Bike Luggage Setup – Advice

[Firmo]

I’ve been testing my Alpkit bike luggage this morning on the new mountain bike, but not all of it fits perfectly.

1. The Possum frame bag occupies too much triangle, making it impossible to squeeze a 500ml bottle in either bottle cage.
2. Despite the handlebar harness being so high, the attached luggage still hits the front tyre when the suspension isn’t locked (only when hitting the medium-big bumps)
3. When I was away last year, I enjoyed being able to squeeze my map under the dry bags straps on top of the handlebars. With the MTB, as I can’t lower the front luggage.

I'm not sure how to put the images from Flickr in to this post, so here's a link instead.

a. Does anyone else have the frame bag issue? If so, do you squeeze in smaller-than-500ml bottles to your cages? I’ll probably put a bottle on the seatpost, but where else could I put a bottle (I’m presuming the fork)? I don’t really want to use stem cells to hold bottles either. I need to be able to carry at least 1.5L.
b. Is there a better solution to mounting luggage to the handlebar? I love Alpkit bikepacking stuff, but I’m still not convinced by the Kanga. I find it too fiddly when fitting my dry bags to it too.
c. How can I get my map/s in front of me (on handlebar or on front pack)?
d. My brake / gear cables are squashed a little at the front. I didn’t notice any performance-related issues when testing it this morning, but should I be concerned about this and do something about it?

[Drillmaster1]

I can't comment on the frame bag issue - I have custom alpkit frame bag and its fantastic!
I tried a Kanga harness but it was fiddly to set up and TBH don't like stuff on my bars.
I've been using Gorilla cages on the forks for 3 week long trips now and they're great.
I put sleeping bag, stove, air mattress, down jacket, waterproofs in them all inside 8 litre Alpkit dry bags and don't even notice them when riding.
They come off really easily when needed but despite moving around a bit on the rough stuff they have never come off or broken.
I had my doubts when I first got them because they looked a little flimsy but those fears have been completely unfounded.
My forks didn't have mounts for them so I just made some up out of aluminium flat bar.

[Bearbonesnorm]

a. Does anyone else have the frame bag issue? If so, do you squeeze in smaller-than-500ml bottles to your cages? I’ll probably put a bottle on the seatpost, but where else could I put a bottle (I’m presuming the fork)? I don’t really want to use stem cells to hold bottles either. I need to be able to carry at least 1.5L.
If you still want to use frame mounted bottles, you could maybe try the cage adaptors that John Climber got from Oz?

b. Is there a better solution to mounting luggage to the handlebar? I love Alpkit bikepacking stuff, but I’m still not convinced by the Kanga. I find it too fiddly when fitting my dry bags to it too.
Maybe it's no surprise that a lot of folk use the Wild Cat harness.

c. How can I get my map/s in front of me (on handlebar or on front pack)?
See above. Also, I am working on something at present to make this kind of thing easy.

d. My brake / gear cables are squashed a little at the front. I didn’t notice any performance-related issues when testing it this morning, but should I be concerned about this and do something about it?
As long as there's no physical issues and the luggage isn't actually kinking anything (just pushing / bending) then you should be fine.

[voodoo_simon]

A) Fargo fork allows bottle mounts, if not monkii cages
B) use a smaller dry bag or rigid fork
C)
D) Unless the cables are kinked, then I wouldn't worry (too much)

[Firmo]

If you still want to use frame mounted bottles, you could maybe try the cage adaptors that John Climber got from Oz?

They look perfect. I prefer the idea of this to the Gorilla cage. I'll order two and see if I can get these both to fit.

I am working on something at present to make this kind of thing easy

When will this be ready Stu? I'm going away first thing in June, so if you've got something ready by then, I'll buy a prototype from you...

RE the Wildcat Lion, has anyone tested both this and the Alpkit Kanga? Is one more 'stable' (less movement) than the other when riding?

[Bearbonesnorm]

When will this be ready Stu? I'm going away first thing in June, so if you've got something ready by then, I'll buy a prototype from you...

Very soon, I'll let you know.

RE the Wildcat Lion, has anyone tested both this and the Alpkit Kanga? Is one more 'stable' (less movement) than the other when riding?

I've never tried a Kanga but the Mountain Lion is very stable.

[welshwhit]

RE the Wildcat Lion, has anyone tested both this and the Alpkit Kanga? Is one more 'stable' (less movement) than the other when riding?

I've used both, there's a thread on here about my kanga, I liked the idea and extra attachment points, but switched to the wildcat lion and wouldn't go back to be honest, it's rock solid.


Also if you reversed the direction the possum is mounted, would that effect the bottle issue?

Drew

[Scattamah]

...
2. Despite the handlebar harness being so high, the attached luggage still hits the front tyre when the suspension isn’t locked (only when hitting the medium-big bumps)...

I get exactly this issue...mostly solved by inflating forks to about 10% more than my body+luggage weight...also by packing the front harness slightly differently with a flattened dry bag as opposed to a round dry bag to give extra clearance. I can now take all but the biggest of hits with no scraping the harness on the tyre.

Greetz

S.

[Gari]

Depends what bars you run re the map thing. I have an Ortleib map case that came with the bar bag, on my Jones bars I use a loop of shock cord and a grip lock. Loop through the tab, larks foot over the bar and thread the griplock through the end of the loop. I am away on a short tour at present, when I get home I'll post a pick. I also use the tabs on a Revelate front pouch on my drops, same deal. Quick,easy and cheap.

[voodoo_simon]

The wildcat harness is very stable, I've doubled the recommended bag size on it and the load was no problem (although I've just voided my warranty by saying this!)

[rudedog]

From looking at your pictures, I'd say you have too much stuff on the handlebar bags and not enough in the seatpack - if you swapped stuff about, the load would be better balanced and hopefully you'd be able to ditch one of the front drybags?

Also, it looks like you've got the Kanga attached to the fork brace - I wouldn't have anything attached like that as you're going to lose tension everytime the fork compresses. If you attach it to the fork crown then you will have less issues when the fork compresses.

[Firmo]

If I attached two Monkii cages to my fork, each carrying either 500/750ml fluid, would there be a high risk of the fork failing?
(The fork in question is a Rock Shox Sid RL 29)

I bought 2 of the Mount Skidmore adaptors, but can only utilise 1 (for just 1 500ml bottle - even that's with a squeeze!), so I'm still looking for the best option for carrying 1.5L+ over 850km + 60,000' in Andalusia! I always think the frame bag is the best means of carrying weighty stuff, but on this occasion I'm considering leaving it behind to accommodate the two bottles in the triangle.

[Chew]

If I attached two Monkii cages to my fork, each carrying either 500/750ml fluid, would there be a high risk of the fork failing?
(The fork in question is a Rock Shox Sid RL 29)

My experience of running that setup in the States last year didnt end well. If the bottles were full or empty then things would be ok, but half full the force of the water sloshing about would mean that the bottles/cages would self eject (one of thems in the middle of the Great Basin).

Read James'/Pauls accounts of last years HLC to see how they coped with long sections without water

[Scattamah]

Take a look at the Montane Batpack6...it'll hold 600ml on each side and has capacity for a litre or maybe 2 in the main compartment as well as some food. Sits low on the waist and as long as you drink from either side evenly doesn't seem to feel unbalanced. No need to load up the fork/alter the front end handling beyond your bar bag weight.

Greetz

S.

[benp1]

Take the cage out and see if 2 bottles actually fit in the space. If they do then get the right bottle cage adapters (the elite ones?) and side entry cages to make it work

I used the revelate half frame bag last week with one piss bottle, but with more faff could have got 2 to fit