I added the cross bar you showed and attached my dry sack to both the handle bars and the cross bar. The bag is super stable with two attachment points on each side. Put on a mid size seat bag and took a hotel road trip. Perfect set up for a drop bar road / gravel bike. Thanks for the great channel, Cheers
Currently using a tactical style "loaf" shaped bag strapped into my Jones H bars. Fits perfectly, and holds whatever I need for shorter rides. Fits my first aid kit, lock and cable, and a few snacks just fine. Gotta use what you've already got laying around. Give old things new life!
I loved this video. I have some old small camera bags that are just like expensive bike packing bags that I can strap to my bars. Didn't think of them until I saw this video.
That Amazon bracket ($10-12 if you search) made both of my handle bar systems much better (Topeak and Specialized Bura) I put it under and behind the front bag so it splits the weight between itself and the stock bag straps. It completely eliminates bounce and keeps the bag off my head tube.
My first foray into bike packing, I tried just the Vole straps with a dry bag on my handlebar. I definitely needed more support. The bag pushed on all of my cables and effected my braking the most. My wife had a proper setup and I immediately saw the benefits of purpose built gear.
I use 1/2" pvc pipe cut slightly longer than the width of my handlebars, and attach it to the bottom of the handlebars with those rubber-coated wire twisties (or use zip ties). Cut notches or drill holes near the end of the pvc to keep it from sliding sideways. Then you have a low, wide bar to strap things onto, and it's out of the way of cables, lights, and your hands can still go anywhere on the handlebars. I use mine for my tent since the poles don't fit between my handlebars, but it fits perfectly underneath.
I went to the LBS and dug through their “crappy parts bin” to find some bad gps mounts. I mounted them to the bars pointing down as a “rack.” I spent $1 on each and can mount items securely to my bars without crushing the brake cables and keeping items from dragging on the head tube.
Recently got the Pod Sacs handlebar roll from planet X for £5 (!!!!!!!!). But still using the handlebar accessory mount like yours to move the bag further forward and stop it scuffing my headtube. £16 all in.
Great ideas! Thanks! You can also use the Amazon mounting bar as a rear brace to keep the bag sturdy and off the cables. RUclipsr Dirty Teeth covered this idea a few months ago. It works like a long wooden dowel/rod, seen on some Carradice style bags, but can be angled away from the handlebars where needed. It works well, especially with bar units that have longer center to center mounting bracket lengths. This allows them to hang down farther creating more rear support.
Do you think the bracket could help to provide more clearance between tire and handlebar bag? Many of the conventional handlebar bags I've looked at don't seem to have the clearance needed to prevent them rubbing against the tire on my bike that has a small frame size
Used your idea of the mounting bar, cost $10. I have an XS frame and narrow drop bars, my husband shortened the bar to fit. Bar is set high to give me the clearance for my hands. Bonus, I could mount my GPS in the center of the bar. Thanks!
Great video. If you use the first option you definitely need to protect your frame. I used the bracket but I was resting the bag on top of it, not hanging below. Having 2 points of contact (handlebar and bracket) makes everything very stable and clear of the hoses. I used the bracket with a drybag and even with my topeak frontloader to prevent the movement.
Thanks for some great ideas. I haven't done any bikepacking. Yet. But, I have been on several tours. An idea I got from hippyswift here on YT is the use of Molle pouches. They're far more inexpensive than dedicated bags and they strap onto your bike (and racks, if you use them) without any issues. The front bag on my bike is a Molle "butt pack" with 4 straps that go over the bar and down through the webbing to snaps at the end. There is a main compartment with three smaller pouches on the front and an even smaller zip pocket on the top cover. It isn't waterproof but, that's not really a problem, either, what with ziplocs. The straps have never popped off, either, and I've ridden on some really rough terrain with it. Currently, they are going for about $40 on Amazon.
If you run the Tyvek in a top loading washing machine (water only) it will remove the crinkliness without compromising the waterproofness (won't work in a front loader). I did this with my DIY tent footprint.
We use a dry bag with buggycords. I thought about ordering the small extension handlebar, but didn't know how it would work. After seeing them on you video, I think I will order some. Thanks.
