Ortlieb Ultimate 5 Plus bar bag

Ortlieb know a thing or two about making quality bike luggage and the Ultimate 5 Plus Bar Bag has been on their books for a while now, but it's starting to look a little expensive and basic.

Fitting a bar bag can be a problem on some bikes, notably those with Shimano STI shifters, because the space between the levers is often occupied by gear cables. The flexible shell of the Ortlieb goes some way to mitigating this, allowing the cables to push back against the body and softening the bend. It's certainly a better option than a square bag with a rigid frame. I ran it on my Kona Dew Drop with 44cm bars, Sora shifters and plenty of slack in the gear cabling. It just about fitted, although I'd be tempted to go for the classic bodge-around and fit v-brake noodles to carry the cable down and away from the STIs. On my audax bike (40cm, Tiagra) it wouldn't even be an option. Of course if you run shifters with all the cabling under the bar tape or even a flat bar, then it won't be a problem.

It's a smart looking bag, typically Ortlieb, with a brightly coloured body and a reflective patch. The unfussy design is pleasing on the eye but it does mean you only have two tiny side pockets to play with. They really are titchy, just big enough for keys, change or a multi-tool and extracting coins mean using your fingers as chopsticks. Big pockets would be redundant, given the lack of space between the shifters, but they could be slightly wider.

In terms of space there's enough room for plenty of stuff. There's an integrated pocket for cards and wallets but otherwise the interior is just a single compartment. It comes with a removable divider, but that just takes up space and doesn't do much. The waterproof shell is very thin and has no padding so you need to be careful with things like cameras.

The bracket attaches to the bars with a slightly scary looking wire arrangement. It looks a bit flimsy but it works well, the end of the wire being tensioned with a single allen bolt. The bracket also comes with an integrated lock, which stops a casual thief from lifting the bag off the bike but does nothing to stop them from simply opening the bag and nicking your malt loaf. It's a pointless feature that just adds complexity and cost.

In addition to commuting and the odd day ride I also took the bag on a short tour. Having a bar bag was an ideal way to carry food and oddments but access on the move was slightly hampered by the treasure chest style lid, which has to be flipped fully open to gain access. It isn't a problem, provided it's not raining and you don't have the (optional) map case fitted. As these two are both pretty likely it's a bit of a pain. A zip would be, potentially, less waterproof, but would make it easier to winkle out a cereal bar. The map case (£14 extra) only attaches at one end, so flipping the lid drops it onto the front wheel. Oh and without the map case fitted, the two lid poppers make an irritating spingly noise. If you have princess and pea tendencies when it comes to niggling noises on the very cusp of audibility, I can guarantee that this will drive you mad...

The other problem, not unique to Ortlieb, is that with the bag fitted there's nowhere to put your lights. Dynamo types with a brake crown mounted headlamp will chortle into their beards at such trivialities, but to anyone who might want to extend their ride beyond sunset it's a major pain.

There's no denying the build quality, Ortlieb aren't renowned for making rubbish and it comes with a five year warranty, but with the map case costing an extra £14, a lack of features and awkward access I'd be looking around for something more practical and better value for money.

Verdict

Ortlieb quality, but expensive and awkward to use.