{"id":1920687,"date":"2026-05-06T10:11:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-06T07:11:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1920687"},"modified":"2026-05-06T10:11:00","modified_gmt":"2026-05-06T07:11:00","slug":"old-man-mountain-manzanita-cradle-and-11l-side-load-bag-review-tested-on-moabs-toughest-bikepacking-loop","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1920687","title":{"rendered":"Old Man Mountain Manzanita Cradle and 11L Side Load Bag review: Tested on Moab\u2019s toughest bikepacking loop"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Note: after additional testing, I moved the buckles for the Titan straps down below the bag.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It\u2019s all too common for brands, as they grow, to broaden their scope and sell a wider and wider range of products. But in \u201cthe wake of a pandemic-fueled boom and bust cycle, [\u2026] brands need to focus on their core competencies,\u201d writes Old Man Mountain.<\/p>\n

Salsa realized that their core competency is building bikes, not bags and accessories. So instead of working to create a new version of their renowned Anything Cradle, Salsa partnered with Old Man Mountain (OMM) to iterate on the design and produce a new version of the cradle. The newly-launched handlebar cradle is now branded as the \u201cManzanita Cradle,\u201d and it\u2019s offered with one of two bags purpose-built for the cradle.<\/p>\n

During a three-day ride through brutal terrain on the Peaks and Plateaus Loop in Moab, UT, I tested the Manzanita Cradle paired with the Manzanita 11L Side Load Bag.<\/p>\n

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Old Man Mountain Manzanita Cradle key specs<\/h3>\n