How do I best fit this bar-bag?

I bought one of those PlanetX Podsacs bar bags that were on special offer. It came with no fitting instructions, and I’m struggling to get it on securely and not dangling down at mudguard like an old mans ball sack. Any clues for me please??

Is this the right place for the center strap? If I tighten it up, it’s going to affect the steering and/or tug the bag, but the spacers or stem seem way too high.

The top straps seem to have too much space between the velcro strips to tighten round the bar .

Should mount higher than this surely? Does it need some kind of frame to keep it up in the right position?

Can I have a gin and tonic?

If you’ve got a sensible suggestion, sure. 😁 If you’ve got a REALLY sensible suggestion, I’ll open the bottle of duty free Tanquery under the stairs.

I’ve had on one on the go since early last year. Works well but the stock straps are hopeless. I’ll post my solution up at the weekend when I have more time.

Thanks montgomery, would appreciate that.

Is that the handlebar barrel thingy from On-one?

Pictures online show it has the three straps on the back, and a couple of other straps included

There appear to be a couple of attachment points at the front for those to pass through and go right around the bag and the bar?

I bought one in the sales and was a bit baffled too! Lol

Mind you,I have an On One Mickey bar on the way which might make things easier?

Is that the handlebar barrel thingy from On-one?

It is from On-one, but not that style. It has a separate harness thing that wraps round a single opening dry bag. Not on the website at the moment, unfortunately. I looked there hoping some of the alternative views might give me a clue.

Is the only thing attached to the bar the harness? Or have you used some long straps cinched up around the bag and the bar as well?

Having read the opening post and being the wrong side of 50 I am worried and might have to go and check my man sack.

Do the top two straps not wrap around the bottom of the bag as well as your bars?

I used one of these for an overnighter last summer. I think I used some alpkit velcro straps on the bars, to keep it tight up to the bars; and wrapped the headtube strap around the stack of spacers that sit between the stem and frame – though my stem has more rise. It seemed to work ok, but scuffed the headtube badge.

Is the only thing attached to the bar the harness? Or have you used some long straps cinched up around the bag and the bar as well?

As designed, only the harness appears to be strapped to the handlebars. Putting extra straps around the whole drybag and harness combo would seem to defeat the object of having a harness, may as well just strap the bag on direct. Maybe that’s the rub, hopefully montgomery’s later post will explain all.

Do the top two straps not wrap around the bottom of the bag as well as your bars?

No, definitely not long enough for that, and again would negate the point of the separate harness. I think what you are looking at is the excess strappage for clicking the front of the harness round the drybag.

Cheers all for your suggestions though, it is appreciated.

I think you just put it in your rucksack?

🤣 Ha, that made me laugh! Maybe it was 10 quid for a reason.

Jaysus Mate!

The Bar-Bag is the least of your worries…….. The angle of your handlebars is shocking! and have you changed your bar tape recently? Hope you didnt pay someone for that workmanship!

Jaysus Mate!

The Bar-Bag is the least of your worries…….. The angle of your handlebars is shocking! and have you changed your bar tape recently? Hope you didnt pay someone for that workmanship!

Go on then let’s see yours lol

Buy a proper bar bag from Ortlieb. The mount is worth more than that bag. And the Velcro strap will take the paint off your head tube. Thank me later.

Your bar angle looks fine btw.

Get some Velcro one wrap For the bar attachments.

Then tighten up the head tube strap wherever you can. But make sure you tape your frame because otherwise you’ll get rubbing.

The top straps seem to have too much space between the velcro strips to tighten round the bar .

New straps shipping out shortly to all concerned.

You need some spacers between the bag and the bars. That’ll both take up the slack in the straps and allow you to hold the bars, fit lights etc.

The lower strap should be long enough to wrap around your fork crown so that you can rotate the bars freely without stressing any straps or rubbing them or the bag against your frame.

And again, tape up everything or you’ll return from a trip with severe paint wear (or worse).

