Bar Bag Mounting

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robwa10
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Bar Bag Mounting

Post by robwa10 »

Last week I picked up a handlebar bag from Decathlon for £10. It was excellent last Saturday during the Spring in The Peak Audax. It held all I needed in terms of food, tools and map and kept everything nice and dry, until I forgot to zip it back up fully. :oops: But it seems a great size for day rides. The only problem I had with it was sometimes viewing the map and directions was slightly difficult as it sags forward.

It mounts with simple Velcro straps and my wife has already noticed that it will fit on the back of the pushchair and is the ideal size to hold all you need when you pop out. So I may be fighting for it from now on. I want to keep the mounting via the straps so that it can be used elsewhere but I want to modify it somehow so that it stops sagging. The main body is reinforced with a piece of plastic that runs from the top of the front all the way to the top of the back on the inside. Basically it's a U shape. And the sides and lid are just fabric.

I've had a look at the different mounting systems and I'm sure I could retrofit a Klix-fix or similar but the price of the mounts wouldn't make it worth it. Any ideas that would be relatively inexpensive? Any one got an old bag that is knackered that I could pillage the mounting system off of for a small fee?

Thanks

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Just Rob please.
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Si
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Re: Bar Bag Mounting

Post by Si »

Is it sagging because the body itself is deforming or because the straps are moving around the bars?
If the latter then you could try this: tie some un-stretchy cord to one mount, thread it back over the bars, under the stem, over the bar on the other side, and tie to the other mount. this does, of course, meat that it won't come of easily - but that also means that she can't pinch it or the push chair!

Or, get one of those old mounts that had a bit of stiff rod that did as above put projected forwards to fit in loops down the sides of the bag. Then sew some loops onto the bag. Removal would be simply undoing the velcro and sliding forwards along the rods.
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robwa10
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Re: Bar Bag Mounting

Post by robwa10 »

I debated whether to use the word sagging or not. Probably should have used rotating. What happens is that after you start riding the bag rotates until the bottom rests against the head tube. This means that the map on the top is facing slightly away from you. Near the end I was sliding my fingers behind the bag and tilting it up so I could see easier.

I like the bar idea as it means that it's still removable easier. Means that at stops I can just take the whole bag rather than fish my valuables out. Do you know how the rod mounted to the handlebars? I've not seen one of the old bags that I can remember.
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Si
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Re: Bar Bag Mounting

Post by Si »

yep, it came back from the bag, over the top of the bar, under the stem, then back over the bar (on the other side of the stem) and out to the bag. Thus the bit under the stem stopped it rotating.

I'm sure that someone would have one lying around a shed if you put a wanted add up!
Baritono
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Re: Bar Bag Mounting

Post by Baritono »

following on from PM, Rob:

any good?

Regards, Baritono :)
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robwa10
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Re: Bar Bag Mounting

Post by robwa10 »

Baritono

Thanks for the very kind offer but I it's just a bit to wide. I've had an idea last night. It was very painful and I try to keep them to a minimal. I'm going to knock up a prototype one night this week and then I'll take some pics and post whether it works or not.
Just Rob please.
Baritono
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Re: Bar Bag Mounting

Post by Baritono »

robwa10 wrote:Baritono

it's just a bit to wide. It was very painful and I try to keep them to a minimal. I'm going to knock up a prototype one night this week and then I'll take some pics


Mind how you go Rob, you may find by taking a few precautions it's less painful and no-one ends up knocked up.. ;-) :lol: :wink: My pleasure tho! Enjoyed the drawing bit, was quite proud of myself! Let's see what you can come up with instead.. *gauntlet is aimed at floor*

Regards

Not Just Baritono
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CREPELLO
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Re: Bar Bag Mounting

Post by CREPELLO »

I think the Minoura Space Grip would do the job for you. Attach it tilted down at 45 degrees or so. Not absolutely sure whether the long version or the shorter version would be best. The long one has a wider bar. I use one to mount my light underneath the barbag.
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robwa10
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Re: Bar Bag Mounting

Post by robwa10 »

Baritono wrote:
robwa10 wrote:Baritono

it's just a bit to wide. It was very painful and I try to keep them to a minimal. I'm going to knock up a prototype one night this week and then I'll take some pics


Mind how you go Rob, you may find by taking a few precautions it's less painful and no-one ends up knocked up.. ;-) :lol: :wink: My pleasure tho! Enjoyed the drawing bit, was quite proud of myself! Let's see what you can come up with instead.. *gauntlet is aimed at floor*

Regards

Not Just Baritono



Tears from laughter streaming down face. Though slightly worried about the use of the gauntlet... :shock:
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CJ
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Re: Bar Bag Mounting

Post by CJ »

Sounds like all you actually need is something for the back of the bag to rest against that's further forward than the bicycle head tube.
I suggest bending a piece of metal rod into this shape.
Very basic bar-bag support
Very basic bar-bag support
Barbagthing.GIF (4.69 KiB) Viewed 791 times

You can hook this thing under your stem and over the bars - just like those old-style bar-bag suspenders but much simpler - before attaching your bag in the usual way.
Chris Juden
One lady owner, never raced or jumped.
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robwa10
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Re: Bar Bag Mounting

Post by robwa10 »

Chris I like your idea and had a similar thought. But until I get a piece of metal rod I came up with another quick solution.

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It's only made from MDF so it won't last but it could be made from a piece of metal and most likely could be made smaller then.
However, I like the advantage that the metal rod can be removed when the bag is not in use. I have considered installing a Klick-Fix so that I would have the advantage of being able to use a larger bag in the future if I want and have one mount system for both. I think the current bag is great for day rides and general pottering.

As they say 'more than one way to skin a cat'.
Just Rob please.
Ivor Tingting
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Re: Bar Bag Mounting

Post by Ivor Tingting »

Rob, you have PM offering a solution.
"Zat is ze reel prowoking qwestion Mr Paxman." - Peer Steinbruck, German Finance Minister 31/03/2009.
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robwa10
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Re: Bar Bag Mounting

Post by robwa10 »

For those of you interested...the prototype broke today when going over some very rough roads with a lot in the bag. I knew it would happen. Anyways :roll:
Just Rob please.
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[XAP]Bob
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Re: Bar Bag Mounting

Post by [XAP]Bob »

So it was an excellent prototype - did the job, then gave up, forcing you to make a real one :)
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
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