# Ideas for mounting/stabilizing a handlebar bag?



## HollyBoni (Dec 27, 2016)

I just got my first bikepacking bags, planning to start using them this summer.









My issue is that I can't figure out how to best mount the handlebar bag. It's an 11l Apidura Backcountry bag.











As you can see the front brake hose gets crushed so much if I tighten the straps properly. I don't feel comfortable running it like this. I've tried to angle up and down the brake levers, but i'd have to run them at a dumb angle to clear the bag. I don't think a longer hose would help either.
Also, the bag kinda flops around, it's not really stable.

I bought one of those cheapo "handlebar extenders" from Aliexpress and I want to try mounting the bag like this, possibly running the straps around the bag and the handlebar itself:









Any experiences with this kind of setup? Any other tips for mounting the bag in a better way?


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## Nomad77 (May 21, 2021)

Not an expert by any stretch of the imagination but I’d suggest a cradle of some sort to help stabilize the bag. There’s plenty available or you can DIY one with a section of PVC pipe. I split the difference and went with a 3D printed model from Etsy. Haven’t taken any overnighters or rough trails with it yet but so far so good.


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## HollyBoni (Dec 27, 2016)

Nomad77 said:


> Not an expert by any stretch of the imagination but I’d suggest a cradle of some sort to help stabilize the bag. There’s plenty available or you can DIY one with a section of PVC pipe. I split the difference and went with a 3D printed model from Etsy. Haven’t taken any overnighters or rough trails with it yet but so far so good.


First I thought about going with some kind of a cradle, but I was afraid it would rotate down eventually. My plan is to ride off road as much as possible, and I want to be able to tackle stuff like rocky singletrack, small jumps etc. So I think ideally I should go with a solution where the bag still rests on the headtube, I guess? 

Did you buy this?





This item is unavailable - Etsy


Find the perfect handmade gift, vintage & on-trend clothes, unique jewelry, and more… lots more.




www.etsy.com


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## Nomad77 (May 21, 2021)

HollyBoni said:


> First I thought about going with some kind of a cradle, but I was afraid it would rotate down eventually. My plan is to ride off road as much as possible, and I want to be able to tackle stuff like rocky singletrack, small jumps etc. So I think ideally I should go with a solution where the bag still rests on the headtube, I guess?
> 
> Did you buy this?
> 
> ...


Yup, that’s the one. I had some dense foam I used to cushion between the cradle and bar, it locks the whole thing down pretty tight so rotation should be minimal under real trail conditions…or so I’m hoping 😁


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## She&I (Jan 4, 2010)

Rather not wear a backpack, but puffy stuff goes on my back when the terrain is rowdy. That makes room in the front roll to roll up the ends more to avoid brake levers and/or eliminate a seat pack.

I’ve spent many days with my brake hoses bent. It doesn’t bother me if not extreme. I’d take that before trying to move a load away from the bike center for a jibby ride.

Your bike has a lot of room for a frame bag in the front tri. Exploiting that could cost time or money, but would be worth it unless this ride is just a flash in the pan. Platypus or other flexible bottles unless a bottle is needed for treatment. Mostly just pack light, small and with efficiency to begin with; leaving out contingency items for short/rowdy outings pays you back.


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## VegasSingleSpeed (May 5, 2005)

Saw this on bikepacking.com, interesting solution:








Superfortress harness


DESCRIPTION - After a four year hiatus, the Superfortress returns with a patent pending strut designed to eliminate cable/hose interference, head tube rub, and wobble/bounce. It also works great for smaller riders to improve the distance between the tire and the cargo. Webbing panel allows for...



www.nukesunrise.com




Looks like something you could bodge together with a couple pieces of PVC and stabilize your existing bag...


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## Nomad77 (May 21, 2021)

Definitely doable with PVC, I think the key is the foam blocks which when compressed really lock the whole thing down.


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## evdog (Mar 18, 2007)

I use a Revelate pronghorn for a handlebar bag, which has a number of foam spacers the mounting straps loop through to space the bag away from the bars and levers. I don't recall who but I know there is a bikepack bag co who sells those. Maybe even Revelate could sell you some.