As designed, only the harness appears to be strapped to the handlebars. Putting extra straps around the whole drybag and harness combo would seem to defeat the object of having a harness, may as well just strap the bag on direct. Maybe that’s the rub, hopefully montgomery’s later post will explain all.

The harness part stops it bouncing so much and keeps it’s shape. If the harness was separate to the bag I would run the straps around both otherwise the harness get’s pulled apart.

I’ve got a and Aplkit Kanga which raises the bag up a bit so you can get a bigger bag over the top of a suspension fork. I attach the drybag with the center strap, the velcro loops around the brake hoses, and the two outer straps around the bar and bag loose enough that the whole thing hangs forward a few inches (which also give somewhere fot your hands to sit near the stem).

I reckon a good design would be a ‘Z’ shaped carbon rack, the top bit zip tied to the stem (or replaces a spacer and hooks onto the bars), then the vertical bit and the tongue just keep the bag from sagging onto the suspension fork with a couple of straps and a basic harness hold the bag/prevent chaffing.

@thisisnotaspoon – there are some lightweight racks similar to what you describe, I’m sure I’ve seen reviews or press releases on bikepacking.com but I’ve not used any nor seen one in the flesh.

I prefer being able to pack/unpack things off the bike so have a Wildcat Lion harness. Harnesses have the advantage of being able to use different sized dry bags depending on what you plan to take – I’ve used bags from 5L up to 20L for example. That also means if the dry bag gets damaged you don’t have to replace the harness as well.

That’s it basically, plus the less stitching (i.e.webbing attachments) through an ostensibly waterproof bag the better. I’ll do something over the next few days, but meantime here’s some Milletsbiking last Tuesday:

I’ve just gone to fit my PODSAC bar bag from PX (SO1777138 btw), the straps are definitely too long, got through to PX chatbot Garry who said sorry but they don’t have anything else. I’ll try and track down some gravel specific duct tape or something.

Scruff. I’ll get you some new straps sent out.

@brant,
if you are dispatching improved straps, my order number was SO1781827
Cheers.

@brant,
if you are dispatching improved straps, my order number was SO1781827
Cheers.

Noted. Will pass to CS.

Cheers

@brant can you sort me out too please? SO1778531 cheers

Ok

brant me too please. Order number SO1787013. Thanks

These might help if replacement straps aren’t an option.

https://www.tweekscycles.com/uk/polaris-fixies-fastening-straps-2-pack-prs7544/

There’s a video on youtube that might be of some use

https://youtu.be/SnVptEO890A

Thanks Andy, slightly different kind of bag, but a similar fitting process. I skipped to the bar bag mounting bit, (27 mins! Wow) even so picked up his comment about the too long straps on the frame bag too.

I’m going to put a stiffening rod in it like an old Carradice saddle bag, think that’ll solve it.

I got my strap as well- Brant, thanks for trying.

My strap turned up this morning as well

Here y’go, bit further down this page.

@brant thanks for trying mate, I got one strap sent through! Any chance of another one please?

Right, update! I found a piece of doweling behind the kitchen cupboards when I pulled out the the washing machine to repair it, (no idea why it was there) so I’ve done what I said and it’s made a big difference!

Cut some slits above and below the horizontal webbing to make the mounting point wider, (much wider!)

Looped these around the stiffening dowel behind. I think the dowel could do with being a touch longer. Not permanently attached as it needs to be movable, drop handlebars need to have the straps mounted on a different webbing.

Better position on the handlebars with the harness mounted.

And the dry bag in place. Much less saggy now. I reckon it’ll fit everything I need for my commute, (when I don’t have to cart my laptop back and forth, just in case of enforced Covid WFH).

The supplied straps are still crap, and the ones I used probably aren’t strong enough so I’ll get some proper little webbing straps, might even use old toe-straps.

Nice work. Cut some slots in the wood to thread the straps through so it won’t slip off. Job jobbed.

Some hollow plastic tubing would be perfect.