Originally Posted by
Richard Cranium
Wow - I'm glad all those cyclists are using handlebar bags. As they give up aerodynamics and the ability to safely draft and pick out obstacles along the road - I can look like a better cyclist - just by NOT using one.......
Low rider's are the only viable front-of-bike area luggage solution. Attaching luggage near the handlebar will always be a needlessly inefficient and dangerous use of bicycling accoutrement.
As for aerodynamics, you body is wider than any handlebar bag.
I can easily avoid trash on the road with my bag on, and it is pretty large.
Drafting could be an issue with such a bag as mine, but a smaller one would solve the tire view problem.
There is a tiny bit of extra instability on my bike (Trek 7.2fx) when the bag is heavily loaded. My dad rides a Peugot, and just told me that he can easily ride no-hands with his
larger bag heavily loaded. It greatly depends on the type of bicycle how "dangerous" a handlebar bag is.
I personally prefer the handlebar bag to front panniers, since it is a lot more conveniet. But then, I am not competing, needing to draft, etc.
Anyway, I was asking for what people would look for in a handlebar bag, not one's views on handlebar bags in general....