Touring - Handlebar Bag with mini brakes?

Hi,

I have a Specialized Sequoia Comp with little 'cheater' brake levers on
the handle bar... See the attached picture. The smaller brake levers are
angled down a bit...

Is it possible to fit a front bag to my bike?

My under seat bag is filled with repair stuff...

I don't plan on 'Touring' as much as 'Day Tripping', probably no more
than 30 miles round trip.

Thanks,

Jerry

I have an Ortlieb Handlebar bag (great bag) that Would Not fit your bars the way you have the mini brakes attached. You would need to move the mini brake clamps out (each) about another inch away from the stem for the bag attachment to fit. You know, I have those same brakes on my bike- which I had added on when I purchased my bike two months ago- and have not used them a single time!

I have the same kind of "Cross Levers" on my touring bike. I have put my (Ortleib) handbar bag on a second stem mounted below the main stem.

I also put a second stem on my LHT for my Ortleib handlebar bag. It worked great, but it doesn't look as if you have enough room on your steerer tube for two stems. I could be wrong; I can't exactly tell from the picture.

I've recently bought an extender for the Ortlieb mounting system. I'm thinking it will save some weight. More importantly, it will lift the bag away from the front rack, which is a Jandd with a platform. With the double stem setup the bag hangs down and crowds whatever I strap to the front rack platform.

I haven't made the switch yet, so I don't have any firsthand experience with the extender. However, it's from Ortlieb. They seem to have their act together, so I'm assuming it will work fine.

I bought the extender directly from Ortlieb (http://www.ortlieb.com/index_white.php?lang=en&file=s-katalog.php).

Look at the small bar bag from Topeak. It has a small footprint

I have the in-line brake levers you show in your photo. I also have a handlebar bag. To deal with the problem you describe, I bought a front rack with a platform and bungee the bag to the platform.

You can sorta see my set-up here:

http://www.biketouringtips.com/bike.journals/SF2LA.2009/P4150025.JPG

Ray

I have the same problem, and I just got a 'Bell' handlebar bag from wal-mart. It fits over the interrupters easily. It isn't waterproof, so just make sure anything important is in ziplocks...

Jandd handle bar bag on my 'cross bike (http://www.flickr.com/photos/9320902@N04/3207591104/).

I have an Ortlieb Handlebar bag (great bag) that Would Not fit your bars the way you have the mini brakes attached. You would need to move the mini brake clamps out (each) about another inch away from the stem for the bag attachment to fit. You know, I have those same brakes on my bike- which I had added on when I purchased my bike two months ago- and have not used them a single time!

I also had the Ortlieb on my bike with B-Levers. I could not easily get my hands between the bag an the levers. I first tilted them so they were under the handlebar. That was still uncomfortable. Wayne at the Touring Store sent me an extension and that solved the problem.

I have since mounted a second stem (see below).

I also put a second stem on my LHT for my Ortleib handlebar bag. It worked great, but it doesn't look as if you have enough room on your steerer tube for two stems. I could be wrong; I can't exactly tell from the picture.



I did not have room for a second stem. A friend of mine that does auto body, cut the part that mounts to the stem in half. I now have only one screw to hold the second stem but it works fine.

My problem was solved by removing them. Never used them. All they did was get in my way and take up real estate for light and computer and bar bag.

I have a handlebar bag that I had to give up using when I put the interupter levers on my cross bike. I didn't really like using it anyway since I have shimano brifters and the shift cables had to be moved from their natural position when the bag was in place (though it still seemed to shift ok anyway).


Jandd handle bar bag on my 'cross bike (http://www.flickr.com/photos/9320902@N04/3207591104/).

Curious: would you still have room to use them if you had the levers out at the typical angle instead of the more vertical angle you have them at? I think the wrist rotation required by your set up would kill me.

Curious: would you still have room to use them if you had the levers out at the typical angle instead of the more vertical angle you have them at? I think the wrist rotation required by your set up would kill me.

I don't think it'll work. Even if I tried to angle the bag upward. The angle of the levers doesn't put any stress on my wrists.

Really, get the extender or use a second stem. Or if you're filthy rich get one of those guu watanabe front bags.