Hi, first post here!

I have a Nikon DSLR that I want to take touring. I am not concerned about the camera's weight, since all my other gear is ultralight. I have a bag for it that I want to mount to my drop handlebars:

https://www.amazon.com/Lowepro-Toploa...DSLR+toploader

I do not need a super in-depth tutorial. If I loop velcro luggage straps through the two plastic rings on top, and secure the bag with a third strap through the belt loop, what is my reasonable expectation of rigidity? Will the vibration from riding loosen the velcro?

Anyone with experience custom mounting bags, please let me know your tips and tricks! Obviously, I can't have this bag falling off!

Thank you very much.
-Mdilthey

I'd be worried about the jury-rigged straps loosening, dropping camera, possibly into my front wheel/spokes, sudden deceleration, loss of teeth/skin, etc.

More likely you'd just bust the camera. Even if the straps hold, I'd be worried about it getting beat-up from road shock, rattling against bar, HT, etc, and possibly interfering with controls. Also, many bags claim waterproofness, but few actually are WP.

Probably best bet is to stick the DSLR in the Lowepro inside a pannier or rack-rop bag.

I don't know any way to easily, securely attach the Lowepro bag to a drop bar. This bag is about the same size as most dedicated handlebar bags. To fix to a handlebar would require a rigid Al panel fixed to the bag for support/mounting, actual hbar mounts, and presumably some way to remove bag from hbar to carry.

An entirely different bag might be a better idea. Take a look at the Arkel Big Bag, it may hold your camera with lens attached, maybe even another lens.

Few tourists carry DSLRs due to size, weight, fear of damage and/or theft.

Lots of handlebar bags on the market. Why not choose one that has the right dimensions to hold your camera gear? The makers have already done the design and testing of the mounting system so you don't have to go through the frequent (and sometimes expensive) trial-and-error method of making your own.

Ortlieb .. ultimate 5 handle bar bag + Ortlieb padded camera [DSLR] Insert.

Ortlieb also makes a roll closure Zoom camera bag with 4 D rings on it
and a 4 point harness to carry on your chest, , or with a shoulder strap,

using top 2 of the D rings.

The bag you have can be made to work well enough, but there are a bunch of variables. How large is your frame, or at least the distance from your bars to the top of your tire? The bag you linked to is the long top load zoom and is speced at 13 inches. Assuming that you are on a larger frame the next challenge would be your controls, brake and shift cables, have you test fit the bag to make sure that it does not interfere with you cables either straight or at full turn of the bars? If you have a green light on both counts the next stop is ensuring that you have sway under control. If you have a front rack of some kind, preferably with a platform and backstop above your tire I would connect the lower d-rings to that. IMO your best bet for a positive connection is heavy duty zip ties, but that kind of negates easily getting the bag on and off the bike. Next in order of preference would be leather buckle straps like the heavy duty ones sold by Acorn Bags (google it). While the velco straps my work for a bit, the on and off cycles combined with general wear and tear will result in less than perfect performance in the long run.

As long as you are ok with water resistant this should get you started. In the last 6 years I have seldom left the house by bike without a camera of sorts. My first set ups were exactly what you and I are talking about here. I like having the cameras suspended between the drop bars. IMO it is the area of least shock/shaking and the bars provide a roll cage of sorts if you were to dump the bike. I have had it happen at moments of inattention while stopped. Get started with what you have, the gear is meant to be used, you will break it eventually. Move on to better gear. This path is how I ended up with a company selling bikes designed around front loads and good handling. I now prefer Micro4/3 cameras for the versatility to weight ratio, but carried my Canon DSLR for a few years before switching all the way over. I like to have my nice camera with me, because it is what I like ot take nice pictures with while out on rides. I like it up front where I can get to it and feel it is protected. I like to keep my cameras in top load zoom bags so that I can easily take them with me and leave the bar bag on the bike.

Most importantly have fun on the journey, take lots of pictures and learn as you go.

