Note: Tailfin provided me with the bar bag for the test at my request.
Handlebar bags are an elementary component on a bike for travelling or bikepacking tours.
While the handlebar bag on a touring bike is usually box-shaped and large, the handlebar rollers or panniers for bikepacking tend to be elongated and round. The contents of the bike touring handlebar bag are easily accessible. Not so much with bikepacking bags. And if you mount an extra bag on the handlebar roller, such as the Ortlieb Accessory Pack or the Revelate Designs Egress Pocket, then you get a little more space, but not necessarily better access to the contents while riding, as with the classic handlebar bag.
I was able to try out my first handlebar roll with the Ortlieb Handle Bar Pack on the Tuscany Trail. It is attached to the handlebars and head tube using Velcro fasteners and additional straps. It is loaded through the openings on the sides, which are secured with roll-top fasteners. This bag is perfectly adequate for a normal bikepacking tour, as there is time to remove it from the handlebars each time so that it can be properly packed and compressed. However, depending on the space on the handlebars, this can be quite fiddly and even more so if you have aerobars fitted.
I also used this bag for the Atlas Mountain Race, but it wasn’t really suitable for me, because when time is of the essence, I don’t want to have to fiddle with my handlebars in the dark in the morning and I also want to be able to stow my clothes away properly. That was complicated with the Ortlieb, which is why I switched to so-called harness systems.
Harness systems are in two parts and therefore usually heavier than normal handlebar rollers. They consist of a shell aka harness and a pack sack. The shell is mounted once on the handlebars/head tube and then remains there. The pack sack is simply clicked in or out and can be packed and compressed independently. In my opinion, this makes transporting luggage on the handlebars much easier. Especially if you’re travelling with a handlebar extension.
I then bought the Revelate Designs Harness and shortly afterwards switched to the ultra-light harness system from Revelate Designs called Pronghorn.
A few years ago there were very few harness systems, but now many manufacturers offer harness bags not only for the handlebars but also for the saddlebag. And of course I also ride at the back, if with a saddlebag, then with a harness. I currently use the Spinelock 16l or the Terrapin 8L system from Revelate Designs or the Restrap Race Saddle Pack (but I don’t find these practical and will sell them again).
Back to the handlebars: in addition to being easy to attach and detach and easy and efficient to pack and compress, a handlebar bag has to be secure for me. It must not move or wobble too much during the ride, as this can not only be annoying but also dangerous. In short: it has to be bombproof.
And this is only partially the case with all the handlebar bags I have used and tested so far. I get on best with the Pronghorn, but I have to tighten it on the handlebars during the ride, especially when I’m riding through rough terrain. All the bags I’ve had experience with so far (Apidura, Brooks, Revelate, Ortlieb, Cyclite, Decathlon, 8Bar, PRODiscover, Rusjan, Restrap) sit more or less well on the handlebars, but above all they are secure and don’t suddenly fall onto the front wheel. But not all of them sit firmly and some loosen during the ride. And can slide down as a result.
This may not be a problem for all of you, but if you ride smaller frames, the space between the underside of the handlebar rollers and the tyres is often quite small. And any sagging will result in tyre contact and damage to the bags. This applies to both the front and rear. That’s why a handlebar roller must sit securely even when fully loaded.
And what all bags have in common so far is the space they take up on the handlebars, which can be smaller or larger depending on the type of attachment. Wide fasteners and straps take up space and this can quickly become tight, especially if you want to fit aerobars and food pouches.
In addition, most handlebar rollers press against the cables on the handlebars. To be honest, this is a problem that I don’t have. Of course, the bag presses against the shift and brake lines, but this has never affected the function of my bike. I also believe that this is more of a theoretical problem than a practical one. But a few manufacturers have reacted to this and offer half-shells and spacers that provide more cable clearance. On the other hand, a little space is also not harmful, as it prevents abrasion on the paintwork or marks on the titanium.
Speaking of space: with drop bars, this also applies to the space between the hoods. Shimano fans in particular are long-suffering in this respect, as the GRX, for example, shifts with the brake lever and therefore needs space. And if there’s luggage attached to the handlebars, you can quickly get in each other’s way. Or if you pack too much in and the bags reach the brake/shift levers, then there’s not enough room for your fingers and it’s difficult to grip the handlebars.
