While touring cyclists have long known the advantages of the handlebar bag, it’s the far newer gravel scene that’s primarily responsible for its rebirth. The bar bag is an obvious choice for off-road adventurers and has also allowed gravel riders to eschew the traditional jersey and its rear pockets, boosting its popularity.
Some of these gravel-specific designs still resemble the traditional touring bag, with adaptations made to the lid for ease of access. Others adopt elements of a dry bag, where a sleeping bag or down jacket could be easily stored, with the foldable ends of the bag allowing it to morph in size.
Smaller versions of both designs was an obvious next step, making them fit more comfortably with modern drop bars, which in turn brought them to the attention of road cyclists who were tired of bulging jersey pockets and rattling tool rolls. Now many a road bike is adorned with a bar bag containing a gilet, a spare tube and a few snacks.
“It’s an obvious choice for off-road adventurers”
We’ve covered a few bases in our test. The Ortlieb and Restrap bags, both
