**A Bucket Bag in Disguise**

Handlebar bags pose a particular challenge for me. Getting the right one is even more critical than choosing the perfect everyday handbag. At the end of the day - you can’t just swap out your handlebar bag mid tour. This bag is with you 24/7 for the duration.
Just like you know what you need from the perfect handbag - you’ll quickly work out what you need from the perfect ***handlebar bag***. Also, like your favourite handbag, it is probably important the bag is aesthetically pleasing to you. You would probably also like it to complement the rest of your get up. It will most definitely have to be just the right size and feel just ‘so’. And, moreover, it will need to fit in everything you need.
No. I am neither Goldilocks nor Mary Poppins. Just a woman who knows the function and form of her perfect handlebar bag.

Sourcing such a perfect handlebar bag for my lovely rose coloured randonneur (see earlier post ‘In the Beginning’) proved to be nigh on impossible. Yes - there are thousands of options out there but not so many that work well with Berthoud traditional canvas and leather panniers and not so many that are small enough to fit within the width of my tiny little handlebars. And thus, I had a prototype handlebar bag put together to suit my randonneur. It was almost perfect. It needed just a few minor improvements to tick all the boxes. Off the bike it was a cross body messenger style with an uber comfortable (and stylish) shoulder strap with lovely (but weighty) silver hardware. Made from waterproof and UV rated Australian canvas (Sunbrella) and trimmed with natural kangaroo leather it has stood up to three Eurovelo tours and is just now looking a little worse for wear.

In any case, the main lessons (those minor improvements mentioned earlier) learned regarding handlebar bag design were as such.

Include a myriad of internal pockets.
Make it easy to open single handedly.
Include an easy access external pocket.
Line the inside in a fabulously bright colour - even if it kills you to look at it! No more lost gloves, glasses, pens, purses.

Taking on the Tour Aotearoa (Part I) brought a whole lot of different requirements for a handlebar bag. Again, I searched high and low to find the perfect fit. But alas - nothing doing. I was, once again on the MYOG (Make Your own Gear) bandwagon, the result of which you see in the image above. Here’s how it come together.

INSPO: LOUIS VUITTON ‘NOE’ BUCKET BAG OF 1932

DESIGN REQUIREMENTS: WATERTIGHT - NB not simply waterproof or water resistant.

SIZE: 10 INCH TALL - To fit to handlebar at top and fix to rack at bottom; 9 INCH WIDE; 6 INCH DEEP

FIXING POINTS: HANDLEBAR X 2 Strap with buckle; BOTTOM RACK X 1 Velcro webbing; RACK UPSTAND X 2 Fixed webbing loops.

INTERNAL STORAGE: ULTRALIGHT MESH, MULTIPLE POCKETS

FABRICS: OUTER SHELL VX07 BLACK; LINING POLY D 300 BLACK; SHOULDER STRAP Natural Kangaroo Leather

(I know, I haven’t taken my own advice but I just couldn’t - I’ll have to fish around for things in the bottom of the bag as usual…)

EXTERNAL STORAGE: BUNGEE STRAPPING Shock Cord, Fixed to front & Adjustable; ZIPPERED POCKET Waterproof zip accessed bike side.

CLOSURE: ROLL TOP WITH MAGIC BUCKLE 25 For easy release single handed release.

Supplies all came beautifully wrapped and packed from MYOG. I also accessed the MYOG learning platform, used their handy pattern calculator and 'just like magic’ my perfect handlebar bag rolled off my very own custom hand made assembly line. I’m very proud to note the ‘it’ bucket bag looks superb, fits perfectly between handlebars and rack and seems firmly secured. I will let you know…

All with the added bonus of matching quite perfectly with my favorite Arkel Rollpack on the back!