A double wrap of friction tape works great under where the straps attach to the bike. Keeps the straps from bouncing and slipping while protecting the paint from scratches.
2 options, If you have looped MTB handle bar like the Jones or the Geoff, I used a double end dry bag and just buckle it to the bar. Dead simple, stable, cheap. Even if you don't have a looped bar more often than not a double end dry bag buckled to the bar is going to get the job done. Tip: put a bungee around the stem and bag to crimp it so that I don't get rub on the head tube. My favourite option though isfront rack! Ali, Amazon, etc have all sorts of cheap front racks. Put your dry bag on that and strap it. Easy Peasy done, doesn't shift and doesn't get in the way of steering.
PVC couplers or sawed to length pipe between the stuff sack & bare w/ both side of the strap running through them before wrapping the bars can also free up hand space on the bars.
A contractor bag cut so its a long piece of plastic makes a great ground cover if you’re solo cowboy camping or sleeping under a tarp or bivy. And its super heavy duty.
Great video, looking forward to more DIY content like that. Instead of the bracket system one could also use some polyethylene soft foam, cut it into 2x2 inch squares and cut two slits into it to connect it with the Voile strap and lock into place between handlebar and bag to give some space there... just how Ortlieb bags, Acepac or other brands do. Works well, too, and maybe even cheaper than the bracket if you have some foam laying around anyway.
Is there a trick to avoid the bag on the handlebar bounce up and down? Even though I stretch the straps (a lot) it does bounce. Also, what do you do with cables underneath? On my full suspension bike that I will use for bikepacking there are quite some cables in front of the handlebar where the bag would go and I dont want to damage them. Any tips on that please? Thank you!
I use tribars on long trips(which I really like for long hours in the saddle) the tribars double as mounting space underneath for a tent, sleeping bag and a small back pack(all mounted under the tribars)
Velcro one wrap is absolutely brilliant for securing things to Ur bike and I can hang on this stuff with my whole body weight and it still won't fail and it's cheap
Maybe bIKEApacking :) as IKEA has some pretty cheap and super durable bags. I use them to protect thin drybags or when carrying staff that can survive some rain. In particular, FRACTA on the rear rack gives you a lot of capacity.
RENSARE dry bags are also great. Muted looks, nice capacity, $2.99. Have more structure to them than thin dry bags. Rolling the top and snapping the top against your seatpost, and pairing with one Voile strap threaded under your seat, makes for a great cheap DIY seatpack.
Impressive prices on Amazon. 18 dollars for this mounting bar. Chinese Aliexpress offers twice less for longer mounting bars (30 cm). I suppose it's possible to attach another mounting bar to the first mounting bar. Thus it would prevent touching of the headtube by the dry bag. Anyway, it should be much cheaper than paying crazy 200$ for Salsa Anything Cradle. I don't think it's worth trying to make a harness out of a mudguard. Better use a filing folder attached to 2 such mounting bars or just 2 mounting bars and 2 Voile straps attached to them by cable ties. To prevent slipping down on the handlebar, it's possible to use two cable ties as shown by Adventures on a Dad Bike channel here.
Thank you for the tips BUT...Long story short, mounting a front light on the bars with a bag is sketchy at best. I use an Ion Pro Bontrager and even though cars might see the flashing, it's hard to illuminate the road when losing daylight.
Neil. Could you give a full breakdown of the discounts available to members either here or on the website. For those of us on low incomes the subscription is a good chunk of money. If i knew how much I could offset against other things it'd be great. Breakdown of US / Europe / worldwide validity would be helpfull too. Thanks, and keep up the great work.
My subscription paid for itself with my first purchase and I was really pleased with the discounts offered through the collective. Go for it, it’ll be well worth your money AND you’ll get the bikepacking journal and support a rad dude at the same time. Probably in poor taste to explicitly list all discounts offered since it can devalue the brands offering the hookups in the first place.
Sorry I missed this earlier. The discounts change regularly. Right now there are 14 active, including brands like Revelate, RWGPS, Gaia, WTB, Velocio, PEdALED, etc...
I started making my own gear after my Aeroe rack cracked in half. Bags, racks, straps, etc I make it all. With some basic knowledge and a lot of creativity you can make your own gear and you can make it better than anything you will ever buy.