I didn't know Ortlieb had a DSLR bag, I will look into that first and foremost. Thank you for that information.

Secondly, yeah, I might someday forego the DSLR but as of now, I've got the dubious title of Group Photographer, where everyone loves getting their picture taken. So this is something I definitely want to bring.

My backup options are:

#1- wearing the case strapped to my chest with a chest harness. Not crazy about this in the heat.

#2- wrapping the case in my sleeping bag in my Ortlieb rear pannier. I'm ultralight, as I mentioned, so my pannier has room to spare for such an endeavor, but I don't love stopping and taking 3 minutes just to access the camera.

I am going to try leather straps like what was mentioned over Velcro, or just webbing compression straps. I do want to be able to detach it to take it with me, so the camera never leaves my side. But the Ortlieb handlebar bag might solve everything.

Thanks for the responses, extremely helpful.

I use a cam case but smaller than yours. Here is how I mounted mine with DIY hooks. If I had the long case like yours I would set it on front platform as mentioned above and attach there and to bars.



.

The Ortlieb bag has the added advantage of being absolutely waterproof. I know this from several days of first hand experience. Call Wayne at The Touring Store. He's very helpful and can guide you through the selection process.

I am waffling between spending another $120 on an Ortlieb handlebar bag or strapping my own case DIY and then enclosing the camera in a freezer bag. My case has a weather shield that will deflect the majority of spray, and while it's not completely waterproof, I trust it.

There's another option available that I thought everyone would benefit from knowing about. It just won National Geographic's Gear of the year 2012 award.
https://www.crumpler.com/us/Camera-Ba...=HVN001-G03G50

Crumpler came up with a DSLR Bag insert to turn backpacks, panniers, and handlebar bags into camera cases. It's very simplified and it comes in three sizes. If I can't jury-rig my own bag, I am also considering a third option of filling a $10 handlebar bag with one of those pads.


The Ortlieb bag looks great, it does, but there's something about plastic brackets that doesn't sit right. I couldn't care less about the rear bags, they're full of food and clothes. I feel safer with 2-4 straps for my camera's home, you have redundancy and easy inspection vs. a piece that cracks all at once.

I carry my DSLR and second lens in an Ortlieb handlebar bag which is the perfect size I find, and very secure. I wrote a review a while back (after more than 10,000miles):

'I have the Ortlieb 5L one. This is great. One piece of kit I’m really happy about.

It’s waterproof and holds a phenomenal amount securely – I use it for my Canon DSLR with 18-200mm lens attached and 10-22mm lens in a padded liner (taken from another camera bag I happened to have). Then I fit in my wallet, money belt with passport, documents etc, GPS, compact camera, multitool, leatherman, maps, journal etc. It’s fairly well packed in and some might say overloaded, but I use it as a camera bag when not cycling as it means I can keep my valuables with me at all times. Even with the rough African dirt tracks my camera is still is great nick.
I find the lid sometimes a little tricky to close and some people may prefer a bag with more compartments / pockets. From using it regularly as a shoulder bag, the top edges are very worn now, so I make sure the camera is in a plastic bag for extra waterproofness.
The way it attaches to the handlebars means that it swings up and down when going over very bumpy terrain. However this is an advantage as it acts to dampen the vibrations of the road/knocks and this is good for the camera.'

Edit: The bag and attachment was still in use at the 25,000km mark. I've since bought another one and that is fine after 12,000km. All with my camera gear and extras in.

35mm Film camera in a Lowe Padded fanny pack spent time in a small Ortlieb Rack pack,
the side opening dry bag was strapped securely to my front rack.
took long enough to Unhook the straps to open the bag,
that the number of pictures taken was lessened..

The HB bag with the padded camera insert would be better..

I also recommend the Ortlieb. On the days when you don't happen to need the big camera, you can use it for all your other stuff.

The Ortlieb mount is rock solid. It'll be far, far better than rigging up your own bag.

