Wide and Deep Handlebar Bags
We love handlebar bags! Putting the weight up front means it’s easier to balance, especially when you’re riding out of the saddle. (None of that tail-wagging-the-dog feel that you get with rear bags.) Food, clothes, camera—the contents of a handlebar bag is easy to reach, either while you’re riding or at least without having to get off the bike. Stop, put a foot down, and you can safely rummage through your bag, and quickly get on your way again—without having to wrestle with a bike that wants to fall over as you leave the handlebars unsupported while accessing a rear bag.
Handlebar bags are the original bikepacking bags, utilizing the space inside your bike—in this case between the curves of your handlebars—rather than strapping on bags on the outside. And there’s a lot of space between your bars. Even with narrow 40 cm handlebars, my Ultralight bag holds 11 liters—enough for the 350-mile Unbound XL (above). And yet it weighs just 300 g. Even when you add the rack that’s needed to support the bag (168 g), the volume-to-weight ratio is better than any other bag out there. Plus the bag shields the rider’s legs, keeping them surprisingly dry in the rain. The bag also makes the bike more aero—especially if there is only a small gap to the brake levers and handlebars.
What if you’re running wider handlebars? In theory, you could run a wider bag—and you should, if you’re after the full aero benefit. We’ve been thinking about this, and we’ve made a Limited Edition run of Wide-and-Deep Ultralight handlebar bags. These bags are 5 cm wider and 3 cm deeper than our standard models. They offer 40% more volume with only 20% more weight. Imaging everything that’s great about handlebar bags—supercharged! If your handlebars are 46 cm or wider, the Wide-and-Deep bag is a perfect fit.
Apart from the added volume, everything is the same as our standard Ultralight bags. Waterproof waxed cotton fabric. Minimalist reinforcements made from top-quality leather that will outlast any plastic. Map pocket on top with side Velcro closure that’s easy to open. A slot at the bottom for a strap to attach the bag to your rack when you ride over rough terrain. For me, that strap at the bottom has been a game changer on the bumpy roads and trails of Unbound XL, the Dark Divide 300 and the Arkansas High Country Race.
To go with the wider bag, we’re offering a Wide Handlebar Bag Stabilizer. The stabilizer goes inside the bag, held in place by small Velcro flaps. It prevents the bag from swaying.
The Wide-and-Deep bags came in four sizes to fill the space between your rack and the bars. We are offering them as a Limited Edition. Once they are sold, there is no plan to make more. (We’d like to, but we can keep only so many bag models in stock!)
What if your bike doesn’t have a front rack? We still think a handlebar bag is the best place to carry the things you need on your ride. Our Handlebar Roll Bag comes in three sizes. (The photo shows the Medium.) It’s made from recycled Ecopack fabric. Simple, strong, light, waterproof (including the zippers), and affordable. These are the bags we’ve wanted for a long time. We tried many bags, but all left us wanting in one way or another. So we finally made our dream bags ourselves.
More information:
Photo credit: Makoto Ayano (Photo 2)
