Gondola Dropper Post Saddlebag
Price range: $125.00 through $140.00
Gondola is a lightweight saddlebag with full dropper post compatibility. Please see the Fabric page for color and material descriptions. Upgrade to aluminum Austere cam buckles for exceptional stability and sag-free performance when riding your most technical trails (made to order fabric required, not able to be put on in-stock bags).
What makes the Gondola great:
- Maintains full range of your dropper travel
- Does not require additional clamps or brackets
- AXS compatible (wireless dropper post)
- Lightweight and stable to excel on singletrack
In-Stock Options (select in drop down menus). Other fabrics are made to order.
- Small, Ecopak EPX200 Black
- Large, Ecopak EPX200 Black
Gondola is the first-ever dropper post saddlebag designed and sold for bikepacking. Its strategic use of plastic support, four attachment points to your saddle, and contoured panels allows for a secure anchor without the use of a seat post strap. Leave your dropper on your bike and let the Gondola go up and down the mountain with you.
Design Advantage: A major design advantage that sets the Gondola apart is the rail tab located on the spine of the bag. This design eliminates the need to use metal brackets or straps positioned over the shaft of your dropper post and results in a lightweight bag giving you full range of your dropper travel. The rail tab pulls the spine upwards and creates sustained separation between the bag and dropper shaft. A second set of webbing is positioned higher up on the rail and pulls the body of the bag up against the seat, away from the rear tire. The spine is also re-inforced with a plastic stay for rigidity.
Tire Clearance: Check the clearance between the tire and the seat at its lowest position to ensure your rear tire won’t rub the bag. Please account for movement from the rear suspension and measure the clearance with the rear shock completely deflated.
!Warning! Please do not overstuff your gondola saddlebag as an overstuffed bag may get caught in the rear wheel during use. Please roll the opening of the bag at least 3 times to close and check the bag clearance with a deflated rear shock before using. We do not accept returns of damaged bags from insufficient tire clearance.
Additional information
| Weight | 0.7 lbs |
|---|---|
| Weight | Small 8.5oz (241g), Large 8.8oz (250g) |
| Volume | Small 4L, Large 5L |
| Required Tire Clearance | 4-5" for the small, 5-6" for the large |
| Fabric | Ultra 200 Storm Grey, Ultra 400 White Lightning, Ultra 400 Black Magic, Ultra 400 Navy, Ultra VX40 Silver, – -, Ecopak EPX200 Black, Ecopak EPX200 Deep Purple, Ecopak EPX200 Lemon Lime, Ecopak EPX200 Golden Daisy, Ecopak EPX200 Bright Blue, Ecopak EPX200 Ocean Blue, Ecopak EPX200 Lilac, Ecopak-20 Pink Flamingo, Ecopak EPX200 Fuchsia, Ecopak EPX200 Red Barn, Ecopak EPX200 Tropic Teal, Ecopak EPX200 Drab Green, Ecopak EPX200 Bright Orange, Ecopak EPX200 Snow White, Ecopak EPX200 Wolf Grey, Ecopak EPX200 Coyote Brown, Ecopak 450RS Revel Red, – -, RX-36 Black, RX-30 Alpen Glow, RX-30 Blue Bell, RX-30 Cayenne, RX-30 Evergreen, RX-30 Ocean Blue, – -, LiteSkin-21 Charcoal Black, LiteSkin-21 Heather Grey, LiteSkin-42 Charcoal Black, – -, VX21 Black, VX21 Sea Green, X50 Tactical Woodland Camo, X50 Tactical Khaki, X50 Tactical Black, X50 Tactical Ranger Green, X50 Olive, X50 Black MultiCam, X50 Tropic MultiCam, X50 Marigold, – -, Cranberry Bog (from welded line), Light Black (from welded line), – -, X10 Olive Cotton Duck, X10 Eclipse Grey Cotton Duck, X11 Moonstone Cotton Duck, X11 Blue Glacier Cotton Duck, X11 Black Cotton Duck, X11 Mountain Brown Cotton Duck |
Instructions
Warning! Do not overstuff your Gondola. An over stuffed bag may get caught in the rear wheel during use. Roll the opening of the bag at least 3 times to close and check the bag clearance with a deflated rear shock before using with the dropper post at its lowest position.
Please check the clearance between the tire and the seat at its lowest position with the rear shock completely deflated to ensure your rear tire won’t rub the bag.
The Small requires 4-5″ between the seat rails and the tire. The Large requires 5-6″ between the seat rails and the tire.
Video Setup
10 reviews for Gondola Dropper Post Saddlebag
What Packs Best in your Gondola?
Pack your bivy, tent, or tarp body combined with small snacks and a jacket.
Nick (verified owner) –
This little bag is amazing. I can fit my whole shelter (tarp, bivy, stakes, guylines) in the size small and I completely forget it’s there while riding technical singletrack – super stable! I primarily used a rack and dry bag before this so I could use my full dropper, but this bag has allowed me to ditch the weight of the rack. Excellent.
