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Someone explain to me these handlebar bags that I keep seeing

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Someone explain to me these handlebar bags that I keep seeing

Old 09-21-20, 02:52 PM
  #126  
kimconyc
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Originally Posted by jay4usc
maybe they are storing an extra set of casual clothes used for work?
Woosh
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Old 09-21-20, 02:52 PM
  #127  
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Originally Posted by Jeff Neese
That bike would handle much better if that weight were evenly distributed, and without the handlebar bag. Nobody who has done any significant amount of bicycle touring, me included, would suggest setting up your load that way. I'm not sure it's even safe. Can you imagine needing to do a full-on panic stop, especially on a downhill? Weight distribution is everything when it comes to loading a bike.
Give it a try. You may be as surprised as I was.
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Old 09-21-20, 03:00 PM
  #128  
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Old 09-21-20, 03:38 PM
  #129  
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Originally Posted by GlennR
They keep their business suit and shoes in it for work.

To sort of hijack this, I see many casual cyclists on the MUP with with a rear rack and a rather large bag on the back. I wonder how much stuff they have in there. It's too big just for your lunch and water. These people are just riding the path.
I have a rack on the back of my bike (Independent Fabrication). When I commute, I have one or two panniers, depending...I carry a complete change of clothing (thank goodness I DON'T have to wear a suit where I teach...various folders and notebooks and such, and sometimes a lap top computer. The rest of the time, I generally have a rack trunk on the back. This makes me a totally uncool cylist, but I DON'T care. In there: wallet, cell phone, glasses (I wear prescription sunglasses, but I dont' want to go anywhere without my regular glasses just in case), tools a couple of tubes, co2 and a small pump, the removeable sleeves from my cycling jacket, and various other stuff. Makes the bike a little heavier, probably makes me a little slower, but: I DON'T care. I'm already slow. I spend a lot of hours on my bike. It does my body AND sould good and I love it. That's all that really counts.

Last edited by dkatz1; 09-21-20 at 07:07 PM.
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Old 09-21-20, 04:14 PM
  #130  
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Originally Posted by dkatz1
I have a rack on the back of my bike (Independent Fabrication). When I commute, I have one or two panniers, depending...I carry a complete change of clothing (thank goodness I DON'T have to wear a suit where I teach...various folders and notebooks and such, and sometimes a lap top computer. The rest of the time, I generally have a rack trunk on the back. This makes me a totally uncool cylist, but I DON'T care. In there: wallet, cell phone, glasses (I wear prescription sunglasses, but I dont' want to go anywhere without my regular glasses just in case), tools a couple of tubes, co2 and a small pump, the removeable sleeves from my cycling jacket, and various other stuff. Makes the bike a little heavier, probably makes me a little slower, but: I DON'T care. I'm already slow. I spend a lot of hours on my bike. It does my body AND sould good and I love it. That's all that really counts.
It makes you a commuter.

My son used to live on the west side of the Bronx and student teach on the east side... it was 4 miles away. If he took public transportation he would have to walk 3/4 mile to the subway, Take it to Manhattan and change trains to the Bronx and finally a bus for the last mile. He took his beater bike with with saddle bags and is laptop in one of them. It cut the 75 minute commute to 20 minutes.
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Old 09-21-20, 05:11 PM
  #131  
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Originally Posted by GlennR
They keep their business suit and shoes in it for work.

To sort of hijack this, I see many casual cyclists on the MUP with with a rear rack and a rather large bag on the back. I wonder how much stuff they have in there. It's too big just for your lunch and water. These people are just riding the path.
Google search, sadly, failed to find me a hilarious image of someone trying to carry a footlong subway sandwhich in their tiny jersey pocket...
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Old 09-21-20, 05:14 PM
  #132  
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Originally Posted by PaulRivers
Google sadly failed me in my search for someone carrying a footlong subway sandwhich in their tiny jersey pocket...
If I ate a subway foot long on a ride, i'd need a nap... and take a serious dump.
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Old 09-21-20, 05:58 PM
  #133  
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Originally Posted by GlennR
If I ate a subway foot long on a ride, i'd need a nap... and take a serious dump.
Is that like...supposed to be gross enough to shut down discussion or something?
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Old 09-21-20, 05:59 PM
  #134  
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Originally Posted by PaulRivers
Google search, sadly, failed to find me a hilarious image of someone trying to carry a footlong subway sandwhich in their tiny jersey pocket...
Subs go in handlebar bags.

