The blocks push the harness about 1.5″ away from the bar, providing just enough clearance for your hands, lights, or GPS devices. ![]() Both the Refugi and BarritoPak are spaced outward from the handlebar using custom-shaped replaceable foam blocks. The Refugi shares a similar mounting system with their Supreme BarritoPak. They also set out to minimize water ingress with a single-seam roll-end bag that can be made fully waterproof (for an upcharge). Some systems, such as the Rockgeist BarJam and Rogue Panda Canelo, use brackets and carbon struts to provide ample room for cables and controls, while some sit closer to the bars and use small foam blocks to provide a little space.Īccording to Joe at JPaks, the design objective for the Refugi was to make a lightweight, stable, and secure harness to allow modular load carrying possible with varying sizes of roll-end bags. The benefits of harness systems are that they can accommodate any old dry bag and can be packed away from the bike, but they require vigilance in packing to ensure stability.ĭeciding what type and size of handlebar bag suits your needs best will ultimately depend on how much gear you need to carry, your handlebar width and lever/cable location, and how much clearance there is above your front tire, especially for riders running front suspension. A handlebar harness uses a semi-rigid holster that attaches to the bike the same way a roll does, but it has two or three straps to secure a removable dry bag in place. They are one of the most straightforward off-the-shelf options for storing gear on the handlebars, but they often need to be packed on the bike since removing them can be time-consuming. They typically have a roll-top closure at either end, are waterproof or highly water-resistant, and attach to the handlebars and headtube using simple straps. In short, a handlebar roll is an all-in-one system with an integrated dry bag and handlebar attachment. We’ve already compared harnesses, rolls, and top-loaders in great detail here, and keeping with the theme of this Gear Index, we’ll focus on harnesses and rolls. They are usually our first pick for riding singletrack-heavy bikepacking routes. ![]() Not to mention, they usually take up less vertical space, which works with suspension forks and smaller bikes. The goal for both styles of bag is to limit the impact on handling, provide a space for bulky gear, and offer a better sightline on technical terrain compared to bulkier top-loading bags. These cylindrical bags attach directly to the handlebars-usually with velcro or webbing straps-and keep the load tight to the front of the bike. We’ve already covered top-loaders in our Gear Index here and are busy testing out the latest cradles, but even after all these years of innovation, rolls and harnesses still have their place. ![]() Since then, four main types of handlebar bags have evolved and become popular: rolls, harnesses, top-loaders, and cradles. ![]() Most modern designs can largely be credited to Revelate Designs’ early work. Not long after, they released their Sweet Roll, which offered an all-in-one design with an integrated waterproof dry bag, foam anchor points, and a technical construction. At that point they were made from heavy but durable materials such as waxed canvas and leather, but they got the job done.įast-forward more than 100 years to 2009, and Revelate Designs reimagined those designs with the first iteration of their handlebar harness, which was influenced by using the zippered lid from a backpack as a handlebar bag with a strapped-in dry bag. Some of the first handlebar rolls were used by intrepid world cyclists in the late 1800s, and they were perhaps most famously used during the Buffalo Soldiers’ (25th Infantry Bicycle Corps) groundbreaking 2,000-mile ride from Missoula, Montana, to St. Burrito-shaped bundles strapped to the handlebars were one of the first means of carrying gear on a bike.
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