Handbar bag/rack options for a tall head tube

[pakora]

I have a custom bike with a very tall head tube (I can't remember exactly - more than 250mm) and I don't have rack mounts for a handlebar bag, nor do I have cantilever brakes.

Is something like the below my only option?

For something like a VO handlebar bag (or something similar - your classic styled one) do I really even need a decaleur and a rack if I'm only going to occasionally use the bag? (I'm guessing they also attach by hanging off of the bars like cheaper ones I've seen).

Pretty sure I should have spec'd rack braze-ons when I got this bike if I knew I'd want to do things like ride 85 miles to the shore and then kick it at the beach a while.

http://store.velo-orange.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/530x530/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/c/o/constructeur_front_rack_1.jpg

[JAGI410]

The VO or Soma rack would work, but for occasional use, a bar mount bag like a Dill Pickle or Swift might work better. Plus you can pick colors to match!

http://www.dillpicklegear.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=76_74&product_id=62

[guido]

For my 65cm Soma Grand Randonneur (which has a 255 tall head tube...) I use a Nitto Campee 32 rack, a headset mounted VO Decaleur and an Acorn Tall Rando bag. It is 10 inches tall and just has enough space to drill the mounting holes... The Swift Ozette is only 9 inches tall so would not be tall enough to fit... The Paloma is bar mounted and much smaller...
I use a Dill Pickle Handlebar Bag for food and frequently accessed items on a bike where the primary storage is a Swift Zeitgeist behind the seat. The Dill Pickle bag is great but much smaller than what I need as a primary bag for long rides...

Hope this helps!

[eddief]

bitchen / cheap / well made / solid / highly-adjustable

http://www.ortliebusa.com/prodInfo.asp?pid=196&cid=25

or one of these for the front at 3.5x the price:

http://www.rivbike.com/product-p/r1.htm

[bicycletricycle]

some handlebar mount bags are a nice option

the ortleib system is nice but does leave a plastic thing on your bar stem area all the time
http://www.ortliebusa.com/prodInfo.asp?pid=373&cid=2

Nitto makes a rack thing that goes on the bars that a few people makes bags for
http://www.rivbike.com/product-p/r8.htm

[oldpotatoe]

I have a custom bike with a very tall head tube (I can't remember exactly - more than 250mm) and I don't have rack mounts for a handlebar bag, nor do I have cantilever brakes.

Is something like the below my only option?

For something like a VO handlebar bag (or something similar - your classic styled one) do I really even need a decaleur and a rack if I'm only going to occasionally use the bag? (I'm guessing they also attach by hanging off of the bars like cheaper ones I've seen).

Pretty sure I should have spec'd rack braze-ons when I got this bike if I knew I'd want to do things like ride 85 miles to the shore and then kick it at the beach a while.


Rear rack?

[R3awak3n]

That go rack you posted works. Or a motto m1 or m18 but if you don't have the right mounts you will need to use p clamps.

You don't need a Decaleur but it sure does help with a large rando bag. On a rack with a thombstone like the ones I mentioned, along with the Velcro in the bottom of the bag you can get the bag decently secured on the rack. I did it for a year with no problems. Never had the bag full though and it did bounce around a bit. Just installed a vo Decaleur on it and it's much better. Feels way more secure and you can fill up the bag no problem. The vo Decaleur is pretty cheap but doesn't work well with all frames.

[etu]

a bit pricey, but nice
have to buy the rack separately

http://www.rivbike.com/product-p/basbs-o.htm

[pakora]

Does anyone here run a rack with p-clamps by chance? It seems like such a kludge to me - as opposed to e.g. fenders on a race bike, where there's no weight bearing (well, besides the weight of the fender).

I also figure a loaded bag hanging from the bar without a rack will sag enough that it would be a problem. Can anyone confirm/deny?