On a side note, unless you're routinely making 11" x 17" prints, a DSLR is overkill these days. Mirrorless and even high-end compacts are more than capable of handling anything you'd want to photograph while on a bike or on tour.

I'm leaving myself open to the opportunity to make 11" x 17" prints, actually. I'm co-president of my school's Photography Club and a Quartermaster for the Outdoors Club, and I do a lot of promotion work and we have shows. I want this trip to produce as good quality photos as my $1,000 camera investment can produce.

With these stunning reviews, I no longer doubt the stability of the Ortlieb. I will check out my custom rig and see if I trust it, but I will default to spending another $125 if I even have a doubt. Thank you for the affirmation.

+1 that's the system I use to carry my D200 it works great.

It looks just like my bag, except the price tag I'm gonna try to make mine work before investing in Ortlieb. I like Ortlieb, but I bet there's a minimal functional difference if I use my head and do it right.

UPDATE: It looks like the Zoom bag is just too long to attach on my front handlebars via straps through the D-ring. I no longer have the Zoom lens, so I might see about getting a smaller bag. It seems like the easiest solution (strapping it on my body) might be the one I default to. I will update if I find a better solution by counting on the wisdom in the responses.

Thanks for that Crumpler link! Looks great.

I carry my DSLR in a Topeak handlebar bag. This one: https://www.topeak.com/products/Bags/...deHandlebarBag
It comes with a rain cover that has never failed me, and I also carry a freezer ziplock bag for when it's really coming down. Another smaller one for batteries and cards.

I did take a proper photo knapsack once and strapped it to the back rack, but it was too hard to get into during the day.

If you get a good quality bag I really wouldn't worry about the plastic bracket. Just make sure not to carry way over the reasonable weight limit, but camera with one lens will be just fine.

I find the small plastic bags used by people who ship small collectibles like Legos are ideal for bagging small objects. I use it to keep little camp rolls of duct tape from getting adhesive on things, and I wrap lighters, tools, memory cards, and batteries in them too. Freezer bags for your DSLR are a must! Good call.

I worry about plastic pieces. I've broken plastic pedals, plastic water bottle mounts. I've broken plastic light mounts. it's that one fall, or that one time you accidentally put pressure on it, or the one rock that flicks up, and you regret using plastic. I defer to flexible materials like cloth all the time. In my head, I see a bracket that holds a handlebar bag flexing a centimeter or two every time you go over a bump over and over and over, and I have a hard time trusting it. Experience from someone with thousands of miles is a big plus, but it still makes me nervous with a DSLR. If I have four attachment points with rope or velcro, the chances of all 4 breaking simultaneously are outrageous.

Of course, I could always find a plastic mount bag and then tie some velcro on as a backup!

I jerry-rigged a piece of 3/16" aluminum rod from home depot. Heated it up over the kitchen stove and bent it around a rolling pin. The rod loops under the stem then hangs cantilevered over the bars. I use an old camera bag as my handlebar bag, but my bag is not as tall as yours. total cost less than $5

The bag mounts come with a wire that goes around and over the stem so just in case the screws let go, it holds the bag in place. You could probably secure the mount further with some zip ties, if you feel necessary.
If that won't work for you, I can only suggest a metal front basket, like for groceries, but even some of those have plastic mounts. Oh, and you will probably look funny...

You should do whatever you're comfortable with, but I would not try to secure a regular bag to handlebars - I wouldn't feel it was safe enough. And depending on how long you will be riding, carrying it on your body and having it swing around would drive me mad.

Let us know what you decide.

see if you can find one of these old kirtland bags. it's got a heavy steel mounting
bar that wraps around the stem, the arms slip into reinforced sleeves, bungee cord
from the bottom hooks onto your fender eyelets.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/elkulak/4988436575/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/elkulak...n/photostream/

i used to carry my dslr with 200mm lens with no problems.

you may be able to modify your other bags........

