I use a stainless steel rack strut from the through-hole in the fork crown at an angle up to the dowel on my BxB bag. Drill a hole in the dowel and attach to strut with a bolt & knurled thumb nut. Minimal, super cheap @ $7 US and 10 grams.
Do you have a picture of this homemade cleverness on your IG or anything? If so plug in your handle! I love “Path Less Pedaled” but the stuff he always reviews is jaw dropping expensive AF, and it sounds like you and I are on the same page. Cheap, practical, diy 😉
My local LBS owner developed a similar bag support. His uses the equivalent of a 5mm spacer. Instead of a horizontal part, it just curves down. It has cut outs that allow a strap to be fed through to secure it. Works great.
Nice review on a solid product. I made a support out of a 3/8" x 36" piece of AL rod and some clear hose that you can get at any hardware or box store. I put the hose over the rod, mark the center and then bend it over the stem into a long U shape. Then turn the ends up and bend them down over the bars. To finish the support bend the ends up to the bottom of the bag I plan on using for a little extra support. The support is easy to make and inexpensive. I've made a few that fit the different bags we have. They are easy to move from bike to bike as needed. They have worked well with light loads but steel might work better for heavier loads.
Beautiful. One of those items we try to replace with hacks that never quite work. Ordering one today because I have to support someone making such a functional component.
This is a cool idea. I've been using a 3D printed TPU collar that I designed to clamp around the headtube and provide a durable ~8mm thick surface for the front bag to rest on/rub against. But it doesn't rotate with the bars like this T Rack does. If only they were sold in Australia...
I love examples of creativity like this. Combining a support with a spacer is just genius. There's a lot less metal there, so it has to be lighter than many of the rack options. I expect we'll see titanium versions at some point and who knows, maybe carbon?
Totally cool, Russ, and probably beneficial for safety, too, keeping the bag off the cables and allowing for friction-free steering. And as an aside, as one of your patrons, I'd like to think I'm helping to keep the neon glowing in your partypace sign. :)
Exactly what I've been looking for! Now I can utilize my beautiful and expensive Swift handlebar bag without it getting torn up! Thanks so much for this review! Support coming your way!
I am running a swift industries Ardea bag on my custom commotion cascadia. I like the fact that I can keep my wallet, money, snacks, necessities and even a pistol in the bag, and take it off and use it as a fanny pack when I get off and wander around town for lunch etcetera. Last year I rode the KATY trail with the Ardea Bag and my head tube became scratched and the cables were crushed causing some minor shifting issues. I put some foam on the head to to create space, but this rack should be the correction I was looking for. Placed and order and awaiting delivery.....Thanks for the information, it was actually another front rack you discussed and found at MADE that got me looking at this one, the Steven Wood.
A lot of bike packers use dry bags with daisy chains for a front bag. These work well strapped to the front of a Jones Loop bar. This product would be a great addition to stabilize such a set up.
I've wanted some kind of front rack for a long time but I've always had carbon forks, which don't accommodate bolting anything to the fork crown. In that case, the rack choices are pretty limited. I ordered Swood's t-bar as soon as I saw it, because it seemed like the perfect solution. And indeed, it works great...just what the doctor ordered!
May have to get one of these. I like the bar bag, I have a wizard works one and it’s great. But the head tube issues and sag (even with the liner) is an issue. So better get the wallet out again!
Thanks for bringing this rack to my attention. i have been trying to devise my own rack to do the same function. This is so much more elegant in how he designed the rack. I need to get one for my next rip. Thanks again
@@szurketaltos2693Sort of...but without bending metal and welding. I don't have the skills or tools to do that. I does look like a second stem in the end.
I love these great aftermarket miracles. It looks like this will work really well with my Revelate harness. To have something strapped to the handlebars alone will be wonderful.
One thing I like about the Twisted T is that it allows more space for my fingers on the handlebars. Tying the bag bottom to the head tube smooshes the bag against my cockpit and limits the space for my fingers, even if I use bunches of foam spacers to move the bag away from the handlebars. For what it's worth, I prefer the large Twisted T for an 80mm 6deg stem on a Soma Wolverine (72deg head tube). I have another bike on which I've installed a 111mm Syntace Flatforce stem (27mm stack height, -13deg rise) with a sawed-off section of handlebar. I mounted a Klickfix mount on the handlebar section and use it for Ortlieb handlebar bags and Rixen & Kaul baskets. It holds the load nice and low for me. It's tempting to swap that out for the lighter Twisted T solution though.
