just wondering what would be considered too heavy for a bar harness ?
i have quite a tidy set up bag wise, but my harness when packed weighs 2.5kg.
in my hands it feels bulky, but ok on the bike.
anyone please ?
2.5kg too heavy for bar harness ?
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Re: 2.5kg too heavy for bar harness ?
Maybe not quite like-for-like given its rigidity, but the Salsa EXP Cradle has a limit of 3.6 kg. I can't imagine that does much for a bikes handling, but your 2.5kg doesn't seem excessive. I think I'm perhaps 2kg ish when I load it up for an overnighter.
- whitestone
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Re: 2.5kg too heavy for bar harness ?
I'd say 2kg would be around the maximum for a bar mounted bag but everyone's different, some might baulk at 1kg up front. If you are happy with it and it doesn't affect *your* handling/enjoyment then I wouldn't worry about it.
Better weight than wisdom, a traveller cannot carry
Re: 2.5kg too heavy for bar harness ?
I don't think that's too much, no. I think the bar height and the bag's distance from the steering axis is more important than the difference between for ex. 1.5 and 2.5kg bag weight. Some bike layouts handle weight here better than others.
Bar harnesses like the Salsa Cradle punts the bag further out from the bar than most but if you can rotate it so the bag hangs under the bar it reduces the distance from the steering axis.
Bar harnesses like the Salsa Cradle punts the bag further out from the bar than most but if you can rotate it so the bag hangs under the bar it reduces the distance from the steering axis.
Last edited by jameso on Thu Feb 08, 2024 11:26 am, edited 1 time in total.
- fatbikephil
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Re: 2.5kg too heavy for bar harness ?
Try it Ton and see what happens!
I once carried a pair of schwalbe jumbo jims on my bar roll, back from Aviemore to Blair Atholl through the Gaik - so 3kg plus my normal 1.5kg. It felt a bit heavy and the wildcat harness was a bit wobbly but I survived
I once carried a pair of schwalbe jumbo jims on my bar roll, back from Aviemore to Blair Atholl through the Gaik - so 3kg plus my normal 1.5kg. It felt a bit heavy and the wildcat harness was a bit wobbly but I survived

Re: 2.5kg too heavy for bar harness ?
I had a setup that must have been a similar weight with bag, tent, first aid kit, paramo jacket and puffer on the winter event, fine when riding, clumbersome getting through the myriad of gates my badly chosen route took. Hike a bike was fine but sometimes a PITA manhandlingi have quite a tidy set up bag wise, but my harness when packed weighs 2.5kg.
Using the same for the winter Jenn ride, best compromise I can pull together