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Any Hacks to drop the height of a handlebar bag?

Old 02-22-20, 08:06 PM
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Happy Feet
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Any Hacks to drop the height of a handlebar bag?

Hi all. I just ordered a Carradice Carradry series HB bag to go along with my similar saddle bag and panniers but note that the klickfix bar fastener sits the bag quite high in the air. I've been doodling some ways to add a second accessory bar lower so the bag rides down somewhat like a rando bag. Anyone DIY or know of an adapter or idea? I know of decaleurs but would still need a way to connect the klickfix system.

The bag link is here: https://www.carradice.co.uk/bags/han...-handlebar-bag

And my bike is here. Note the quill stem so adding a second threadless stem won't work

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Old 02-22-20, 10:55 PM
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Front rack is the traditional way to do that. I’m converting my rando bike from KlickFix to front rack this winter.
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Old 02-23-20, 05:17 AM
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A second threadless stem won't fit with a shim? Might need two shims if the second stem was 1 1/8 inch, one inch steerer tube sized stems are pretty rare.
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Old 02-23-20, 09:12 AM
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Originally Posted by Happy Feet
Hi all. I just ordered a Carradice Carradry series HB bag to go along with my similar saddle bag and panniers but note that the klickfix bar fastener sits the bag quite high in the air. I've been doodling some ways to add a second accessory bar lower so the bag rides down somewhat like a rando bag. Anyone DIY or know of an adapter or idea? I know of decaleurs but would still need a way to connect the klickfix system.

The bag link is here: https://www.carradice.co.uk/bags/han...-handlebar-bag

And my bike is here. Note the quill stem so adding a second threadless stem won't work

Those accessory mounts that give you a second chunk of handlebar, but instead of turning it so it's forward-ish, angle it downwards? Then put the mount on that.

I'm not sure which of those are well-regarded; a quick search led me to endless amazon results for cheap crap ones (although it's a few chunks of aluminum, cheap crap might be fine). Just make sure it's the right handlebar diameter or comes with the right shims. I'd go with one of the double ones that grab the handlebar on both sides, even if you don't need that much bar space, because the bag is more weight than a GPS or light. But there's definitely tons of them out there that are pretty inexpensive, so you don't have to DIY.

(I am personally short enough that there isn't much difference, height-wise, between a hypothetical rack-mount bag and my existing handlebar bag; it just barely clears my fork-mounted headlight; if I had a front rack with an out-front light mount I could have a bag go perhaps an inch lower, but that's it. So I've never actually done this, but it seems like it wouldn't be hard.)
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Old 02-23-20, 12:06 PM
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I have had some annoying rides with other people because their handlebar bags kept slipping down. I like racks
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Old 02-23-20, 08:42 PM
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Originally Posted by Tourist in MSN
A second threadless stem won't fit with a shim? Might need two shims if the second stem was 1 1/8 inch, one inch steerer tube sized stems are pretty rare.
I might try that route when the bag comes. I hadn't thought of double shims but that might work.

Originally Posted by antimonysarah
Those accessory mounts that give you a second chunk of handlebar, but instead of turning it so it's forward-ish, angle it downwards? Then put the mount on that.

I'm not sure which of those are well-regarded; a quick search led me to endless amazon results for cheap crap ones (although it's a few chunks of aluminum, cheap crap might be fine). Just make sure it's the right handlebar diameter or comes with the right shims. I'd go with one of the double ones that grab the handlebar on both sides, even if you don't need that much bar space, because the bag is more weight than a GPS or light. But there's definitely tons of them out there that are pretty inexpensive, so you don't have to DIY.

(I am personally short enough that there isn't much difference, height-wise, between a hypothetical rack-mount bag and my existing handlebar bag; it just barely clears my fork-mounted headlight; if I had a front rack with an out-front light mount I could have a bag go perhaps an inch lower, but that's it. So I've never actually done this, but it seems like it wouldn't be hard.)
Thanks, don't know why I didn't look at those before. That's exactly the idea but I guess it depends on how much weight they can hold.

Originally Posted by unterhausen
I have had some annoying rides with other people because their handlebar bags kept slipping down. I like racks
Yes. That is one concern of mine too. The klickfix system seems to be widespread but I can't help but wonder what happens when I hit a big bump or something. I know they have a retaining wire too. The rack is preferred but I would still need to figure out how to attach the klickfix for easy removal. Maybe a DIY extension to the rack like decaleur mount for rando bags.

Bag should be here soon so I can see what I'm looking at as far as aesthetics anyway. On line they just seem to be cantilevered too high without support.
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Old 02-24-20, 05:11 AM
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I am not familiar with the Carradry handlebar bag. I got some clearance sale priced Louis Garaneau (spell?) bags several years ago and found them to not be stiff at all, they badly sagged with only a small amount of weight in the bags. I rectified that with some 1.5" X 0.125" aluminum bar to stiffen up the back and bottom of the bag.

