The ideal handlebar bag?

New Ortlieb QR handlebar bag.
Looks ideal. Bracket to keep it away from cables and hoses, but not permanently attached so easy to swap between scoots. No dangling down and straps to rub the head tube. Waterproof. Easy access.

BUT – 11 litres. Too big or will the compression straps and roll top deal with that? Smallest volume load would be packable waterproof, day out tools, trail first aid kit, food, phone wallet stuff.

Nearly 600g? Rather you than me.

Nearly 600g? Rather you than me.

All my bikes are lardy arse whoppers, that doesn’t fuss me.

Funnily enough it popped up on my feed last night

I have an Altura Transit and Altura Evo(?) (waterproof) bar bag. Although a bit smaller, both do what that does and weigh about 300g.

Ortileb do a ‘standard’ bar bag iirc of about 7l too.

Vaude do some bigger ones too.

All use standard KlickFix mount.

I am not sure what this is bringing to the party that already exists?

Is the klik fix mount bolted to the handlebars? This uses tensioned cords so the whole thing comes off to switch between bikes/no bracket when not in use.

The Restrap one looks great and is a little cheaper than the Ortleib one

https://restrap.com/collections/bar-bags/products/bar-pack?variant=39277283377267

I bought the restrap one one when it was first mentioned on here. Just used it for the first time over the long weekend. Was impressed.

It managed to store all my wet weather gear, spare gloves and odds and sods in the main compartment – I put my battery packs and cables in the little pouch and still had room for a mini d-lock.

I had it on a Geoff Bar so it was at a sub optimal angle, and did seem to move about a bit, but not enough to cause great issue.

The mounting on the ortleib one does look clever though.

“Ideal” depends a lot on personal requirements of course 🙂

Doesn’t look easy to get stuff out of; I like to be able to access a camera and stow it again really quickly. And it’s pretty big.

The bar mount is interesting, though. I’d been mulling that sort of approach myself (I have both Kickfix and strap-on bar bags and both systems are flawed). Would be interested to see if they use that with other bag designs.

(I have both Kickfix and strap-on bar bags and both systems are flawed).

I agree. There seems to be a need in the market for a quick release that holds a bag away from the bars/stem/headtube/cables, yet is stable and strong enough to work off-road and with heavier loads…

Come on STW engineers….

Yeah, I’m not fussed about distancing it from the bars because I don’t need a wide bag, and I’d only really need to carry up to about a kilo or so, but I want something that stays upright and doesn’t bounce. I’ve yet to find a bag without a separate bracket that doesn’t fail one or both of those criteria.

I bought the restrap one one when it was first mentioned on here. Just used it for the first time over the long weekend. Was impressed.

Credit due to the original, the Roadrunner Jammer bag.
https://roadrunnerbags.us/products/the-jammer-bag

This guy deserves a mention IMO. Just taken delivery of Ridgeway Works as I wanted something made locally.

Not the most technical of bags but well made, nice customisation for something a little unique, and reasonable size for long day trips.

The restsrap one has the same fundamental problem as the cheap Planet X one that I had, don’t play nicely with flat bars because the bag rests on the cables and brake hoses. Fine for drop bars with wrapped cables, but Planet X one rubbed away the outer plastic of my dropper cable in one 25 mile ride!

I think I’ll wait a couple of months to see if they bring out a 6 or 7 litre version.

Matti assume you have seen the rixen kaul extension for their bar bags ?

Doesn’t excuse that the klikfix is crap off road

Still find it hard to beat the original kanga and relevent sizedry bag

The Ortleib bag is not recommended for use with carbon bars according to that review which could be an issue for many. Plus 600g! I think if I was going for something that heavy and with that capacity then a proper front rack is the only way I’d go. Quick release would be of secondary importance as 11 litres is hardly needed for a quick whizz round the woods.

jameso
I bought the restrap one one when it was first mentioned on here. Just used it for the first time over the long weekend. Was impressed.
Credit due to the original, the Roadrunner Jammer bag.

That restrap bag appears to be an almost exact copy, how original. We like our Jammers done a few tours with them and they’re capable of holding a decent amount of stuff.
Will be giving our Wizard Works Mini Shazams a work out this weekend.

@aP

That restrap bag appears to be an almost exact copy, how original.

That restrap bag appears to be an almost exact copy, how original.

Be interesting for somebody to write an evolution of designs of this sort of bag.

Were Revelate the original folks to come up with the idea?

I’ve never heard of Roadrunner bags before, however I do have 3 restrap bags (cylinder, small frame, saddlepack) and all 3 seem to have almost direct equivalents on the Roadrunner site. I know there is always going to be a certain similarity between bikepacking bag manufacturers but I’ve seen loads of bags over the years and these really do look the same! Hope it’s coincidence as I love my restrap but not if they have ripped off somebody else’s design…

Watching this with interest. Ben trying to find an ideal bag for a while. Currently looking at the oveja negra 925 but do like the idea of the bag off the bars to allow more hand positions

I’ve just bought a Karrimor off ebay. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/203483424853
Had the same one years ago, sold it, though it was the original steel support that itself weighed about a pound 😆 This one has the klik mount.

OK, not super modern, but the karrimor stuff was always well made. I reckon it would easily rival anything available today.

Im not sure Karrimor current stuff is the equal of what you remember.

Is seems the name was been bought by the Sports Direct shabby empire, and all the stuff ive seen has been tat.

The one in the link is an original, 1980’s, heavy weight cordura fabric.

Or perhaps this new handlebar bag from Alpkit

https://alpkit.com/products/gravel-handlebar-bag

@jimdubleyou – would you be able to see if a standard 10” iPad would be able to fit in the restrap? I rode to work with my bag on my back last week and it drove me mad. Need to carry iPad, change of t-shirt, d-lock (the same model as in the restrap videos), notebook and pair of Toms (can’t leave stuff at work atm as my office hasn’t yet reopened since March 2020!) but in for occasional meetings.

@ahsat – I have an old Pad 3, which fits just fine at the front of the bag, with loads of room to close the top.

Awesome – thanks ever so much – thats super helpful.

I’ve been riding recently with a Wizard Works Little Shazam. It’s another take on the saddlebag/ soft-frame bags. Was pretty stable over the weekend on the Heath/Trail/Bike/Camp Basingstoke event. I’d just like it to have a front pocket like the RoadRunner (which I didn’t use as I can’t quite get my tent in).