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## HollyBoni (Dec 27, 2016)

She&I said:


> Rather not wear a backpack, but puffy stuff goes on my back when the terrain is rowdy. That makes room in the front roll to roll up the ends more to avoid brake levers and/or eliminate a seat pack.
> 
> I’ve spent many days with my brake hoses bent. It doesn’t bother me if not extreme. I’d take that before trying to move a load away from the bike center for a jibby ride.
> 
> Your bike has a lot of room for a frame bag in the front tri. Exploiting that could cost time or money, but would be worth it unless this ride is just a flash in the pan. Platypus or other flexible bottles unless a bottle is needed for treatment. Mostly just pack light, small and with efficiency to begin with; leaving out contingency items for short/rowdy outings pays you back.


So i'm an absolute noob, I have no idea what i'm doing, and I don't even have my sleeping setup yet. I'm gonna be using a 1 person tent. Based on the measurements I have, I think i'm going to put the tent and the sleeping bag in the front, but that means i'll have to run the handlebar bag at full width, and even then the tent and the sleeping bag JUST fits. The sleeping pad will go to the back I think. I could put just the tent in the front, but then i'll barely have space in the saddle bag (I think). But we'll see how things work out when the camping stuff is all here (hopefully next month).

I thought about a frame bag, but i'm not sure. I have a friend who makes bags, we could make a custom frame bag, and i'd only have to pay for the materials (and probably bring a few beers). I just don't know if I want to sacrifice the bottle. I plan to use my Osprey Duro 6 vest/pack. It's comfy, good for smaller stuff, but it's tiny. On top of the 6l capacity, I can carry two 500ml soft flasks on the front, but I usually carry 1 soft flask and have my phone on the other side.
I don't want to compromise on the sleeping setup, but other than that I only plan to carry the essentials. Where I live there isn't really a big "backcountry" either, you can pretty much always plan your trip around small villages, so I won't be carrying tons of food and water (and a stove etc.).

That harness looks interesting. I think I have some hard foam somewhere, i'll try to make some blocks even just to see how stable the bag is when I can fully tighten everything down.

Edit: So that hard foam that I have isn't actually that hard... But I can see this setup would work so much better even without a cradle or anything.


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## She&I (Jan 4, 2010)

Sounds like you’re approaching it thoughtfully, but being non-negotiable on the sleeping kit and frame bottle set you up for a bit less fun while moving.

I’d get on that frame bag option and move your bottle elsewhere or ditch it for a Platypus and hose. A tiny backpack is somewhat a waste. Light cargo on your back will mostly disappear when riding. Minimalist packs that are more like a stuff sack with straps exist. Perfect for puffy stuff and hanging food, easy to put on your bike when empty.

Leaving the tent and pad at home has made short/rough outings a joy for me. Clothing and a good bivy site make up the difference. Beyond the immediate forecast I don’t risk it. For mosquito county a shelter is a convenience but not mandatory. A head net and hard shell clothing works.

I’d look for a UL sleeping bag or quilt and supplement it with clothing or a liner so it’s more useful year round. Sleeping pads are heavenly but it’s one bulky item that’s easy to skip. Some will disagree and want shelter everywhere they go. I’d sooner bring a sheet of Tyvek, plastic or SilNyl for emergency than my UL tent. I would never again depend on a cellophane bag (emergency “blanket”) but it could avert some misery in a pickle.

I love the camping experience and have hauled copious cargo to do it. But that’s the antithesis of my MO for sporty rides. Less gear means you pack up quicker and have more fun riding. The seat pack is a good one to eliminate. It’s more issue on technical terrain than a front roll, although a massive (especially wide) front roll is not awesome either.

Agree that foam spacers can help the front roll fit.


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## CObikeman (Nov 25, 2014)

Just want to second doing something in your front triangle - lots of room in there.