If you find that the bag sags and could use some reinforcement, let me know and I will try to find a good photo that explains what I am talking about. I first tried 0.75" X 0.125" aluminum but that was too weak for the larger bags I used for touring, but that was adequate for a smaller bag I used for brevets.
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Old 02-24-20, 01:02 PM
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Nitro makes a really strong looking extension bar but it’s really expensive. I would be tempted to just run a cheap sun lite front rack, they mount on the canti posts and are less than 15$ on Amazon. Might be too low depending on how big the bag is though.
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Old 02-25-20, 04:43 AM
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I have an Ortlieb Klickfix compatible mount on my touring bike, hybrid, and steel road bike. They make a light extension that attaches to the bag mount and gets the light up over the bag. On the downside it’s ugly, very ugly.
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Old 02-25-20, 09:27 AM
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Originally Posted by clasher
Nitro makes a really strong looking extension bar but it’s really expensive. I would be tempted to just run a cheap sun lite front rack, they mount on the canti posts and are less than 15$ on Amazon. Might be too low depending on how big the bag is though.
Wow, that is a nice looking extension if somewhat pricey! Considering...

Originally Posted by Ghazmh
I have an Ortlieb Klickfix compatible mount on my touring bike, hybrid, and steel road bike. They make a light extension that attaches to the bag mount and gets the light up over the bag. On the downside it’s ugly, very ugly.
The Carradry bag has a detachable light mount that comes with it and sits underneath the bag so a typical HB mounted light can rest just above the fender.

Thanks all. I have some ideas now and will post back with my solution once the bag comes and I can see what's what.
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Old 02-25-20, 01:54 PM
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I'm using one of the generic carbon extension bars from Amazon to hold my Road Runner Jammer without issue.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

There are a million to choose from, its nice that it gets the bag off the bars so you can ride the flats with a little more finger room.
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Old 02-26-20, 12:05 PM
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I gave up on the click-fix things, in part for the reason you cute. I like a rack with decaleur.

In the "crazy hacks" department I think you could get a pair of those MTB bar ends. They mount to a 22.2 mm handlebar, so you should be able to mount one on the lower part of your stem, and mount a second one on the first one to geta kind of L-shaped thing cantilevered out below your handle bar. Ugly, but probably strong enough.
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Old 03-01-20, 01:19 PM
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Same problem.
I don't like the light extension, and instead, I lower the bag as much as necessary so the light mounted on the handlebar is not obstructed.
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Old 03-02-20, 12:59 PM
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I've used a Thorn "T" accessory mount from SJS on a quill stem. I made a shim out of a PVC fitting from the hardware store. Functionally its the the same as using a second stem but a bit cleaner looking.
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Old 03-03-20, 10:37 AM
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Originally Posted by bark_eater
I've used a Thorn "T" accessory mount from SJS on a quill stem. I made a shim out of a PVC fitting from the hardware store. Functionally its the the same as using a second stem but a bit cleaner looking.
Holy Moly,. That's exactly what I want! I could use it on my endurance bike at least that has aeros.

If I don't go the rack route I'm going to try to get that.
Bags in. Mounts fine as is but is a little high and interferes a bit with the cross lever brakes. I'll post a little review.

Last edited by Happy Feet; 03-03-20 at 10:48 AM.
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Old 03-03-20, 11:21 AM
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Originally Posted by Happy Feet
Holy Moly,. That's exactly what I want! I could use it on my endurance bike at least that has aeros.

If I don't go the rack route I'm going to try to get that.
....
I use the second stem on some bikes, but on my expedition bike use the 55mm Thorn accessory bar. That might be too short for some stems, but works well for mine. I do not have a great photo of it, but I have a couple of poor photos that show it. I used it on a 1 1/8 steerer tube, not a quill stem like you have but I am sure you could shim it.



I mentioned in a post above that i used some aluminum bar to help support my bag better from sagging. I started with 3/4 X 1/8 inch bar, later went to 1.5 inch wide, the photo above shows my first version with the 3/4 inch wide reinforcement bar that goes under the bag. But that is not the Carradry bag you have so maybe you do not need something to prevent sag like I did.



Photos of my other bikes with a second stem setup at this link if you are interested:
https://www.bikeforums.net/19930025-post28.html

In all my photos you will notice I am using interrupter brake levers on the bars, I can't tell from your photo if you have them or not. I have them angled down a bit more than I have some others set them up. I have the bag close enough to the handlebar that if I had the levers further forward, they would get a bit tight to get my hands on the levers quickly.
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