handlebar bag

[mbattisti]

currently looking for a second handlebar bag, possibly a Lone Peak H-100 "Alta".  Any reviews?  I currently have the large Arkel, very nice but almost twice as expensive now.

[PeteJack]

I have a Lone Peak barbag that I've used for thousands of miles. I don't like it. Mainly because you have to put a cover on when it's raining. I was once in a tremendous downpour in IL and the cover filled with water. The bag and its contents (including a cellphone) couldn't have got wetter if I'd plonked it in a bowl of water for a couple of hours. Also when you put the cover on you can't read the map in the handy map pocket. You have to loosen the cover and push it back to see the map, quite tricky on the move. The guy who sold me the bag said the thing to do was to cut a hole in the bottom of the cover to prevent water build up!

When I can afford it I'm going to spring for a waterproof Ortlieb bag like my wife has. Mind you they ain't perfect, for some reason Ortlieb provide this lock feature that's as much use as a chocolate teapot.

[bogiesan]

The market for handlebar bags is huge. REI alone lists about a dozen; Adventure Cycling has four or more, Sierra Trading even more. What do you want in a bag?
Simple buckles and straps attachment or some proprietary click system?
Map window on the top?
Cellphone holster built-in?
Solar panel attachment available?
Convertible to a shoulder bag or waist pack?
Mesh side pockets for bottles?
How complex is the inside? Lots of pockets and divided spaces or just a bloody big bag?
Free hanging or internal frame?
Totally waterproof or an attached cover?
Expandable or modular attachments?
Price range?

The trade off between price and utility must be considered along with the weight/utility ratio. Is a four pound handlebar bag with all the features that much better than a plain ol' two pounder?
You can waterproof any cheap bag with a selection of ziplocks so you don't really need totally waterproof construction and zippers (and all of that additional mass). Any fancy attachment system is likely to break at the worst possible time.