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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 09-17-20, 06:46 PM
  #26  
seau grateau
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You can put your weed in there.
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Old 09-17-20, 06:54 PM
  #27  
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If a handlebar bag is all that's needed to ride their favorite bike to and from work, then why not.
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Old 09-17-20, 06:57 PM
  #28  
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Originally Posted by kimconyc
OK this makes the most sense. This has so be some sort of IG "influencer" thing.

I hope for all of your sakes that this trend doesn't catch on.

These are not commuters. They are newer riders with disc brake high end bikes, Rapha or some other high-end IG-kit, wearing skin suits or race clothing yet having this wonky bag in the front.

I've seen several of these riders taking selfies while riding in said above kit. I'm not on social media so trying to find out about this and what the deal is...
How do you know they're not commuters?
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Old 09-17-20, 07:02 PM
  #29  
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Originally Posted by kimconyc

This is the sort of thing I'm talking about. What are people storing in there for their road bikes? Bitcoins?
Best way to carry lunch and a rain shell.
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Old 09-17-20, 07:27 PM
  #30  
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Originally Posted by LesterOfPuppets
Best way to carry lunch and a rain shell.
Kind of kills any aero.
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Old 09-17-20, 07:47 PM
  #31  
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My road bike and gravel bike have handle bar bags. There for putting stuff in. Rain coats, lunch, phones. You get the idea.
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Old 09-17-20, 08:04 PM
  #32  
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Originally Posted by GlennR
Kind of kills any aero.
It might not be too bad, since it's blocking wind for a big chunk of flesh.
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Old 09-17-20, 08:07 PM
  #33  
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It's for those people who ride further than you do.
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Old 09-17-20, 08:18 PM
  #34  
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Originally Posted by znomit
It's for those people who ride further than you do.
I've done centuries with my usuall stuff. But I did bring extra cash so I can stop and buy food and water.

The OP specifically said "aero bike" so a bag like that is out of place.
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Old 09-17-20, 08:27 PM
  #35  
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Originally Posted by GlennR
I've done centuries with my usuall stuff. But I did bring extra cash so I can stop and buy food and water.

The OP specifically said "aero bike" so a bag like that is out of place.
I reckon a lot of Brooklynites only got room for one bicycle in their apartment, might not even have a big enough place that they'd want a spare non-aero wheelset to go with their non-aero bag. Bar bags such as the ones pictured here are easy-on, easy-off. Sure a trunk bag or a small bikepacking style saddle bag might be more aero, but not as easily mounted/unmounted.
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Old 09-17-20, 10:04 PM
  #36  
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These things are great for solo, unsupported rides in no-man's land. You know...places without shops, taxis/Uber, or cell service.

It does seem a bit overkill for riding in more of an urban area with shops, taxis/Uber, and cell service. I can see it if folks are using them because they want to take a longer ride on the fun bike but would prefer not to go in a shop or ride in a stranger's vehicle in the present climate.

IG seems like a more reasonable culprit. I don't know what happens there, but from what I understand, it's nothing good.
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Old 09-17-20, 10:10 PM
  #37  
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Originally Posted by GlennR
I've done centuries with my usuall stuff. But I did bring extra cash so I can stop and buy food and water.

The OP specifically said "aero bike" so a bag like that is out of place.
It’s for people who ride for longer than you too, without stopping.
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Old 09-17-20, 10:19 PM
  #38  
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BQ did a wind tunnel test which found that aero drag was not increased by a bar bag because frontal area is not changed. https://www.renehersecycles.com/aero...orld-bicycles/

Bar bags turned out to create less drag than large saddle bags.
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Old 09-17-20, 10:41 PM
  #39  
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Originally Posted by GlennR
Makes sense. So you're not just going out for a ride.

If it wasn't Covid, i'd stop someone and ask to see inside. Yes, I am that creepy guy.
Originally Posted by GlennR
I've done centuries with my usuall stuff. But I did bring extra cash so I can stop and buy food and water.
From what I read, covid-19 put a bit of a damper on buying food and water in NYC convenience markets/bodegas for a while. Many riders probably switched from group rides to solo rides, so you can't just pop into a store while your buddy watches your bike. Easier to pack all food/drink needed for the ride.

One possible reason for increased bar bag usage this year.
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Old 09-17-20, 11:00 PM
  #40  
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Don't understand the surprise of them being on aero bikes, does anyone make a non-aero road or gravel bike with at least a 40mm rim? Seems like the thing all the brands have been pushing the last few years is aero everything from handlebars, stems, posts, rims, frames, spokes, etc. My favorite aluminum rim is 28mm deep and barely weights more then my old open pros at least according to my scale so even my touring and cross bikes are more aero then they would have been 10 years ago.
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Old 09-17-20, 11:53 PM
  #41  
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Originally Posted by Carbonfiberboy
BQ did a wind tunnel test which found that aero drag was not increased by a bar bag because frontal area is not changed. https://www.renehersecycles.com/aero...orld-bicycles/

Bar bags turned out to create less drag than large saddle bags.
They also save you a ton of time by not having to find somewhere to park and get off the bike to fossick around in the seat bag for that gillet/warmer/cookie/gel whatever.
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Old 09-18-20, 04:21 AM
  #42  
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I can't understand why someone would get their panties in a bunch about what someone else has on their bicycle? Life doesn't bring them regular/real problems and this is all they have to work on? I'll take that deal.
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Old 09-18-20, 04:45 AM
  #43  
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Originally Posted by wipekitty
These things are great for solo, unsupported rides in no-man's land. You know...places without shops, taxis/Uber, or cell service.

