# Carradice bag for handlebar use?



## ispoke (Feb 28, 2005)

Perhaps I've been brainwashed by all the talk in Bicycle Quarterly. I placed an order for a custom Pereira randonneur frame. Now I have 6 months to figure out the details.

I'm inclined to try a larger handlebar bag. Currently I use a Carradice Zipped Roll, which is intended for a seat pack but makes a splendid "bar tube". Except that I want to carry more stuff up front and have a wider opening for easier access while riding. So the question is, does anyone have experience using a Carradice Junior, Barley, or Pendle as a handlebar bag? The measurements on the Wall Bike website are inconsistent, but it appears that they'd all fit between my 40cm handlebars. I'm assuming the top leather straps wrap around the handlebar, and a third strap around the head tube (for fore-aft stability) would be required. Bar-con shift cables would route below the bag. Any drawbacks to this approach?

http://www.wallbike.com/carradice/pendle.html

I just can't stomach the price of 'true' Berthoud handlebar bags, and the alternative "Ostrich" from Velo Orange is just too large (especially front to back). And I refuse to buy any bag made of nylon or other synthetic outer. Thanks for any advice...


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## brianmcg (Oct 12, 2002)

ispoke said:


> Perhaps I've been brainwashed by all the talk in Bicycle Quarterly....


It is better than being brainwashed by all the talk in "Bicycling!"

Nice bag. Wallbike is a great place to do business with.


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## M.J. (Jan 28, 2004)

dunno if those have a map display or if that is a consideration

I am happy with my Jandd handlebarbag - it's plenty big http://www.jandd.com/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=FTOR2 - but mebbe not as cool and retro as what you're after


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## ispoke (Feb 28, 2005)

Well I gotta admit I'm not thrilled by nylon luggage or bulky handlebar QR brackets. That's why even some Carradice bags intended for the 'bars are not my preference (due to the QR). A couple of leather straps to hang should suffice, don't take up as much bar space, and are softer on the hands. And yes, I am tending towards cool and retro (but on a budget). Perhaps I'll need to make my own.


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## DrRoebuck (May 10, 2004)

Congrats on the frame!

Those Berthoud bags are soooo money. But I couldn't stomach that either.

You don't like the Carradice handlebar bag?

Also, Rivendell has some nice bags at their store. I tried finding them elsewhere (for better pics) but couldn't.


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## M.J. (Jan 28, 2004)

the large Carradice bar bag is pretty ugly when compared to the other Carradice gear you're looking at - it's even uglier than the Jandd I have


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## ispoke (Feb 28, 2005)

*maybe OYB...*

Yeah, Riv has nice stuff too. They've really embraced the high end since abandoning (somewhat) the canvas market and going heritage tweed. Both their bar bags have the standard linear zipper, which limits access from the saddle.

It's been a while since I've checked up on OYB. I'm beginning to think he's onto something here:
http://outyourbackdoor.com/article.php?id=680
http://www.outyourbackdoor.com/article.php?id=443
http://www.outyourbackdoor.com/article.php?id=198

Frankly I'd rather spend my hard earned jake on a custom frame and not so much on the baggage.


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## buck-50 (Sep 20, 2005)

I picked up a rivendell boxy bag a couple years ago- the size is great- not too big, not too small, the canvas is beautiful and it's pretty easy to open while moving. The only real downside to it is the proprietary rack- it's easy to take the bag off the rack, but the rack isn't designed to be easy to take off the bike. Take off the bag and you've got a pair of antenae/pedestrian skewers sticking out from your handledbars.

Yellow Jerey also has an ostrich front bag that looks to be smaller than the ones velo-orange carries- I've seen it in the store and it looks about the same size (maybe a little bigger) as my boxy bag. Good luck finding it on their web page...


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## tarwheel2 (Jul 7, 2005)

I've got a Barley, and I could check it once I get home to see if it would fit as a handlebar bag. Offhand, it seems like it would get in the way of brakes, etc., but you never know. It's good to think outside the box, or bag in this case.


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## Hjalti (Feb 26, 2004)

*Nelson*

I have a photo somewhere of Henry Kingman's Quickbeam doing a winter tour of Nevada dirt roads using a Nelson or Nelson Longflap as a front bag and some huge Riv bag (Hoss maybe) on the back. But he also had a front rack to support the load. I'll try to dig it up this weekend.


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## tarwheel2 (Jul 7, 2005)

I measured my Barley and it is about 16" measured across its longest point, or end to end. That includes the pockets. It just barely fits between my brakes levers, and my handlebars are 44 cm center-center. The bag is about 6-8" wide and deep as well. The size depends a lot on how full you stuff it.

One potential problem is interference with your brake cables. The Barley has 3 straps, two of which you would connect to the handlebars. The most secure attachment would be wrap the third strap around the headtube, but that could interfere with your brake cables. I'm sure you could find ways to work around these issues, however, and someone might even make a handlebar rack that would secure the bag.

Some better options, in my opinion, would be one of the Frost River or Velo-Orange canvas bags:

http://www.frostriver.com/bike_bags/bikebags_menu.html

http://www.velo-orange.com/bapaandba.html


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

tarwheel2 said:


> I measured my Barley and it is about 16" measured across its longest point, or end to end. That includes the pockets. It just barely fits between my brakes levers, and my handlebars are 44 cm center-center. The bag is about 6-8" wide and deep as well. The size depends a lot on how full you stuff it.
> 
> One potential problem is interference with your brake cables. The Barley has 3 straps, two of which you would connect to the handlebars. The most secure attachment would be wrap the third strap around the headtube, but that could interfere with your brake cables. I'm sure you could find ways to work around these issues, however, and someone might even make a handlebar rack that would secure the bag.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the link. The Frost River Echo will be my next seat bag....