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Old 09-21-20, 06:06 PM
  #135  
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Originally Posted by PaulRivers
Is that like...supposed to be gross enough to shut down discussion or something?
No... it's just the truth.

If i wanted to be gross, i would of posted a picture to illustrate my point.
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Old 09-21-20, 06:20 PM
  #136  
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Originally Posted by GlennR
No... it's just the truth. If i wanted to be gross, i would of posted a picture to illustrate my point.
I do remember my grandfather always bragging for some reason about lunch consisting of an apple and a snickers. Seemed odd. Guess it's just something that happens when you get old.

I know my lunch wouldn't fit in jersey pocket, even without the water.
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Old 09-21-20, 06:29 PM
  #137  
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Originally Posted by PaulRivers
I do remember my grandfather always bragging for some reason about lunch consisting of an apple and a snickers. Seemed odd. Guess it's just something that happens when you get old.
Maybe... I usually bring 2 gels, a banana and a granola bar for a 60 mile ride.

But i've gone on group rides where they stop at a deli and have sandwiches with a 1/3lb of meat and a bag of chips. I stopped going with that group since i don't like taking more than a 15 minute break.
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Old 09-21-20, 07:10 PM
  #138  
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Originally Posted by GlennR
It makes you a commuter.

My son used to live on the west side of the Bronx and student teach on the east side... it was 4 miles away. If he took public transportation he would have to walk 3/4 mile to the subway, Take it to Manhattan and change trains to the Bronx and finally a bus for the last mile. He took his beater bike with with saddle bags and is laptop in one of them. It cut the 75 minute commute to 20 minutes.
Doesn't really make me a commuter: I do way more miles just for the pure sake of riding then the commuting miles. ESPECIALLy since the last time I worked at my school instead of from home was in March, but still: it's always been the case. Probably a fourth of my miles are commuting...It's a 20 mile round trip. A very easy one. If I take the bus from my house, it takes longer. I can drive, but then I have to pay Boston parking.
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Old 09-21-20, 07:24 PM
  #139  
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Old 09-21-20, 07:40 PM
  #140  
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Originally Posted by GlennR
Maybe... I usually bring 2 gels, a banana and a granola bar for a 60 mile ride. But i've gone on group rides where they stop at a deli and have sandwiches with a 1/3lb of meat and a bag of chips. I stopped going with that group since i don't like taking more than a 15 minute break.
Sounds like you used to ride with a group who's lunch would be about the size you'd fit into a bag like that.

When I was trying to bike commute to work while carrying a change of clothes back and forth a bag of that size was to small. Shoes, pants, shirt...1 of these items wasn't going to fit into the bag. Eventually realized I could leave some of these things at my desk at work but that only worked because no one was uptight about what you walked into the building wearing.

I found over time that I rarely rode my "fast" bike that didn't have a rack because there was always something I needed to bring with me.
- ulock, if I was going to leave my bike outside
- also way more convenient to have everything in one bag (flat repair, jacket, cell, wallet) if I'm going to be leaving my bike locked up and unattended outside for a while don't like puttering around taking 5 different things on and off my bike each time I lock it up
- rain jacket, because I don't like "forecast says 30% chance of rain can't go riding even though it's sunny out!" kind of things...also you can just get wet at 80f but when it's 50f you need a rainjacket
- extra layer - you can bike to work in the morning at 45f and bike home in the early evening at 80f you really need to be warmer for one of those to be comfortable
- shoes when I was riding clipless but was going to walk into someone's house or something like that
- biking around the lakes to the beach? swim trunks, towel

