Front Panniers versus Bar Bags

[Spudz]

Hi there,
Apart from the obvious advantage of more space using panniers, can anyone offer me some advice on the Pros. and Cons. of both systems.
My main use will be week end camping trips. No world marathon expeditions, just 3-4 day trips using rear panniers, with a tent on the rack between the panniers.
However what are the handling issues etc.. with front panniers/bar bags??
Thanks to all
Cheers

[Pedaldog]

Biggest advantage of a bar bag is that they are generally quick release from the bike so you can keep your important stuff with you if you park up.
I like front panniers as they tend t ogive a firmer feel on the road and it is two seperate places to keep stuff apart, not to mention the space means you can carry more ****e with you!

[PH]

As you’re thinking of a Raven, it would be worth checking with SJS if a bar bag is compatible.  It isn’t on mine with narrow straight bars, a bar bag would get in the way of the shifter cables.  I don’t know if this is an issue with other bars, but best to check before you make too many plans.

[Spudz]

Thanks for the info.
I know what you mean Pedaldog about the extra ****e. I'd like to try and keep things as simply as possible, really just thinking about some light w/e touring.
Also thanks for that Ph. I'd never have even thought about that!!
Perhaps I'll just use rear panniers and a mid sized saddle bag ... problems with the weight being all at the back ??
Anyway, I've still got some time before any purchase is made, hope to get it sorted by late summer.
Thanks again

Spudz

[Spudz]

Further to my last post I fopund myself visiting another Cycling forum where I across good info. about ballancing the weight of a loaded bike. 60/40 rear pannier to front. Makes sense! So I won't be buying a bar bag just yet. I suppose that is why the Raven is almost always pictured with  mid loaders on the forks ...

Thanks again for all the advice

Spudz

[thomasb]

Touring last summer, no more than 5 days but quite places, I tried a similar set-up to the one Pedaldog suggests: 2 front panniers, barbag, saddlebag and tent bungeed to rear rack. This gave a much more solid, stable feeling than using rear panniers.

For a long time I was shy of barbags, thinking they did not justify the expense and would be uncomfortable. The Ortlieb Classic I bought last summer was one of the best cycling buys I've ever made: plenty of room, easy to access, absolutely waterproof. Fitting the mounting is a bit fiddly but did it eventually.

I'd certainly recommend trying the setup you suggest in the first post

[tynevalleycommuter]

I used panniers for the first time recently on my alloy framed MTB (on road, not off!), with a bar bag that I had anyway. I found that the combination of lots of low down weight at the back and some high up weight at the front made the steering feel a bit unstable, especially at low speeds. I ended up moving heavy stuff out of the bar bag.

Handling was OK if I only used the bar bag for light stuff, I hit 35 mph on one downhill section and it felt fine.

The bar bag has a clear plastic window on top, I printed sections of my route from multimap, cut them to size and laminated them (back to back in pairs). I got so that I could sort through the stack of map sections and slide the right one in on top without stopping. Being in new territory this was quite handy, and avoided repeatedly getting the good OS map out, - this is one advantage of the bar bag.

I have rigid front forks (not suspension forks but suspension corrected length). If I ever wanted to carry more load I would invest in a set of lowriders for the front to balance the weight better.

The bar bag I have comes with a frame that stands it out just far enough to clear the brake/gear cables. I riveted a piece of nylon webbing on the front pocket so I could clip a front LED on - getting a handlebar mounted light high enough to work over a bar bag might be difficult.

[spoon boy]

Why not use both and spread the load?