Hi my name is Conner Mills I am a student at the Art Institute of PGH majoring in Industrial Design. I am in my last quarter here and I am working on my thesis project .The goal here is I’m going to design a bike bag that will be oriented on the bikes handlebars that allows the rider to interact with it while you ride. I’m trying to find problems with current bags on the market today to make them more effective. This is where you all can help. I need feedback from people who would actually use the product. Please answer as many questions as you can, if you can’t answer some don’t sweat it! But any, and all feedback will help me out immensely so thank you for taking the time to answer these questions, the more feedback the better. Also if you want to forward it to anyone else feel free.
1.) What are some things that you enjoy about bike riding?
2.) When you ride a bike do you carry a lot of things or not a lot at all?
3.) What are some things that you look for in storage for a bike (ex. Easy accessibility, compactness, ability to hold a lot volume)?
4.) How much gear do you carry when traveling on a bike?
5.) What are things that you carry while your on a bike ride?
6.) What do you feel is most important when looking to buy a bike bag?
7.) What do you think about the idea of a bike bag oriented on the front handlebars that is an interactive bag that allows you to use it while you ride?
8.) Do you own a bike bag or have you? What are some things you like and dislike about the bag?
9.) Would you rather have a bike bag that is more durable or lightweight?
10.) What do you feel is the most effective bike bag and why? (Panniers, trunk bags, saddlebags, etc.)
11.) Do you have trouble mounting or attaching a bike bag to your bike?
12.) What is the most cumbersome material to carry while riding a bike and why?
13.) What is the main thing you consider before buying a bike bag?
14.) Do you find yourself ever riding in bad weather? If so how often?
15.) Would you like if there were more organization in bike bags?
16.) What is the one thing you hate about bike bags?
17.) Do you often find yourself stopping your ride to use your bag?
18.) What do you normally do with your bike bag when you get off to do something? Do you leave it on the bike or take it with you?
19.) What are your main components you take when riding?
20.) If you could ask for one thing that a bike bag could have in it what would it be?
21.) Is the look of the bike bag a big sell for you when buying?
22.) Are their any additional comments that you feel is related to the topic?
fanofheels13
2015-11-10 16:56:08
Type of biker is important. Some bike bags are completely unusable for one purpose while perfect for another.
For example, frame bags are popular for long distance bikepacking. They are more compact and stable when heavily loaded. However they're useless for most commuters. Anyone locking there bike up outside tends to remove their bags so the bags must attach and detach quickly. This is why panniers are so popular with commuters.
Mountainbikers around here tend to prefer camelpaks rather than bike-mounted bags. To hazzard a guess why... they can be used on multiple bikes with no effort or fit issues, the bike is more maneuverable, they don't get as muddy, they can be carried into the bar for a post-ride drink.
In other words, step one is to more narrowly define what type of biker the bag is for.
dfiler
2015-11-12 12:09:42
I agree that your research is a little too broad at the moment and would be better aimed at a specific type of cyclists - MTB, commuter, randoneer, rail-to-trail, etc.
One aspect of handlebar bag that annoys me is that it changes how/where I can mount my lights. A bag that would provide a stable way to attach a headlight to the bag (without jittering) would give it a useful feature not seen on other bags. Maybe include the light/bag mount into one device?
marko82
2015-11-12 13:38:46
Without going into a drawn-out examination of your 22 questions, my first question is "Why would you want a front/handlebar bag in the first place?" That is about the least preferable spot for a bag, IMO.
* Blocks any and all logical places for a headlight
* Blocks any and all logical places for a front video camera
* Likely adds difficulty to position things like a bell or speedometer/computer to the handlebars
* More weight where I least want it
* There is nothing I would need to access while in motion
* Adds potential conflict with cable motion or positioning when turning
* Bus driver may object to stuff attached to the bike if I have to use the bus's front rack.
My own need is mainly commuting. I have or recently had: two headlights, a front camera, a bell and a speedometer/computer mounted on the handlebars, and was already considering adding a separate mounting bar to hook up some of that stuff.
