Machka 

I have an Ortlieb Handlebar Bag similar to this:


View the ULTIMATE 6 L CLASSIC at https://www.ortliebusa.com


But mine is, I think, an older version without the new locking mechanism. And I know why the locking mechanism was added.

Without the locking mechanism, the magnets are so weak that the lid pops open with the greatest of ease making it very difficult to carry and transport.

Given that I really don't want to get yet another handlebar bag, I'd like to come up with a solution for this one.



A couple ideas I've had so far include:

-- figuring out how to add some sort of locking mechanism, which might involve boring holes to add clips or something ... but that might take away from the waterproofness of the bag.

-- finding or making a very lightweight, zippered bag I could line the handlebar bag with, and which would contain my stuff so things don't spill out everywhere. I could then also leave the handlebar bag on the bicycle and take my stuff with me in this liner bag.


But I am definitely open to other ideas.

saddlesores

i wouldn't leave the h-bar bag on the bike, even empty. bad guys would
prolly sneak past (parked in public area), pop off the bag (without opening),
and check your booty later. so much quicker than sorting through the contents
in public view.

1. can you replace the magnets with stronger ones? or just superglue
on top of the weak magnets?

2. don't need a zippered bag for inside. you could go with a lighterweighter
fishnet/mesh bag with a drawstring closure.

3. not sure of the construction details. could you loosen/remove the rear
mounting plate in order to fit one or two 1/2" wide web straps underneath?
run over the top, tack at the bottom of the lid front, with quick release
buckles hanging down 2" or so. other end of the strap(s) runs under the
bag, tacked at (what looks like) the piping on the lower front, then the
clip end of the QR can lock the lid down solid.

what are those two dimply things on the front of the lid? magnet
attachment points? if you can easily remove the magnets, make
that the attachment point for the QR buckles.

Machka 

Those seem to help attach the lid to the body of the bag.


The magnet side of mine looks like this ... and you just nudge that little "handle", the little square tab thing, and the bag pops open.

rifraf

My ones got domes and they can be a PITA too.

Ridefreemc

My wife has some magnets that when placed on the fridge you can barely get them off, and they are very small. I'd look for stronger magnets.

Squeezebox

Glue on velcro strips. Silicone any holes you make it the bag from sewing or bolting on straps or anything else. Someone suggested to me turkey roasting bags as inexpensive dry stuff sacks.

Tourist in MSN

I have some like that too. Bought them in a store 250 miles from home, so I can't suggest where to buy such things.

But, if you got some that strong, they might be stronger than any glue you tried to use to hold them onto the bag, thus they might be too good for this application.

saddlesores

got a radio shack nearby?

https://www.radioshack.com/collectio...ant=5717851653

pack of 5 round magnets, drilled center.......$3.50
could bolt on, but would want to use thin gasket material or gasket-in-a-tube
to retain the waterproofness.


oh, yeah, you're in australia. down unduh with the reverse corialis effect.
do magnets even work down there?

if your radioshacks have all closed, try "aussie magnets"

https://aussiemagnets.com.au/

how about threaded magnet? low profile screwhead not as prominent
as a locknut for a magnet with threaded post ($4.90)

https://aussiemagnets.com.au/product/...errite%29.html

and then use a countersunk steel washer ($0.55)

https://aussiemagnets.com.au/product/...k-Washers.html

.............not sure about the magnet....has a 13k pull strength.

Doug64

Machka,

I'm sorry about the problem. You should not listen to bad advice. If I remember correctly, I was with you and Rowan when you bought it.

My Ortlieb bar bag has snaps. I 'd think that a sail maker/repair or awning maker could install snaps and they would still be waterproof. Also contact Wayne at the Touring store for information about a fix: TheTouringStore.com, Ortlieb Panniers & Packs, Tubus Racks, Lone Peak Packs

fietsbob

the litle square loop in the center of the lid, shown 2nd picture,

is the part the Keyed lock on the locking Mount to the bars uses , as a catch.

so You could just buy and use the Locking version of the bar Bag mount ,
(and save the non locking mount for the townie Bike. )


Mine is older uses ('ulti'3 mount, wire wraps around bar 4 times ) snaps as well,
though main closure is roll & snap closed. [Model RC]

to secure a Map window over the roll closure there are snaps ..[seen on the Posted pictures of my Koga WTR]

You can buy a spare hardware Pack of 8 of their pointed screws and the plastic washers & acorn nuts

https://www.ortlieb.com/en/produkt-d...ug=ersatzteile.

and use those to attach a strap or 2 around the bag to back up the magnetic closure ,

and maybe use the straps to secure other stuff like your gloves under them ..

(or a large panel map folded up in a plastic bag if it's to rain as you ride)

strap could also be a sewn loop with an elastic portion to just pull over the top of the lid..

A little German spare parts, a little DIY..

djb

Re adding stronger magnets, some of those little super strong magnets might be dangerous around a smart phone or credit cards. We've had some of these magnets in the house and they are very hard to remove from each other, my concerns may be incorrect but I would want to find out from reliable sources about any risks around stuff that will be in your bag.
I have the older snap version, and when I saw the magnet version, while it allows one handed opening for easy access to a camera, a downside to the snaps in my experience, I was immediately concerned about the top opening easily when carrying on your shoulder if it caught on something, spilling your camera out possibly. I spent years carrying camera bags and am perhaps more aware of worrying about this sort of thing.
I still think zippers are the most handy for one hand opening to grab a camera on the fly, and still avoiding accidental openings when carrying.
Always comes down to compromises with bar bags, yet I still appreciate the light weight and no brainer waterproofness of ortliebs.

Losligato

I like to find KISS solutions because I most certainly am the second S in KISS!

