What's the best shape for a handlebar bag?

[doomridesout]

There are several handlebar bag shapes on the market-- the cylindrical shape like the Road Runner and Rickshaw/Ornot bags, square bags of various kinds (Yanco/Route Works etc), and triangular bags like the Topo Designs. Setting aside any other feedback on these bags as examples, what's the best shape for a handlebar bag of this type and why?

Put another way, if I was to make three bags with identical features and cubic inch space, which shape would be most functional and easy to manage?

[Hilltopperny]

I prefer the cylindrical shaped bags like the roadrunner burrito supreme for the riding I do. No need for a rack, stable while riding and can fit all I really need for the entire day. I have been using one for a couple of years now with zero complaints and it is also relatively lightweight.


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[sparky33]

similarly^ I am liking a Swift Bandito bag. Carries some stuff, easy to remove, no rack needed, doesn’t close out the bar top hand position.

[spoonrobot]

The prime metric, aesthetics, place cylindrical bags as most pleasing to the shape of the bike and rider. However, the bags also have the best combination of space, efficiency, and mounting security. IME, this is the only bag shape that disappears as you ride.

The square/rectangle bags always sit too high and due to their mounting solution, they are extra floppy both on the bike and for things inside the bag. The bag is basically attached to the bike with a spring. The saving grace is access, if the bag opens away from the rider, the bag will have the best access of any design - the REI Link bag is the best design I've seen for this.

The triangular bags are offensive to look at on the bike and they are obviously the least space efficient design. They are also less aero than the other designs and no more easy to access while on the move. They are almost always designed not to sit level as the back strap, when routed and secured appropriately, pulls the back of the back flat so the base of the triangle points at the bottom bracket, instead of straight down. This looks weird and makes it a trial to access the front pocket without things falling out.

Put another way, if I was to make three bags with identical features and cubic inch space, which shape would be most functional and easy to manage?

Theoretically, the square bag. Practically the cylindrical bag.

[palincss]

Originally Posted by spoonrobot

The square/rectangle bags always sit too high and due to their mounting solution, they are extra floppy both on the bike and for things inside the bag. The bag is basically attached to the bike with a spring. The saving grace is access, if the bag opens away from the rider, the bag will have the best access of any design - the REI Link bag is the best design I've seen for this.

Definitely not "always." Consider this bag setup:


Not too high; not floppy; not "attached to the bike with a spring." You can read about this in detail here.

Caveat: this works best when you are all in on the solution: front-loading geometry; a correctly designed rack; a decaleur to support the bag at the top; a bag designed to fill the space available. You don't just plop this on any old frame, and there are front end geometries where this won't work right at all.

[spoonrobot]

Originally Posted by palincss

Definitely not "always." Consider this bag setup:
https://www.renehersecycles.com/wp-c...age_corner.jpg

Not too high; not floppy; not "attached to the bike with a spring." You can read about this in detail here.

Caveat: this works best when you are all in on the solution: front-loading geometry; a correctly designed rack; a decaleur to support the bag at the top; a bag designed to fill the space available. You don't just plop this on any old frame, and there are front end geometries where this won't work right at all.

These statements are at odds with each other. Regardless, the OP is obviously not talking about those kinds of bags. Handlebar bags that require a rack have proven to be a dead end for fast road riders, despite Jan's machinations. We're half a decade into mainstream popularity of the idea and they're no more prolific in this market than before.

Rackless handlebar bags, on the other hand, have exploded in popularity and there are dozens of new styles and new manufacturers. I regularly see such bags on road group rides. I have not and will not ever see a bag with a rack on a road group ride (other than my own during testing).

