support for the bags and as such does the job with a minimum of weight or headache. The clamp is a single bolt type that relies on shims to fit various seatpost sizes. The seatpost does have to be removed from the frame in order to slide the rack on, but in practice I didn't find this to be a nuisance. The bags -- there are two of them, one on top and one below -- are made for this rack, and this rack alone. The bags feature loops on the bottom of the upper bag, and on the top of the lower bag. The bags slide onto the rack from the rear and are then secured in the front by hook and loop straps. The bottom of both bags are made of Hyplon -- a sort of rubberized material -- for durability and water resistance.

Combined the bags have 400 cubic inches (6.55L) of storage. The bottom bag is one big pocket, while the upper is divided into a main zippered pocket and an expandable pocket on top that is closed via a drawcord. The zippered pocket has a small internal pocket for cash, keys or other small item and two elastic loops for a mini-pump, CO2 inflator, or the like. The expandable pocket is cylindrical in shape and is compressed via an elastic cord and two flaps over the top. Both the upper and lower bags have reflective piping; neither have a loop for tail light attachment, something I'd like to see added.

With only 400 cubic inches of storage and a weight limit of 5 lbs (2.26 kg) you won't be using the Tailgator for cross-country trips. It does work fantastic on things like self supported centuries, all day mountain bike rides -- actually all day rides of any type where you might want extra food, rain jacket, wind vest, etc. but would rather not use a backpack. With some careful planning, I used the Tailgator for commuting, but had to leave food, shoes and a pair of pants at work -- its a good thing I work in a casual environment. On medium length rides over varied terrain, I'd use just the upper pack and carry a pump, CO2 inflator, two tubes, patch kit, money and keys in the zippered pocket and use the expandable pocket for food. If I needed a rain jacket, I'd add the lower pack and stuff my jacket in there.

Summary: If you are looking for a large seat pack, something that will look good, hold enough for an all day ride, and has that Moots quality, look no further. Though made for each other, the rack and bag are sold separately. The rack costs $89 and the bags are an additional $50.

James Sharp is a contributing editor for GearReview.com; more of his ramblings and a look at upcoming reviews can be found at his blog -- Lactic Acid Threshold.

For more information, contact:
Moots Cycles
2545 Copper Ridge Dr.
Steamboat Springs, CO 80487
Phone: 970-879-1676
E-mail: info@moots.com
www.moots.com