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Bar Bags

by Rik Mayals underpants
Sun, Jun 27, 2021 20:04
16

Hi all,

I'm hoping that someone can give me some help here. I go on long rides every weekend, 80-100 mile lumpy runs every week. I'm on my own, still not got around to going out in a group yet due to lockdown. So, I take plenty of energy bars and gels with me then I don't have to stop and leave my bike unattended outside a shop.

The downside is that my rear pockets hang down somewhat due to the stash in them. So I'm considering a bar bag. The only issue I potentially have is this. Both my winter bike and best bike have a K-Edge Garmin out front mount, with a Go Pro attachment underneath, and with a GoPro Hero 7 skeleton case mounted. Does anyone know if there is a bar bag available which I can use and still use the camera?

thanks.

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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16 comments

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Rik Mayals unde... | 3 years ago
1 like

Hey guys,

Thanks for all the suggestions, I will have a look at all the suggestions.

My rides are fairly long, and always lumpy, living within cycling distance of North and West Yorkshire, Cumbria and of course the amazing Lancashire hills are on my doorstep. For example, a 100 mile ride for me usually takes in between 8,000 to 10,500 ft ascent, hence why I take a good amount of bars and gels with me. I don't want a frame or top tube bag, I don't want to run the risk of marking the beautiful paintwork on my C60, the winter bike is titanium so that is fine. Ordinarily I would stop at a shop or cafe, but I am still riding on my own currently, and to be fair a few of my cycling buddies have not been riding much during lockdown, and are not up to doing the runs I do.

I have a gravel bike on order to replace my work bike so can use a bar bag on that if I want to use it at the weekend too.

Thanks again to all for your help.

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stomec | 3 years ago
0 likes

Hi Phil

It may be worth trying a top tube bag as other have suggested eg the Wiggle Lifeline https://www.wiggle.co.uk/lifeline-adventure-top-tube-bag.  I have used this on a very long ride for extra batteries for a Garmin (it has a cable port) and still managed to fit a bag of nuts and 3 gels in as well.  If you combine this with some eg Beta Fuel in your drinks and real food in you back pockets that may be enough? 

Also I often go for long rides solo and haven't felt bad about leaving my bike at cafe stops in the Peak District, maybe a cheap lock would help?  eg https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/BLJOIMRELO/jobsworth-ristretto-retractable-cafe-lock--1m-cable

Good luck!

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Rik Mayals unde... replied to stomec | 3 years ago
0 likes

Thanks, I'll have a look at that.

I have an Abus lock, but I wouldnt trust it with my two main bikes, my Colnago C60 and Enigma Etape, which collectively cost £14,000. I wouldn't trust any lock I could comfortably carry in my pocket or on my bike! Currently I don't do cafe stops, which are much safer than leaving the bike outside a shop or petrol station.

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peted76 | 3 years ago
0 likes

I got you Biker Phil... this is what you need, it sits behind the bars so doesn't interfere with outfront mounts and is super handy to stash stuff in and get stuff out from.  https://alpkit.com/products/stem-cell

I've just noticed they've improved the design of the 'lid' as well. I might get a new one 1

 

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mdavidford replied to peted76 | 3 years ago
0 likes

This one looks quite neat as well:

https://alpkit.com/products/goucho

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Secret_squirrel replied to peted76 | 3 years ago
0 likes

+1 for StemCell.

I have a stem cell on my gravel bike, and have a computer and camera on an out-in-front mount.   As it sits behind the flats of the bar I was afraid it would compromise turning (it doesn't), and its a great piece of kit.  I only have one caveat and thats because I have a small frame and short-ish top tube and stem that my knee brushes it when climbing out of the saddle, but its more annoying than a serious impediment.  YMMV

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wycombewheeler | 3 years ago
1 like

Why are you looking for a bar bag? You don't need that much food for a 100 mile ride. Have you considered a stem bag? I've seen lots of people stashing food in these on rides. easier access while riding, and doesn't interfere with garmin mounts or lights or go pro or anything lse on the bars.

