Test: With the Ortlieb Handlebar Pack, we took a close look at the new, off-road-suitable handlebar bag from the traditional manufacturer from Nuremberg. With its 15L volume, it should be an attractive alternative to comfortably transporting a sleeping bag and the like for many bikepacking fans and newcomers. Our test shows whether the handlebar pack lives up to the high expectations.
It's one of the big trends of the last few years: bikepacking. Of course, the scene has been around much longer, but off-road bike bags have only really arrived in the mainstream in the last two or three years. Ortlieb is one of the few manufacturers that was able to gather a lot of experience in this area long before the recent boom. This know-how was also reflected in our test of the new handlebar pack.
Ortlieb Handlebar Pack: Simple, intuitive assembly
Anyone who has ever mounted a handlebar bag knows that it is not always such an easy task. We were all the more excited to see what Ortlieb had come up with for the Handlebar Pack - and to get straight to the point: We were not disappointed! As it should be, the bag also comes with assembly instructions, which could have been a bit more detailed, especially for not-so-experienced hobbyists/screwdrivers. However, we had no problems assembling the Ortlieb Handlebar Pack without looking at the instructions.
Particularly noteworthy is the double strap construction on the handlebars. Two of the four straps (two per side) serve as an assembly aid and are made of robust Velcro. In a first step, the bag is easily fixed to the handlebars - the other two straps are then used to lash the bag down and thus ensure a good and secure fit. A total of eight foam spacers are included, with which the distance between the bag and the handlebars can be regulated.
A third strap, which is attached to the middle of the bag and should be fixed to the head tube, provides additional security. The idea is very good and in practice the additional fixation proved to be extremely useful, but we find the strap itself to be a bit short: We had trouble fixing it properly to the voluminous head tube of our test bike, especially in times of complex carbon constructions in it range, one or two centimeters of leeway would certainly not be wrong here. In our case, however, it was just enough and after a short lashing, the bag sat securely on the handlebars.
Ortlieb Handlebar Pack: Easy to use and great weather protection
The Ortlieb Handlebar Pack should hold a maximum of 15 liters. However, if the volume is not used completely or only to a small extent, numerous straps and the roll system known from the in-house drybags offer many options for adapting the bag to its contents. The flexible outer material makes a robust impression and proved to be 100% waterproof during the test. Rain showers, mud, puddles - none of this could harm the handlebar pack, or rather its contents. The solid material and the many straps are of course reflected in the weight: At just under 420g, the Ortlieb bag is certainly not a lightweight, but most buyers should appreciate the robustness and variability more than the 50g weight saving. Reflective elements on the front also increase safety at night.
The handlebar pack behaved remarkably unobtrusively in tough day-to-day use and on trails: after we made a few adjustments to the assembly and matched the bag perfectly to our bike, everything stayed in place even on rough trails. Sure - the Ortlieb also wobbles a bit, but at no time did we have the feeling that we were on the verge of losing the bag. Only on harder impacts, when our suspension fork went completely through its spring travel, did the front wheel rub briefly on the underside. Here you should carefully check before the first ride that the bag is not blocking the wheel at the worst possible time - thanks to the removable foam spacers, however, the corresponding adjustment is not a big problem.
