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Mundo Music Gear’s AirPannier is designed to be a safe method for carrying guitars and other musical instruments on a bike. This is the sort of task that even the products in our best bicycle panniers and racks guide might struggle with.
> Buy now: Mundo AirPannier for £38.50 from Mundo Music Gear
I use my bike to carry an electric bass. Before reviewing the AirPannier, I carried it in a normal pannier and used a bungee to tie it to the rack to stop it toppling over. While this worked to a degree, it was a far from optimal solution.
The AirPannier carries the instrument in a similar way, but moves the centre of gravity lower, which improves bike handling.
The ‘Air’ bit in the name might refer to the fact that it is much lighter than a regular pannier; it consists of mesh sections, straps, buckles and a couple of carabiniers.
But describing it like that does the AirPannier a bit of a disservice – it’s obvious from watching the product and fitting guide videos that Paul and Joe at Mundo Music Gear have really thought about the best way to carry outsize stuff on a bike.
The AirPannier is not just for guitars either – people have used their AirPanniers for carrying congas, a cello and even a surfboard.
The AirPannier’s big advantage – the adjustability that allows it to fit most bikes and carry objects of different shapes – is also what makes it a bit of a fiddle in use. While the fitting guide videos are handy, the AirPannier needs a fair bit of trial and error to get it just right. When I put the bass in the pannier the first time, there was clearly not enough heel clearance.
Even after adjusting, and some additional tips from the friendly and responsive Mundo Music Gear via email, I struggled to get the bass to sit far enough back to give me enough heel clearance.
Some of this is probably down to the bike I’m using – a Kinesis Pro 6 cyclocross frame with relatively short chainstays; a proper touring bike would give you more clearance. The accompanying rear rack – a Tortec Tour Ultralite – probably didn’t help either.
Swapping this for a Topeak Explorer rack created more clearance and helped considerably.
Once I’d finally sorted out fitting the AirPannier, I found it the best method I’ve come across to transport my bass on a bike. It’s much more stable than using a traditional pannier, and the flexibility in the straps means the AirPannier absorbs shocks and road bumps rather than transferring them to the instrument.
Value and rivals
There are lots of easy ways to carry stuff on your bike but I’m not aware of other products specifically designed for carrying instruments, so can’t really compare price, but I do think £38.50 is very reasonable. It’s much cheaper than the Carradice Super C pannier I was using, and it’s a price I’d gladly pay not to have the carry the thing on my back on a bike.
Verdict
A great way to carry a musical instrument on a bike, but can be a fiddle to set up just right
If you’re thinking of buying this product using a cashback deal why not use the road.cc Top Cashback page and get some top cashback while helping to support your favourite independent cycling website
Make and model: Mundo AirPannier
Tell us what the product is for and who it’s aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?
Mundo Music Gear says: “We loved designing our AirPannier, an ergonomic and safe way to carry musical instruments on bicycles. We were dead chuffed to discover it could carry just about anything else too. It’s tough, tested to a massive 140kg, affordable, easy to use and incredibly light. Amazingly, it’ll even fit in your jacket pocket.
“AirPannier: carry what you like on your bike.”
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
This is what Mundo Music Gear says:
Weight: 226g/8oz – 1/4 the weight of an average pannier
A compact pannier – fits in your pocket
Tested to an impressive 140kg
Quick and easy to use
Fully adjustable for safe and optimum riding position
Fits both sides of bicycle
No modification needed to bicycle or carried item
Rugged weather-proof design
Assembled at home by Paul and Joe
Rate the product for quality of construction:
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
8/10
Rate the product for durability:
8/10
Rate the product for weight (if applicable)
9/10
Much lighter than a pannier
Rate the product for value:
5/10
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
It carries big/awkward items better than any other method I’ve tried.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
It’s allowed me to carry an electric bass on my bike securely and without damaging the instrument.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
It requires a bit of fiddling and experimentation to set it up just so.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
I’m not aware of anything on the market that does the same thing.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? Definitely
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes
Use this box to explain your overall score
Mundo Music Gear’s AirPannier is the best way I’ve come across to carry a guitar on a bike. It caters for a wide range of bikes and objects, which makes it a bit of a fiddle to set up just so. I have no qualms about trusting my instrument will survive bike journeys – combined with a decent padded bag or hardcase. I think it’s a very good product indeed.
Age: 44
I usually ride: All of them! My best bike is: Ribble Endurance SL disc
I’ve been riding for: Over 20 years I ride: Most days I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: cyclo cross, commuting, touring, club rides, mtb, Zwift
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