Many manufacturers have reacted and either offer smaller bags for narrower handlebar widths or provide the option of adjusting the volume of the bag to the available width using fasteners. Like Cyclite, for example, with their Handle Bar Roll Bag.
However, almost all handlebar rollers (as far as I know) do not have what characterises classic handlebar bags: quick access to the contents while riding. This is often not possible due to the design and some suppliers respond to this with additional bags that can be clicked onto the bag.
An ideal handlebar bag is therefore:
- Lightweight
- Offers enough space for stuff
- But also fits well on the handlebars or between the hoods
- Easy to attach and detach
- Packs and compresses well
- Sits firmly and does not move or wobble
- And perhaps also offers storage space with quick access
The only thing missing is that it ensures world peace and cures all diseases. But seriously: the demands on a good handlebar bag are high – and rightly so.
In particular, the distance to the head tube/cables and an attachment that enables quick mounting and dismounting are the focus of some manufacturers. And we have already seen some very good solutions, such as the Gramm Handle Bar Roll or the new Ortlieb Handle Bar Pack Flex with QR attachment, but also the Salsa Anything Cradle or the Miss Grape ILCOSO system.
Tailfin Bar Bag System
And now Tailfin has also introduced a handlebar bag solution that can set new standards in its details. And to say it straight away: the Tailfin Bar Bag is the heaviest and most expensive solution currently available.
But that shouldn’t be a reason to wave goodbye just yet, as it perhaps makes up for this with its high-quality workmanship and clever details.
And we don’t really need to discuss prices, because on the one hand, bikepacking is a passion and therefore priceless anyway. On the other hand, it is always a personal decision which product you choose and are prepared to pay a price for.
As far as weight is concerned, the British have already shown with the Aeropack that a little more weight doesn’t have to be a disadvantage. One of the Tailfin Test Team riders I was in contact with was happy to accept the extra weight and said: ‘It’s what’s inside that makes the bike heavy – not the bag.’ However, if you are focussed on minimum weight, the Bar Bag is not for you.
Tailfin Bar Bag System Drop Bar Large
But from the beginning: I had already seen prototypes of the Tailfin handlebar bag here and there, so I was all the more excited to see the finished product.
Basically, two types of handlebar bag were introduced with the Tailfin Bar Bag: one version for flat handlebars and one for drop bars. And within these categories there are two versions: one bag each with 4-9L (+1.6L) and 6.7-12.5L (+2.7L) for drop bars and one bag each with 5.8-14.7L (+2.7L) and 8.7-18.9L (+3.5L) volume for flat bars.
In this review, I have the Drop Bar Bag in the 6.7-12.5L size, so I’ll be reporting on this bag.
Storage space
And these from-to volume figures already point to a feature: the handlebar bags can ‘breathe’, i.e. their volume can be adjusted over a fairly wide range. This means I can travel with less luggage in summer and stow more in winter without having to use another bag or another packsack.
Many other handlebar bags can also do this, but Tailfin uses another feature here – at least in the drop bar version: where other handlebar rollers have a thicker bead that protrudes outwards when the fastener is rolled in at the sides, Tailfin uses a kind of grid fastener that goes inwards. On both sides, top and bottom, there is a grid strip into which the fastener ends are clicked.
This means that the fastener is not on the outside and takes up space, but is moved inwards towards the centre of the bag and provides more space towards the end of the handlebars. It is therefore rolled up (according to Tailfin, the bag is waterproof after the fastener side has been folded over three times) and then clicked into the bar at the top and bottom. This also regulates the compression. An extra valve makes this process easier, which is why the bag can be made very small.
However, the flat bar version does not have these notches and the closure is classic.
The Tailfin handlebar roll is open on both sides. Some people don’t like this, but I find it very practical, as I can take things out or put them in on both sides when I’m out and about.
And packing is exactly the right keyword to explain what the volume figures in the brackets above are all about. My handlebar bag says +2.7 litres. This means that the bag has additional storage space at the front and rear towards the handlebars.