I avoid any bags on bars. Prefer a 20ltr ultra back pack and ultra light kit. Better handling. Better security if passing through shops and cafes. Also ride alot with no hands. Bile bags can be a consumerism con. Don't really need em for over nighters.
Regarding loud Tyvek.... run it though the washing machine a few times and it will soften up while still retaining waterproofing ;)
Top tip!
Interesting, thanks for the tip!
Can confirm. Makes it a lot less noisy when used as a ground cloth.
Yep, I use tyvek for groundsheets and that is what I have done as well!
I like this. Hacks and creative solutions are part of the spirit of bikepacking
I added the cross bar you showed and attached my dry sack to both the handle bars and the cross bar. The bag is super stable with two attachment points on each side. Put on a mid size seat bag and took a hotel road trip. Perfect set up for a drop bar road / gravel bike. Thanks for the great channel, Cheers
Currently using a tactical style "loaf" shaped bag strapped into my Jones H bars. Fits perfectly, and holds whatever I need for shorter rides. Fits my first aid kit, lock and cable, and a few snacks just fine. Gotta use what you've already got laying around. Give old things new life!
I loved this video. I have some old small camera bags that are just like expensive bike packing bags that I can strap to my bars. Didn't think of them until I saw this video.
That Amazon bracket ($10-12 if you search) made both of my handle bar systems much better (Topeak and Specialized Bura) I put it under and behind the front bag so it splits the weight between itself and the stock bag straps. It completely eliminates bounce and keeps the bag off my head tube.
My first foray into bike packing, I tried just the Vole straps with a dry bag on my handlebar. I definitely needed more support. The bag pushed on all of my cables and effected my braking the most. My wife had a proper setup and I immediately saw the benefits of purpose built gear.
I use 1/2" pvc pipe cut slightly longer than the width of my handlebars, and attach it to the bottom of the handlebars with those rubber-coated wire twisties (or use zip ties). Cut notches or drill holes near the end of the pvc to keep it from sliding sideways. Then you have a low, wide bar to strap things onto, and it's out of the way of cables, lights, and your hands can still go anywhere on the handlebars. I use mine for my tent since the poles don't fit between my handlebars, but it fits perfectly underneath.
Military surplus stores are a great options for bags and most already have attachment points
Used 20l plastic canister to cut harness base, added few straps. Ultralight, stable, robust, cheap :)
We did the same slick system!
I went to the LBS and dug through their “crappy parts bin” to find some bad gps mounts. I mounted them to the bars pointing down as a “rack.” I spent $1 on each and can mount items securely to my bars without crushing the brake cables and keeping items from dragging on the head tube.
Do you enjoy our videos, routes, and articles? Help sustain this resource by joining the Bikepacking Collective: bikepacking.com/join/?
Recently got the Pod Sacs handlebar roll from planet X for £5 (!!!!!!!!). But still using the handlebar accessory mount like yours to move the bag further forward and stop it scuffing my headtube. £16 all in.
Great ideas! Thanks! You can also use the Amazon mounting bar as a rear brace to keep the bag sturdy and off the cables. RUclipsr Dirty Teeth covered this idea a few months ago. It works like a long wooden dowel/rod, seen on some Carradice style bags, but can be angled away from the handlebars where needed. It works well, especially with bar units that have longer center to center mounting bracket lengths. This allows them to hang down farther creating more rear support.
Do you think the bracket could help to provide more clearance between tire and handlebar bag? Many of the conventional handlebar bags I've looked at don't seem to have the clearance needed to prevent them rubbing against the tire on my bike that has a small frame size
Very interesting as always. Greetings from Greece...
I used a thick rubble bag held on the bars with a bungy, although I had to add some string to help stabilise it
Hi, I run drop bar gravel bike with a drybag strapped across the bottom of my aero bars, it's stable and great into wind.
Used your idea of the mounting bar, cost $10. I have an XS frame and narrow drop bars, my husband shortened the bar to fit. Bar is set high to give me the clearance for my hands. Bonus, I could mount my GPS in the center of the bar. Thanks!
Great video. If you use the first option you definitely need to protect your frame.
