Handlebar bag for drop bars

gsk82

Does anyone have any recommendations for a handlebar bag for drop bars.

Ive just got a woho x touring and will be sending it back. It was just awful. Awkward to put on on very little space once the roll end straps were squeezed inside my 40cm bars.

I just want something with as much capacity as possible to shift some weight from the back when I'm touring on my Condor Fratello.

Cheers
Gary

poptart242

If it's just for assorted little bits, I really love the see.sense bag - you can usually find it on offer too. (My bike has 42cm bars).

I also have a really simple alpkit drybag for longer trips, but that's not really accessible during a ride. Rolls down. Perfectly to whatever size you need it to be though.

alexatkinson903

I have some tips about such bags, but the most important is not to put your bag under your frame. Because at the end of your road it'll be dirty.

asprilla

Pricey, but....

I've got an Ortlieb Handbar bag and the Accessory bag that goes with it. They are excellent. and my preferred way to commute these day. This morning I got my shirt, underwear, wallet and 10" tablet I use as a laptop in the accessory bag on my bars. Held on with velco straps and I've never had a problem.

If I want to carry more I use the handlebar bag and I can hook the accessory bag to the front of that if need be.

I really can't fault it. Obviously you get a bit restricted by bar width, but if I wanted to fit some flared bars that would solve that problem.

I've got a couple of Carradice bags as well (I have more bags and shoes than my wife) but they are fiddly to remove from your bike every day from the handlebars and if I use the quick release on the seatpost they hand to low and obscure my rear light.

gsk82

I decided that since the main problem i had with the woho was access, that I'd try a separate harness and bag. I ordered the zefal whatever it's called for £35. It looks like it'll be spot on. The bag removes in 2 seconds and it seems pretty stable when i shake my bike. Hopefully my problem is solved.

Thanks four your suggestions

step83

poptart242 said:

If it's just for assorted little bits, I really love the see.sense bag - you can usually find it on offer too. (My bike has 42cm bars).

I also have a really simple alpkit drybag for longer trips, but that's not really accessible during a ride. Rolls down. Perfectly to whatever size you need it to be though.

Same bag (the see.sense one), can stuff quite a lot in. Changed the cord on mine to orange elastic to match the frame. Sold bag though wipes clean easy an nothing insides gotten wet.

Charlie_Croker

gsk82 said:

I decided that since the main problem i had with the woho was access, that I'd try a separate harness and bag. I ordered the zefal whatever it's called for £35. It looks like it'll be spot on. The bag removes in 2 seconds and it seems pretty stable when i shake my bike. Hopefully my problem is solved.

None of these handlebar bags are ideal IMHO and I use one (sometimes). Most people have a few cables just below the bars and these bags interfere with the cable routing, giving them sharper curves than they would otherwise need. Plus if you have them pulled tight (to the bars), which you really must do in case you need to turn sharply or quickly, then there’s no room for your hands on that part of the bar. Unless you fit fiddly spacers to hold the bag away. Then you’re limited by the width, even on with flat bars it can be a problem. They all want to hang under the bars, never as shown in the adverts, out front. Perhaps a couple of smaller bags, either side of the forks might be acceptable. Still if you’re happy with one I suppose thats alright.
I think you still can’t beat a ‘proper’ saddlebag, if only saddles still had the saddlebag attaching points

Curiosity of Merlin Cycles ad – no room for brakes/gear levers, but why should practicalities get in the way of a sale

chris_phillips

gsk82 said:

Does anyone have any recommendations for a handlebar bag for drop bars.

Ive just got a woho x touring and will be sending it back. It was just awful. Awkward to put on on very little space once the roll end straps were squeezed inside my 40cm bars.

I just want something with as much capacity as possible to shift some weight from the back when I'm touring on my Condor Fratello.

Cheers
Gary

Check out Restrap in yorkshire a family orientated business.

jameses

I used one that looked almost identical to the Zefal bag above, really didn't get on with it. The harness had no rigidity so the bag didn't feel particularly secure or stable and it sat right up against tops, so there was no room to hold on to the tops.

I changed it out for a Topeak Frontloader, which has a similar harness and dry bag design, but is much, much better. Foam spacers keep it away from the tops and a more robust harness and strap design (admittedly a bit fiddly to attach) keeps it perfectly stable, even over rough roads. I use 42cm non-flared bars, and although I can't fill it to capacity, I can still fit a decent amount in without it coming too close to the shifters/drops

elbowloh

I have a large saddle bag, but when I wanted more capacity for a trip round Brittany I just got a regular dry bag and used bungee cords to strap it on the bars. Worked fine.

gsk82

It's strange to see one of my old threads re-emerge.

I used the zefal a few times over the summer and was really happy with it. It's basic, but it fit my tent in and allowed me to move that 2kg off the back to the front which was the main purpose of it. I tried the restrap before the zefal and wasn't impressed with it on a road bike. A mate who borrowed it has just bought himself one along with their big saddle bag.

paul_smith_srcc

I have used Carradice Super C bags since I was a teenager, for the last 20 years I have had their Super C Bar Bag , the Super C range are extremely durable, the only thing I have had to replace is the Rixen Kaul clamps

I find it really handy on tours and holidays for valuables at cafe stops etc as it's quick release so I take it in with me, leaving my Carradice Super C rack bag (still made) on the bike. For long days out it's also the perfect place to store a powerbank for my old Garmin 810. The USB lead reaches perfectly.

In some ways the bag has helped me keep that old Gamin still going, as over time the battery life as expected has dimished; I will still comfortably get about 7 hours following a course with tbt directions on the map screen but occasionally that is not long enough. Last summer I rode an 8 hour day using tbt on the map screen, mid way around the course I was down to 50% battery so I knew I would be pushing my luck just using the 810's battery reserve so I plugged in the Power Bank. When I got home it had charged back up to 100%, the Powerbank (a Goji G10PBWP17) itself has battery indicator with four LEDs so you know how much charge it has left; it had all four still lit.