Trueblood

I am researching options for a large handlebar bag, other than spending over $200 for one of the name brand randonneur bags, which seems to be the going rate. Was thinking of adapting something from an Army Navy shop, then saw a very positive review of this Shangri-La Multi Purpose Bag - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01B7UYOFS...ft%2BGear&th=1

The dimensions are perfect for the bike. I have a drop bar touring bike with a mini front rack mounted to the canti's (I also have Blackburn low riders mounted). The gap in the bars is 15" and the bag is 9" wide, and the depth to the rack is about 9". I know one should definitely not overload those mini racks, and its purpose would mainly be for stability. The trick is devising a mounting system for the bars. Would be nice to be able to pop it off, attach the strap, and easily carry valuables when stopping.

Has any one adapted a bag in this way, and if so, do you have suggestions for the actual bag? Does this bag seem like a possibility to folks? Thanks.

skidder

Do what I did, get a front rack and use a soft-sided cooler as a bag. The rack is an off-brand portuer-style rack I found on line (it has a big 'deck' that can almost fit a medium pizza box) and I attach the Igloo cooler (24 can size IIRC) to it with a few bungee cords. I think I spent $60 on both. The cooler has a shoulder strap so easy to carry when its off the bike. I also sewed a few pockets on it's exterior to keep small items (and maps) available.

Polaris OBark

I've been happy with this one:

https://lonepeakpacks.com/product/alta-handlebar-pack/

Here it is on my touring bike:

Trueblood

Thank you! Both very good ideas. I do think I want something larger than a typical handlebar bag.

Polaris OBark

These are very big, but eye-wateringly expensive:

https://www.renehersecycles.com/shop...-side-pockets/

Tourist in MSN

I think the biggest handlebar bag that attaches to a bracket on a handlebar is Carradry, they claim 9 lites. At about 8 liters, look at Toppeak for that. I think the largest Ortlieb is about 7 liters. I do not know what the size on Arkel is, but that is another option.

I have a couple different handlebar bags in the 9 liter range that have been out of production for about a decade that were made by Louis Garneau, and these needed a lot of reinforcing because they sagged really badly. After a decade of use, the zippers are getting quite worn.

I need a separate waterproof cover for rain on mine, the Toppeak likely needs that too.

Anything bigger, it probably will need a rack to sit on. And those are more niche market bags.

Keep in mind that the handlebar bags that have a bracket on a handlebar that is quick release is REALLY nice to have when bike touring, you can take your bag in the restaurant or convenience store with minimal hassle. Many, including my Louis G bags take about five seconds to remove the bag from the bike. A rack mounted one, could be quick if on a decailer (spell?) type rack but might have lots of fiddly straps too.

If you get a wide one, make sure it will work if you use brifters, see below.




If you decide to get a conventional handlebar bag that attaches to the handlebar, I prefer my bag lower and a bit closer to the handlebar, I use a second stem to mount my bags. I wrote up a long post on that at this link:
https://www.bikeforums.net/21946274-post4.html

I recall a thread several months ago on this forum, someone was trying to use an old camera bag, but I have no clue how that ended. Looked like a great idea at
the time, but those bags are not very waterproof, lack structure, lack ways to attach to a rack.

Randonneuring, I like a smaller bag in the 7 liter range, it is a bit lighter and the bike handling has less flop over at low speeds, I use a small Carradice saddlebag for stuff that does not fit in the handlebar, like extra clothing layers, etc. Bike touring is where I want the 9 plus liter handlebar bag.

Good luck figuring this out.

staehpj1

I like the little Sunlite racks that mount on the on canti bosses. You can put a bag on them. It mounts lower and more out of the way. I used a regular handlebar bag with all the mounting stuff and some of the stiffeners removed. I kept it in place with a wrap of the ahoulder strap around the stem. It came in and off for taking with me in seconds. I liked a large and inexpensive bag that nashbar sold at the time. It was quite large and always on sale. I think it may have been discontinued though. It was called something like Elite Pro maybe. You might fit a trunk bag in the same position, but it may not fit on the little sunlite rack.

tcs

Basketpacking. It's a thing.

https://bikepacking.com/tag/basketpacking/

Wald:

https://waldsports.com/store/front-b...lue-bag-combo/

Swift, 30L:

https://builtbyswift.com/shop/mother...sket-bag-2021/

Velo Orange 29L:

https://velo-orange.com/collections/...33683671122057

Self-made pattern:

https://github.com/abroekhof/waldbasketbag

Germany_chris

They’re convenient but expensive, hard to mount, and require a rack I would not recommend one unless someone was looking for that exact style of bag.

Polaris OBark

Those really do look worth the price of admission!

Trueblood

Thanks, this is all great stuff. Yes, the rack is just like the sunlite mini racks. The second stem idea with a larger handlebar bag is a thought.... Am also pondering a small rectangular piece of aluminum mounted to the mini rack and maybe trying the Shangri-La bag with a velcro attachment to the stem/stem tube.

Tourist in MSN

That is a beautiful bag, and I am sure that it is very useful on longer rides.

Tourist in MSN

A few suggestions.

More volume means more weight. And the farther forward that the center of gravity of a large bag is can increase handling impairment. So, more volume is great, until it isn't.