I have the same bag and have found the magnets to be surprisingly strong, but I agree that the bag can flip open when it gets caught on something while carry it slung over the shoulder.

Here is my solution. I used an old kevlar shoelace from a worn out pair of our favorite bike touring shoes. I tied it to the posts on both sides of the bag, synched down the lace adjuster so that the lace disappeared under the rim of the bag and connected a small Nite-Ize s-biner to the loop.

Works perfectly.

Here are a few photos.

alan s 

USB battery pack for an electromagnet and a smartphone app to turn it on and off. Or some velcro.

Machka 

Yes, you were there ... and Rowan got one with snaps, which seem to be a much better idea now than the magnets. Rowan and I just briefly talked about the idea of changing my magnets to snaps, so thanks for the link above.


[HR][/HR]

As for getting magnets that are stronger ... or glue ... I do still need to open the bag to get at my stuff.

djb

Perhaps one option would be to keep an eye out for a good used snap one and sell the magnet one. Could end up being easier than doing the conversion yourself. Or maybe not and would need some luck finding a used one in good shape.

Machka 

They're not overly common here in Tasmania ... I'd need some luck finding one at all. We bought them in the US.



(As an aside, if you type 'Ortlieb Tasmania' into Google, the site that comes up first, and several times, is the site of a friend of ours.)

Machka 

This is an interesting option ... how secure is that little square tab thing? Not too likely to pull off?

saddlesores

1. buy luggage strap with QR buckle from the dollar store.

2. you must have extra clip-on shoulder straps....when you remove
the one you use to tote the bag, use the spare one cut shorter to
go over the top of the bag.

3. use scrap piece of strap/webbing, sew some velcro bits on.
doesn't need to apply pressure, just keep the lid from popping
open on bumps, right?

Losligato

No idea. It's Ortlieb so I'm assuming it is tough.

djb

was thinking about this the other night.
One of my other concerns seeing the mag version was if walking in public, that "unwanted fingers" could open it if it got behind your back or at your side in a crowd, and there would be no sounds like the snaps make (plus the force required to open them and having to hold the bottom part while you pull the top snap off).

So it sounds like Dougs suggestion of getting two snaps put in might be the best and easiest for having an additional more secure closure system for the times that you are walking amongst people. You could easily leave them unsnapped when riding, which then would give you the advantage of the one handed opening so that is so nice to grab a camera when riding.

I guess you'll have to really evaluate how much room there is in certain areas for putting in snaps, but I would hope that there would be real estate for this idea--**if near the corners-between the magnets and the corners, they shouldnt interfere with the little loops there for putting on the newer version of their map window (which I still find to be the best map case Ive seen, large and really does stay waterproof, I still like using paper maps).

Machka 

Hadn't really thought about the theft factor ... but that is a good point.

Where I suddenly realised that the magnet system might be a problem was when we were loading the luggage onto the ferry at the beginning of our tour last weekend. I handed my handlebar bag to the person putting the luggage into the storage cabinet, and he reached for that little tab/handle thingy to grab it and of course the minute you touch that, the lid pops open. So we decided I would keep it with me so that it wouldn't get jostled and dump the contents all over the place.

And then we cycled out to see the Painted Cliffs and when we got there we were walking on rocks and hopping from one to another, and again, I had to hold the bag very carefully for fear of dumping the contents into the ocean. Actually, Rowan ended up carrying it because I'm having depth perception issues with my bifocals and didn't feel at all confident hopping onto a rock with that bag in hand.

Up till then, I've had it on the bicycle, and the ease with which it opens has been a benefit.


This is all part of the touring process. Always tweaking the setup.

fietsbob

Had a Woman have to buy a new handlebar Bag in the shop, before starting her trip, a couple years ago.

Just had all the electronic things and other valuables in It, and It was taken out of the cab of her friend's truck
that gave her and Bike a ride to the coast ..


end of 91 tour
I had an Airport pickpocket slow my departure from Shiphol, so It took a couple days for BA and the Embassy work out
the boarding minus the passport to get back to SFO..

Next trip all the important stuff was under my Clothing in a Money Belt ..

Just did a Little strip down in Bank's lobbys to get to my Debit card, in the money belt, to get Cash.

djb

your two examples were exactly the sort of thing that I thought of when I played with it in the store. I think I mentioned, but as I worked as a photographer for so many years, I'm hyper aware of how a given bag will be when carried, and how it can tip, get caught on stuff, or whatever, and things fall out. Can really ruin a job if a lens or a flash gets broken, and as I've done lots of press type jobs where you move around a lot, its in your best interests to be very vigilent.
RE the theft thing, I've traveled on my own a lot and in other countries, and like fiets can attest, stuff does happen. Heck, even a few summers ago I was in France with my oldest friend doing a trip we'd always said we would do (no biking) and he wasnt careful enough with his travel pouch and lost his money, wallet, passport, the works, to a pickpocket--the day before we were to come back to Canada. Made for a very busy last 24 hours and a lot of translating and cajoling from yours truly to allow him onto the plane without a passport.

good luck with improvising. I guess if the snap thing for some reason isnt feasible, sew on straps and buckles could work, although the snaps seems that it would be easiest and take up the least space.

Tourist in MSN

My handlebar bag uses zippers, which I really don't like very much. But you just convinced me that it is a great system. Thanks.



My travel clothes that I do not wear on the bike, the shirts have zippered passport size pockets. Such shirts used to be more common, you don't see them as often for sale anymore. And I have some older Ex Officio brand pants that have a zippered passport sized pocket at ankle height, I do not think they make them that way anymore.

fietsbob

My Adaptation was modifying a wicking mesh singlet by a tunnel pocket across the lower back, as My Base Layer .

So the money belt (sweat/waterproof Ortlieb) remained there without needing the waist belt that un comfortably tightened .