Will work great on bikes without other mounts for racks. Sometimes the the simple things are so genius. Good review and interesting product. I assume it is stainless?
I love this and plan to get one for my Zeitgeists. I actually have gaff-taped paint stir sticks in my Zeitgeists to give them more form on the front of the bike.
Awesome solution! I've been wondering why someone had not fabricated something similar. Would even be nice for a simple burrito style bag after you've strapped a transitional layer or 2 onto it.
This is just want I need for my Giant bike that has cables entering the headtube in the front, thus making them prone to bending pretty drastically under any handlebar bag. Not having this, I had to use a handlebar extender (one used as extra mounting surface) to prevent the bag from snapping the lines
I just had to have my Giant Revolt gear cable redone. it bent/ broke at the frame entry point because the bag hit it. I bought a swood and it looks good so far. I have a trip this weekend where I will test it.
Need. Recently had a follow up bike fit and my Wizard Works Mini Shazam is dangerously close to the tyre now. Hope I can get it to the UK through Hessen! Thanks for bringing it to my attention.
Thoughts on running this on a 27.2 seat post with shims for a seat mounted bag? Trying to get my seat mounted fabs chest off the back of my legs without adding a rack.
Do you carry a couple feet of duct tape when you travel? I have mine wrapped around a lighter. Works well in a situation like yours, just put a couple layers on the front of your frame, problem solved.
On next week's "Bike questions with Russ" can you recommend some good conversion forks to change a hardtail mountain bike to gravel spec? I have an old Giant Yukon that I've already swapped to 650b tires and I have a surly rigid fork on there but want to upgrade to a modern fork with lugs for bags, etc. Straight steerer tube. I'd have to go measure the axle to crown length. But the bike was originally on 26" tires.
Ooooo OR... "Fork chat with Russ" would be a good video. Go over different style of forks suitable for gravel and stuff. Include some for us converting our old mountain bikes. plz.
Russ featured both the Twisted T and the Jack rack in his Best Gear video. They're good in different way. The Twisted T is optimal for front-mounted Carradice-type bags if you have spacer space to use, and it nets about 85 grams. The Jack rack is 700 grams but is much more flexible (doesn't require spacer space, can be moved from bike to bike more easily, can take a Wald basket, etc.).
Do you have any experience with cargo trailers? I really enjoy the channel for all the bikepacking insights and they seem like a reasonable alternative to bags
Great content. Thank you. I ride a Salsa Cutthroat w drops and use an Oveja Negra front loader for Salsa dry bag.The headtube is being abraided and the daisy chain on back of front loader is destroyed after several excursions including the Tour Divide this June. Would you recommend this and, if so, which one? Thanks again.
Hey love your channel. But I really want to know about your wrist watch in this video. (Sad I know, but I've been sucked down the horology rabbit hole.) Cheers and take care.
I run a revelate harness and have rigged an old school nylon toe clip between top spacers and fork crown to prevent steerer tube rubbing and give me some cable space. Does the same job, cost me nothing :)
So bags like the Goldback & Fab's Chest are offered up as options for those who don't want to run a rando rack, and then quickly the owners are adding stuff like Pec Deck or the T-Rack. Can we just agree that the mini rando rack is the way to go (if you have mid-blade or mini rack mounts)? I mean, it supports a light in the right position, your fender and your bag. These rando racks aren't that heavy either.
If you're someone who puts bike on city bus racks often (or similar style car racks), I should add that rando rack can get in the way of the place when the arm clamps down. This t-rack would be a nice work around for that issue.
Mini rando racks are great but fiddlly to setup and also aren’t recommended on carbon forks. This is a lot easier to move from bike to bike as well since you don’t have to worry about stays and eyelet placement. This can be used on any bike with a steerer tube. Which is all bikes.
Interesting. But I have never seen the advantage of this gravel-bike style handlebar bag. Fixing is primitive and as I see, it is not perfect. I still go for my good oldfashioned Ortlieb handlebar bag. Size is about the same, it is waterproof and with one click it is fixed bombproof, rattlefree on my handlebar without touching any other parts on my bike.
@@PathLessPedaledTV True. I have one bike for all. If I had a second one, I coud get a second Ortlieb adapter for it, it is not really expensive. For more than two bikes you are right.
Dig the vids? Buy some stickers and patches and support the channel! pathlesspedaled.bigcartel.com/
I use a stainless steel rack strut from the through-hole in the fork crown at an angle up to the dowel on my BxB bag. Drill a hole in the dowel and attach to strut with a bolt & knurled thumb nut. Minimal, super cheap @ $7 US and 10 grams.