How much did you pay for the camera? How much do you value the camera? $120 is cheap insurance against weather. And the bag is extremely rugged. I've had it since 2005 and have used it on many tours including several with some very rough dirt roads without issue. The mount is tough and shows no signs of any kind of problem.

Ok, I've taken everything into consideration. I had a general aversion to plastic pieces, and a general aversion to paying a metric ton for an Ortlieb bag because it's a brand (I firmly believe it's just branding, 120$ is steep for a bag that touts nothing but "Waterproof." Ziplok bags are waterproof.) I've reconsidered the plastic pieces, but I figure if I pay less for the bag, a cracked mount will be less of a big deal. The worry that the whole thing will come flying off was mitigated by some common sense- zip ties etc.

So, in the end, I'll be using a dry bag after all.

Stage I: Cannondale GoPod Handlebar Bag
This is a $70.00 bag on sale for a mere $25. I like that. It's also already made of molded EVA foam, which'll insulate in the winter and pad from vibration all the time. It also has two D-rings on it, which will let me tie it on to my bars as a backup to the plastic mount. However, I am possibly LEAST satisfied with this and wil likely swap it for something else (This perhaps?)

Stage II: Neoprene DSLR Sleeve
Here's the main protection from bumps, scratches, etc. I'll pack around it if necessary to keep it in one place. The Cannondale has a neoprene bottle sleeve, but it's unclear what the size is, I may be able to nestle the camera there within this sleeve. I originally considered the Haven, but the dimensions were wrong- it was too tall.

Stage III: Dry-sack
I'm spending $17 here to get an e-Vent 3 liter. I figure since the e-Vent allows air to leave the bag, there'll be no condensation from heated moisture inside. I will test it in direct sunlight with a basin of water or something, but I anticipate no problems.

Total spent is $17 + $12 + $25 = $54, versus $120 + $15 for an Ortlieb camera system. I think it'll do the job, but I'll keep the Ortlieb as my Plan B if this setup tests negatively. PLEASE let me know if you hear any bells ringing in your head. I would hate to discover a fatal flaw when I'm on the road. I tried to give myself multiple failsafes.


One question: I'd love to put a rain cover on the outside of the Cannondale but I can't find one. Suggestions?

EDIT: Mountainsmith makes a cover for a lumbar pack that has a drawstring. It ought to do.

For me this bag wouldn't work. Seems to hard to get into and I like to be able to stop, get the camera out and take some shots without getting off the bike. I don't know if you plan on using a camera during the day when you're riding, or is the bag is just for transport but if I had to struggle so much every time I want to take a shot, I just wouldn't.
That Topeak bag you posted the link to is no longer available. But as I said before, I use a Topeak bag and love it. It's wearing out after many years and I plan on replacing it with exactly same one. I love my Ortlieb panniers, but the design of Ortlieb handlebar bag is not for me.

I suggest that instead of just looking at the price, try to imagine if this is the bag and set up that will work for you. It's not a saving if you have to replace the item because it doesn't work.

Which bag seems hard to get into? The Cannondale is top-loading via Velcro, which isn't at all weatherproof, but the Neoprene sleeve will keep dust off the camera inside the bag.

I've looked at your Topeak extensively, and honestly, the only thing holding me back is a few negative reviews on the mounting system. Topeak also has a waterproof bag with "sonically welded seams" and all the reviews say the bag falls apart in mere days, so I'm afraid to buy another bag from a company which overlooked durability issues like that.

Details on your bag would be fantastic If it's no trouble.

I thought the Canondale bag opened from the front, there seens to be a zipper there. Not sure now.

Topeak changed their mounts a couple years ago. My bag has the old one, same as shown in the picture of the discontinued bag you've posted. The new system is the one with the yellow button. I've posted a link to the bag I have above, post #16. What questions do you have about my bag? I haven't done any research on the new system yet, are the bad reviews about the new or old system?