Any Hacks to drop the height of a handlebar bag?
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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
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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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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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
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
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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I have had some annoying rides with other people because their handlebar bags kept slipping down. I like racks
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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.)
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.)
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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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.
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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#8
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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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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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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.
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.
#11
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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.
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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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.
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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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.
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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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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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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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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