Front handlebar bag

[nuevomexicano]

I'm hoping to buy a handlebar bag to test if my handling differs from my current rear motor/rear battery set up. The battery, wires, controller and the current rear bag only weigh 12 pounds, so its not too much for the rear. I'm just experimenting.

However, the local shops have a poor selection of handlebar bags and I'm really frustrated by numerous online catalogs which don't list all the dimensions. Anybody know of a decent handlebar bag that is at least 11 inches wide?

 

[Philistine]

THe Toppeak range of handlebar bags aren't bad, this one is close, being 10.6":

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=37972

ES member Oatnet did a cool thing where he bolted a pelican case onto his forks, but that would require you to have triple clamp forks.

http://www.endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=24329&start=15#p413920

 

[yoyoman]

when shopping, be mindful of how the bag mounts to the bars. I had one that strapped onto the bars and then onto the stem, but the mounting bracket wasn't very beefy, and one arm broke. Thankfully, the straps held it to the bike, and the bag just slumped down 90 degrees. Now, i just ride with it that way with the bag opening facing the road. It's not so bad this way since the bag doesn't have any bob anymore. I might find a way to also lash it around the head tube as a safety measure.

 

[neptronix]

That could make handling very awkward.

No room for a frame triangle bag? that's the absolute best place for battery weight.

 

[dogman dan]

I carried an 8 pound nicad in a handlebar bag at one point. Not for long. You may need to rig a hard box, like Oatnet did for a permanent deal. Strips of 1/8 x 1" aluminum can make the mounts. Two wrap around the bars, then a third bolts to the fork horseshoe, or top of a hard fork. That was how I hard mounted a box I made for my nicads. A heavy load in a bag just flops around too much as you ride to keep for long.

Have you looked at wallmart? Down here they have at times had a larger handlebar bag in stock. Should hold up long enough for an experiment. Another option would be go to savers, and see which 3 buck purse or codura lunchbox would work good with some modifications.

 

[nuevomexicano]

That could make handling very awkward.

No room for a frame triangle bag? that's the absolute best place for battery weight.

I'm sort of messing around with options. I know the frame is best for a low center of gravity, but I'm more or less trying to keep this as regular bike like as possible. I'll probably try in-frame next to compare balance and looks.

One of my current non-electric rides has a large front basket that I grocery shop with occasionally. So I know a bit about how it might ride. I want to see if a balance between weight in front and motor on the rear does much.

 

[nuevomexicano]

I carried an 8 pound nicad in a handlebar bag at one point. Not for long. You may need to rig a hard box, like Oatnet did for a permanent deal. Strips of 1/8 x 1" aluminum can make the mounts. Two wrap around the bars, then a third bolts to the fork horseshoe, or top of a hard fork. That was how I hard mounted a box I made for my nicads. A heavy load in a bag just flops around too much as you ride to keep for long.

Have you looked at wallmart? Down here they have at times had a larger handlebar bag in stock. Should hold up long enough for an experiment. Another option would be go to savers, and see which 3 buck purse or codura lunchbox would work good with some modifications.

So far I've found 2 bags in local bike shops that are hard cases covered with cloth and mount with clamps rather than straps. That combination could be ideal, but both are too narrow. I guess modifying an existing bag with an internal box might work. I already envision padding and straps inside the bag to keep the battery from flopping around.

 

[dogman dan]

Depends on the use. I was carrying the nicad on a trail bike, so the movement was an annoyance. On streets, just because it can move doesn't mean it moves enough to bother you. I carry sevral bottles of water in front bags all the time on long rides.

 

[zombiess]

I tried a handlebar bag and promptly gave up quick because it made the steering very awkward due to the weight which was about 12 lbs.