COBikeman


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## HollyBoni (Dec 27, 2016)

The main reason I want a tent is because i'm scared sh*tless to sleep alone outside. 😅 I've never done it before, and even though I have all of this gear already (and more on order), i'm not actually a 100% sure that i'll have the balls to do it. I'm hopeful tho, and i'll try to force myself to do it.
When I think about it, sleeping in a tent just feels much more safe (I know that's dumb) and comfortable (but still scary). When I think about sleeping in something like a bivy, it sounds even more scary and claustrophobic. I know that's all in my head and I have no actual experience, but still.

I'm quitting my job in May, the plan is to start with overnighters, and work my way up to longer tours. I plan to go abroad as well, and i'm planning some trips where i'll travel somewhere, camp at an actual campsite, leave my stuff there, and do some day rides and visit bikeparks.

I'll think about the frame bag and i'll hit up my friend to see if we can actually make something. We made a half frame bag for my gravel bike, I absolutely love it, but on that bike I can fit two bottles and still use the bag... 🙂


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## Nomad77 (May 21, 2021)

HollyBoni said:


> The main reason I want a tent is because i'm scared sh*tless to sleep alone outside. 😅 I've never done it before, and even though I have all of this gear already (and more on order), i'm not actually a 100% sure that i'll have the balls to do it. I'm hopeful tho, and i'll try to force myself to do it.
> When I think about it, sleeping in a tent just feels much more safe (I know that's dumb) and comfortable (but still scary). When I think about sleeping in something like a bivy, it sounds even more scary and claustrophobic. I know that's all in my head and I have no actual experience, but still.
> 
> I'm quitting my job in May, the plan is to start with overnighters, and work my way up to longer tours. I plan to go abroad as well, and i'm planning some trips where i'll travel somewhere, camp at an actual campsite, leave my stuff there, and do some day rides and visit bikeparks.
> ...


Nothing wrong with your personal feelings re:tent/tentless. I prefer the added comfort of a tent myself but sometimes go without. Get your legs under you first and adjust as things progress.


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## She&I (Jan 4, 2010)

HollyBoni said:


> The main reason I want a tent is because i'm scared sh*tless to sleep alone outside. 😅 I've never done it before, and even though I have all of this gear already (and more on order), i'm not actually a 100% sure that i'll have the balls to do it. I'm hopeful tho, and i'll try to force myself to do it.
> When I think about it, sleeping in a tent just feels much more safe (I know that's dumb) and comfortable (but still scary). When I think about sleeping in something like a bivy, it sounds even more scary and claustrophobic. I know that's all in my head and I have no actual experience, but still.
> 
> I'm quitting my job in May, the plan is to start with overnighters, and work my way up to longer tours. I plan to go abroad as well, and i'm planning some trips where i'll travel somewhere, camp at an actual campsite, leave my stuff there, and do some day rides and visit bikeparks.
> ...


I appreciate your candor. Maybe start in the back yard and work up to one night away? Using all new gear on a longer solo ride on top of having reservations sounds like a lot to handle.

If you were me you’d sponsor your thread man to make you a frame bag, a really small seat pack, stubby front roll and a drybag backpack. Simple with burly fabric. 18-20l backpack volume. 🤓


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## evdog (Mar 18, 2007)

It's normal to be apprehensive about sleeping out the first time. Try and go with some friends at first if you can. Or She&I suggestion to sleep out at home is a good one. I do tons of solo camping. It's very relaxing especially when weather is nice. I only bring a tent now when there is a chance of bad weather. 

As others did I highly recommend a frame bag as well. Lots of riders fit a hydration bladder in their frame bags. But they also carry lots of other items well. The frame is a space you don't want to waste. A water bottle can be carried in a feed bag on your handlebar or even in a cage on your top tube. Lots of options there.


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## HollyBoni (Dec 27, 2016)

Yeah the plan is to possibly start in my backyard, then go to a place in the "wild" that I know well. I have one friend who might be interested in overnight trips, but i'm doubtful that it'll actually happen TBH. I always envied people who are comfortable sleeping out alone, so I really want to work my way up to it. 

