Bikepacking - a viable alternative to racks & panniers

This is nice looking from brooks
https://www.brooksengland.com/scape-handlebar-pouch.html

Anyone returned/exchange anything with Alpkit recently?

Sent a bag back over 3 weeks ago, sent an email to chase it up and no response.

I haven’t bought one yet. Same problem as you, way too much choice and the prices go from £5-70! The WW do look nice but can’t see why they are double the cost of other UK bag makers?

I was thinking to buy one from Mack workshop for £25.

edit: I've mixed convos...!

This is more a response to @MicroDosed™ about canister bags blended with 'why are WW more expensive'....

The WW canister is bigger than a Mack (he can make bigger on request) but the main difference is the plastic shell in the Lil Presto - it holds its shape when empty, should be more water resistant and take knocks better. Voile straps are a nice touch too.

Basically it doesn't sag, essential for the gram.

Anyone returned/exchange anything with Alpkit recently?

Yes, at the end of the Summer. They were quite slow in dealing with it iirc but the refund came through w/out questions

@farewell gonna go for a Mac workshop one (or two) too I think. Short ride away for me to collect

Maybe more of a commute question but those on this thread will likely have some good suggestions- looking for a h/bar bag that’ll fit on older Cinelli bars and quill BUT need something I can fit a light to or that won’t block it as the lamp needs to be on the bars (have no other fixing point.) Any ideas welcome.

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I quite liked the ortlieb handlebar bag I had.
They also have a very elegant solution for your light problem:

I used mine with a light mount like this at the brake.

There is this one that should suit your needs:

Both from SJS if the watermark wasn't obvious enough.
Edit: Looking at the plastic one, thats probably not gonna work with the brake, but there has to be a less plastic version available.

I’d suggest a fork crown mounted mount, Jtek do a nice one with a spacer to clear the straddle wire on your brake!

Will be less noticeable / knockable

The picture with the bar bag and telescope light is a Ortlieb Press Photo.
I have no idea who thought this construction was a good idea, but as always my mild irony struggles with the internet.

Bit of a generic question, but what's people's opinions on 27 gear inch granny gear? Thinking of swapping out my cranks for a 1x 42t but worried it might be a bit high for my steel bike packing/cross bike, I mostly do European trips, a lot of Wales and occasionally Scotland. Cheers!

Unless you cycle a lot of offroad, you'll probably miss the smaller gear jumps that you would have on a 2x setup.

It was already a 1x set up, so I'm not too concerned about that, it's more the ring size jump, also the cranks I'm considering buying are sram, so probably not worth it if I have to buy a new chainring for them.

I don't know how fit you are, but my lowest is 19 inch and climbing offroad on a packed bike I'm often on it. But I'm far from skinny and also not an experienced climber.

I guess that’s going to a 1:1 ratio? In my experience that’s borderline unloaded, and when loaded off-road you will end up hiking, even if it’s not that technical.

how many times do you wish you didn't have lower gears during loaded touring? never

I run 32 x 11/42 on my Kona and use it for bikepacking and general dicking around.

Ain't the quickest but can pretty much climb anything even when loaded. Anything I cant get up will be more a case of how technical it is as opposed to how steep it is, I can spin along quite comfortable fast enough but obviously not as quick as on road bike.

This is very true. I think it's knowing the reality that it probably gets as much everyday/city use ,as touring use, so I feel drawn to bigger rings and more speeeed! Maybe I'll give it a miss and just get a 40t chainring to go on my current cranks for casual use and keep the 32 for loaded riding.

I have a 32t for town and casual use...

I just can't help myself from from wanting to mash when I'm riding in the city ahaha

get one of those pathetic 9t cassettes then

11/42 28-42 gearing, happily spinning up hills at 5-7km/h
Have you tried to push up a loaded bike on rough terrain?
I prefer a smaller cassette for when I'm not touring though.

I don’t really understand, I was replying to stickyfingers as it sounds like they’re going for 42x11/42, which on say 700x38 gives around 27 GI. I used to run a bottom gear of 27ish GI (50/36x11/36) so was describing my experiences there. I never disputed what you were saying, if anything I was backing it up.

And for the record, yes I’ve pushed a loaded bike up a steep hill off road. No I didn’t enjoy it.

Sorry i got confused and misread your message.

Since i got lots of space under my handlebars on my bike, im thinking of getting a big randoneur style front bag with some kind of support. Anyone who has experience with a setup like that?