Do you have a picture of this homemade cleverness on your IG or anything? If so plug in your handle! I love “Path Less Pedaled” but the stuff he always reviews is jaw dropping expensive AF, and it sounds like you and I are on the same page. Cheap, practical, diy 😉
Picture please?
allow me to third this pic request
pic/?
so simple, no more ruined head tubes 😮
My local LBS owner developed a similar bag support. His uses the equivalent of a 5mm spacer. Instead of a horizontal part, it just curves down. It has cut outs that allow a strap to be fed through to secure it. Works great.
Nice review on a solid product.
I made a support out of a 3/8" x 36" piece of AL rod and some clear hose that you can get at any hardware or box store. I put the hose over the rod, mark the center and then bend it over the stem into a long U shape. Then turn the ends up and bend them down over the bars. To finish the support bend the ends up to the bottom of the bag I plan on using for a little extra support.
The support is easy to make and inexpensive. I've made a few that fit the different bags we have. They are easy to move from bike to bike as needed. They have worked well with light loads but steel might work better for heavier loads.
Beautiful. One of those items we try to replace with hacks that never quite work. Ordering one today because I have to support someone making such a functional component.
Previously I would've never considered this type of bag..and I thought my spending was over. Very cool.
This is a cool idea. I've been using a 3D printed TPU collar that I designed to clamp around the headtube and provide a durable ~8mm thick surface for the front bag to rest on/rub against. But it doesn't rotate with the bars like this T Rack does. If only they were sold in Australia...
I love examples of creativity like this. Combining a support with a spacer is just genius. There's a lot less metal there, so it has to be lighter than many of the rack options. I expect we'll see titanium versions at some point and who knows, maybe carbon?
Totally cool, Russ, and probably beneficial for safety, too, keeping the bag off the cables and allowing for friction-free steering. And as an aside, as one of your patrons, I'd like to think I'm helping to keep the neon glowing in your partypace sign. :)
Exactly what I've been looking for! Now I can utilize my beautiful and expensive Swift handlebar bag without it getting torn up! Thanks so much for this review! Support coming your way!
I am running a swift industries Ardea bag on my custom commotion cascadia. I like the fact that I can keep my wallet, money, snacks, necessities and even a pistol in the bag, and take it off and use it as a fanny pack when I get off and wander around town for lunch etcetera. Last year I rode the KATY trail with the Ardea Bag and my head tube became scratched and the cables were crushed causing some minor shifting issues. I put some foam on the head to to create space, but this rack should be the correction I was looking for. Placed and order and awaiting delivery.....Thanks for the information, it was actually another front rack you discussed and found at MADE that got me looking at this one, the Steven Wood.
Woop woop, RVA on the channel!
A lot of bike packers use dry bags with daisy chains for a front bag. These work well strapped to the front of a Jones Loop bar. This product would be a great addition to stabilize such a set up.
Great idea. I imagine the rack also helps to keep bags from kinking your cables.
What an innovative product that is seriously practical. I really dislike how my Outershell hangs down on an angle and ties off. Thanks!
The twisted T can also accommodate bags with two rows of molle straps that are closer together than the symmetrical T.
The Magritte quote at the beginning went over my head the first time I watched this
I've wanted some kind of front rack for a long time but I've always had carbon forks, which don't accommodate bolting anything to the fork crown. In that case, the rack choices are pretty limited. I ordered Swood's t-bar as soon as I saw it, because it seemed like the perfect solution. And indeed, it works great...just what the doctor ordered!
May have to get one of these. I like the bar bag, I have a wizard works one and it’s great. But the head tube issues and sag (even with the liner) is an issue. So better get the wallet out again!
Thanks for bringing this rack to my attention. i have been trying to devise my own rack to do the same function. This is so much more elegant in how he designed the rack. I need to get one for my next rip. Thanks again
Simple and clever! Thanks for sharing with us
Nice! I made something similar from spare parts for my front bag.
Did you do the second stem?
@@szurketaltos2693Sort of...but without bending metal and welding. I don't have the skills or tools to do that. I does look like a second stem in the end.
Nice combination of clever, and simplicity. Good job👏👏
Got it. Love it. Beat the hell out of it for thousands of miles bikepacking rough gravel with way too much gear.
I love these great aftermarket miracles. It looks like this will work really well with my Revelate harness. To have something strapped to the handlebars alone will be wonderful.
One thing I like about the Twisted T is that it allows more space for my fingers on the handlebars. Tying the bag bottom to the head tube smooshes the bag against my cockpit and limits the space for my fingers, even if I use bunches of foam spacers to move the bag away from the handlebars.