I think for now i'll wait for my sleeping setup to arrive, play around with where to put what, and see how the bike feels loaded up and then go from there. I'll measure things out and see how big of a frame bag I could fit.


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## Brad In A Van (Nov 26, 2017)

Would either of these be an option? The rubber harness block would space your bag out far enough as long as you have enough strap to go around everything. 






Harness Block - Parts and Repair | Revelate Designs LLC


PARTS AND REPAIR | Harness Block: Replacement rubber harness block




www.revelatedesigns.com










Foam Spacers - Parts and Repair | Revelate Designs LLC


PARTS AND REPAIR | Foam Spacers: Replacement foam spacers.




www.revelatedesigns.com


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## sashax (Aug 5, 2005)

I'd recommend something like the Salsa Anything Cradle. I've done like a thousand miles with plenty of technical singletrack with one and never had a problem. I'm short and any dangly bag ends up rubbing on the tire. I also don;t have much triangle space. The cradle ain't cheap but it's very solid. I have loaded it with a 13l dry bag and a 2-person tent.


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## Jayem (Jul 16, 2005)

sashax said:


> I'd recommend something like the Salsa Anything Cradle. I've done like a thousand miles with plenty of technical singletrack with one and never had a problem. I'm short and any dangly bag ends up rubbing on the tire. I also don;t have much triangle space. The cradle ain't cheap but it's very solid. I have loaded it with a 13l dry bag and a 2-person tent.


Yes, this is super solid. I have one.


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## HollyBoni (Dec 27, 2016)

Brad In A Van said:


> Would either of these be an option? The rubber harness block would space your bag out far enough as long as you have enough strap to go around everything.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I think i'll just buy some hard EVA foam and make my own spacers. I live in Europe and i'd have to order the Revelate stuff from abroad. The rubber block gave me an idea for a DIY solution.

I think first i'll wait for my "handlebar extender" to arrive from Ali, we'll see how it works out.



sashax said:


> I'd recommend something like the Salsa Anything Cradle. I've done like a thousand miles with plenty of technical singletrack with one and never had a problem. I'm short and any dangly bag ends up rubbing on the tire. I also don;t have much triangle space. The cradle ain't cheap but it's very solid. I have loaded it with a 13l dry bag and a 2-person tent.


I looked at the Anything Cradle but ruled it out due to the price and the weight. Maybe I should have gone with it with just a cheaper dry bag.


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## HollyBoni (Dec 27, 2016)

The Aliexpress handlebar extender thingy and the straps are here:









Still playing around with setup but so far it's very promising. Very minimal wiggle when cornering, almost no up and down movement on bumps and jumps.

Bought some foam too but it didn't work out too good. This Apidura bag just doesn't really like extra stuff between the bag/straps and the handlebar.

I do wish my front brake hose was a little longer, but I don't think i'm gonna have any issues at sag.


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## stiingya (Apr 30, 2004)

When strapping/clamping extra stuff to your bar, are people generally staying with aluminum bars? OR still going with carbon? I just got an enve carbon bar for the rise and dampening. But they were spency and I'm wondering if they are going to get beat up quick and if I should just look for some high rise alu bars to swap them out?

Thanks for any opinions/experiance!


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## stiingya (Apr 30, 2004)

HollyBoni said:


> I just got my first bikepacking bags, planning to start using them this summer.
> View attachment 1974561


looks like a nice bag set up. What size is your seat bag?


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## stiingya (Apr 30, 2004)

HollyBoni said:


> The main reason I want a tent is because i'm scared sh*tless to sleep alone outside. 😅 I've never done it before, and even though I have all of this gear already (and more on order), i'm not actually a 100% sure that i'll have the balls to do it. I'm hopeful tho, and i'll try to force myself to do it.
> When I think about it, sleeping in a tent just feels much more safe (I know that's dumb) and comfortable (but still scary). When I think about sleeping in something like a bivy, it sounds even more scary and claustrophobic. I know that's all in my head and I have no actual experience, but still.
> 
> I'm quitting my job in May, the plan is to start with overnighters, and work my way up to longer tours. I plan to go abroad as well, and i'm planning some trips where i'll travel somewhere, camp at an actual campsite, leave my stuff there, and do some day rides and visit bikeparks.
> ...