Alexandera Houchin –
I used my Gondola for the 2023 Colorado Trail race and was very satisfied with it’s performance. If I had any critiques, it would say it’s build “too sturdy” haha. It’s a very robust seat bag that feels like I could throw it off the top of Mount Lemmon and it would roll to the bottom unharmed. I ran it with an AXS dropper and it fit fine, getting the straps all dialed beneath the seat was a little bit of an exercise. But once the bag is on, it ain’t going anywhere. No tail wiggle like I’ve had on so many other seat bags. I’ve used soooo many brands of seat bags and this one is one of my favorites. I can utilize my entire dropper post while my seat bag is packed full. I ride a semi-custom bike frame so clearance isn’t an issue for me, but I could see it being one for a smaller person on a smaller bike (which is kinda the usual). I always line my seat bag with a plastic bag, so I can’t speak to how water affects the bag’s contents. I got my bag for use to try out during my race season, so I didn’t pay for it– but I would definitely buy for my partner or a friend who was looking for a bag. I toured their facilities back in April ’23 and their shop is baller. The staff is passionate about what they’re creating and the vibes are top notch. Rockgeist is a cool brand, doing meaningful work in Western North Carolina. I also drank a bunch of coffee this morning, and want to keep rambling about how much I like the Rockgeist team and recommend purchasing their products. But I will spare you. Buy this bag. Bug me with questions if you got um!
Lyle –
Nailed it again! I’ve loved my Foxglove for the gravel bike, so was very pleased when I realized I could get the Gondola for my mountain bike. I was able to store part of my sleep system and my puffy coat on my most recent bikepack on what was previously an untapped storage area for me.
Steven P (verified owner) –
Excellent bag. Figuring out how to mount a bag steady, while also maintaining full use of a dropper seems like a nightmare. Rockgeist nailed it though. I used the Gondola on my more aggressive hardtail for mostly singletrack trips and usually forgot it was there because it barely moved. I bought the small thinking it would sway less than the larger one, but after putting in a lot of miles with this thing I wouldn’t hesitate to get the bigger size. I loved my Gondola so much that I just ordered a Foxglove for my rigid post hardtail. Keep up the great work guys!
bhabel75 –
I bought the Large Gondola Saddle Bag to use on my Salsa Journeyman and Timberjack. I have a 120mm dropper on the Timberjack and even with it fully lowered the bottom of the bag and back tire don’t make contact with each other. When the straps are cinched up the bag does not sway or sag and stays put on even some of the roughest Pisgah has to offer. Will be getting the small Gondola next. Super stoked to be increasing my RockGeist gear collection. Top Notch gear!
Luke (verified owner) –
This a superb bit of kit. So, so simple but remarkably effective.
I bought my Gondola to match with a suspension post rather than a dropper and it works exactly as advertised. The strapping system holds the bag still, steady and away from the post allowing it to move without impediment.
As with all Rockgeist bags the workmanship is of the best quality. All the stitches and bar tacks are neat, tidy and tight. The buckles are locking and feel sturdy.
This is a small bag, and probably smaller than advertised. My size large Gondola will not hold the same amount of kit as other 5L capacity bags I own, but it will comfortably accommodate the recommended Sea to Summit 4L silnylon dry bag with the end rolled over 3 times.
I’m primarily planning to use the Gondola for ITT rides and summer overnighters so the diminutive size isn’t an issue as it encourages a strict TLS approach!
Thomas Bender (verified owner) –
Just amazing! Super well done, you can see the good quality since the first second. Have done some test rides so far and I can say you forget it’s there. Even full packed is very stable, doesn’t disturb while pedaling and there’s no movement at all. I could prove it’s waterproofness too and no problem.
Amazing value, well done guys!
wjdeeter (verified owner) –
I ordered a full set of custom bags for a Santa Cruz Hightower, including the Gondola Dropper. Each bag is incredibly well made and fits perfectly. The functionality of the material and design is incredible. Greg is very helpful in the selection process as well as “tweaking” the set-up. I did a lot of research before ordering. After receiving the bags, I cannot imagine a better custom set-up on the market. You will not be disappointed.
Matt (verified owner) –
This bag is well made, and works well on my dropper. The construction and materials seem good quality. I have used it on my old-school Gravity Dropper post as well as with my Fox Transfer post. Works as promised by allowing me to use the full dropper in both cases. I also appreciate the small pockets on the bottom of the bag that make grabbing cash or a key easy. My only complaint would be the size. It seems really tiny to me. My other seat back is a Revelate Designs Pika bag. The Gondola bag is itty-bitty compared to the Pika. The 5L capacity of the Gondola is just enough to stuff a few light winter layers in (which is what I wanted the bag for), but wouldn’t be a lot of help on a real bikepacking trip (IMHO) for much gear. I’m just used to the 6-12L capacity of my other bag. Admittedly, being surprised by the size was my fault for not knowing, as the site specifies the size. Overall – good bag!
jonathan hicks (verified owner) –
Used this in recent bike packing race and it was better than expected. I had tried a couple other seat bags that were supposed to be dropper compatible, but this bag actually let me use 98% of my dropper fully packed. Its super light weight and the connection system was flawless. Highly recommend if you are looking to get full use of that dropper and need a quality bag at a great price.