I find that on rides of 200km the limiting factor is carrying water, at one stage I completed a 200km ride without a shop stop, and I managed this with two water bottles on the bike, and a 3l camback (mule) this also allowed me to carry sandwiches, crisps and fruit for a reasonable lunch stop.

Maybe it's possible to manage 100 miles with only 3 water bottles if your bike also has bottle cage bosses under the down tube.

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Awavey replied to wycombewheeler | 3 years ago
0 likes

Different people require different food intake, I couldnt do a 100 mile without more food than I could carry in jersey pockets. Water shouldn't be the limiting carrying issue because every grizzled audaxer will tell you to stop at a church to fill up.

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Rik Mayals unde... replied to wycombewheeler | 3 years ago
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I have an energy bar and gel every hour, on a six hour ride, that's 12 bars and gels in my pockets, plus phone, plus house keys, plus spare GoPro batteries which is why my pockets are so full. My 100 mile rides are 100 miles in the hills, usual ascent on a century for me is between 8,000 and 11,000 ft climbing which is why I need the fuel. 

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OnYerBike | 3 years ago
1 like

One which springs to mind would be https://routewerks.us/products/the-handlebar-bag

It has a built-in GPS mount on the top and you can also attach a "handlebar stub" (sold separately) to the side in order to attach a GoPro mount.

There are almost certainly other similar designs on the market. You could also get creative with the positioning of your GPS and/or GoPro - for example could you mount the GPS on your stem and the GoPro on the fork crown?

Alternatively, does it have to be a handlebar bag? A top-tube bag or a small frame bag would both provide a decent amount of storage for a few gels and snacks, whilst keeping your handlebars completely free. IMHO a small frame bag looks neater, doesn't affect handling at all, and is maybe slightly more aerodynamic.

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Hirsute | 3 years ago
1 like

Photo of mine to give you an idea of spacing. The small red bit on the left is part of the front light bracket.

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Miller | 3 years ago
0 likes

I've had to solve the same issue, that of wanting a handlebar bag while also using Garmin and GoPro. I didn't think any bar bag would really be compatible with out-front mounts so wasn't constrained by that and got a little Restrap Canister bag with 1.5L of storage space. For the Garmin I got the K-Edge MTB/Stem Fixed Mount which substitutes a 5mm spacer under the stem top cap although really the basic Garmin rubber band mount would have put the Garmin in the same place. For the GoPro I have a mount that clamps to the handlebar so the GoPro sits above the bar. Which is convenient for turning it on and off (I'm not using it for traffic monitoring so not running it constantly).

 

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Hirsute | 3 years ago
0 likes

I found the search button worked for once here !  (I used 'bar bag')

You are talking about something like one of these although not huge storage.

https://off.road.cc/content/review/straight-cut-bagel-bar-bag-7705

https://road.cc/content/review/louis-joy-forest-handlebar-bag-282707

https://road.cc/content/review/miss-grape-moon-handlebar-bag-280985

I did get the missgrape one which has straps which will allow it to hang under clear of the garmin, though not sure of the go pro underneath attachment as I have no experience of those.

 

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EddyBerckx | 3 years ago
0 likes

There are so many of these available now I'd be supervised if you can't find something.

Else have you considered a top tube bag or even a small frame bag? (You can get side loader bottle cages for water bottle access)

while bar bags do a good job for bike packing, they are a slightly weird choice for normal road bike rides as they negate the benefits of having a road bike tbh, in that they put a big lump of unaero bag at the front of the bike. Having said that, I doubt it makes much difference unless you're racing so go for it (whatever works for you!)

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Sriracha replied to EddyBerckx | 3 years ago
2 likes

"Perhaps more surprising to many, front bags were more aerodynamic than rear ones."
https://www.renehersecycles.com/aerodynamics-of-real-world-bicycles/

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EddyBerckx replied to Sriracha | 3 years ago
0 likes

Sriracha wrote:

"Perhaps more surprising to many, front bags were more aerodynamic than rear ones." https://www.renehersecycles.com/aerodynamics-of-real-world-bicycles/

**goes off to find the biggest bar bag he can find...**

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