Touring - Which Handlebar Bag?

A couple weeks ago, Mick asked the question, "Which Panniers?" I want to solicit opinions about any of the various handlebar bags anyone might be familiar with.

We have replaced our 30 year old touring bikes and need to replace some other equipment, too, namely handlebar bags (our panniers are a bit newer and still serviceable, at least for the next trip). The handlebar bags we have are both around 400 cubic inches. I see several brands that are a bit to a lot larger. A 600+ cu in bag would seem to make it easier to overload the front?!

The mechanics of the mounting system are important, too. With our old HB bags, one was a hassle to mound/dismount, but left no hardware on the bike. The other was easy to remove/replace as it slid and snapped onto a vinyl covered mounting bracket that sort of wrapped around the top of the stem and handlebars (an old Kirtland bag -- anyone remember them?) and stayed on the bike, but was removable.

Thoughts, recommendations, opinions?

We are going to have to purchase by web/mail order, since we have no LBS.

I'm using the Topeak bag and basically like it. The mounting hardware is semi-permanent. The bag snaps on and off easily, but leaves a bracket behind. The bracket is something like a BMX racing number plate.

I use the smaller bag. I have noticed that a friend who uses the larger model has a problem with it sliding down toward the head tube of his bike. I have never used another bag and so have no basis for comparison.

Unless you are trying to distribute a fair amount of weight between back and front, I like a small handlebar bag. Particularly on my road bikes.. Don't like clutter on my road bikes, if weather condidtions are ideal...
I found a handlebar bag I really like. Got it through Adventure Cycling.. It is manufactured by Madden, Inc. of Colorado. Very small. Just large enough to fit in a battery pack for my Nitehawk lite or carefully roll up a small jacket. Small enough so it does not interfere with my computer...
Hang it on the front side of the handlebars and it is hardly noticeable.. IT is about 12 by 8 inches and 3 inches thick.. Really handy but fairly small. I have a larger handlebar bag for my touring bike, but do not like it on my road bikes..

I haven't used it, but Arkel's looks like a winner
http://www.panniers.com/text_index_cdn.html

Clip on systems work well. Rixen and Kaul make the industry-standard design. Tha bag can't rotate down under a heavy load, and its easy to fit. Just make sure that the bag clips in fully on mounting.

The critical dimension is width, and the correct width depends on your gear-changing system and bar width. If you have drop bars and STI or Campy ergo-levers, then stick to a narrow bag.

I like the Carradice bar bag, its just the right size, water-resistant, lightweight, has good stiffening and easy access. The shoulder strap is also useful, and the large map holder really improved my speed as I can navigate on the move. It has one zipped internal pocket an 2 unzipped side compartments which is more than enough.

On one occasion I left the bag resting in the mount but not fully clipped in. The bag bounced off and under my front wheel, where it acted as a brake. A nylon bag would have been shredded, but I can hardly see the abrasion damage on this tough item.

For a totally waterproof bag, see Ortleib.

When I posted my question about Handlebar bags, I should have included that these will go on drop handlebar touring bikes (Trek 520s) with Shimano Bar-end Shifters and the standard aero-brake levers. Thus, the derailleur cables are no issue with mounting a HB bag and the brake cables route along the bar tape toward the stem, then exit to do their loop around and down.

I have thought about Arkel HB bags since their panniers seem well thought of, but wondered about the volume of them (650 cu in) feeling it could be a easy to overload it (from a steering and control point of view).They do make a smaller bag, though, about the same size as what we have used. Also, the Arkel mounting system seems to clamp onto the handlebars and stick out front. What kind of leverage does a loaded bag place on that? Would I find it slipping if I didn't tighten it enough the first time?

The old Kirtland HB bags we have used could not slip because part of the mount looped under the stem. But the mount is too narrow, there, to fit the stem on these new bikes -- and, they are old bags.

i use a cooler that i got from K-mart, the kind with the fabric outside and a plastic liner inside. the strap, when hooked under the cooler leaves two loops on the side that fit nicely over my brake hoods, and this fits right between my drop handle bars. it serves as a nice carrier for a variety of items. I put my map in plastice and set it right on top

I have to go with Ortleib again. It has a good mounting system, clips on solid, and when you take it off, you can use it has a nice independant bag. I have the waterproof cordura model and it keeps the wet out. I keep my digi camera in it as well as maps and papers. My only beef with it is the comfusing instructions, but once you get past that, it works well on the bike. The plastic map holder is a bit worthless too.