At the front, this consists of a 27 x 17 cm compartment (not waterproof). There is also another, somewhat smaller, compartment with a zip behind or inside this compartment. And behind this there are two longitudinal compartments, each 12.5 cm wide. This storage space is easy to access while travelling and is ideal for stowing things that you want to have quick access to while riding.
It is secured with a strap, but I don’t yet fully understand how to attach or use it correctly. It is passed through a hook, but somehow doesn’t hold properly. Maybe I’m just getting in the way.
Let’s stay with the additional storage options: there is a mesh compartment on the back, which is accessible from both sides and is ideal for storing gloves or bin liners, for example. It measures 30 x 15 cm and is cut at the corners. This compartment is also positioned so that it is easy to reach while riding.
To give you an idea of the overall size of the bag: my 6.7-12.5 litre bar bag is 28cm high and 67cm long when fully loaded. The diameter is 18cm when the bag is fully packed. (I measured everything myself). The minimum width is 32cm when fully rolled up on both sides. This is essentially the space taken up by the aluminium frame and the holder.
And as for the minimum handlebar width for the Tailfin Bar Bag, the company says:
The smallest volume drop bar bag has been designed to provide enough space for hands and shifters when using a 38cm handlebar. If you have 36cm handlebars, you can expect some interference, but if you pack carefully (soft, bulky items), you should be able to shift and brake.
Mounting
And that brings us to the topic: Tailfin relies on its X-Clamp system for mounting. This is a type of aluminium clamp that is operated by a lever on the top. This lever makes fixing and releasing the bag really easy.
However, the width of the clamp is not the same as on the Aeropack or the fork bags. Therefore, you cannot attach the bar bag to a different tailfin position – for whatever reason.
An aluminium cage is built into the inside of the bar bag. This gives the bag its shape and stability. The X-Clamp is bolted to this cage as well as a kind of retaining bar.
A handlebar mount with a 31.8 mm clamp is used to attach the bag to the handlebars. This is mounted directly next to the stem with two clamps. The width of the clamps is approx. 1cm. I ride with aero handlebars and therefore had to move them outwards by 1cm.
Installation is very simple. You just have to look at the angle of the bracket. This allows you to react to possible handlebar attachments and also adjust the inclination of the bag and the distance to the head tube and the tyre.
In any case, the handlebar mount provides enough space for brake and gear cables and also prevents the bag from touching the head tube.
To attach the handlebar roller, simply click the hooks onto the corresponding bar of the bracket and snap the bag onto the small bar at the bottom. Then simply close the lever at the top and you’re done.
Weight & price
As mentioned above, the Tailfin handlebar bag is one of the heaviest on the market. On the one hand, this is due to the solidly manufactured aluminium parts. On the other hand, it is also due to the somewhat heavier, but waterproof and robust 210D Hypalon and 210D Diamond RipStop materials that Tailfin traditionally uses. This makes the bag look very high-quality and robust.
The weight of the handlebar mount is 174g (181g according to Tailfin).
The weight of the bag is 722g (reweighed) – 679g according to Tailfin.
In total, we are talking about a total weight of 817g. The smaller version weighs approx. 100g less.
In comparison with other similar handlebar bag systems, it looks like this:
The Decathlon Harness with packsack is similarly heavy, followed by the Salsa Anything Cradle with packsack, but this already weighs 100g less.
Whether a price is too high or too low and appropriate or not is not something I want to discuss here. Every brand has its own pricing policy, which is often also brand positioning. And in this respect, Tailfin is positioned at the upper end of the market.
The British brand is also at the top end of the bar bag system: the large drop bar bag costs 315 euros. The Revelate Designs Pronghorn comes closest.
In terms of volume, the Tailfin is one of the usual capacities. I have calculated 12.5 + 2.7 litres. Without this additional volume, it has the same capacity as the Blackburn and Gramm.
Accessories
The Tailfin handlebar mount is not only designed to hold the bag, but also offers very smart extension options that allow you to move things from the handlebars to the mount. This in turn creates space on the handlebars and offers mounting options for GPS, lights and the like.
