I always feel conflicted about stuff from companies like LS2, which this week announced it is expanding its offerings from helmets and riding clothing to include luggage. Specifically, its new Move Ahead soft bags range.
I mean, on one side, there are very real moral and global economic concerns when it comes to buying goods from China (Ask ChatGPT; these issues are extensive). But on the other hand, those goods are so CHEAP. And as I grow older, I find that my feelings on both sides of the issue grow more firm. It’s a quandary. I want to save democracy, the planet, and The Worker, but I also want to save money.
Things become particularly problematic when the good in question is, you know, good. For example, at the moment, I am testing the LS2 X-Master riding suit combo of jacket and pants. Full review coming down the line, but the TLDR version is that the suit is not perfect but good enough to be worthy of its asking price.
This is a guess, obviously (and it’s perhaps worth noting that LS2’s Rebellion helmet is currently subject to recall in the United States), but I am willing to bet that LS2’s new Move Ahead range hits that same bar of ‘Actually Pretty Good And Worth The Money.’
Claiming to be PFAS-free, the range is “built around high-tenacity 500D tarpaulin with robust PVC coatings inside and out,” according to LS2. Welded seams and roll-top closures make for bags that are designed to “deliver genuine waterproof performance… and stand up to long-term use.”
There are three different types of soft bag to choose from: panniers, a tail bag, and a roll bag.
The Move Ahead Panniers give you 20 liters of space on each side. The bags have internal zippered pockets to make organizing a little easier. LS2 says the bags are “ideal for naked and touring bikes” and that they are “designed for longer trips.”
Priced at £149.99, they undercut competitors like Kriega, Givi, and Oxford by a decent amount. Although, unlike some systems available from those three, the luggage here is secured not via pannier mounts but a “universal strap system.” My experience is that such systems tend to be fiddly and never work as they should.
Meanwhile, the Move Ahead Tail Bag offers 10 liters of storage capacity. It looks like a Kriega US10 bag. LS2 says that it can also be used as a tank bag, but the example picture that’s provided shows the securing buckles pressed right against the bike’s tank. The bag costs just £69.99, but you’ll pay a hell of a lot more to have the paint damage repaired. Probably best to just secure it to the rear seat, or a luggage rack if your bike’s got one.
Lastly, the three-liter Move Ahead Roll Bag looks like a good way to keep a tool roll dry. It retails for £19.99.
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