REI Co-op Link Large Handlebar Bag
Balance your bikepacking load and keep organized with the REI Co-op Link large handlebar bag. Offering quick access to your must-haves, this bag means less rooting around in all your other bags.
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- Stay balanced and light: Use your handlebar bag to carry ultralight sleeping gear or clothing and don't overload it
- Roll the bag opening 3 times to help your gear stay dry; you can roll it more times if you're carrying smaller loads
- Zippered side pockets add organization
- Puncture- and abrasion-resistant recycled ripstop nylon fabric stands up to the rigors of long rides
- Nonfluorinated durable water repellent (DWR) helps moisture bead up on the surface of the bag
- Always use the roll-top bag and cradle together (both are included); bag is designed with 2 straps to fit securely in the cradle
- Maximum load of 10 lbs.
- REI Co-op brand is certified to The Climate Label; we actively fund efforts to reduce carbon emissions across our business and support climate projects around the world
- Contains materials that meet the bluesign® criteria
Imported.
View the REI Co-op Link Product LineView all REI Co-op Handlebar Bags| Best Use | Bikepacking |
|---|---|
| Gear Capacity (L) | 13.5 liters |
| Gear Capacity (cu. in.) | 824 cubic inches |
| Material(s) | Recycled ripstop nylon with polyurethane coating (bluesign approved) |
| Dimensions | 12 x 9 x 7 inches |
| Weight | 1 lb. 5.5 oz. |
| Sustainability | Contains materials that meet the bluesign® criteria Contains recycled materials From a Climate Label Certified brand |
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From feedback to field testing, all of our gear is dialed-in by REI Co-op members. Their adventures informed every stitch and detail—making for better, longer-lasting gear.
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Huge storage capacity, with some potential issues
Pros: holds a LOT of stuff (ultralight tent AND deflated sleeping pad) Super-easy installation and removal Mounts low, so you can use a light and out-front bike computer with it Durable, water-repellant fabric Could be used with carbon bars, unlike some other options Bag is held in a harness so it can be removed by undoing two buckle Cons: Items can't be accessed while riding If you overfill, it may interfere with mechanical STI shifters on drop-bar bikes and/or rub your hands in some positions Sits low, so it may rub on tire on small bikes Takes some real estate on your bars First, this is easy to install and it sits low so you can have a bar-mounted light on there and this bag won't block much or any of your light. This is a big issue for a lot of touring setups so this is a significant positive. I was also able to leave my out-front bike computer on the bar, which is another nice thing if you prefer using this to your phone. Next, this has capacious storage. I got my entire tent and my deflated sleeping bag in this thing and it buckled up no problem. Having said that, it affected my shifting with Shimano GRX drop-bar shifters; I could still shift but I was using more force than usual to get that bag moved over. I think it would be even more likely to be an issue with SRAM and the extra throw distance required. It would not be an issue with Di2 (not many tourists use those, I know) or other types of shifting, but definitely try that out before you hit the road. If I didn't put so much stuff in there, I don't think it'd be an issue, but it's something to be aware of because the storage volume is one of the main appeals here. I also had to do some adjustments when the straps loosened and the bag dropped to the point that it was rubbing my front tire. Again, this may be the result of overstuffing but I do think smaller frames would be likely to have an issue with tire clearance. As you'll see in my photos, the straps go over your handlebars, which limits the space for bells, lights, and phone mounts. I should've moved my bell toward the center before setting out. If you have the strap right on your bell, it might also dampen the sound. I use my handlebar bag for stuff that I want to be able to access easily: snacks, hats/layers, camera, wallet/phone, etc. so I think the Ortlieb Ultimate bag is best for me, but if you're not bringing a camera and are really trying to go as compact as possible, this might be your choice. A good size stem bag could provide on-the-go access to your essentials and a camera could be kept in a frame bag or pannier.
Great quality, awesome bag.
I'm a huge fan of REI brand products, almost always, it's the right direction to go if they have a competing product. The Link handlebar bag is great, but I should have probably requested a smaller one. The large is a bit oversized for my needs(that's the only reason it has a 4 star rating. Though it's not perfect for my everyday rides, it definitely will fit in on my bikepacking rides. I've put it on my fat bike and it looks great. If I had any suggestions about improvement, I'd add a couple loops on the bag itself so it could be attached to a strap. That way when you remove it from your bike, you could easily just pop it over a shoulder.
A great bag for down drop bars!
This handlebar bag is very well designed for bike with downdrop bars. I was looking for one for my new bike as my harness and watertight "tube" is simply too long. The standoff foam blocks are sufficient to keep the bag from interfering with cables (unlike my other harness). The design of the separate bag and harness makes packing the bag tightly possible, as I compress watertight bags with my knees while rolling the bag 3 times. I was able to put my sleeping system in the main compartment, a tent (without poles), stakes, air mattress, and down quilt. The fit was pretty tight, but I could still get in and out of the two zippered side pockets, as they are designed with extra fabric along the outer walls. I likely will not stuff the bag so tight on my great divide mtn. bike tour, starting in May, by leaving one item from my sleep system in another bag. One point that needs updating is that the included instructions seem to be for a slightly different handlebar mount (two slots in the foam blocks in the instructions but only one in the blocks I got). It took a bit of fiddling to see how to mount the blocks.
