Having tried a couple of different handlebar bags I have finally settled on this one. I had previously used an ultimate classic, 5 litre bag with a R&K mount on an earlier bike and this was good. When I built my current tourer and fitted surley corner bars, the Ortlieb wouldn’t fit with the brake and shifter cables. So I sold that and bought an Ortlieb acessory pack. This fitted but the attachment wasn’t ideal. It fits to the bars with velcro straps but these were difficult to get secure and removing the bag for getting on/off trains and ferries was a real pain. The bag was not too comfortable to use as an off-bike bag which I used to do with the Ultimate.

When I changed to kona flat bars there was more space for a bag and as the cables sat closer to the bars, I decided to go back to the Ultimate style bag. I bought a seven litre one. This was almost identical to the five litre one (apart from the size). The larger one doesn’t have the transparent lid compartment for a map but if I need that at some time in the future Ortlieb do one which fits all their handlebar bags. It’s not so convienient, not having somewhere to have my phone accessible but that’s something I will consider after some use. It was also almost half the price, maybe because it seems to have been the end of a line and may no longer be available.

I originally tried an Ortlieb mounting system which I fitted but after several attempts at trying to line everything up I gave up and ordered the Ricksen & Kaul one which was the bracket I had fitted with my previous bag. The main difference is that the Ortlieb bracket does not have rear loops to hold the bracket on to the bars. The front of the unit is secured by using the cables which are tightened with screws to hold the bracket in place. The R&K bracket has the cables but they only provide tension and are a secondary fastening. This also means the bracket can be moved easily in order to adjust the stem. Ricksen & Kaul produce a large range of mounts and adapters to suit many variations of bag systems.

I usually take my bag off the bike when I leave it so didn’t feel it was necessary to buy a lockable one. Also, if you do have any valuables in the bag all it would take would be for a thief to lift the lid to make off with them. So locking the bag onto the bars doesn’t seem to be worth the extra layout.

I use a padded liner to hold a camera and usually carry the shoulder strap with me to carry the bag off the bike. I find that it is better to remove the strap from the clips when fitted to the bars as it can interfere with the closure. The bag has a zipped pocket attached to the inside front wall. This is useful for things like a wallet, tickets etc which need to be found easily and carried securely. The seven litre capacity is big enough for my camera, lense, binoculars, snacks and somewhere to store gloves, hat or anything else I need to take off and carry.

I have since managed to source a decently priced (cheapish), Ultimate six plus. This is the bag which has the transparent lid and is made from cordura fabric as opposed to the polyester the classic is made from. This is a stronger material and should be longer lasting. It has also got additional brackets on each side to which bottle carriers can be fitted. I doubt if I will fit additional water bottles but it is a good option to have. The capacity is half a litre less but that difference is hardly noticeable and it has the same 5kg recommended weight capacity.

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