The LifeLine Adventure Handlebar Bag holds 11 litres of cargo in impressively waterproof security. The simple straps can't stop it bouncing on rough trails, however, and the inability to space it out from the bar means it can interfere with cables and, on narrow or drop bars, hand positions.
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The 300D ripstop fabric is thin enough the ends fold up without getting bulky, but thick enough to feel sturdy and solid everywhere. It's both waterproof when rolled correctly, and also airtight – compressing and removing air is important before rolling and closing the buckles.
Webbed areas top and bottom allow extra items to be secured, and they're glued rather than sewn to stop them compromising the waterproofing. Even so, they feel extremely secure and capable of taking some weight.
Those parts that are sewn occur in reinforced panel sections, so there are still no seams penetrating the main storage area.
The straps work okay, but need to be really tight to keep the bag secure, which can put pressure on exposed cabling or even kink it. There's no option to space the bag out from the bars, either, so they could stop you riding on the tops of a drop bar.
Then again, at 50cm stuffed full, this isn't ideal for drop-bar bikes with typically 42-44cm bars anyway. What it is ideal for, however, is storing a sleeping bag.
With no stabilising strap to the fork leg, the bag tends to move on rough ground, even strapped tight to the bar. Also, the strap around the head tube is short and can be tricky to install and adjust, especially on carbon frames with deep head tube areas.
The basic design means the LifeLine Adventure is bouncy on rough sections, and it can easily interfere with hoses and cables – you need to be lucky without your bike's handlebar layout. The waterproofing is impressive, however, and it gets the job done at a reasonable price, making it good value for money.