Silca Premio Seat Roll Review
Ask any serious road cyclists, which is the most excellent looking saddle bag around, and half the time, you’ll get a similar answer.
Silca Premio Seat Roll.
If you’ve seen one in real life, you’ll quickly appreciate how beautiful this saddle bag is and why it’s so popular. We’ll review the Silca Premio Seat Roll on this page, and by the end of it, you’ll want one for yourself too.
First, let’s begin with who Silca really is?
A Century Old Company in the Bike Industry
You might have heard of Silca, and most times, they’re associated with high-quality bike pumps. In fact, they are.
Silca is the oldest company in the bike industry and was founded way back in 1917 by Felice Sacchi just outside of Milan, Italy. Silca has been producing the finest quality. High-pressure bike pumps since the 1960s. You’d be surprised that many of those pumps are still in use today.
That says a lot about the quality of their products.
Fast forward to the 2000s. It was sold to Joshua Poertner, who spent 14 years at Zipp as a Technical Director. Today, Joshua is the main person behind Silca. You’ll see him everywhere from Youtube channels to tradeshows, continuing to build the legacy of Silca with more excellent products for cyclists.
One of them is the Silca Premio Seat Roll.
Pros
- Made from high-quality materials
- Secure and rattle-free attachment
- Ample storage compartments
Cons
- Premium price tag
Not Your Typical Saddle Bag
At one glance on the Silca Premio Seat Roll, you’ll see the attention to details that go into it.
Silca took into consideration the major pain points of a typical saddlebag and improved it with innovative features. It’s nothing like the saddlebag that you and I know.
It’s designed as a compartmentalized tool roll with 3 storage pockets.
To fully appreciate the uniqueness, 2 features stood out.
- Waved Canvas. It’s made of highly water-resistant waxed canvas, which will keep the saddlebag contents dry unless you’re riding in a hefty downpour.
- BOA Dials. Silca claims that they’re the first to use a BOA dial in a saddlebag. The single BOA dial replaces the traditional velcro straps and allows you to make minute adjustments for a very secure attachment to the saddle.
3 Pockets for Storage
With the 3 pockets, there is enough room for a spare 700c tube (up to 45mm size), a pair of tire levers, a multi-tool, and a CO2 canister. If you’re planning to carry 2 spare tubes, you might want to consider its larger sibling, the Silca Grande Americano.
Unlike many other saddlebags where you chuck everything into, the Silca Premio Seat Roll does need a bit of practice when folding it up for the first few times. You’ll need to find the ideal position for all your items, or otherwise, you’ll end up folding it oddly.
This is what works best in my experience.
- Place the spare tube in the middle compartment.
- Place the CO2 canister and multi-tool in each of the side compartments.
- Leave around a 10mm gap at the edges of the side pockets so that they don’t get in the way when being folded.
It’s a bit of a trial and error in the beginning, but you’ll love it once you get it right.
A Very Secure Saddle Attachment
The Silca Premio Seat Roll is attached to the saddle via a cord that loops around the saddle rail, just like how a saddle bag with a velcro strap does.
But that’s where the similarities end.
Firstly, there is a Rail Guard that helps protect the saddle rails (especially carbon ones) so that the cord doesn’t cut into it over time as you tighten. Having said that, you’ll need to ensure that the Rail Guard sits correctly when you attach the saddlebag.
Secondly, the single BOA dial allows for a very secure attachment. You can tighten as much as you want until you feel that it’s sitting securely under the saddle.
Removing the Silca Premio Seat Roll is even easier. Just pull the BOA dial-up and all tensions will be released.
Silca Seat Roll Premio
Overall
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Construction and Materials Quality
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Design
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Storage Compartment Space
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Durability
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Weight
Buy this If...
You appreciate a beautifully designed, high quality saddle bag and don’t mind paying a premium for it.
Pricing and Where to Buy
The MSRP (Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price) of the Silca Premio Seat Roll is $49 (USD). It costs a premium compared to most saddlebags. Bear in mind that you’re paying for high quality, beautifully crafted saddle bag that will last you a long time.
And in my opinion, it’s totally worth it.
The Silca Premio Seat Roll is available at :
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