Hey guys, I'm looking to buy a handlebar bag for a bike I'm building for my wife. It's a maroon Disc Trucker, partially complete right now:



With that color scheme, I'm looking at maybe an Acorn handlebar bag that may match with the honey Brooks B67 (and will have brown grips).

https://www.acornbags.com/hdlbarbag.html

I plan to put a matching white daisy flower pinned to the front flap.

I am not the best in color coordination, so asking for some advice. I will most likely change out the cranks to silver Sugino XD2's (110bcd, 34t ring) and ordered a new wheelset that is all silver. So the basic theme will be maroon, silver, brown with white highlights. I've been looking for days for a handlebar bag that would look good with this. Acorn seems to be the best. There were some on etsy, but they seemed not so durable and made by more-artist-less-cyclists. Also looked at a smaller Duluth Candy Bar bag, but didn't like the barrel bag style. Do you think Acorn will match well? Or other suggestions? (Please no BLACK) I'd like to keep the price under $100. I'd also like to avoid setting up a front rack. Thanks for any input.

There are people with sewing machines to custom make the perfect thing..

Swift industries bags https://builtbyswift.com/ comes to Mind

Hot Seller world wide it's waterproof: https://ortlieb.de/p-liste.php?ptyp=radtasche&lang=en



You can hire a local with a sewing machine to make things .. as well , of course ..

Thanks, man. Bit outside of what I wanted to spend, but I think I found it:

https://www.dillpicklegear.com/store/...&product_id=62

a basket and not only any bag you want to put in the basket will be fine

+ the bike will be practical for shopping trips , between tours .

30 years, My daily rides are my touring type bikes.

bobbo - you gave me a good idea. This build is for Vday. Maybe a simple Wald basket up front with a basket of roses will do nicely.

Front rack over the wheel, for support, and a wicker basket will be super ..

Placed an order for Wald 135. Wicker basket was exactly what I was thinking. I owe you a heterosexual hug if we ever cross paths.

Was going to be my suggestion. I think a basket would look grat on that bike.

Can't really go wrong with a Wald; I have Wald baskets on the front of two of my bikes.

If she wants to try a wicker basket sometime, try one from House of Talents. It's a non-profit for the artists in Ghana. https://houseoftalents.com/shop/produ...icycle-basket/

Only $45 at ModernBike. I got one for my girlfriend's Soma San Marcos, and it's purdy. It works best with a small front rack underneath, though.

Thanks [MENTION=343977]Tim_Iowa[/MENTION] Basket looks good. I'll have to look into it if she gets tired of the Wald basket. Definitely looks "prettier."

Got a few more parts in. Really excited about the Riv brass bell. Not sure if the bar will be wrapped with brown Salsa tape or if I'll use white ESI grips. (TT is wrapped with foam, as I didn't want the brake levers dinging it).

that style bars , an Ergon/Phorm grip would be more comfortable than a round one..
Ergon's recent GC1 is for sweptback bars ...

https://www.ergon-bike.com/us/en/product/gc1

Crane bells are quite nice; I use one. I'm about to get a copper Crane for my girlfriend's bike.

That tape will match nicely. The "leather" Deda Elementi Mistral tape matches honey saddles well, but it has a printed silver logo on it. I've had to wrap very carefully to hide that logo.

When that Salsa tape gets crummy, consider the cork grips from Riv.

You can wrap a bit of bar tape at the spot where the brake levers hit the top tube, to protect the paint from scratches.

Looks like it'll be a great, versatile bike. Nicely done.

Great looking stuff and pics. My only thing is that it seems like every time a gift idea comes up for the 100 pounders it is always at the heavy end of the spectrum. My wife is tough, at 95 pounds on a muscle basis she is still half my weight, and the frame and all the components are hardly any lighter than the ones in my bike. She starts in the hole on any weight budget.

All done for now. Didn't end up getting new cranks, which would have made this look much better. Maybe for her bday this year. Gotta get the basket struts done, too. Stock struts were too long, and wouldn't work with the braze ons or axle, so I'll have to cut and mount them to the mid rack mount.

Im sure like my friends at the LBS, we could figure something out ..
I recall Wald making a new strut that is adjustable in length,
and at the bottom has a large and a small hole, the small one would accept a 5mm bolt like the eyelets have.. though it may require a longer spacer to clear your disc caliper ..

Or get a different Basket [after tomorrow, Friday the 14th ceremonial presentation.]

there are QR baskets.. the part that stays on the bike hooks over the bars
then braces against the head tube.

the basket handle secures the basket to the support , lifting the handle releases it to be removed.

.. even some painted Pink .

I've seen those QR mounts on Wald, but I didn't think they were available for this particular basket. I'll have to look into the adjustable ones from Wald. Fortunately, there are eyelets on both front and back of the dropout, so no messing with the disc brake.

Also, I tried Riv's hemp string method for finishing off the bar tape. Worked well and easier than I thought. It may be my most favorite part about the bike.

Its 200 + years older than Grant.

Whipping the end of rope , has long been the way sailors kept natural fiber ropes from Fraying ..

https://www.animatedknots.com/commonwhipping/

synthetics, nylon, etc., can now be hot cut, and fuse the ends.

Yeah, I remember making rope in Boy Scouts and lashing the ends like that. Just had never done it on a bike.

By the way, I think I can make the stock struts work with some dremel and filing. I got a better fitting wicker basket as well.