Last edited by PaulRivers; 09-21-20 at 08:01 PM.
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Old 09-21-20, 08:46 PM
  #141  
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Tech running/workout shirts are a whole lot cheaper than cycling jerseys. Get yourself a handlebar bag and you can eliminate the pocketed jerseys. Sure, your jersey might flap, serious cyclists might not wave at you and you might get made fun of in a BF explaining thread. So what, life will go on.
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Old 09-21-20, 10:48 PM
  #142  
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Originally Posted by seypat
Tech running/workout shirts are a whole lot cheaper than cycling jerseys. Get yourself a handlebar bag and you can eliminate the pocketed jerseys. Sure, your jersey might flap, serious cyclists might not wave at you and you might get made fun of in a BF explaining thread. So what, life will go on.
I have actually sewed a small pocket into the back of a couple t-shirts--I cut out a rectangle from an old t-shirt and sew it on and it works.. Ugly, but anyone staring at my posterior seeking beauty is way off track already.

. I like having my id and credit card on my person, in case I com off the bike or get off the bike. And tech t-shirts offer pretty much 80 percent of what jerseys do .... and more in cooler weather.

IMO.
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Old 09-21-20, 11:20 PM
  #143  
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Originally Posted by GlennR
What kinds of "stuff"? Seriously, if you're just riding and not commuting, what do you need to carry other than a spare tube and some tools?


I do 50+ miles rides and this is all i carry.
A jacket. Because sometimes you start in the afternoon and it's night when you get back. Or the weather turns inclement. I mean you can fit a very small one in a jersey pocket, but you can fit an insulated and a gtx one in a bag like that. Maybe rain pants too if you're made of sugar and might melt.
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Old 09-21-20, 11:23 PM
  #144  
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Originally Posted by LesterOfPuppets
Best way to carry lunch and a rain shell.
Originally Posted by GlennR
Kind of kills any aero.
​​​​​​How aero do you need to be in the rain, though?
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Old 09-21-20, 11:51 PM
  #145  
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Originally Posted by roadiejorge
I'm sure the bag is useful; fanny packs worn with the bag facing the front are pretty useful too.

I use one of these in the winter because my skis don't have bottle cages. But I wear it behind me like a civilized person.
​​​​​​
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Old 09-22-20, 01:29 AM
  #146  
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Originally Posted by Seattle Forrest
I use one of these in the winter because my skis don't have bottle cages.
​​​​​​
Can someone explain to me why skis don't come with bottle cages?
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Old 09-22-20, 01:44 AM
  #147  
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Originally Posted by kimconyc
Woosh
Oooh, i know this.

"What is the sound of one aero wheel rolling?"
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Old 09-22-20, 06:01 AM
  #148  
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Originally Posted by GlennR
They keep their business suit and shoes in it for work.

To sort of hijack this, I see many casual cyclists on the MUP with with a rear rack and a rather large bag on the back. I wonder how much stuff they have in there. It's too big just for your lunch and water. These people are just riding the path.
That would be me. I keep my roadside repair gear, the case for my sunglasses, and my cell phone in there. When I'm going on a long ride or commuting, I'd carry a lot more stuff too - lunch, shoes, whatever. So when I'm going to be riding with my kids on the MUP, I can take the time to switch to a smaller bag, or I can just go. Like you said, it's just the MUP - it's not like it's a particularly weight-sensitive ride. (Besides, I'm a Clyde. I could spit twice and take a crap, and that would save me more weight than $3000 worth of upgrades to the bike.)
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Old 09-22-20, 06:13 AM
  #149  
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I think they look great and I have one on my wishlist. It won't go on my road bike unless I need the extra storage for an extra long ride but am very excited to put an extra tube, wrench, and some tire levers in it on my commuter bike. Plus I'll be able to throw in a few groceries or a few items bought while shopping.
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Old 09-22-20, 07:09 AM
  #150  
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