I was in an open campground one time, just find room to park and that's your camping spot, but I was away from others and in the tree's a bit in my hamock, inside a my bag with a balaclava over my head and my puffy hoody pulled tight and another bag over me as a quilt. Anyway, in the middle of the night I got woke up from some animal sniffing me. Scared the crap out of me!!   

I'm 99% sure it was just someones dog from the camp. But I couldn't get out of all my layers quick enough to figure out what it was... 

At any rate, I'm looking for a bikpacking tent too. I want to do some desert camping and don't want bugs or snakes to get friendly!


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## mikesee (Aug 25, 2003)

stiingya said:


> When strapping/clamping extra stuff to your bar, are people generally staying with aluminum bars? OR still going with carbon?



Wrap your carbon bars with electrical tape where the straps contact it.

Costs at least a nickel, solves any wear issues.


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## stiingya (Apr 30, 2004)

mikesee said:


> Wrap your carbon bars with electrical tape where the straps contact it.
> 
> Costs at least a nickel, solves any wear issues.


Wondered about that. And they have that mastic tape that only sticks to itself so you don't have issues pulling the tape later. (also that mastic stuff is cushy like a thin bar wrap, so I guess that "might" give additional grip options? Maybe I'll just give that a go. (the other reason I asked is I wondered about trying those bars on another bike anyway and if that worked then I'd have a reason for new bars on this bike and if most people were running alu bars on their bikepack bikes then it would all have a reason... )

Thanks!


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## HollyBoni (Dec 27, 2016)

stiingya said:


> looks like a nice bag set up. What size is your seat bag?


It's 6l, all the bags are Apidura Backcountry.

Should have my camping/sleeping setup at the end of the month, can't wait! Hope everything is gonna fit in the bags. 😬


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## lentamentalisk (Jul 21, 2015)

If you're using the handlebar extender option, make sure you're still securing the bag well to prevent it from bouncing up and down. This is how I looped my straps. By anchoring it down to the fork, there is absolutely no motion, but it doesn't rub on the head tube.


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## HollyBoni (Dec 27, 2016)

lentamentalisk said:


> If you're using the handlebar extender option, make sure you're still securing the bag well to prevent it from bouncing up and down. This is how I looped my straps. By anchoring it down to the fork, there is absolutely no motion, but it doesn't rub on the head tube.


Thanks for the tips! For my short test I routed the straps like this:










Seemed rock solid. The bag does rest on the headtube this way, but i'm thinking that might not be such a bad thing (?), since it might take a bit of load off my cheapo handlebar extender. I bought some paint protection film, i'm gonna install it in a few places where the bags contact the frame.
But i'm sure i'm gonna experiment with different setups when I actually start using my gear for real.


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## lentamentalisk (Jul 21, 2015)

That should be fine too. My bike has a very protruding headtube badge that shreds bags, so I try to keep my stuff away from it.


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## HollyBoni (Dec 27, 2016)

Got my camping stuff yesterday, first test ride done. It was awesome!

Packed pretty much everything other than toiletries and a few other small items. The bike climbed much much better loaded up then I expected. Got a PR on an uphill section and got a KOM on a short DH. 😅 The front bag stayed rock solid. The seat pack does wiggle up and down and sideways a bit. I can't actually feel it tho. It does hit the tyre sometimes, but I have a 210 dropper, so I might reduce the travel a bit. Really the only "issue" is that even with the post down the seat pack is up in my ass which makes steep stuff a bit weird, but i'm not planning to enter enduro races loaded up so it'll be just fine. Now i'll just need to tackle the sleeping outside bit!

One thing I noticed is that unless I angle up the handlebar extender thingy a bit, it will hit the top tube if the bars go past 90 degrees. That will only happen if I fall, although the handlebar bag and the top tube feed bag will probably stop the bars (?). Should I worry about that, or just angle the thing down how I want and send it?


