Dill Pickle Gear Handlebar Bag Review

I purchased a Dill Pickle Gear handlebar bag in September of this year.  Below are a few tidbits about Dill Pickle Gear and about myself as a rider, followed by my thoughts on the bag itself.

Dill Pickle Gear

All of their products are handmade in Massachusetts by Emily O'Brien (I think that is the right name).  She offers several different sizes of saddlebags, the handlebar bag, mud flaps, a tool holder, and a U-lock holder.  Everything is custom made (she does have a few pre-made items available).  You can chose from multiple different colors and multiple different add-ons.  The website has a really nice feature where you can instantly see what the final product will look like.  Flipping back and forth between different color variations is quite nice because these bags are not cheap.  Get it right the first time.  I did have to e-mail Emily several times to ask questions (mostly because I am a moron) and she replied quickly and graciously.

Mike the Bike PT as a rider

Despite how much I love riding, my yearly mileage would best be described as moderate.  For several years I was able to cover 2,400 miles/year.  Last year was about 1,800 miles (darn third child) and this year will be closer to 2,100-2,200.  My favorite type of ride is 100+ miles.  I have now done about 10 rides of that distance over the last 5-6 years.  None of these have been a brevet or other official rando event, not because I am not interested but purely because there are none that are close to me.  My longest single day was 146 miles.  My pace would best be described as "spirited".  No one would describe me as moving along casually, but neither is each ride a hammerfest.  This handlebar bag was my first one.  I have nothing else to compare this bag to.

Why I bought it

Many of the blogs, magazines and websites I frequent talk about how a handlebar bag is so wonderful for carrying essential items on long, self-supported bike rides (the kind I like to do).  What had turned me off to the idea was that most traditional handlebar bags require a rack to support them.  Would I even be able to install a rack on my bike?  Also, when you add up the cost of the rack, the bag and other mounting hardware, it starts to be a pretty penny.  The Dill Pickle handlebar bag does not require any special mounting hardware, is cheaper than the rack/bag/mounting hardware combo and is actually lighter overall.

Initial Impressions

Sorry for the less than professional photos



You can see there is plenty of space for hands/brifters

After ordering my bag, it took about 5-6 weeks before it arrived.  Remember, each one is made-to-order.  When it arrived, I eagerly dived into it to see what it was like.  Light is an apt descriptor.  I did not weigh it but the bag could not be more than about a pound.  As I looked it over, one thing that struck me was that I could not see any loose threads, any missed stitches, are any noticeable imperfections.  You could see that it was made by hand because some of the stitching was not perfectly straight, but not in a low quality sort of way.  The colors (emerald green and grey) were a good match to what I was expecting from what I saw on the website.

Installation

Don't worry, it doesn't sit this wonky once properly set up



I do not need to go into the details here, but installation is pretty straight forward.  It uses a series of straps and velcro closures.  I did have some difficulties figuring it out but that is mostly because I am kind of dumb.  When I asked Emily about why I was having so much trouble, her answers left me with a facepalm moment.  Believe me folks, it ain't that hard, unless you're me.  Once you knew how to use the straps, you could probably move it from one bike to another in about 2-3 minutes.

Steering/Handling

One thing I had read about handlebar bags is that they can affect steering, making the front end more unstable than it normally would be.  With the handlebar bag on, there was no difference that I could tell.  My bike felt exactly the same.  Do you want to know what the geometric trail is on my bike?  If I knew, I would be happy to tell you.  I once tried to figure it out but I did not really trust the numbers that I got.  As a reminder, this is my first handlebar bag so I do not have anything to compare to.

Utility, i.e. how well does it work?

Top flap flips completely open.  The inner skirt is meant to keep stuff from flying out.

Once it was set up properly, the bag is quite easy to use.  The side mesh pockets are loose enough to get your hand in but not so loose as to have stuff fall out.  The top flap opens fully without any difficulty.  Once fully open, the wind will not accidentally close it.  The magnetic closures that hold the top flap shut click into place without much fussing.  Even if the magnetic closures do not catch, the flap seems to want to stay shut.  The unique shape left plenty of room for my hands to rest on the top of the bars without hitting the bag.  The only minor annoyance I can bring up is that my Garmin 500 is not quite able to sit at an angle I like because of the placement of the bag.  I would move the Garmin to my stem but a 70mm stem does not work well with the garmin mount.  Oh well.