Dave

I started with the Road II bag by Vaude and was quite happy with it. . . until I saw the Arkel bag at my lbs. My daughter now had the Vaude bag. Recognize that there is a significant price difference between the two though. Vaude bag was $65 at REI and the Arkel bag was $109. The difference in workmanship and materials was very evident though. The one area where the Vaude bag was better is that it comes with a built-in rain cover. There is none for the Arkel bag. That's not an issue for me becuase I am a fair-weather cyclist.

I have an old rather large handlebar bag. Relatively stable, but a bit noisy and not easy to remove from the bars.

I have, however, read some good comments from reliable sources about Arkel and Ortlieb, and have examined the Arkel at a bike shop.

In a nutshell, if you want totally waterproof, get the Ortlieb. Otherwise, get the Arkel, which has a better mapcase, I'm told.

Anyway, the Arkel is very large, very well done and won't rattle or move around even if you shake the handlebars. With the wide handlebars that come with the 520, the only issue is that you can't use the handlebar bag and a bar-mounted headlight at the same time. You will need to get a fork crown mounted headlight like the Lumotec, or an adaptor that allows to install the headlight near the forks (that is, if you want the bag and the lights at the same time).

The model shown on Arkel's website (http://www.panniers.com) is the large 10-L one, but I know they also have a smaller 7 or 7.5 L bag. It's essentially the same, except smaller, but I don't know which dimension is smaller. IOW, does it offer less drag in the wind?


A final note: with the Arkel bag, a clamp remains on your handlebars at all times. I think it is the same with Ortlieb.

I recently purchased a small Arkel. I bought it because of the mounting hardware and the rigid plastic liner.

I did a shakedown tour with it on New Years Day. I found the map holder on the top to be far too small.

Yesterday I sewed a Velro strip on the inside top of the bag to which my old larger map holder now fits. I think it would be a liability in a heavy rain or huge headwind.

Allan

So how much do people actually use those map cases on the top of a handlebar bag?

I never found them very useful for two main reasons: 1) the window never seemed large enough to show enough of the map. I'd always be riding off the edge; 2) as you rode around and the road turned, the map would no longer be oriented correctly with respect the reality around me. If the route was tricky, you'd end up pulling the map out if you couldn't mentally rotate the map to match the landscape.

I have used two different bags on tours, one with and one without a map case on top. Both were equally useful. After a short time trying to make a map case work, the only thing I ended up putting in it was a 3x5 card with a gear chart. I'd keep my maps IN the bag in a ZipLoc (or equivalent) plastic bag. If I needed to consult the map, I'd stop and pull it out. A good excuse to pull out some food, too.

Mike,
Thanks for your reply. I agree most maps won't fit, and soon you will be off the map fold anyway.

I really need to have a good map because I bike a lot in Europe. I realise that in Alaska, there are not too many roads, so maps may be an optional accessory.

I like to have a map fold which allows me about a half hour biking without a stop. When I stop, I eat, I drink and I change the fold on my map. 1:25,000 maps may require more stops to change but they offer greater detail. I really love the British Ordnance Survey and the continental Michelin maps.

We all have our preferences and I respect yours.

Yes, I have done all my bike touring (so far) in the western US, where there are often not too many questions about route. We are looking forward to 5 weeks in France this summer, though. With a lot more roads and intersections, I am re-examining the utility of a map case on top of the HB bag, and remain undecided.

For the time we are in the Pyrenees, I have purchased IGN 1:50,000 maps. I love the additional details; but, I am still not sure if a HB bag top map case is useful. I guess I need to ride though France (we plan to spend time in Brittany, also) to know for sure where a map works best for me.

The bigger the bag, the more you'll carry! :p