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## stiingya (Apr 30, 2004)

HollyBoni said:


> View attachment 1983599
> 
> 
> Got my camping stuff yesterday, first test ride done. It was awesome!
> ...


HOw much stuff are you carrying? How long of a trip is that set up for?


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## HollyBoni (Dec 27, 2016)

stiingya said:


> HOw much stuff are you carrying? How long of a trip is that set up for?


In my handlebar bag I have a tent and sleeping bag. In the seat pack I have an inflatable pillow, pad, long sleeve shirt, pair of cotton socks, extra underwear, rain jacket, tights, extra jersey/merino t-shirt. In the downtube bag I have my repair kit, and other than the usual I have stuff like chain oil, a rag, shock pump, tyre pressure gauge. The feed bag is full of snacks.
I also ride with a litte 6L Osprey vest/backpack, where I had stuff like lights, an extra 18650 battery, 20000mAh power bank, charger and cables, my phone, and 500ml soft flask that I drink from.
Probably forgot some stuff. 🙂 The bulk of the stuff is there (I think), i'm missing toiletries, first aid kit, and some small misc stuff.
My backpack was almost empty, I think I could sneak something small into my handlebar pack, and probably something in my downtube bag. I'm sure i'll play around with what goes where.

I'm going to start with overnighters and work my way up from there. I doubt i'm going to do tours longer than 5-6 days, but we'll see. Where I live there isn't really a backcountry, you can always pop down into some small town, stock up and eat at a restaurant, so i'm not gonna be carrying a bunch of food and drinks. I mainly plan to bikepack in the summer where it's 30C+ all the time and pretty dry, so don't need a lot of layers either.
But i'm a complete noob so it's possible i'm going fail miserably and change up a lot of my kit. 😁


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## PhilWynn (8 mo ago)

As I understand, you've used them already, did they exceed your expectations?


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## HollyBoni (Dec 27, 2016)

PhilWynn said:


> As I understand, you've used them already, did they exceed your expectations?


They, as in? The bags? Or everything? 🙂


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## HollyBoni (Dec 27, 2016)

Done my first "real" overnighter. 147km split into two parts. It was great! Thought i'm gonna sh*t myself but sleeping alone outside was great. Zero fear. Never woke up to any weird noises. Felt at home really.

Gear is working pretty good for the most part. My pillow is a bit uncomfortable and my face kinda went a bit numb from it sometimes. 😁 A longer and wider sleeping pad wouldn't hurt either.
The handlebar bag is doing it's job fine. If I have the extender thingy tilted up it rotates down a bit after some rough riding, but then it stays there and doesn't move so that's okay.
My only issue is with the seat bag. It flops around a lot. The part that rests on the seatpost/dropper adapter feels like it has some kind of reinforcement plastic in it, however it's not strong enough so it kinda just folds in, and that causes the strap and everything to loosen up. I'll have to come up with something to solve that.

Riding the bike with a load is way better than I expected. Climbs that were super hard unloaded are still hard, but mostly doable. I'm doing the same kind of average speeds as I did without any load, or at least i'm not soooo much slower that it would be very noticeable. And about 2 weeks ago I switched from a Dissector Rekon combo to a DHR2 Dissector combo... 😁 Which is way too overkill for bikepacking, but I wanted to see how it would perform.


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## Nomad77 (May 21, 2021)

HollyBoni said:


> Done my first "real" overnighter. 147km split into two parts. It was great! Thought i'm gonna sh*t myself but sleeping alone outside was great. Zero fear. Never woke up to any weird noises. Felt at home really.
> 
> Gear is working pretty good for the most part. My pillow is a bit uncomfortable and my face kinda went a bit numb from it sometimes. 😁 A longer and wider sleeping pad wouldn't hurt either.
> The handlebar bag is doing it's job fine. If I have the extender thingy tilted up it rotates down a bit after some rough riding, but then it stays there and doesn't move so that's okay.
> ...


Outstanding!!! 👍


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