Handlebar bag what to do ?

[gpshay]

Folks, I'm at a bit of a stalemate My daughters bike is a cannondale t-2000 touring bike. We have equiped it with Surly front and rear Nice racks [sweet], a detours Bug on the top tube, and profile air strykes [for another riding position]. Our first choice is a handlebar bag [the detours shuttle] so she could take it off and on with some easy when we go shopping. I've got the minoura "T" accessory bracket but i cant really see anyway to mount it. the quick release bracket that detours uses will definetly not work on the handlebars so long as i have the air strykes on it. I have been researching rear trunks but have not come across any that are medium size and come with a should strap. any ideas out there will be appreciated glenn in phx

This message was edited by gpshay on 6-10-08 @ 5:25 PM

[bogiesan]

I don't understand what you're trying to accomplish. You need more
space to hold stuff? A map window? Shopping bag-sized panniers? Why
do you want a should strap on a trunk bag? leave it on the bike and put
a shoulder bag in it.
You don't need the aero bars for everyday riding or shopping so take
them off. They're a goofy affectation unless you're on tour or running
time trials.  

Topeak probably has the best selection of trunks that include
expansion options.

david boise ID

go, ristretto, FCP/AE
"Read the manual."

[whittierider]

I have been researching rear trunks but have not come across any that are medium size and come with a should strap.

Our Jandd expandable trunk bag came with one.  I don't think they're making our model anymore, but you can see their current production if you go to http://www.jandd.com/bikes.asp and then click on "Rear Rack Packs", 4th line under the mustard-colored bar that says "Bicycle Gear".  I tried putting the actual URL here but it was ridiculously long.  Shoulder straps are shown at the bottom of the rack-packs page, so maybe they don't automatically come with the bags anymore.  In any case, you can see they're available.

As for the aerobars, I and my family use the Syntace C2's all the time.  If a ride doesn't have much climbing, I'm on the aerobars at least 95 out of 100 miles-- anytime I'm not braking or accelerating off a traffic light.  One of their two main values is comfort.  If they're set up correctly, they offer a ton of relief.  I won't do any long ride without them.

[alfonso]

Topeak trunk bags are excellent and mine came with a shoulder strap - very helpful when you need to take the bag off the bike (eg for shopping). However, Topeaks work best with Topeak racks: they have a system whereby the bottom of the bag slides into a groove on the rack. If you don't want to change your rack, it may be worth looking elsewhere (nashbar?) for a trunk bag.

[biker_james]

As for the aerobars, I and my family use the Syntace C2's all the time.  If a ride doesn't have much climbing, I'm on the aerobars at least 95 out of 100 miles-- anytime I'm not braking or accelerating off a traffic light.  One of their two main values is comfort.  If they're set up correctly, they offer a ton of relief.  I won't do any long ride without them.

I've often though about aerobars, but even the road riders I know don't use them that much (well ,some of the tri guys, but you know how they are). Just wondering how you have them set up-are they higher than the usual setup. I've seen some guys who probably don't see much beyond their front wheel when on the aerobars as they are looking straight down all day. I just think they'd be great to put the weight on your forearms and off your hands and wrists for a while.

[whittierider]

are they higher than the usual setup?  I've seen some guys who probably don't see much beyond their front wheel when on the aerobars as they are looking straight down all day.

My arm pads are a few inches lower than the saddle.  Our boys keep them lower than I, but any lower for me and it starts hurting one hip joint (not both, as I've sat on the seat crooked all my life).  We see traffic lights just fine, and there's no reason to see anything higher.  Many eye glasses however are not made with cyclists in mind, and they'll leave you looking over the tops of them if you don't have the right kind.

A lot of people I know won't use aerobars because they're not allowed in racing.  I'm not interested in racing, so I don't care about that (although I do like to be as fast as I can, regardless of how it compares to someone else).  Others won't use aerobars because they're not allowed in certain brevets and randonnes.  Paris-Brest-Paris comes to mind.  The excuse is, "Aerobars cause accidents in tight groups."  I say, "So do brakes.  You just have to know when to use each part of the equipment and when not to!"  I suppose others don't use aerobars just because of the expense, or they think they must be uncomfortable, they limit access to a handlebar bag, or they just haven't thought about it.  They offer a lot of relief if fit properly though, especially to the hands, wrists, elbows, and shoulders.

[freightbike]

What about putting all that stuff in a camelback pack? As for the apparent discusion on aero bars, I couldn't get by without them. My hands and wrists will go numb and or cause searing pain at night if I can't get off them while on long rides. The only problems I have with using them are that my knees slap into my belly when I've put on a few pounds over the winter and getting to the brakes in a hurry. I tried to cobble up an inline lever to work my rear brake. But it was too troublesome.

May the wind at your back always smell like home.
                  MORG

[biker_james]

Whittierider:
Do you have adequate control over the bike with panniers using aerobars? Thats the other downside I've heard to them, and I know that even when riding on the hoods, crosswinds and the draft from semi's going by can be a handful sometimes front panniers.
It does sound like your setup is maybe a bit "racier" than most touring bikes-Ithink my handlebars (I'll have to check) are pretty close to level with the seat, and many touring bikes have the bars even higher.
I might just have to buy a set, or better yeat borrow a set for a week or trwo from a friend to try it out.

[whittierider]

biker_james, I probably have not tried the aerobars with a load nearly as heavy as some people on this forum ride with, but I have not had any problems, even when the load in the back was pretty high.  I will add however that aerobars are not really an "instant-gratification" item.  When I first started with them about nine years ago, they did not seem to be safe for a very wide range of speed and conditions; but that changed as I got experience with them.  I have them on the tandem too, and it doesn't bother me if my wife suddenly decides to stand up without warning me, which would have been suicide at the beginning.  You just learn to control the bike differently.  As for crosswinds, I do ride the aerobars in strong crosswinds if the gusts are not bad.  If a semi approaches, especially going the other direction on a narrow road, I do get off the aerobars for the coming blast.

I've never tried front panniers though.  My own interest in touring is to go light and stay in hotels on trips of no more than a few days, which of course is different from being on the road for weeks at a time and carrying all your camping and cooking stuff.