Here are some links, if you would like to follow along with the discussion.
https://routewerks.us/
https://bikepacking.com/news/route-werks-handlebar-bag/
http://yancopads.com/html/products.html
https://topodesigns.com/collections/...31754992582709
https://roadrunnerbags.us/collection...-handlebar-bag
https://www.rei.com/product/167666/r...-handlebar-bag

[El Chaba]

You can design an entire bike around a handlebar bag....I’d suggest that at their best, forums like this should be dedicated to projects just like that. Make no mistake about it, the best way to mount a handlebar bag is as per the above photo of Jan Heine....supported at the bottom by a small rack, and secured at the top by a decaleur. These things were worked out long ago by very smart and capable people. There is a reason that the idea has not died because after all that amount of effort costs$ and is a pain in the arse. Ernest Csuka once said that the secret to making a bicycle handle well with a load is to make sure that the load is as secure as possible. This where racks...and stiff ones...come in. For occasional use, it makes sense to use an easier method of attaching a bar bag...especially if you are just carrying a wind vest, arm warmers and a banana...Start adding a couple of extra bottles, more food, etc and elastic bands and nylon straps are really not ideal for the job.

[mwynne]

My only gripe with my cylindrical Farsik bag is that my out front computer mount gets in the way. Not the end of world, but not seamless.

[doomridesout]

Yeah to be clear this hypothetical is about rackless bags of equal size, not decaleur/rack supported. I have a Rickshaw now I think is great and I’m trying to decide if I’ll clone it for my own sewing project or make a different shape. Whatever I make will add a mesh pocket and Spot tracker attachment.

I agree the Topo Designs triangular style is ugly, but it might have functional advantages like putting most of the cubic volume with a flat bottom and getting out of the way of an out-front mount so you can use light mounting.

[jpw]

Shape is one consideration, but from my experiencer it's best to have a bag that can be accessed easily when astride the bike. Not all of them are that easy.

[slowpoke]

Tangentially, I have a list of rackless handlebar bags here. Feel free to contribute any that you think are missing: List of rackless, smaller handlebar bags

[R3awak3n]

I literally have tried everything, I love handlebar bags. I have had small burrito, large burrito, even large burrito (still have this one) and also have the orucase small one. Also have had a proper rando bag by swift industries.

The best bag imo is this



from outershell - https://outershelladventure.com/shop/handlebar-bag

hands down. It has a good amount of space and very easy to access your stuff. Also this is hands down the best built bag I ever had. I absolutely love it.
Only thing is you have to change your garmin mount from an outfront to a stem or mtb kind which is nice because you can use it to hook the string and close the bag.

burrito bags are fine but a pain to access stuff. I love my orucase cuz I use it more for storage but if you gonna get a big burrito you want to quick access ur stuff and its much harder... even harder with a garmin.

rando bags are cool and great but for most rides you don't need them. Why carry a 3-5lb bag + a rack and have a handful of snacks and a tiny wind jacket in it?

[mhespenheide]

At the risk of a tangent or derail, have people tried and compared handlebar bags versus a frame bag at the top near the head tube? Like this:



I'm starting to think some more storage might be nice, but if I don't mind stopping to get access to that storage, the frame bag idea makes more sense to me.

[NHAero]

Mine is from Rixen & Kaul. It opens towards the rider, mounts with the KlickFix system so easily detachable (I have mounts on 4 bikes, but one bag), holds a lot, has a shoulder strap and raincover, made really well. Amazing bargain at Chain Reaction Cycles at $40, usually over $90.

[spoonrobot]

Originally Posted by mhespenheide

At the risk of a tangent or derail, have people tried and compared handlebar bags versus a frame bag at the top near the head tube? Like this:

https://medias.apidura.com/2019/05/a...-on-bike-2.jpg

I'm starting to think some more storage might be nice, but if I don't mind stopping to get access to that storage, the frame bag idea makes more sense to me.

Frame bags of that style are generally easier to get into than handlebar bags if you're moving since you don't have to futz around at the steering axis. I haven't tried the Apidura one but have tried the Jandd version and had a custom version as well. If it was an either/or choice I'd get a frame bag over same size handlebar bag. Much more aero, easier to overstuff if needed, does not affect steering, and less likely to rattle or clunk over rough terrain.