Front tire rub

[phil_rad]

I've noticed when I take a medium sized hit my handlebar harness rubs on the front tire. I've got the straps pretty tight, I wouldn't want to crank'em down any tighter. Anyone else have this happen to them? If so what can you do about it. I think eventually I'll rub a hole in my dry bag.

Here's a picture:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/33537785@N07/4318517727/#

[AZTtripper]

Well that's a pretty big bag I assume it's your sleeping bag and that you need something that big for winter camping. All I put on the bars is my sleeping pad, less then half the size of yours.

A couple of thoughts stiffen the fork, or add a patch of material to the wear spot maybe even just a patch of shoe goo to help protect it. That's all I got.

[phil_rad]

I actually have my pad, tent and sleeping bag in there. Maybe I should take out the tent and put back in my seatbag, that's where I've had it in the past. The shoe goo trick sounds good, I think I'll give it a try. Also the fork will get a few more PSI's.
Thanks AZTtripper!

[bmike-vt]

piece of coroplast or something similar that can bend to your bag, maybe slid into the straps to protect the goods?

[phil_rad]

Whats coroplast? Plastic? 

[bmike-vt]

yup. here in the states you can get it from discarded political signs, yard sale signs, etc. etc.

[mattinaustin]

I used one of the Granite Gear 'Bloc' stuff sacks which is rectangular in shape to help with the same issue.  The short side of the sack gives a good extra inch of clearance compared to the long side.  Not sure how it would work with your harness though?

http://www.granitegear.com/products/packingsystems/airline/airblocsolid.html

I would like to make one myself that is even more rectangular sometime in the future. 

I also wrapped with some thin plastic cutting board material to keep cables and corners from rubbing too much into the stuff sack.  This could probably be eliminated if I had a better strapping system.

[phil_rad]

I think the problem is that my dry bag is too big for my sleeping bag, so the more I compress it the shorter and fatter it gets. I'm going to try a smaller one of the same brand and see what happens. I could put a rigid fork on it, that would eliminate the problem. ;-)
 

[phil_rad]

yup. here in the states you can get it from discarded political signs, yard sale signs, etc. etc.

I think we have the same stuff here as well, probably a different name.

[fat bob]

How about a fender? On the big hits it will take the abuse, and will keep mud off of you and the bike during wet seasons

http://bicyclesource.us/product/planet-bike-bog-suspension-fork-front-fender-52191-1.htm

[stevage]

Just so you know, yes it *will* wear a hole in the drybag - that happened to me doing something similar, but over the rear tyre. And a drybag with a hole in it isn't worth all that much. I usually end up with a bunch of bungee cords trying to lift the bag away from the wheel, but I think some of the other solutions posted sound better.

[mtbikernate]

I agree to try a fender.

if you can find any shops that make signs, you can probably get pieces of scrap coroplast (corrugated plastic...like cardboard boxes, but plastic).

[phil_rad]

I will try the fender trick, I have one from SKS.

Thanks for all the tips!

Happy Trails!

Phil

[sean salach]

I use a 30L drybag for my -40 down bag and cut down foam sleeping pad. On 29" wheels, I absolutely have to use a small rack or it will rub, even with a rigid fork. If you're using a milder temperature sleeping system, I would think a 10 or 20L drybag would suffice.

[phil_rad]

I use a 30L drybag for my -40 down bag and cut down foam sleeping pad. On 29" wheels, I absolutely have to use a small rack or it will rub, even with a rigid fork. If you're using a milder temperature sleeping system, I would think a 10 or 20L drybag would suffice.

Sean,
That did the trick, got myself a smaller bag and the rubbing is gone.

Thanks!
Phil