I will try to do a more thorough examination of your 22 questions later.
stuinmccandless
2015-11-12 14:34:16
@Marko: classic cycletouriste/randonneuring setups used lightweight front racks and decaleurs to support their handlebar bags; said racks often had one or more mount points for lights. These are usually European-style mounts for dynamo-driven lights, but could be adapted with a Cronometro Nob or some such to work with a light designed to clamp onto handlebars.
See
Velo-Orange for a current production example.
To the OP: the racks and bags found at
Velo-Orange,
Peter White, and
Compass Bicycles may be worth checking out, in order to see some good examples of prior art. Good luck with your project!
reddan
2015-11-12 14:58:10
I really like front handlebar bags. Mine allows me to quickly grab a camera to take shots while travelling. It has a clear cover to keep maps and cue sheets. I also keep a supply of munchies. The bag provides convenience for me when on tours and it was incredibly helpful during CTC.
I created a light mount for about 3 bucks that attaches to my steerer. It sits below the bag and I can still reach it while riding. It's big enough to mount an action camera. My bell attaches to the stem cap.
That said, some very important problems have been mentioned and maybe a bag that remedy the limitations could be built.
Our answers may give fanofheels13 some ideas. Maybe current bags meet needs and fanofheels13 can go on a different direction.
Good luck and I'd enjoy helping in any way I can.
durishange
2015-11-12 16:31:59
My favorite place for a headlight is on my helmet. For years I had one on my handlebars, but I found that to be a problem because (1) you can only aim it by turning the handlebars, whereas a light on the helmet turns with a quick turn of the neck - very intuitive & very quick, and great if you're searching for something in the dark, checking for potholes, or you want to alert drivers to your presence; and (2) a handlebar-mounted light is often occluded by a handlebar bag. 10 years ago, helmet lights were either dim or heavy or required a wire running down your shirt, but with better LEDs and better batteries, lights are now lightweight enough that their weight is no longer a big annoyance (only a small, manageable annoyance, like helmets).
If it's dark at the end of a bike ride, and you need to put a bike on a car's roof rack, having a light still on your helmet is super-handy.
I disagree with Stu's point "more weight where I least want it". If I'm grocery shopping and let's say hypothetically that I've bought 3 watermelons and I've got two back panniers and a handlebar bag (and no backpack) in which to transport them. Rather than put all 3 watermelons in the back of the bike, pushing the center of mass far back and making the handling of the bike quite poor, it would be better to put 2 in the back and 1 in the handlebar bag. (Front panniers, would be even better, in this respect, as it would lower the center of mass, but front panniers are less handy for maps/cameras/snacks/phone than a handlebar bag). If you're carrying a heavy load on a bike, you want to distribute some of it forward of the seat tube to maintain a reasonable center of mass.
paulheckbert
2015-11-12 19:11:46
1.) I'm not actually able to quantify it, I like it, I actually can't remember when I didn't do it.
2.) It depends. Sometimes I start out with a minimum of things, but it's nice to be able to pick more stuff during the day.
3.) Secureness, stability, confidence that nothing is going to drop off or get lost.
4.) See #2.
5.) Always have some basic tools, a tube, and a pump. Snacks, raincoat on occasions. Camera maybe, although the phone has mostly taken over.
6.) Quality, durability, good materials. It has to feel like it's going to last looong.
7.) I love handlebar bags. I almost always would stop if I need something, but it's good to be able to look at a map or phone.
8.) I have owned some handlebar bags but I have never had one that I thought was satisfactory. Ones I have had have interfered with hand positions on the bars, or lights, or the other stuff that goes on the bars.
9.) Durable.
10.) My go-to bag is a rear rack trunk, in the absence of a handlebar bag I like.
11.) See #8.
12.) Food. Don't want it smashed or crushed.
13.) Functionality x cost.
14.) Often.
15.) No. I like a main open compartment for whatever.
16.) Most are douchy looking. One reason messenger bags are popular.
17.) See #7.
18.) TAKE IT OFF. Must have a shoulder strap.
19.) See #5.
20.) There is no one thing. It has to do everything I need of it.
21.) Hell yes. Things need to look good. See #16.
22.) What Reddan said. The classic canvas handlebar bags are among the most beautiful things ever created. Study those.
edmonds59
2015-11-13 10:50:51