Thoughtful and Well-Constructed Bag
Please note: I received these products for free from the REI Trailblazers sampling program in exchange for my honest review. The first thing that struck me when I opened the shipping bag was how sturdy the material was. I didn't realize it would come in two pieces, a "hammock" for the bag and the bag itself. The hammock is made from the same water-resistant material as the bag and has a frame inside for shape and structure. It's secured with wide velcro straps and has two sets of adjustable straps to accommodate the bag. The bag has a rollover top and two side pockets. I've never bothered with a handlebar bag before because I didn't want to deal with it shifting or drooping. But the hammock gives me peace of mind! I received this just as I had a severe respiratory illness and didn't feel well enough to do much physical activity. So, I first tested its water resistance. I put two pieces of paper with different marker and ink types into the bag and left it out all day in the rain. The next morning the interior was completely dry and the inks were fine. Then I tried stuffing the bag with various objects for different types of trips. The side pockets can easily hold an iPhone 12 with room to spare. Or I could fit protein bars and a basic first aid kit (if the container were flexible). The main pocket doesn't allow for as many items as I hoped. The hammock can expand but the orange clips don't have as much give as the side straps. I tried fitting some of my work gear, like my planner, lunch, water bottle, and work cardigan. It was too stuffed to fit into the hammock, so I scaled back to the cardigan and planner (items I'd hate to get wet). For short trail rides I could fit my windbreaker and mini pump. Most likely though I'll use this to hold my swim gear moving forward. After I recovered, I started my bike commute again. For reference, I use a 52cm Fuji Touring bike with ergo handlebars. The hammock was easy enough to secure. There are two velcro straps at each end of the bag and each has a foam block. The length isn't adjustable, but you can slide the velcro through the strap holding it in place. This was helpful when I tried fitting it to my partner's larger bike and with flat handlebars. I briefly tested on their bike because when I rode mine, the bag's side rubbed against my thumb. With the flat handlebars (and maybe larger frame?) I didn't experience that. After two days I tried using the hammock for my REI pack-away cooler with is my lunch bag. It worked out really well! I suspect the hammock will get the most use out of me. So why only 4 stars? The foam blocks didn't turn out as intended- there's only 1 slot. I personally found that easier to work with, but the product and instructions should line up.
The bag for me
I love this bag. I've been shopping a while for a good handlebar bag for general everyday use as well as bikepacking. I previously had the REI link handlebar roll. I liked the harness on that, but the roll was such a pain to use. Although a true waterproof bag, it was very stiff and harder to get things in and out. This new bag uses a similar harness but the rolltop bag is soooo much better than the old roll. The harness is better too with a pretty clever design. There are side straps to help keep it narrow enough to fit between drop bars. Fits fine between my 44cm bars. Removing the bag is quick and easy. Getting into it even while riding is pretty easy. In terms of volume, it's as big as i would ever want on my handlebars. It fits a lot and stays still. I thought a lot about getting the Swift Zeitgeist bag instead, but the REI one holds more, can be quickly removed because of the harness, and is half the price! My only complaint is the velcro straps. I immediately replaced them with voile straps. They're just too scratchy and bulky. Too hard to secure tightly. All the rei bags come with the velcro straps and im not a fan. Though, I don't think many brands come with nicer voile straps anyways.
Reasonable bag, poorly manufactured
I received this product for free from the REI Trailblazers sampling program in exchange for my honest review. Unfortunately the bag that I received is not useable as intended because the foam mounting spacers are not manufactured properly. As shown in the photos, the foam spacers have only one slot for the hook-and-loop wraps while the directions clearly indicate they should have two. Without the foam spacers the bag interferes with brake, shifter, and dropper cables. Otherwise, the cradle is sturdy and the easily removable dry bag is well made.
Functional Spacious Bag
Functional and spacious. Easy to take on and off, and the tightening mechanism is great. Never felt like the bag was going to come loose. One thing to note with handlebar bags in general, is that due to the lack of a front rack, they may bump against your front tire. After a single ride, the bottom of the bag was visibly worn. Luckily, this bag has a handy feature of having the actual bag inside a protective outer "shell", so the bag itself is fine. After speaking with an REI associate, they recommended that I either use a removable rack to hold the bag up (DIY-able) or use an awl to tighten the velco straps against the handle bars. Great product--any flaws I believe are expected of a bag like this.
Great for bikepacking
Was looking for a high volume waterproof handlebar bag to take bikepacking and decided to give this a try. It's easy to set up and doesn't swing around at all on my bike. I really appreciate the fact the bag can be removed from the harness easily, which goes a long way when setting up camp! It fits great on my Primos Dame (size Medium) gravel bike that has 650b tires. There's about 30mm of clearance from the bottom of the bag to the top of my tire when all the straps are fully cinched.
Great bag!
I mounted this bag behind the seat of a recumbent Trike. It works great and looks great as a trunk bag. With the outer shell it allows the bag to be easily removed for shopping or the coffee shops on your ride. It holds enough, is not small and not too large. I zip tied this bag to the grommets on the rear of the recumbent seat which is working out great again as there isn't much in the way of recumbent trike bags.