I used the bracket but I was resting the bag on top of it, not hanging below. Having 2 points of contact (handlebar and bracket) makes everything very stable and clear of the hoses. I used the bracket with a drybag and even with my topeak frontloader to prevent the movement.
I just used the hip pack attachment on my cheap handle bar bag to strap down my mattress pad
Thanks for some great ideas. I haven't done any bikepacking. Yet. But, I have been on several tours. An idea I got from hippyswift here on YT is the use of Molle pouches. They're far more inexpensive than dedicated bags and they strap onto your bike (and racks, if you use them) without any issues. The front bag on my bike is a Molle "butt pack" with 4 straps that go over the bar and down through the webbing to snaps at the end. There is a main compartment with three smaller pouches on the front and an even smaller zip pocket on the top cover. It isn't waterproof but, that's not really a problem, either, what with ziplocs. The straps have never popped off, either, and I've ridden on some really rough terrain with it. Currently, they are going for about $40 on Amazon.
I use a flat bar, aero bar combo, and have found strapping my drybag to the underside is quite stable.
Tried that combo on the White Rim recently and liked it a lot - more than drop bars, in fact! Better control on descents and faster on the flats.
flat bar and aerobar is a great combo, plus components are cheaper if your trying to setup a bike.
If you run the Tyvek in a top loading washing machine (water only) it will remove the crinkliness without compromising the waterproofness (won't work in a front loader). I did this with my DIY tent footprint.
We use a dry bag with buggycords. I thought about ordering the small extension handlebar, but didn't know how it would work. After seeing them on you video, I think I will order some. Thanks.
A double wrap of friction tape works great under where the straps attach to the bike. Keeps the straps from bouncing and slipping while protecting the paint from scratches.
2 options, If you have looped MTB handle bar like the Jones or the Geoff, I used a double end dry bag and just buckle it to the bar. Dead simple, stable, cheap. Even if you don't have a looped bar more often than not a double end dry bag buckled to the bar is going to get the job done. Tip: put a bungee around the stem and bag to crimp it so that I don't get rub on the head tube. My favourite option though isfront rack! Ali, Amazon, etc have all sorts of cheap front racks. Put your dry bag on that and strap it. Easy Peasy done, doesn't shift and doesn't get in the way of steering.
This was great!!
Fanny packs, voile straps, and a bit of fandangling make a great top tube bag for snacks and phone!
PVC couplers or sawed to length pipe between the stuff sack & bare w/ both side of the strap running through them before wrapping the bars can also free up hand space on the bars.
You could maybe fit your tent poles inside the tube?
This is great!
A contractor bag cut so its a long piece of plastic makes a great ground cover if you’re solo cowboy camping or sleeping under a tarp or bivy. And its super heavy duty.
What is the grey dry bag used on the drop bar bike? Looking for shorter/fatter dry bags than what I have.
Great ideas!
Great video, looking forward to more DIY content like that. Instead of the bracket system one could also use some polyethylene soft foam, cut it into 2x2 inch squares and cut two slits into it to connect it with the Voile strap and lock into place between handlebar and bag to give some space there... just how Ortlieb bags, Acepac or other brands do. Works well, too, and maybe even cheaper than the bracket if you have some foam laying around anyway.
Is there a trick to avoid the bag on the handlebar bounce up and down? Even though I stretch the straps (a lot) it does bounce. Also, what do you do with cables underneath? On my full suspension bike that I will use for bikepacking there are quite some cables in front of the handlebar where the bag would go and I dont want to damage them. Any tips on that please? Thank you!
I use tribars on long trips(which I really like for long hours in the saddle) the tribars double as mounting space underneath for a tent, sleeping bag and a small back pack(all mounted under the tribars)
Great ideas. Thank u.
wish most "Voile" type of straps came with the little rubber retention thingy. the flapping strap looks unsightly.
Where can we buy some of those pedal further straps?