Tailfin offers a total of three options that can be attached to the handlebar mount tube: a GoPro ActionCam mount for the centre, a GoPro mount for the end of the tube and a universal mount with a 22.2 mm bar, which can then be used to mount a light, for example.
GPS attachments for all common GPS devices are also available for the GoPro mounts.
This also looks very tidy and offers enough options if you are travelling without a handlebar attachment.
The Tailfin Bar Bag in practice
I have now been able to test the Tailfin Bar Bag on a few rides. On the one hand, it is impressive what fits into the 12 litre bag. The bag is easy to pack and compress. I had to get used to clicking into the latches first, but they are very practical, also because the fastener doesn’t come loose.
The bag is very easy to attach and remove, despite the aerobar. Simply click it into place and flip the lever. That’s it. And as with the other X-Clamp attachments on the Tailfin, the bag is secure and sits firmly in place. And really tight. Nothing moves, even if it gets jerky. Especially when you’re out and about on your MTB and occasionally jump a little, it doesn’t move.
I also like the distance that the bag creates to the head tube. I think this also makes steering a little better.
To fit the handlebar mount, I had to move my aerobar outwards by 1cm on each side, as described above. I usually ride it tighter. But in practice I don’t notice any impairment as a result. In my case, the handlebar attachment is also a light and GPS holder. However, with the additional Tailfin mounts, I can also mount these things tidily if I’m travelling without the attachment.
The weight of the bag is noticeable when empty, coming from the ultra-lightweight Revelate Pronghorn with Stratex packsack. But when packed, the weight is actually fine and I don’t notice it at all in practice. But I haven’t raced with it yet, where every gram and every bit of relief is important. But we’re also talking about a weight difference that corresponds to one or two gels or bars. So it’s all a question of perspective.
However, my Stratex packsack broke after three years and leaked, which is why it got quite damp at the front during the Trans Balkan Race. The Tailfin bag would have been better here.
I’m often not accurate when packing. That’s why my handlebar roll is sometimes more compact, sometimes a little wider, sometimes more on one side than the other. This isn’t an issue with a pack sack in a harness, but with a bar bag you should make sure it’s even. But if it does happen and the bag is packed unevenly, as in my case, then you can move the bag sideways a little on the holder tube.
I had my sleeping kit in the Tailfin Bar Bag on my autumn tour, consisting of long johns, top, washing kit, towel, hat, inflatable pillow, Sea-To-Summit Reactor inner sleeping bag, sleeping bag, sleeping mat, down jacket and a pair of waterproof socks.
I now also use the bar bag for commuting and pack all the clothes I need for the office in it. So a lot fits in there.
According to Tailfin, the bar bag is designed for a payload of 4kg if you’re going off-road. If you only ride on the road, then up to 8kg is allowed.
Verdict Tailfin Bar Bag Drop Bar
There is no doubt that this is a very good handlebar bag. And I really like riding it, simply because it has plenty of capacity, is easy to pack and quick to fit. The additional bags are a very practical thing and show once again how much the Brits think along here and incorporate their experience in bikepacking or implement the feedback from R&D riders.
Tailfin fans have certainly already made their decision and are looking forward to the further addition to their set-up.
For races or very sporty events, you have to balance weight and benefits. I don’t think the extra weight is particularly significant on long-distance rides and the convenience of mounting and packing outweighs the weight. Just as with the Aeropack, the advantages of aerodynamics and storage space can compensate for the extra weight. But that is always an individual decision. I myself don’t know whether I’ll accept the extra weight for one of my next races or sporting events, or whether I’ll go for the Pronghorn again
But what I like about the Tailfin Bar Bag is…
- the additional mounting options for lights, camera and sat nav.
- the range of volumes that the bag offers me and with which I can react to different requirements and seasons.
- the compression & locking mechanism, which is really practical and works very well and makes subsequent readjustment easy.
- and the fastening mechanism, which really holds the bag in place and prevents it from moving or slipping during the ride.
The functionality of the Tailfin bag is certainly impressive. And if you’re willing to invest the money, you’ll get something for life.
