Big fan of Apidura bags, as I already have one of their frame bags and a saddle pack as well as well. Needed a bit more storage for a multi-day road biking bike-packing adventure than those two bags alone could offer, so sprung for this handlebar bag. High quality, straps down nice and snug, fit between the drops just fine and I particularly liked using the bungee on top to strap down a few things I needed often but sometimes liked to stow, such as my long fingered gloves. I went with the 9L bag as I was concerned the larger one may not quite fit comfortably between handlebars, and glad I did, this one works a treat! Would highly recommend this to a friend or anyone asking.
The bag is perfect for day-trips. On cold days I would pack a wind-breaker and a light outer layer, plus an extra pair of gloves, etc. On warm days, I usually bring a change of clothes or a picnic blanket.
I've only used this on a recent road bike tour in Taiwan so I don't have a lot of experience with it. I could not haul a ton of gear with it as it had to fit between the bars, but it worked great, carried some essentials for me, and it did not interfere with my riding at all. I bought it to also use for MT bike trips and look forward to trying the bag for that too as I'll be able to carry much more with straight bars.
I've used the Apidura Expedition Handlebar pack just once, on an overnight gravel ride on the Olympic peninsula, for about 80 miles. It worked as I had hoped - it didn't jostle or droop with use, and its capacity was more than I had imagined. I used to use a Blackburn front roll, that clipped on with a little mechanism and held separate dry bag. And I know a number of other front bags are designed with a separate carrying harness, so I had worried that having to remove the bag to access the contents would seem like a nuisance, but really the attachment straps were easy to use. I did strategically place stuff I didn't need until camp time (sleeping bag, puffy jacket), so I didn't need frequent access anyways.
I can't speak to the long term durability of the bag, thought it's not something I'm too worried about for my use. Apidura has a good reputation, and I'm personally not doing any super long (or frequent) expeditions.
The Apidura Expedition Handlebar bag is exceptional. It is really well made, and you can tell that in the attention to all the small details from the additional straps, to the reflectors, to the loops that keep excess straps under control. The material of the bag is very high quality and high tech also, both waterproof and strong. I have a lot of very high end camping equipment, and this is at that level. Beware of one issue. I have a gravel bike with dropped bars that are flared too, and the large size of this bag is pretty tight in length. It would be no issue with a flat bar.
I've used the Apidura Expedition Handlebar pack just once, on an overnight gravel ride on the Olympic peninsula, for about 80 miles. It worked as I had hoped - it didn't jostle or droop with use, and its capacity was more than I had imagined. I used to use a Blackburn front roll, that clipped on with a little mechanism and held separate dry bag. And I know a number of other front bags are designed with a separate carrying harness, so I had worried that having to remove the bag to access the contents would seem like a nuisance, but really the attachment straps were easy to use. I did strategically place stuff I didn't need until camp time (sleeping bag, puffy jacket), so I didn't need frequent access anyways.
I can't speak to the long term durability of the bag, thought it's not something I'm too worried about for my use. Apidura has a good reputation, and I'm personally not doing any super long (or frequent) expeditions.