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## tarwheel2 (Jul 7, 2005)

*bags*



Dave Hickey said:


> Thanks for the link. The Frost River Echo will be my next seat bag....


I'm sort of wishing I had bought a Frost River or Velo-Orange bag rather than the Barley. Once I installed my Barley, I found that it needed the optional rack to keep it from swaying and hitting the backs of my legs. So, I had to order the rack (which I am still waiting on to arrive from England), and my total cost doubled. I originally ordered the Barley because it looked like it would hold more than these other two bags, and the cost for the bag itself (not counting the rack) was not much more. Maybe I will feel differently after my rack arrives and I am able to actually use the Barley, which has been sitting in my garage for the past 10 days.


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## roadfix (Jun 20, 2006)

I use both the Barley and Rivendell's Banana bag. Two very different bags for different types of rides......but for the good majority of my rides, the banana bag works well and its size is ideal.


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## ethebull (May 30, 2007)

Pereira randonneur, Ooo yes, I'd like one too please.

I had a similar dilemma choosing a handlebar bag for my new Smoothie ES. I ended up with the Jandd because of price ($50 for the large one on sale), I tried the stock plastic clamp mount but it set up too high and sure was ugly. I configured a custom mount to lower the bag and I like the looks just fine now. It isn't ideal but I'm happy with it.


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## Eiron (Sep 9, 2006)

I know it's been out of stock at Wallbike for quite a while, but I'd go with a Carradice Junior. It's cotton duck, has a larger capacity & lower price than the Barley, & has better dimensions to fit inside your bars. I think you could probably get the Barley to fit inside your bars, but I suspect you may lose the use of both end pockets. Thaat would cut the Barley's smaller capacity even further.


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## punchy (Nov 11, 2008)

Was casually browsing the net for bags and came across this OLD thread. Thought i'd comment anyways.

I have recently purchased a Frost River Gunflint saddle bag, and I also own a Carradice Pendle bag.

I have messed around with the bags on my Surly Travellers Check with various set ups. And this is my conclusion...

The Frost river bag is a quality piece of kit. The materials used are better than the Carradice. It has a beautiful feel to the canvas and the straps/buckles. It is however a little fiddlier to use than the Carradice Barley. It doesn't have a leather loop option at the bottom to wrap it around your seat post, I had to fabricate something to do so. The Carradice has one(well it used to, until the dog found it :/ ). It also doesn't have a pull string enclosure set up like the Carradice to tie in all your stuff inside, you have to some how use your ingenuity to set it up with the internal flaps of the Frost River. I have used a shoe string for now, threaded it through the flap holes, tied a couple of knots at the ends so the shoe string doesn't keep unravelling itself into the bag through the flap holes whenever you open up the bag and pull back the flaps, and I am on the hunt for a pull string set up which I would like to set up the Frost River bag with eventually. The Carradice also seems to fit more snugly to the saddle and seat post than the Frost River. The buckles/straps that come with the Frost River are a quality item with their brass fittings, but seem to need an extra hole to secure to your saddle and create less hang. Easy enough to do I guess if you have the right tool or have a leather worker punch in a hole for you. The Frost River straps are also extremely long, too long really, but doesn't seem to be of any concern. The Carradice also seems to be easier to live with in general, as it's less finicky getting on and off the bike and tieing and loosening the flaps. Value for money you can't beat the Carradice. But if you absolutely must have the quality fabrics that comes with the Frost River, then go with that. The Frost River won't work as a handle bar bag though. Well, not very well anyways, way too big !

As far as using the Carradice Pendle bag on the handle bars. It seems to fit fine, however, i didn't feel all that comfortable with it, as it limited by hand positions by leaning against the top part of the handle bar. So I was encouraged to leave my hands near to the drops, may prove to be a pain on a long ride. It also hanged down and touched my front tyre (52cm frame size).

On my Surly I have Shimano Canti lever centre pull brakes. The bag interferes with the brakes, but doesn't seem to affect them, however, not really ideal. However, I think this can be easily fixed by fabricating a metal bracket which is attached to the fork hole which sits behind the brake centre pull. You could use a professionally made carrier and have your bag sit on it if you desire.

I have another solution though. I actually have a Carradice bagman support, have been using it for a couple years now. But... I decided to fabricate something a little more stealth. I simply got myself a piece of steel, 3mm thick and approximately 1 inch wide and approximately 10 inches long. Using a hammer and vice and a bit of patience, I bent it into an L shape (easiest way to describe it), drilled a hole on the smaller part of the 'L' and bolted it to the rear brake mount and it stops the bag from hitting the tyre. It also looks like a poor escuse for a mud guard, but you get my drift. I wrapped it in bar tape to finish it off. Cost me less than $10 for the metal and I have made 2 of these brackets so far for 2 different bikes. I still have half of the metal piece left !

Getting back to the handle bar bag. I think the same method could be used for the front to stop the bag hitting the tyre. However, I think a 2mm thick, and perhaps a slightly less wide piece of metal would do the trick. You could either paint it, bar tape it or do whatever you like to dress it up and stop it looking like a piece of raw metal and rusting to fit in with the bike frame. Or perhaps coat it in clear if you like that look ? Your choice really !

I will probably combine the 2 bags if I was to go on tour again, giving me an approximate 30 litres storage capacity. However I think if you do use the Carradice saddle bag as a handle bar bag, then the Barley may be a better choice. Or perhaps a Junior. Basically something a little smaller than the Pendle or perhaps a little narrower. Im using an On one Midge bar myself which is a little wider than a conventional drop handle bar. So fitting a Pendle bag to a conventional drop handle bar may be a tight squeeze.

Hope this helps anyone out there who has thought of a similar set up !


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