Waterproofness

Despite having done only two good rides with the handlebar bag, its waterproofness was amply tested.  The first ride was drizzly for about 75% of the 64 miles.  No water inside.  On the second ride, it rained for a least 2/3 of a 130 mile ride.  At times it was such a downpour that we achieved terminal wetness (the point at which you cannot be any more wet than you already are without diving in a lake).  Once again, no water inside the handlebar bag.  Not a drop.  When you look over some of the design details of the bag, it is easy to see why.  It is obvious that this is a product designed and created by someone who has been there, done that.

How much did it hold?

During my 130 mile ride the bag held:

• 8 gels in the two side mesh pockets

In the main compartment:

• a rain jacket
• arm warmers
• extra liner gloves
• 4 nutella & jelly sandwiches
• a spare tube
• my phone
• sunglasses
• a few other small, miscellaneous objects

The top flap was snug but it did close.  My multi-tool, tire levers and an additional spare tube were in my saddlebag.

Am I satisfied?

Very.  Before shipping, my bag was $170.  It is easy to use, can be moved from bike to bike, is waterproof, looks good, can hold a good amount of stuff, and seems to be very solidly made.  Well worth the price.  If I had a need for another one of her products, I would not hesitate to make a purchase.

Overall

If you are interested in a handlebar bag but are put off by either the high cost of the traditional type or do not think your bike will accept a rack, give Dill Pickle Gear your consideration.  Even though her products are not cheap, they still rate as a very good value on the dollar.

Blessed

I have a warm home.  My wife is beautiful, kind, intelligent and hard working.  She is a wonderful mother.  My kids are healthy and intelligent.  My job is rewarding and pays me well.  It comes with good health insurance.

I will not go hungry today.  I will not be cold without the hope of being warm today.  I will not worry about money today.  I will not fear the future.

I will be with people who love me today.  I have seen a child smile today.  I will perform work today that helps others.  I am able to walk and move and interact with my environment.

Because of my faith, I believe that I deserve none of this.  I am owed nothing.  I have earned nothing.  If I was lying in a gutter, homeless and alone, deaf and blind with pain ravaging me at every moment, I would still have nothing to complain about. 

Below is my paraphrase of a devotional I recently heard that sums things up pretty well:

"When you have given as much as Jesus did, then you can complain."

It would be easy to say that many of those things I call blessings really come from luck or coincidence, with a little hard work thrown in.  It is not a hard arguement to make.

But there is no luck.  There is no coincidence.  There is only providence.  I have been trying to purge the words 'luck' and 'coincidence' from my vocabulary.  Each day that passes demonstrates that they are words without a real meaning.

It is possible that someone will read this post and scoff at my beliefs.  Go ahead.  I am okay with that.  I will not hate you, laugh at you, or even think less of you.  I will think of you as misguided.  All of us are misguided about something we believe.  The bugger is that you are usually convinced you are right until that moment when you realize you are not.

We each have a choice that needs to be made.  All my chips have been pushed to the middle of the table and I am surprisingly content.

I will sleep well tonight.

Writing, righting, rihting, wryting, ryeting

Recently, two different people told me I should write a book.  These were two completely seperate and independent persons with no known contact between them.

What?

Honestly, the idea intrigues me.  Imagine it...hours alone with just me and my thoughts trying to carefully craft words into something that a reader will find enjoyable.  Sounds like fun, which most likely means that it would not actually be all that much fun.  Our world seems to work that way.

If you look back at my post list, it is easy to see that my writing is pretty sporadic.  Occasionally I get inspired to punch something out and then I do.  Most of the time, writing never even crosses my mind.  A writer should want to write, right?

What on earth would I write about?  How about a book about fitness, health and diet written for the average joe?  Maybe a book about dealing with chronic pain?  How about a fictional story of a fat kid who grew up to be a PT and had three kids and a wife and really loves cycling?

Lame.

The odds of me becoming a writer are about as good as me becoming a pro-cyclist at the grand ol' age of nearly 40.

"If I just had the latest carbon fiber wonderfredsled and did intervals until blood bubbled up through the pores in my thighs from the incredible metabolic heat I created, I just might be able to do it!"

Why on earth would I want to become a writer anyways?  What is the motivation?