It does seem a bit overkill for riding in more of an urban area with shops, taxis/Uber, and cell service. I can see it if folks are using them because they want to take a longer ride on the fun bike but would prefer not to go in a shop or ride in a stranger's vehicle in the present climate.

IG seems like a more reasonable culprit. I don't know what happens there, but from what I understand, it's nothing good.
I agree. However in the early 80s when I lived on my bike, meaning that I almost never drove my auto, I had a big handle bar bag, like you would use on a touring bike, but I used it on my everyday bike, which was also my race bike because that was all I could afford. I would have change of clothing for work, some food in necessary, some office papers if necessary, and even a small medical kit. It was like a small day pack and very handy. But today with people using a gravel bike-treking bag on their road bike, hey what ever works for them...
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Old 09-18-20, 05:04 AM
  #44  
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Originally Posted by kimconyc

This is the sort of thing I'm talking about. What are people storing in there for their road bikes? Bitcoins?
I used this type of bag combined with a bikepacking saddle bag to commute to work while carrying my clothes, shoes, towel, a sandwitch, lunch, and sometimes even a can of cola (which was nicely chilled when I arrived at the office on winter).

I started to use bikepacking bags when my back started to protest about carrying everything on a backpack for 60km and 1000m of ascent twice a week.

In the end I got tired of fiddling with the bags, as they're "complicated" and slow to mount, and require careful attention to avoid cable rub on the frame. So before I started working from home in the epidemic, I was carrying everything by car on mondays and retrieving it on fridays, while riding without additional weight the rest of the week.
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Old 09-18-20, 05:06 AM
  #45  
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Originally Posted by GlennR
I've done centuries with my usuall stuff. But I did bring extra cash so I can stop and buy food and water.

The OP specifically said "aero bike" so a bag like that is out of place.
Kinda like a climbing bike is out of place on Long Island?
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Old 09-18-20, 05:43 AM
  #46  
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I've been riding solo since March as an extra level of caution. It wouldn't make sense for me to avoid riding with others and to then stop in a store for lunch/snack/water.

So I carry extra water (regular water bottle and a 1.5 liter bottle) and very often my lunch. When I bring my lunch, it goes in a small handlebar bag. I have also stopped at a curbside pickup sub shop, put my sub in the handlebar bag and ridden to a park to enjoy my lunch.

Stopping for lunch like this is new for me this year, but I've grown to look forward to it and sometimes plan my ride purposely based on my lunch stop. When I feel comfortable doing group rides again, I'll probably lose the handlebar bag.
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Old 09-18-20, 06:15 AM
  #47  
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OP: if you really want to know what people are carrying in those handlebar bags, why don’t you just ask?
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Old 09-18-20, 06:36 AM
  #48  
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It always amazes me how much people care about what other people are doing.
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Old 09-18-20, 06:47 AM
  #49  
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Originally Posted by kimconyc
Hi all,

So I've been out of the scene for years and decided to come back to the source known as BF for the answers. This is not a troll post, very serious here.

Background: Used to ride a lot, still ride a lot but not as much. Working from home the last 6 months has allowed me to ride my bike in the morning whereas I was riding to work before.

The disc brake trend I knew about and that's a can of worms for another thread but what's up with all these people running aero bikes and 50mm+ deep carbon rims running this cylindrical handlebar bag?

Is this a thing now? Is this from IG? Where did this stupidity originate?

Long time no see....since the MTIR days. Glad to hear you're riding again. I was in the same boat as you regarding the cycling consistency due to back issues which I've finally sorted out. I've been riding again in the mornings with my new found morning time too. Do you still make it up to the old 9W haunts?
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Old 09-18-20, 06:51 AM
  #50  
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Originally Posted by LesterOfPuppets
From what I read, covid-19 put a bit of a damper on buying food and water in NYC convenience markets/bodegas for a while. Many riders probably switched from group rides to solo rides, so you can't just pop into a store while your buddy watches your bike. Easier to pack all food/drink needed for the ride.

One possible reason for increased bar bag usage this year.
Actually things are pretty good on Long Island with the infection rate is well below 1% for 36 straight days. If you know the area you can find places to refill your water bottles. While i've not needed to go into a deli for food, I carry 2 gels a banana and granola bar in my jersey pockets, if you have a mask you can stop and take food out.
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