For what it's worth, I prefer the large Twisted T for an 80mm 6deg stem on a Soma Wolverine (72deg head tube).
I have another bike on which I've installed a 111mm Syntace Flatforce stem (27mm stack height, -13deg rise) with a sawed-off section of handlebar. I mounted a Klickfix mount on the handlebar section and use it for Ortlieb handlebar bags and Rixen & Kaul baskets. It holds the load nice and low for me. It's tempting to swap that out for the lighter Twisted T solution though.
Will work great on bikes without other mounts for racks. Sometimes the the simple things are so genius. Good review and interesting product. I assume it is stainless?
Yes, I have one and it's stainless. Steve mentioned he was looking into powder coating but don't know what came of that.
I love this and plan to get one for my Zeitgeists. I actually have gaff-taped paint stir sticks in my Zeitgeists to give them more form on the front of the bike.
Finally! I've been using different methods to do what this does since 2013. I will likely get one or two.
"No It's not a pipe"
Well with a little redesign work......
"Ceci n'est pas une pipe!"
Nice Bearclaw cameo. Almost rack seems pretty solid.
Awesome solution! I've been wondering why someone had not fabricated something similar. Would even be nice for a simple burrito style bag after you've strapped a transitional layer or 2 onto it.
I liked your little nod to Magritte :)
This is just want I need for my Giant bike that has cables entering the headtube in the front, thus making them prone to bending pretty drastically under any handlebar bag. Not having this, I had to use a handlebar extender (one used as extra mounting surface) to prevent the bag from snapping the lines
I just had to have my Giant Revolt gear cable redone. it bent/ broke at the frame entry point because the bag hit it. I bought a swood and it looks good so far. I have a trip this weekend where I will test it.
Need. Recently had a follow up bike fit and my Wizard Works Mini Shazam is dangerously close to the tyre now. Hope I can get it to the UK through Hessen! Thanks for bringing it to my attention.
I use clip on aerobars, mounted under my bars, to similar effect.
genius. and frees some space on the handlebar
Looks like you could get the horizontal bar to replace the dowel on your bagsbybird bag, and it would run that much higher!
The lower dowel on the BagsxBird doesn’t function as a support but to keep the bag from wrapping around the headtube.
What is the rear rack visible of the bike your riding @ 4:17?
This looks super cool. Any tips for light front handlebar bag that complements this rack for long gravel days? (not bikepacking per se)
Nice solution to common complaint
Thoughts on running this on a 27.2 seat post with shims for a seat mounted bag? Trying to get my seat mounted fabs chest off the back of my legs without adding a rack.
Hey Russ! Sorry for the hassle but can you link the website for the handle bar bag? Thanks! Great content and channel!
Looks like it also works with canti, unless the spacer or stem cable stop is used.
If you have a lot of spacers and the cable hanger is mounted low, you can probably make the Twisted T work there.
I love it. Simple and functional
I could’ve used that on my last tour. My head tube badge and paint is all fucked up from rubbing
Do you carry a couple feet of duct tape when you travel? I have mine wrapped around a lighter. Works well in a situation like yours, just put a couple layers on the front of your frame, problem solved.
@@marcalvarez4890 yeah but with the bag constantly in use I didn’t notice. Oh well. It’s not a big deal
Any thoughts on this VS a pec deck? Which one would you go with Russ?
Def this.
Very cool indeed, thanks Russ:)!
On next week's "Bike questions with Russ" can you recommend some good conversion forks to change a hardtail mountain bike to gravel spec? I have an old Giant Yukon that I've already swapped to 650b tires and I have a surly rigid fork on there but want to upgrade to a modern fork with lugs for bags, etc. Straight steerer tube. I'd have to go measure the axle to crown length. But the bike was originally on 26" tires.
Ooooo OR... "Fork chat with Russ" would be a good video. Go over different style of forks suitable for gravel and stuff. Include some for us converting our old mountain bikes. plz.
tissue roll holder?:)
A question for Russ. Would you choose this rack or the jack of all trades rack that you recently reviewed?. They cost roughly the same it seems.
Russ featured both the Twisted T and the Jack rack in his Best Gear video. They're good in different way. The Twisted T is optimal for front-mounted Carradice-type bags if you have spacer space to use, and it nets about 85 grams. The Jack rack is 700 grams but is much more flexible (doesn't require spacer space, can be moved from bike to bike more easily, can take a Wald basket, etc.).
Do you have any experience with cargo trailers? I really enjoy the channel for all the bikepacking insights and they seem like a reasonable alternative to bags
Russ did a video on the Burley trailer.
