Largeish Handlebar bag with drop bars

[ttcycle]

Does anyone commute on a drop bar road bike and use a handlebar bag?

I'm thinking of getting one of these:

bikhttp://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Ortlieb_Ultimate_5_Plus_Bar_Bag/5360028244/

for the commute so I don't carry so much on the back and end up with a sweaty back.

I used to commute with panniers but my most recent road bike didn't have the clearance for it-plus the machine was for racing as well and having a rack on the back was not good for that!!

Any tips and ideas and is this actually practical or does it affect steering too much - I know tourers take these bags easily but what about a standard road bike and a racing road bike?

 

[MacB]

TT, I haven't ridden drops with one but know that I distinctly felt it on my butterfly bars. I've got and tried the following:-

bar bag - good but more impact to steering than I expected, would have to be commuting really light to get by with one of these

rucksack - hated it and, with laptop, it really gets uncomfortable

rack panniers - got the Ortlieb ones and have been superb, tried various methods. Preferred is to keep toiletries, shoes, jacket, emergency tie, trousers and belt at work. Commuted each day with towel, underwear and shirt in one pannier, could easily fit laptop as well.

rack pack - got the Arkel Tailrider, not cheap but is superb bit of kit. Sits on top of rack with quite low profile, expands upwards the more stuff you put in. Pretty waterproof on its own but has integrated raincover that just pulls over. Unit velcros on and off so very easy.

saddle packs - only used topeak ones with the under saddle click fix and the velcro tab round the seatpost. Not big enough for commute purposes.

Top tube bag - got the little topeak one, waterproof version and very happy, holds wallet, keys, phone, fags, directions and a bit of room left over.

Dummy storage bottle - if you've got two bottle cages a large one of these can carry spare tubes and tools easily. I bought a second.

What I haven't tried yet - rackpack with drop side expanding panniers, large saddle pack with click fix on seatpost, front panniers, triangular frame fit bag.


A possible solution for you - beam rack that fits to seatpost, possibly go for one that also has legs to the seat stays(or any method that minimises risk of swivel). Arkel Tailrider, I can fit tools, tubes, lunch, shirt, underwear and towel into mine. Throw in a dummy storage bottle on frame and the topeak top tube bag. This would give you easily enough unless transporting laptop. For this it has to be pannier or backpack/messenger bag. Beauty of this is that you can dettach the rack in seconds. If you keep tools and tubes in storage bottle then you can just unclip rack and the bike is ready for a social/training run.

 

[ttcycle]

Thanks Mac

Definitely food for thought-another prompt answer to one of my equipment queries..perhaps I should just PM you in the future...that is unless we're talking about clipless systems...

Thanks again!

The only problem I've just noticed is that the topeak beam rack can only carry 15lb- I think my lock itself would exceed that - that is if I am carrying it with me which is a yes most days- I could fit a bracket to the frame but he lock wasn't easily carried on the frame of my old bike- issues around the geometry!

hmmmm

 

[MacB]

Thanks Mac

Definitely food for thought-another prompt answer to one of my equipment queries..perhaps I should just PM you in the future...that is unless we're talking about clipless systems...

Thanks again!

I confess I am a gadget freak, internet junky and still pretty new to cycling, so on a learning curve, an expensive one at times.

Just don't take an interest in hub gears, I could actually bore you to death on that one

 

[ttcycle]

....aren't they amazing in that you can change gears when the hell you want? don't own any bikes equipped with hub gears though derailleurs all the way with my ones...

Sounds like an expensive journey!
Yeah must do more research on this alternate bag-ma-jig

 

[Tynan]

I used one for ages on my hybrids, they are handy but they're very pedestrian and gay, you can't see the front tyre or the rioad immediately in front of you

pannier

 

[Crankarm]

tt - how wide are your drops? If you have STIs then you may have clearance issues with the cables wheres Campag Ergos don't have cables to contend with. I would try and find out the dimensions of the bar bag before you buy and fabricate a dummy to place on your bars to see how much space you have. If it is limited I would say go for a wider set of bars say 44/46cm . Fairly easy to change over but of course you have to buy them which all depends on how much you want to spend. Maybe new bar tape such as Cinelli Gel stuff at £12.99 which is bl00dy good stuff at absorbing vibration, well grippy and comfortable.

 

[ttcycle]

Hi Crankarm -

am still awaiting finalisation of insurance to replace my road bike - it will have 40cm with slightly narrower width tube - so clearance may be a real issue -handlebars at 44-46 will be far too wide for me. It will be most likely a campag set up though have always ridden with STI's but costs for those are spiralling!

I do miss the pannier combo on my old hybrid - was nice not to have anything on my back -especially not two heavy top end d-locks. Problem is that fitting a rack on the road/racing bike will not carry enough weight for commuting items...

 

[Crankarm]

Hi Crankarm -

am still awaiting finalisation of insurance to replace my road bike - it will have 40cm with slightly narrower width tube - so clearance may be a real issue -handlebars at 44-46 will be far too wide for me. It will be most likely a campag set up though have always ridden with STI's but costs for those are spiralling!

I do miss the pannier combo on my old hybrid - was nice not to have anything on my back -especially not two heavy top end d-locks. Problem is that fitting a rack on the road/racing bike will not carry enough weight for commuting items...

I guess you will have to decide what is most important to you......

But 40cm bars are narrow. What chest size are you? I'm around 38-40ish but prefer wider bars 42/44cm. I believe the bars should ideally be similar width to one's chest size. If you've Campag Ergo levers then fitting a bar bag will be easier as you won't have cables to worry about except around the stem of course. I wouldn't carry too much weight in a bar bag anyway. On the occasions I use mine I try to carry only light items inside.

Of course flat bars wouldn't a problem........

 

[BentMikey]

Can I recommend a carradice cotton duck saddlebag? Much better than a pannier, and doesn't mean having an uncool rack on your bike.

 

[BentMikey]

That's a longflap camper, you can get smaller bags too.

 

[ttcycle]

Thanks for that BM- will check those out online!

 

[Origamist]

+1 for Carradice.

I'd go for a Carradice saddlebag or saddle pack. For commuting, I have the latter (a SQR Tour), but if you wanted something a bit smaller, there is the SQR Glentress. These bag can be detached in seconds using the quick release. They also act as a mud-guard and partially protect you from road spray.

If you ride a small framed bike - you need quite a bit of seatpost showing:

http://carradice.co.uk/sqr-saddlepacks/sqr-tour.shtml

However, the SQR Slim/Glentress is better in this regard.

 

[The Eighth Man]

I have a Carradice long flap camper, they are waterproof and last for ages. I have a bag man to support it.

 

[ttcycle]

thanks for the feedback

Eigth Man - what is a bag man?