Fame?  Glory?  Admiration?  All of us want those things to some degree.  Seems like a crappy reason to chase a dream, though.

What if I did it to share?  To share knowledge.  To share thoughts.  To try to contribute something positive to our world, some little bit of warmth.

There is a thought that goes through my head just about every day.  The phrasing does vary from day to day but it usually sounds something like this:

• Add, do not subtract
• Don't be a dick
• Be nice...you will sleep better at night
• Nice guys finish last but at least our conscience is clear
• This world is not your home, you are just a passin' through
• Remember who you work for
• Every human is a child of God.  Treat them appropriately.

I am no where even in the ballpark of perfect.  I treat others poorly on a daily basis.  But I am trying hard each day to be a little better than the day before.

Maybe, just maybe, writing could be one of those little ways of sharing a little warmth with our cold, dark, broken world. 


Was today really my first time (riding in the snow, I mean)?

Here in lovely West Michigan, we had our first real snow fall of the year.  Sure, there had been some flakes in the air the last few days but that was all.  No biggie.

Today was a different story.

When we awoke, there was a nice layer of white covering the world.  Our street was not quite as covered as the lawn, but it definitely had a layer built up on it.  The kiddos, not surprisingly, were pretty excited about this.  Each of them pressed their faces up against a window and did their age-appropriatet version of "Woooh!"

Now here is the thing...last night I got everything ready to ride to work today (riding clothes, work clothes, bike, lights, etc.).  Did I know about the snow?  Yeah...sort of.  Was I really prepared for what was actually out there?

Uhhhh, no.

While watching the morning news and eating my daily double serving of oatmeal (mmm...oatmeal), the traffic dude was detailing the many slide off accidents that had been reported.  My first thought was:

Those are all on the highways.  I'll be OK.  I'm not even leaving until after 8:00.  There won't barely be any cars on the road.  I've never ridden in the snow before.  I have to do at least once, right?

 

Yeah, pretty easy to rationalize when you really, really, reaaaalllllllyyyyy want to ride to work.

 

I geared up and shoved off about 8:10, after Hannah had gotten on the bus.  For a point of reference, I live at the top of a hill.  No matter which way I go, it is downhill from my house.  In fact, it is downhill and curvy.

 

As another point of reference, my bike handling skills, despite my many hours of riding, are probably fair at best.  I am a coward, when it comes right down to it.  Hitting the pavement sounds a lot like it would hurt so I do not take a lot of chances.  I am a pansie descender.

 

With those two thoughts in mind, you can imagine my trepidation as Sam the Singlespeed began rolling down the hill.  The turn off that I usually take part way down the hill?  Skipped it.  I kept going straight.  When I got to Bristol, I looked up the hill and saw police flashers at an accident.

 

Confidence inspiring, let me tell you.

 

Luckily I needed to go the other direction.  As I came to the hill on Bristol that leads up to Richmond, I realized Hannah's bus was coming up behind me.  In my head, I heard the following:

 

Random Child: Hey, there's some crazy guy on a bike out there!

 

Hannah: That's my Dad.

 

Random Child: Is he nuts!?!?

 

Hannah: You have no idea.

 

Strangely, the rest of my commute was pretty uneventful, except for my rear tire slipping some as I got out of the saddle to climb a few hills.

Lo and behold, I did arrive to work safe and sound and in a reasonable amount of time.  As I pulled up to the doors, I realized that my bike was pretty filthy.  After bouncing it up and down several times, it seemed like most of the crud came off.

 

I keep my bike in my office when I ride to work, not because I cannot lock it outside but because I have an office to keep it in.  And it is my bike. 

 

My Precious.

 

Until I looked behind me, it really had not occurred to me how much dirty, road water I might be dripping behind my bike.  Turns out it was an awful lot.

 

Once I had changed into my work clothes, I went back down the hall dragging a towel with my foot to wipe up the drips.  Not the most odd thing I have ever done, but up there.

 

Oh, and there was some good size puddles forming on the carpet under my bike.  Grab another couple towels and toss them under.

 

By the way, towels are one of the upsides to working in a health care facility.  If you are a bike commuter, get into health care.  The towels are worth it.

 

I still need to ride home but now I can officially say that I have ridden in the snow and not died.  That is a pleasant thought.