We are sold out, but we should have another merch drop this spring, we hope. bikepacking.bigcartel.com/
I just got a simple luggage rack and throw a bag onto that. Got a positive advantage.. its way more aero :-)
Velcro one wrap is absolutely brilliant for securing things to Ur bike and I can hang on this stuff with my whole body weight and it still won't fail and it's cheap
Maybe bIKEApacking :) as IKEA has some pretty cheap and super durable bags. I use them to protect thin drybags or when carrying staff that can survive some rain. In particular, FRACTA on the rear rack gives you a lot of capacity.
RENSARE dry bags are also great. Muted looks, nice capacity, $2.99. Have more structure to them than thin dry bags. Rolling the top and snapping the top against your seatpost, and pairing with one Voile strap threaded under your seat, makes for a great cheap DIY seatpack.
Could you post a link to the bracket or similar? I'm struggling to find it on Amazon. Thanks!
It’s linked in the description, but here it is also: amzn.to/3GzyNfI
Is there a link to the handlebar bracket shown?
I have a wild idea what about using a camera bag (shaped like a bike trunk bag) with volie straps as handlebar bag
Any ideas for a saddle bag? That seems to be the hardest thing for DIY.
Stay tuned this week. ;)
@5:30 - here's an expansion on the diy plastic cradle approach - ruclips.net/video/ZTfZghK5olE/видео.html
Impressive prices on Amazon. 18 dollars for this mounting bar. Chinese Aliexpress offers twice less for longer mounting bars (30 cm). I suppose it's possible to attach another mounting bar to the first mounting bar. Thus it would prevent touching of the headtube by the dry bag. Anyway, it should be much cheaper than paying crazy 200$ for Salsa Anything Cradle. I don't think it's worth trying to make a harness out of a mudguard. Better use a filing folder attached to 2 such mounting bars or just 2 mounting bars and 2 Voile straps attached to them by cable ties. To prevent slipping down on the handlebar, it's possible to use two cable ties as shown by Adventures on a Dad Bike channel here.
Use plastic from liquid primer canister or what available. It's tough and have right size.
You can use plastic from big bottles, and you have lots of them in the USA stores.
Awesome!
Thank you for the tips BUT...Long story short, mounting a front light on the bars with a bag is sketchy at best. I use an Ion Pro Bontrager and even though cars might see the flashing, it's hard to illuminate the road when losing daylight.
I mount my front light on my fork. Less fighting for real estate down there.
Neil. Could you give a full breakdown of the discounts available to members either here or on the website. For those of us on low incomes the subscription is a good chunk of money. If i knew how much I could offset against other things it'd be great. Breakdown of US / Europe / worldwide validity would be helpfull too. Thanks, and keep up the great work.
My subscription paid for itself with my first purchase and I was really pleased with the discounts offered through the collective. Go for it, it’ll be well worth your money AND you’ll get the bikepacking journal and support a rad dude at the same time. Probably in poor taste to explicitly list all discounts offered since it can devalue the brands offering the hookups in the first place.
Sorry I missed this earlier. The discounts change regularly. Right now there are 14 active, including brands like Revelate, RWGPS, Gaia, WTB, Velocio, PEdALED, etc...
Has anyone been able to find that handle bar extension with a 35mm clamp option?
what are those kinds of straps?
I started making my own gear after my Aeroe rack cracked in half. Bags, racks, straps, etc I make it all. With some basic knowledge and a lot of creativity you can make your own gear and you can make it better than anything you will ever buy.
I prefer the "blow all your money on the boujiest bike gear possible" method.
Brilliant
please do a baseball cap with the fox logo on it- off center on the front. would be epic.
Has anyone mentioned using recycled plastic shipping bags like the one used by Gap, UPS, etc?
My two frontBag hacks involve welding- unfortunately that doesn’t seem with the audience for this post except that it cost next to nothing to make.
If people stop buying expensive things they don’t know if they need or will like, won’t the cycling industry implode?
@1.50 carefull that rope doesn't saw into your carbon fork
Yep, it’s a bungee. I think a better alternative is some one wrap or something that is flat.
just when with Woho, not ideal but works
I avoid any bags on bars. Prefer a 20ltr ultra back pack and ultra light kit. Better handling. Better security if passing through shops and cafes. Also ride alot with no hands. Bile bags can be a consumerism con. Don't really need em for over nighters.
Or you can start to make your own bikepacking gear
Always an option.
Camera bags...