Yet Another Cycling Forum
Random Musings => DIY => Skip Bike and Bodge It => Topic started by: mmmmartin on 25 April, 2017, 08:25:32 pm
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The Problem
On tour your barbag is full of Stuff and it gets in the way of the Other Stuff you want to get to. So your phone is under the wallet or the wallet is under the phone and they're both under the map and the multi tool is under everything else.
So I acquired one of those estate agent's boards made of that plastic stuff, very easy to use, can cut with scissors and very light.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2817/34268704265_926472ac64.jpg)
It was easy to cut it into two strips, they sit vertically in the barbag: one went crossways and the other was at 90 degrees.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4184/33884973340_1784ab400c.jpg)
Gaffer tape to hold it in place. More Gaffer tape because Gaffer Tape Is Good.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2872/33427057984_2887c05968.jpg)
Finally to hide the to edge some yellow insulating tape, on the spurious grounds that yellow would be easier to see.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4180/33427018674_0f2434c89c.jpg)
So, thoughts?
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I chucked my original divider as stuff would just sneak underneath the dividers and swap places. Heart attack when crossing through border posts. Open plan suits my fragile disposition better.
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the bar bag starts off very full of stuff which is organised - cereal bars on the left, camera in the pocket and tools on the right. It ends up with a load of rubbish, smelly mitts and a used inner tube with the last desperately needed chocolate bar underneath. I don't see how a divider will help with this existential crisis
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I chucked my original divider as stuff would just sneak underneath the dividers and swap places. Heart attack when crossing through border posts. Open plan suits my fragile disposition better.
Ah good point, will add Moar Gaffer Tape to the bottom bits thereby preventing compartmnet-shifting movement and heart attacks at border crossings. Thanks. Good idea.
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the bar bag starts off very full of stuff which is organised - cereal bars on the left, camera in the pocket and tools on the right. It ends up with a load of rubbish, smelly mitts and a used inner tube with the last desperately needed chocolate bar underneath.
True, but am hoping the pile of rubbish will remain within its compartment.
And as it cost me an hour's pleasant fettling - thus allowing me to avoid watching Masterchef - and a board nicked from my neighbour's rubbish bin, I'm quite prepared to chuck it all away if this doesn't work.
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It's a very good idea. I could easily use a different arrangement and your endeavours have me thinking.
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In fact, a thought occurs to me: if anyone wanted a bit of this stuff I could post it. PM me with address. I think an A4 envelope will be easily big enough. This'd be free.
I'm away for a few days but could post next week.
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So I acquired one of those estate agent's boards made of that plastic stuff, very easy to use, can cut with scissors and very light.
The magic word is 'Correx'.
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So I acquired one of those estate agent's boards made of that plastic stuff, very easy to use, can cut with scissors and very light.
The magic word is 'Correx'.
Correction- the magic words are stole and Correx
;)
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Around here you don't have to steal correx, just tidy the front garden after a strong wind.
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There will be plenty more correx signs appearing on lampposts over the next month. Just pick what colour you like...
Or you could ask a signmakers shop for offcuts.
Looks like a neat idea anyway. Though maybe I would add extra padding of some sort, to stop things rattling around.
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Update.
A clever addition was a few cut-down milk cartons and a square yoghurt carton. These allowed Things to be kept together inside their respective little boxes.
This worked well. However the design, in a cross shape, meant the little pocket in the Ortlieb bar bag was inaccessible.
So on my turn from (a ghastly, cold, wet and very windy trip to) Spain I ditched the idea and replaced it with one simple piece of Correx TM that went in a V from the front left to the rear centre thence to the front right of the bar bag, so the little pocket can be reached easily and Things can be extracted.
This is the design of the Proper Ortlieb Barbag divider. Which I'll buy if my design turns out to be rubbish.
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I'd prefer to use camera-bag velcro dividers. They are less rattly than Correx (and Ortlieb Bar Bags are rattly inside at the best of times).
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I have a different solution to barbag division/separation thing.
Clear plastic pencil cases. The kind the kids need for taking into exams so the invigilators can see they are not hiding any naughties likes mobile phones.
3 pack for 99 p with three different colour zips.
Length is just about spot on for width of my Vaude bar bag.
I use one for first aid kit, one for all things p-faerie related including one inner tube, one for other kinds of tools/fettling bits; since I tend to 'kitchen sink' what I take with me, that fills up most of the space, and the choccy bars stay on top.
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*makes note to visit Poundland today*
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I have a different solution to barbag division/separation thing.
Clear plastic pencil cases. The kind the kids need for taking into exams so the invigilators can see they are not hiding any naughties likes mobile phones.
3 pack for 99 p with three different colour zips.
Length is just about spot on for width of my Vaude bar bag.
I use one for first aid kit, one for all things p-faerie related including one inner tube, one for other kinds of tools/fettling bits; since I tend to 'kitchen sink' what I take with me, that fills up most of the space, and the choccy bars stay on top.
That's what I use for my phone and wallet in my back pocket.
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that's very similar to what I did in a bigger box in the back of my car with soem odd plywood.
My approach for last week's tours was to put everything inside plastic bags, drybags and old airline business class amenity bags. Stuff could rattle around within its limited confines, but stayed in its groups
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So I acquired one of those estate agent's boards made of that plastic stuff, very easy to use, can cut with scissors and very light.
The magic word is 'Correx'.
Correction- the magic words are stole and Correx
;)
If you say so, hoccifer. ;D
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I'm with Heltor Skeltor on this; I prefer one big space. Well, not that big, because it's a bar bag. But that's not to dismiss the idea; it's quite a good idea, for those who prefer things in compartments. Just a function of the way your brain/eyes/hands work, I guess.
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My approach for last week's tours was to put everything inside plastic bags, drybags and old airline business class amenity bags. Stuff could rattle around within its limited confines, but stayed in its groups
My approach too. Works well for touring, especially when it comes to quickly decanting all your stuff from a wet-on-the-outside pannier to a dry-on-the-inside tent, or vice-versa.
I don't have a bike that will usefully take a bar bag, so I tend to do the same thing in rack bags for day rides. Stuff sack for clothes, stuff sack for tools, drybag for phone/wallet - that sort of thing. It's a bit more faff, but since I have to get off the bike to access it, that's not really a problem.
The divided bar bag would seem to be particularly useful for quick access to things like food and cameras, but IMHO the best way to achieve that is with a couple of decent external pockets.
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I do like compartments.
You've now got me thinking about repurposed tetrapack. If I took a milk carton (empty) and cut the top off, I'd be left with a small, thin-walled box with an open top. If those boxes were taped together in a grid, I'd have an organiser with a silver interior...
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You've now got me thinking about repurposed tetrapack. If you took a milk carton (empty) and cut the top off, you'd be left with a small, thin-walled box with an open top. If those boxes were taped together in a grid, you'd have an organiser with a silver interior...
(https://memegenerator.net/img/instances/73667552/lovely-milky-milky.jpg)
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My approach for last week's tours was to put everything inside plastic bags, drybags and old airline business class amenity bags. Stuff could rattle around within its limited confines, but stayed in its groups
My approach too. Works well for touring, especially when it comes to quickly decanting all your stuff from a wet-on-the-outside pannier to a dry-on-the-inside tent, or vice-versa.
Ditto. And since most arm warmers etc are black (well mine are), shove in Post-It notes with the ID of the contents written on the back and the sticky bit against the inside of the bag.
BTW, black mark to Ortlieb for not lining its bar bag with loop Velcro, like any decent camera bag. I put dividers from an old camera bag in my Topeak.