Pls advise where i can buy this rack, thx
Does it come in headtube spacer black,......just saying that would then be very cool!
Or even other colours
I've considered getting some powder coated satin black, but it would add another 1-2 weeks of lead time...
Rough up surface with sandpaper. Spray w primer. Spray paint gloss black
Very useful piece it seems!!👏👌
Clever product
Great content. Thank you. I ride a Salsa Cutthroat w drops and use an Oveja Negra front loader for Salsa dry bag.The headtube is being abraided and the daisy chain on back of front loader is destroyed after several excursions including the Tour Divide this June. Would you recommend this and, if so, which one? Thanks again.
Sounds really cool! What brand is the bag in this video?
BagsxBird
Hmmn, wondering if this would work with revelate sweet roll and my sleep kit hanging off dropbars
Yes.
that's pretty cool
Someone needs to 3D print a little bullet shaped tip for the end of the T bar to make threading the webbing super quick ;) ;)
what rear rack is on your bike in this video? Thanks!
Hey love your channel. But I really want to know about your wrist watch in this video. (Sad I know, but I've been sucked down the horology rabbit hole.) Cheers and take care.
what about a Revelate Designs Handlebar Harness, would it work with that?
Don’t see why not.
@@PathLessPedaledTV I'd love a video where you try all kinds of other things that may or may not work with this "rack"
I run a revelate harness and have rigged an old school nylon toe clip between top spacers and fork crown to prevent steerer tube rubbing and give me some cable space. Does the same job, cost me nothing :)
Any chance of the UK supplier/ producer, I love simple and we'll executed solutions. Great review
Hesson Labs
For the rest of the world:
12lb :: 5.4kg
8lb :: 3.6kg
Thank god for google.
Err, not all of the rest of the world.
Just what I need...
Ddddddaaang love it! 🔥🔥🔥
Awesome!
LBS welders: WRITE IT DOWN! WRITE IT DOWN!
Useful! 👍
So bags like the Goldback & Fab's Chest are offered up as options for those who don't want to run a rando rack, and then quickly the owners are adding stuff like Pec Deck or the T-Rack. Can we just agree that the mini rando rack is the way to go (if you have mid-blade or mini rack mounts)? I mean, it supports a light in the right position, your fender and your bag. These rando racks aren't that heavy either.
If you're someone who puts bike on city bus racks often (or similar style car racks), I should add that rando rack can get in the way of the place when the arm clamps down. This t-rack would be a nice work around for that issue.
Mini rando racks are great but fiddlly to setup and also aren’t recommended on carbon forks. This is a lot easier to move from bike to bike as well since you don’t have to worry about stays and eyelet placement. This can be used on any bike with a steerer tube. Which is all bikes.
Brilliant.
'Ingenious' indeed! Lol
Well Google's pretty useless. Can't find it in the UK dispute being a UK product. Anyone with ideas or links? Thanks
Look up Hesson Lab.
No support under? My luck: my bag would droop and rub on the tire.
Anyone know of something similar for a 1 inch headset/steerer tube?
It sounds like they are custom made for each bike so contact Swood Cycles and you might be lucky
OK now does somebody make a great bracket to hold a u-lock that isn't plastic junk?
There's a guy on the xbiking subreddit who makes such a thing!
@@ehounshell thanks I will check it out 😎👍
I would like a carbon version of this product
How about titanium
@@bullfrogboss8008 Want mine gold plated.
How "supple" would you say this thing is?
...
It doesn’t add suspension but is super useful.
Interesting. But I have never seen the advantage of this gravel-bike style handlebar bag. Fixing is primitive and as I see, it is not perfect. I still go for my good oldfashioned Ortlieb handlebar bag. Size is about the same, it is waterproof and with one click it is fixed bombproof, rattlefree on my handlebar without touching any other parts on my bike.
If you only have one bike then the Ortileb is great. If you have multiple bikes and constantly switck bags the Ortlieb is not so great.
@@PathLessPedaledTV
True. I have one bike for all. If I had a second one, I coud get a second Ortlieb adapter for it, it is not really expensive. For more than two bikes you are right.
Ceci n'est pas une pipe
I Do like that ✅
Can you smoke 💨 out of it?
Ceci n'est pas un decaleur.
ce n'est pas une pipe!
Wtf?! Is that?!
If you watch the video, you'll find out.
"Not a pipe"
It won’t work with my Specialized oval steerer tube.
New bike! Also a good reason to stay away from weird proprietary standards.