My largest bag is roughly 9.5 liters in the photo below, this is the bag I use for touring. This photo is repeated from the link that I included in a previous post above.



Note how close the part of the handlebar bag bracket that would normally attach to the handlebar is to the steerer tube, it is only 55mm. The center of gravity of my bag is as far back as I can get it. When I put my bag onto the bike, I immediately notice the change in handling, and at slower speeds I notice the front wanting to flop over to one side when I make a tight slow turn. I want my bag center of gravity to be as close to my steerer tube (steering axis) as possible so the handling is impaired less.

I mentioned that for randonneuring, I use a smaller bag and that is why I use a smaller bag for that purpose, less volume means I can't put as much weight in it and the handling is impaired less. That forces me to use my saddle bag for somethings that otherwise I would be tempted to toss in the bag that is in front of me with easy access.

Quite frankly, I would not want a bag any taller than mine, as all the stuff in the bottom would get lost. I find it takes some work to keep it organized on a tour, I put a small cardboard box inside it to help me keep most things oriented vertically, like tooth brush, toothpaste, chain lube bottle, sunscreen, repellant bottle, partial roll of TP, phone, power bank, granola bars, sunglasses case, etc. (The banana sits on top of everything else until it magically disappears.)



And one other thing that is not readily apparent when you look at that photo, the most dense (heavy for the volume) stuff like my powerbank is to the rear in the bag and least dense stuff like sunglasses case is forward in the bag, that is an attempt to shift the center of gravity further back towards the steering axis to reduce how much the handling is impaired from the extra weight.

The bag above has been out of production for over a decade, and I made some modifications to it. So, I can't recommend you get one like mine, you won't find one. But I am pretty happy with how well it has held up over the years, but it clearly is getting worn out.

Trueblood

Thanks, that makes sense about the position of the bag and handling. Wonder if there are mounts for front bags that place the bag closer to the steerer tube, while still keeping it low.. That's quite a dashboard setup you have. The Garmin almost looks like a Fluke device. Appreciate the info.

tcs

Adding dunnage to the front of a bike accentuates wheel flop and speeds up handling. ("Wheel flop" is a real term. It comes from rake&trail and is caused by the bike kneeling as the bars are turned.) If the weight of the dunnage is attached to the bars/stem/steerer/forks*, it increases the moment of inertia about the steering axis and slows handling, counteracting the wheel flop to some degree.



*Cargo bikes, some folders and Moultons attached front dunnage to the frame and do not benefit from any increase in moment of inertia about the steering axis.

Tourist in MSN

Oops, I could not remember the term, I have not heard it mentioned for years. But I remembered the word flop, so I guessed flop over instead of wheel flop. Thanks for reminding me.

Germany_chris

Thank you…
It’s useful for a lot of thing to include commuting which is one of the reasons I put it on that bike. I wasn’t going to bring that bag up because it’s far outside the scope of the price of what the OP wanted, but I do think that If I were going to carry a camera I’d prefer a bag supported by a rack.

balto charlie

I use the Lone Peak earlier mentioned. I do a lot of bikepacking and realized that it is important to keep the weight lower on the front. Too heavy with bumpy roads/trails can make the bag start to slip.Lone peak has a great attachment system but it did start to drop a little. I now keep weight (tools, cooking) in the center frame bag and put 'fluffy' stuff up front. Also when I stop, the wheel wants to do its own thing. I also put water bottles on the front fork which adds to the weight. Not a real issue, just a PIA.

Some of those front bags posted are huge!!!!

tcs

You'd think cycling would have a more elegant term than "...flop". You know, maybe something like "s'agenouiller du cadre" or "inchinarsi alla gravità".

tcs

Yep, the 'porteur' front bags - with their specialized racks - are really a different thing from handlebar bags. But, you know, if one is jonesing for a BIG front bag... Would one also want a low trail bike to ride with these comfortably & securely?

The ILE Porteur is rated some 42L, expanded all the way - that's as much as a pair of Ortlieb Backroller Classic panniers!

pdlamb

I've been using an Ortlieb handlebar bag on drop bars for a dozen years. It's just over half the $200 OP mentions, and my hands fit between the bar and the bag. I think mine's the medium size, but it holds a lot.

Also have an Arkel bag, which is too big for me to find things in. But the bright inside is easier to look for those things!

Smitty2k1

Good experience with my Restrap Rando large size bag. It has a small mounting bracket for a small rando rack that uses magnetic fidlock connectors to attach. As others have mentioned, steering can be negatively impacted, but the bag itself is awesome.

Calsun

I made the mistake of mounting a medium size handlebar bag on my bike on my first trip from Arcata to Pasadena. On day one on the first steep downhill section the front wheel started to oscillate and I thought I was going to crash. I removed the contents and put them in my rear panniers. After that I put a bag that was only large enough to hold a few snack items.

It is also why I disdain using front panniers as any wind can push the front wheel and affect steering and push me into traffic. Even with only the rear panniers I have had strong gusts move me and my bike a few feet to the left without warning.

tcs

Large front bag, less expensive option. Hmm. How about a Wald front basket and an Ikea bag?

Pratt

I only have a very small handlebar bag, but I have read of people being happy with repurposed camera bags.
the Rene Herse are very classy looking.